Legacy T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E R E N O C O U N T Y H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

26informative new signs aboundfor outdoorexhibits

23check outthe tools

that builtreno county

SPRING 2013

they came from far and wide to shop at the store that sparkled…page 4

I N S I D E

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HISTORICAL SOCIETY STAFF (full-time)

Linda Schmitt, executive director, rchs lindas@undergroundmuseum.org

Jamin Landavazo, chief curator, rchs jamin@undergroundmuseum.org

Gayle Ferrell, director of operations, kusm gayle@undergroundmuseum.org Tonya Gehring, docent supervisor, kusm tonya@undergroundmuseum.org

Dave Unruh, maintenance supervisor, kusm dave@undergroundmuseum.org

Lynn Ledeboer, curatorial assistant, rcm lynn@renocomuseum.org

Tina Moore, administrative assistant, rcm tina@renocomuseum.org

Kourtney Krehbiel, visitor services, kusm kourtney@undergroundmuseum.org

Myron Marcotte, mine specialist, kusm myron@undergroundmuseum.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shannon Holmberg, president • Richard Shank, presi-

dent-elect • Billy Klug, treasurer • Laura Snyder,

secretary • Nan Hawver • John Doswell • Tim Davies • Sherry

Mundhenke • Michael Armour • Elaine Fallon • Mary Wilson

Conrad Koehler • John Fredricks • Bill Pfenninger • Alice

Oldham • Lee Spence, ex-officio • Mike Carey, ex-officio

4 wiley’s: the store that vernon built ...the prairie skyscraper became a mecca

15 thanks for your support! ...to our new and renewing members

16 wiley collection boasts a variety ...from teacups to financial ledgers

18 oh, the memories of shopping ...and the tea room with all its finery

20 a big boom is their reward ...kusm staff begs for explosions

23 two exhibits better than one ...it’s all about building reno county

24 our collections need your help ...proper preservation is costly 26 new signs enhance outdoor exhibits ...from claim house to outhouse

28 variety of events and exhibits in store ...murder, ice cream, the bisonte and more

Volume 25, No. 2Legacy is published quarterly by The Reno County Historical Society, Inc. 100 S. Walnut St., P.O. Box 664, Hutchinson, Kansas 67504-0664For advertising or membership information, call 620-662-1184.

© 2013 The Reno County Historical Society, Inc. ISSN 1045-3423All rights reserved. The RCHS disclaims responsibility for statements

of fact or opinion made by contributors.

THE JOURNAL OF THE RENO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Legacyh

ON THE COVERwiley’s, a focal point in the community, drew shoppers from throughout the state, as evidenced by this post-1931 photo show-ing nary a parking spot.

I

4

this corner at first and main was home to the price building and the moon cafe before construc-tion of the rora-baugh-wiley build-ing. (1987.123.06)

as the wiley build-ing is in the news, we thought it would be timely to reprint this history of ver-non meek wiley and his store, first pub-lished in the summer 1990 issue of legacy. the author, marie wiley, was married to vernon’s son, edward wiley. marie was a reno county historical society member and worked as a volunteer at the reception desk.

By the late Marie Wiley

Wiley’s…they came from far and wide

t’s a fortunate com- munity that can boast of one man who for more than half a century contributed mightily to its growth, prosperity and general welfare. Such a community is Hutchinson, Kansas, and such a man was Vernon Meek Wiley (1877-1954). Vernon was 15 when his parents, William James and Sarah Meek Wiley,

moved their family from an Ohio farm to Emporia, Kansas. Vern immediately enrolled in the College of Emporia, graduating at age 19. He clerked in John Harlness’s dry goods store in Emporia for $5 a week but two years later trans-ferred to A.O. Rorabaugh’s recently opened store where he was soon made a partner. Mr. Rorabaugh

planned to open a sec-ond dry goods store in Hutchinson and wanted Vern to manage it. On January 1, 1901 Vernon Wiley came to Hutchinson, and on the 19th opened the Rora-baugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, a small store on Main Street between two other department stores – Urban & Compa-ny on the southeast cor-

