Kiowa County Museum and Babbs Memorial

Accordian at Kiowa County Museum

This morning I toured the Kiowa County Museum. One would need at least one full day to tour it properly but as I only had about 1 hour I did a speed tour. I met Celecia Stoup who works at the museum and she related some interesting information regarding some of the artifacts.

I have seldom seen a museum with this many artifacts in it. She told me they have spent two years doing inventory and are still not finished.

Some of the rooms were set up to look like actual rooms from an earlier time period.

This is a washing machine. I sure am glad that I never had to use one of these.

Slide Show Projector

Technology has come a long way.












There was a room with some very  old vehicles on display.

Imagine travelling in this chuckwagon across the country. Rough riding.











My favorite room was the one showing Indian artifacts. One showcase held articles that were from 500 to 15,000 years old. There were several pictures of the Kiowa and Apache people and several articles of clothing and adornments that they wore and articles they used. Check Anna's blog for  more articles of clothing.

The items to the right were likely used for dances or perhaps by  their shaman.

This is a picture of Apache Chief Geronimo who was held at Fort Sill from 1886 to 1890.

He later travelled the world with the  Wild Bill Cody show.














If you ever come to this town this museum is a must see. It is impossible to cover even a fraction of it in this blog.

I returned to the MH just in time for Barbara to pick me up and take me to the Seniors place for dinner. Once again the food was delicious and the people were full of fun.

After dinner Barbara took me to see the Babbs Switch School Memorial.

This memorial is for the 35 people who died when the school caught fire on Christmas Eve in 1924 while the people of the community were taking in a Christmas Concert there. The fire is said to have started from a candle on the Christmas Tree. The doors of the school opened to the inside and they jammed, leaving  the people trapped inside and unable to get out.  After this incident Oklahoma made a law that all doors  must open to the outside.











Barbara  told me the story of a young child around 2 years of age  who was at that concert  but whose remains were never found after the fire. Many decades later the woman was found to be in California and was reunited with her family. Apparently she was found by someone in the confusion  after the fire  and taken there. She later wrote a book called Child of Tragedy.

Barbara toured me all around the countryside, showing me the Clubhouse at the Golf Course, the hospital, schools etc.  It was a big day. Thank you Barbara for all the places you have taken me and for your friendship.

Tomorrow we head for Dodge City Kansas. I will be sad to leave Hobart and the people I have met here but glad to be on the road towards home.

Keep warm.