Fall 2006 Museum Newsletter by Andrea Plummer, Curator

Many new changes to the museum

The Butterfield Trail Museum has made a few new changes over the season. The Old Russell Springs school house being in such bad shape was a concern for the association so they have added a room to the museum containing the old senior pictures, trophies, uniforms and misc. things that they were able to save from the school. If you have anything you would like to loan or donate for the room please contact the museum.

On Old Settlers day weekend they held an auction to help get rid of things in the school house. The money they received is being set up in a scholarship fund for local youth to help with their college education along with Gladys Smith who has set up a Charles Smith memorial scholarship..

The old commons house has received new doors and windows and is being redone and we hope to have the house and new displays ready to go for the 2007 season.

The association put up a new building in which the old stage coach belonging to the Thacker family will be displayed. There will also be some buggies and farm equipment displayed in this building.

The association is looking forward to having the old stage coach back in Russell Springs for the local people to enjoy. The association will have this new building with its displays ready for the 2007 season.

40th year for Trail Ride

The annual Butterfield Trail ride was held on the weekend of June 3rd and 4th. This was the 40th Annual ride. There were approximately 450 riders this year. The ride started on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Russell Springs. They rode east of town along the trail. On Sunday they had an outdoors service at 8:00 a.m. followed by another ride going west of town. They arrived back in town around noon. That afternoon they held the rodeo again. There was a big crowd for this event.

Memorials to the Museum

Several memorials were made to the museum this year. Memorials were made for David Howard, Ada Rogge, Charles Smith and Glen Huffman. Their names have been added to our memorial plaque and book. If you have someone that you would like to have a memorial set up for at the museum please contact the museum at 785-751-4242 for details on how to set up this memorial.

Old Settler's Day Celebration

The annual old Settlers Day Celebration was held on Sunday, September 3rd. The day started off with a church service at 8:00 a.m. Registration @ 9:00 a.m. The parade began at 10:00 a.m. This years Grand Marshall was Paul McNall.
After the Parade the annual Cowchip throwing contest was held the winners this year were: girls division: Madison Mays with the winning throw of 20’, boy division Lane Ochs with a throw of 94’8” womens division-Mary Ochs throwing 61’10” and mens division-David Selenke throwing 110’. Each winner received a Butterfield Trail Museum cap , certificate and picture.
After the cowchip throw the Association put on a free hamburger feed with all the fixins. Shortly after everyone had enjoyed the meal, there was an auction at the old school house. Old books, furniture and odd n ends were sold. The money raised will be set up into a local high school scholarship. The day was enjoyed by young and old. The Russell Springs Alumni also held a reunion this weekend with a catered meal held at the Winona High School. So many old friends and family were able to share old times and old stories together. It was a very fun– filled weekend for everyone.

Special Points of Interest

The Annual Christmas Party will be held on December 3, 2006 in the Russell Springs church @ noon with a potluck meal and entertainment.

The Butterfield Trail museum is open May 1 thru September 10. Their hours are Monday thru Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then 1:00– 5:00 p.m. On Sunday they are open 1:00-5:00 p.m.
The museum has a variety of things to see telling the history of the old days and of the Butterfield Overland Despatch and the Smoky Trail.
In their gift shop they have novelties, books on the history of the area , traveling information, postcards, t-shirts, ornaments , and local handmade crafts.

Looking for members

The Butterfield Trail Association is always looking for new members. To become a member you can contact the museum at 785-751-4491. A year membership is $10.00 and a lifetime membership is $100.00.

The new members elected this year for the board of the Butterfield Association were Jarrett Haremza- President, Jason Herschberger-Vice President, Brett Ayers-Secretary and Ward Taylor-Treasurer. The Curators for the museum are Andrea Plummer and Joy Rogge.