5

(See HIS, page 6)

employeesmade deliveriesto customers

over mealbreaks

ner of Second and Main, and Martin’s, the largest dry goods store in town. Vernon had hired seven employees. Their stock consisted of la-dies’ cloaks and jackets, underwear for both men and wom-en, domestics, linens, dress goods, notions (thread, nee-dles, scissors, miscellaneous small items), and men’s furnishings. There was no telephone, and the employees made deliveries to customers when they went to dinner at noon and to supper at night. That same year Con-gressman Long intro-duced a bill to appropri-ate $100,000 for a post office, and Emerson Carey organized the Carey Salt Company on April 25. Vern helped organize the Central Kansas Fair Association, which spon-sored the Reno County

horse-drawn wagons can be seen around the construction site on may 31, 1913, above left. (1989.100.02) scaffolding remains but the building as of august 1, 1913, is nearing completion, above right.

a sign reading, “wiley’s,” proudly announces the store, still looking good in the early 1930s. (1989.100.05)

Fair (seven years later to become the Kansas State Fair). Hutchinson still had mule-drawn streetcars on Main Street and Avenue A, soon to be replaced by electric streetcars.

In 1903 Pat Martin moved to Califor-

nia, selling his store to Rora-baugh-Wiley’s. They promptly moved into the

much larger space at 118

North Main and combined the two stores, employing scores of people and opening Hutchin-son’s first beauty parlor. Already the stores were serving 10,000 mail order patrons. Mrs. A.H. Lewis, then a young girl, recalled, “I re-member Vern Wiley when he first came to town. He was a fine looking young man; and right from the beginning, for special things, my mother and other people seemed to think they would find bet-

ter and more of what they wanted at Rorabaugh-Wi-ley’s.” At last Vern felt es-tablished enough that he could marry, and the beautiful Mary Lena

(Continued from page 5)

6

below is the “front door isle,” one of a series of postcards of the interior of wiley’s, most likely in its sec-ond location at 118 n. main before the skyscraper was built in 1912. (2002.35.27.2)

His dreamsonly for growthof city and store

Crowley of Council Grove became his bride on June 24, 1903. They had been friends at the College of Emporia, from which she graduated two years after Vern. By now he was an orig-inal member of the Com-mercial Club, the informal but actual city-governing body based on the coun-cil system, which later became the City Com-mission. But Vern had no political ambitions. His dreams were of growth and excellence for his store and his city. Mr. Rorabaugh opened Rorabaugh’s in Wichita in 1902, and continued opening new stores, each with a different partner, finally having a total of eight. Meanwhile Vern con-centrated on the Hutchin-son store. By 1910 he envisioned a huge and

remarkable building of eight floors with room for his burgeon-ing store and many fine office spaces for business and profes-sional men – this at a time when the Flatiron Building, New York City’s very first sky-scraper just recently built, had only 21 stories. Practically everyone, including Mr. Rorabaugh, tried to discourage him.

DISCOURAGING WORD “Hutch’ll never have enough business to sustain such a big store and so many offices!” the wiseacres counseled. But the fast-growing automobile travel here and elsewhere impressed Vern. By 1910 roads lead-ing to Hutchinson were being paved, and he and many Hutchinson busi-nessmen were donating

to the Reno County Road Building Fund. With the right incen-tives, he felt, people would drive to Hutchinson from far greater distances, and the city would grow faster. And in 1911 Hutchinson did become a “city of first class.” The commissioners voted bonds for a new city building to contain all city offices and serve as a pub-lic auditorium as well. On September 26, 1911, United States President Taft laid the cornerstone of Convention Hall at Ave-nue A and Walnut. When finished, it seated 4,200 and cost $125,000. Now V.M. boldly en-gaged a fine architectural firm in Columbus, Ohio, which drew up plans for the building he pictured in his mind. He also orga-nized the Rorabaugh-Wi-ley Building Company with himself as president. Then he assumed the Herculean task of raising the needed vast sum of $332,000 quite alone. But no bank in Kansas or Mis-souri would lend it to him, so to New York City went this brash young 35-year-

vernon meek wiley

7

old, only to find that the New York bankers, too, found his predictions of a glowing future for the small city in mid-Kansas beyond their comprehen-sion. One after another they turned him down. He was disconsolately packing his Gladstone bag to go home when his tele-phone rang and the president of the Chase National Bank (now Chase Man-hattan) told him the board of directors had met again, and, “Mr. Wiley, if you have nerve enough to build an eight-story sky-scraper out in the middle of the prairie, we ought to have the nerve to lend you the money.”

A CALM, QUIET VOICE Paul Bowles, who worked at Rorabaugh-Wi-ley’s in the 1920s, re-cently said, “One of Vern Wiley’s finest traits had to be the calm, quiet voice he always used to convey his constructive solutions to problems … he had an excellent command of the English language.” Now came the visible work. Vern wanted and got the site where the Price Building (with Opera House) and the Moon Café stood on the corner of First and Main. Those old buildings were razed, and at last work on the new building began on Novem-ber, 15, 1912.

Immediately there ap-peared a big problem: the soil under First and Main was very sandy, and water lay only eight or nine feet beneath the surface at that time. Such a large building required a deep concrete foundation, so

it was necessary to operate a number

of huge pumps day and night to make the ground dry enough for

the builders to pour concrete. As a

result, the building has only a very small base-ment under the east end. Vern was on the site every day (his little store being so near) to make sure that everything went according to plan. And one year after con-struction began, Hutchin-

if you have nerve,

then we havenerve

(See SKYSCRAPER, page 8)

the grand staircase sweeps up to the second floor, upper right, and the men’s furnishings department, below, featured a wide array of goods. (2002.35.37.2)

8

son had a “skyscraper” with 200 upper windows and 10 big display win-dows at sidewalk level, dubbed “the finest and most modernly equipped building between Kansas City and Denver.” It became the center of business activity in Hutchinson for many years to come. On November 20, 1913 at 7:30 p.m., powerful

searchlights in Riverside Park were switched on, aimed at the south side of the new building, signal-ing the start of a grand opening and reception. A great crowd of peo-ple thronged the streets leading to First and Main, the women with the long skirts and their hats trimmed in feathers or ribbons, the men wearing bowler or fedora hats or

caps, and everyone in the ubiquitous high-topped buttoned or laced shoes. They toured the build-ing, accompanied by music from the mezza-nine – a 10-piece orches-tra concealed behind the Tea Room’s palms and led by Professor Ax. The Hutchinson Band, led by Conductor Mitchell, was stationed in the Commer-cial Club rooms on the eighth floor. Luxuriant decorations of flowers, palms, ferns and vines enhanced the elegant fixtures in the store displaying quantities of splendid new merchan-dise, and also were found on the office floors above.

‘BON VOYAGE’ PARTY Hutchinson had nev-er seen anything like it. It was like a huge “bon voyage” party on a giant ocean liner. At 8:30 it was announced that at that moment there were no less than 10,000 people in the building. Contained in the sou-venir copy of “The Store Creed,” written by V.M. Wiley, was the following: “We believe in Hutchinson in Southwest Kansas and in her people. Southwest Kansas is an empire to which Hutchinson is the gateway, and to the extent she keeps abreast of the growth of that empire, to that extent will she retain its loyalty and support.” The next day The Hutchinson News carried several articles about the opening, the store and offices, most of which were already rented. One article listed the departments on the first floor, from piece goods

(Continued from page 7)

Skyscraper

below are the expansive carpet and millinery departments as featured in the postcard series. (2002.35.37.2)

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(fabrics), lace, embroidery, ribbons and notions to gloves, hosiery, candy, the substation post office and more. On second were la-dies’ suits, coats, cloaks and furs, childrens’ and infants’ departments, plus corsets, millinery and boys’ clothing. On third were car-pets, curtains, blankets, trunks, art needlework, fancy table and bed lin-ens, china, furniture and mattresses. On fourth were the dressmaking department, work rooms, mail order section, sample room, window decorator’s room and the receiving, mark-ing and reserve stock rooms. Two elevators served the store while two more, from the lobby on the north, served the office floors and, before long, the Tea Room. All elevators had operators, and the store also had a freight elevator (no operator).

SNAZZY OFFICES On the eighth floor were the Board of Trade and grain offices, plus the Commercial Club. All the four office floors were fin-ished in birch and mahog-any, while the corridors were finished in tile and marble. One News article listed all the building’s con-struction statistics, from the 400 tons of reinforced steel and 60 tons of or-namental iron stairs, to the 50 tons of marble and much more. The dressmaking de-partment on the fourth floor was important. In those days there were no

ready-to-wear dresses; women made their own or hired seamstresses. Madame Miller, the head seamstress at the store, was a very talented wom-an. Customers would buy fine wool, silk, linen and cotton fabrics together with the desired trim-mings such as lace, but-tons, braid, thread, and other necessaries from the first floor and take them up to Madam Miller. There she and her staff

would make up something individual and lovely for each woman, whether it be for morning, afternoon or evening. Within a short time the Tea Room moved from the mezzanine to the fourth floor to accommodate the crowds, and in time it became known as “Mr. Wiley’s Pet.” He insisted from the first that the food be the best possible, with

these postcards feature the main aisle on the first floor, top, and the restroom, above, which is postmarked 1914on the back. (2002.35.37.2)