Next year's important dates:

Trail Ride will be held the 1st weekend in June. This will be June 2nd and 3rd, 2007
Annual Meeting will be the 1st Wednesday in April, April 4, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at the old school lunchroom
Old Settlers Day will be September 2, 2007

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A look at the past researched by Pat Haremza:
Events from old newspapers

From the Logan Co. Republican Sept. 17, 1891:

IN LIMBO AGAIN

Burwell the Leader of the Kirwin gang of horse thieves and robbers Now an inmate of the Logan County Jail A short sketch of his career as a horse thief and amorous lover. One year ago last month two men came into Elkader township, in this county, nominally to secure land for a stock ranche on which to bring their cattle from two or more different localities. They remained in the county several days and had such an interst in the good horses they saw the farmers have, that suspicions were aroused and due steps were taken by some to guard their choicest horses. The morning of August 16, 1890, dawned bright and clear finding Elkader as clear of cattle barons as was John Powell’s stable of his fine team of mules. The strangers were at once charged with the theft and a writ sworn out and placed in the hands of Sheriff Perryman who took under-sheriff Cannon and started in the course the thieves had taken. The first day from Oakley gave sucn warm evidence of the fleeing thieves that teams were changed three times and one hundred and twenty six miles covered, but the strt had been too great and the good metal of their team carried the party into their rendezvous at Kirwin ahead of the officers. The mules werea found in the barn of Jas. Burwell’s father-in-law, their driver had securely concealed himself, but his companion, Ells, was not so fortunate, falling into Deputy Cannon's hands. The farce of an alibi proven by a pack of heelers setting him free in the face of an excellent corps. of reliable witnesses who positively identified him as one of the cattle men. As soon as Ells was safely housed in the jail at this place the officers at once set to tracing out Burwell, the reputed chief of an extensive gang who made Kirwin their central point. This work fell mostly into the hands of deputy Cannon who laid his scheme deep and with a determination to never let up while his bird lived. Through ways only known to skillful detectives he traced hom on an extended tour under continuously changing names through Nebraska and Dakota into Canada then to Alaska, down to Oregon and California. Next he appeared in the land of Saints, staying in Utah awhile and then under the spur of impending capture he started gain and went into southwestern Colorado and hired out to a man who was running a steam threshing machine for whom he worked, (some thing unusual for him) for about three weeks. In the vicinity he saw and was recognized by Ells who at once made himself scarce. Here he got the exact location of his man and learned that he was likely to remain sometime. He at once dispatched Sheriff Perryman to get a requisition and come to Denver as he had his man while he took the sheriff of the county he was in and went as far by rail as they could of the 470 miles and then took saddle horses and rode a hundred miles over the mountains to where the mine is located. Burwell was soon found on the outside of the mine, fortunately unarmed and was soon secured. He had been traveling for sometime as George Harper and protested that they were onto the wrong man and was answered that it did not make any difference as he had made a long hunt for Burwell and he guessed he was now in possession of this man and was not going back with out him. When pleading failed to work his release Harper owned up that he was “Burwell all right enough” byt asked “for God’s sake to not tell the camp what he was arrested for,” and suggested a story to give out. Burwell was with Dick Belmont and Zimmerman, at Minden, Neb., when they went there with a herd of 65 ponies, stolen from some place in Kansas when Belmont and Zimmerman shot Sheriff Wood and two other men and made their escape. The pursuit, capture and trials of that gang being among the most thrilling in the legal annals of Nebraska. He subsequently got into trouble with a girl and when the constable went to arrest him he coolly drew his gun and walked off telling the officer where to put the warrant. At another time he was engaged to a respectable young lady from Iowa who was visiting a friend at Lenora, who knowing him thoroughly informed her folks of his character for which Burwell tried to kill her and served his term in the penitentiary for it. Burwell, when at Minden, was a mere boy but his schooling was among masters of the business and his whole life is made up of expert deeds that have, with two exceptions before, proved beyond the skill of detectives to unearth. Sheriff Perryman and Deputy Cannon arrived at Oakley with their prisoner Monday evening. He was taken before the Squire Camp and his trial set for next Tuesday.

More old Stories

This is an artlcle found in the Logan County Republic on December 27, 1888.

NEW JAIL CELLS

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The museum's new sign