(See IMPECCABLE, page 10)

(Continued from page 9)

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they came bycar or train

to hutchinson– their mecca

Impeccableservice

no stinting on cream or butter. Waitresses were strictly trained by the Tea Room Manager to give the same impeccable service as that of the Harvey Girls at the new Bisonte Hotel. These qualities plus a bright, tasteful and cheerful décor with many windows on the south and west soon made the Tea Room famous for miles around, and eventually, to some extent, nationwide. A lot of Hutchinson resi-dents still miss it in 1990.

ACTIVE CIVIC LIFE In 1914 Kansas had its largest wheat crop to date – 172,000,000 bushels. World War I started in Europe, and in 1915 Vern became chairman of the American Red Cross for the State of Kansas. He was also State Chairman of the United War Work Campaign. Among his many other civic duties through the years were: President of the School Board, the Board of the American

National Bank and the Rotary Club, and Direc-tor of the Y.M.C.A., and Hutchinson Building and Loan. There were more. He never refused to serve the community in any way he was asked, if it was possi-ble for him to do so.

DEVOTED TO CHURCH And all along, he was always a loyal and enthu-siastic churchman, over time holding every office in the First Presbyteri-an Church. He was ever a friend and often a confidante and coun-selor to the successive pastors of the church. He had a fine tenor voice, and loved to sing in the excellent Hutchin-son choruses in the early years. He loved good music, and solidly backed every cultural effort and event in the community. He had a fine sense of humor, and his many public speeches through-out the years were liber-ally spiced by his wit. His startlingly blue eyes would sparkle at a good joke, and his laugh was hearty and appreciative. From the day of the opening of the new store, customers flocked to it, not only from the Hutchinson area but also from western and central

Kansas and as far away as eastern Colorado and northern Oklahoma. They would drive (most-ly in Ford Model T’s, but also in REOs, Overlands, Packards and an occa-sional Stanley Steamer or Cadillac) over the dusty roads, often spending the night or two nights in Hutchinson. Some-times they came by train. Hutchinson was their favorite city – their mecca. Vern saw to it that all

three of his boys worked in the store as soon as they were old enough, starting with Phil, the oldest,

born in 1905, followed by Ed, five years later, and several years later, Bob. Their first job was helping on the delivery truck on Saturdays during school and, of course, in the summer. Usually their next jobs were running the freight elevator and doing errands in and for the store.

GREETING CUSTOMERS Vern’s habit, year after year, was to rise at 6:00 or just after, eat the large breakfast Lena gave him, then walk to the post office to pick up the busi-ness mail, and on to the store. There he would sort the mail, distribute it to

hiram heaps stands to speak with ray dillon, on the right, in this photo taken in 1945 in the wiley tea room. see detail of the china on page 11.(1991.130.15)

(See THE GREAT, page 12)

11

the mail order and other departments, then be on the main floor by opening at 8:30 to spend as much time as possible greeting customers as they entered the two doors. Many Hutchinson res-idents recall to this day how they almost always met and possibly chatted with him as they walked into the store.

SONS GET INVOLVED In 1929 Philip, eldest son, began his career in the store as Advertising Manager and buyer for the Gift Department. He’d had good experience in Carson, Pirie, Scott’s huge store in Chicago (chief competitor of Marshall Field’s), as later did Ed, then Bob. This was a result of an arrangement Vern made with his friend, Sam Pirie, one of the founders of the Chicago store. In exchange, Sam Pirie, Jr. came to Rorabaugh-Wi-ley’s for his in-store training.

Also in 1929 Phil married Jean Wright, elder daughter of Oli-ver Wright, President of Pegues-Wright, the fine specialty shop in the 200 block on north Main. Oliver Wright and his wife, Margaret, had been college friends of Vern’s and Lena’s in Emporia. And the specialty store, started by Lindsey Pegues and Wright, was a much smaller but welcomed competitor. Vern believed that good competition was healthy for his store.

HUTCH GRAIN MARKET In 1929 Hutchinson had become the smallest city in the world with its own grain market dealing in futures, and the largest hard-wheat market in the world. Accordingly, a ninth floor covering about two-thirds of the roof area was added to the building that year for the Kansas Grain Inspection officials’ offices. In 1930 the Fox Film Corporation of Hollywood

approached Vern concern-ing their desire to have a splendid new movie theater in Hutchinson, and the Rorabaugh-Wiley Improvement Company agreed to erect the Fox Theater directly east of their building, on First Avenue.

START OF THE “FOX” The architecture and de-sign plans were furnished by the Fox Company, who sent their interior designer here to oversee the interior décor. It was a fine example of Art Deco, or “Modern Rococo,” as famous designer Donald Deskey called his designs for the interior of Radio City Music Hall. This vast work wasn’t to be seen by the public until a year and a half after the Fox opened here in 1931. It seated 1,400 and cost approximately $400,000. It was undoubtedly one of the finest theaters in Kansas.

the board of trade, above, shown here in 1918, moved into offices on the eighth floor of the rorabaugh-wileybuilding when it opened in 1913.(1997.17.32)

two china pat-terns were used in the wiley tea room. at far left, a rust-colored stripe winds through blue and rust flowers. (1988.19.03) the other pattern featured tan, rust and dark flowers. (2012.34)

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As the Great Depression slunk like a vicious pred-ator across the United States and the world, Mr. Rorabaugh sold his inter-est in most of his stores to his partners, and Vern’s store became Wiley’s. The Dust Bowl com-pounded this commu-nity’s problems, and the store extended a great deal of credit to hundreds of customers who were honest but unable to pay for a long time. In July 1935 Edward Wiley, second son, re-turned from his two years’ training in Carson, Pirie, Scott’s, and started working in the store as a buyer. A few days later he married Marie Latimer, formerly of Abilene. Two more years and the entire Wiley Building was

air-conditioned, the first fully air-conditioned office building in Kansas. In 1938, according to The Hutchinson News, the amount of money the Wiley Store and Building had contributed to the City of Hutchinson and the community up to that time was staggering, counting taxes, salaries and far more, including more than $1,000,000 in electric power alone. By 1940 Vern had a beautiful and exciting store, the equal except for size of the finest stores in the largest cities. It seemed to sparkle.

TEA ROOM PACKED Then came Pearl Harbor and World War II, and Vern was made chair-man of the Reno County Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Hutchin-son Naval Base personnel added to the Tea Room crowds, and for dinner there you had to make reservations two or three days in advance, although dinner was served at three times each evening.

Helen Tripp, who start-ed as a Tea Room waitress in 1931 and stayed for many years, recently said, “…Mr. Wiley was so kind to me. I worked for him not only for the salary but because I loved working for him. He was a fantas-tic man.”

YOUNGEST JOINS IN Youngest son Robert, having entered the navy as an ensign early in World War II, started at the store in 1946. Just previously, during his Pirie’s stint in Chicago, he had met Jane Douglass of Wichita, then working in Pirie’s Personnel Depart-ment, and they married in September, 1947. Because he was in the Naval Reserve, the Kore-an War recalled him into service, from which he emerged as Lieutenant Commander Wiley. To Wiley’s store employ-ees, the Wiley men were: Mr. Wiley, Mr. Phil, Mr. Ed and Mr. Bob. Their wives were known as Mrs. Wiley, Mrs. Phil and so on.

(Continued from page 11)

The GreatDepression

strikes

this receipt from 1919, above, is part of a collection of receipts from the women’s relief corps. (1989.133.144)

13

u

(See LAST, page 14)

As so often happens when a man establishes a firm, one or more of his sons finds he can’t tol-erate the business, and turns to other work. In Vern’s case, it was Ed who, in late November, 1950, moved his family to Boulder, Colorado, where he successfully became an accountant – a complete change of pace for him.

LOYAL STAFF Hundreds of employees did enjoy the store, how-ever. Many stayed for over 20 years. Among the lon-gest employed were Jessie Wead and Oneida Turner, 39 years each. Ernest Rayner, who won many national awards over the years for his fine window decorating, took two years out for military service in World War II, but actually worked in the store for 38 years. But the one with the longest record of all is Aaron Johnson, whose

years in the store spanned 61 years, although he actually worked a total of 49 years. He once asked Mr. Wiley for a leave of absence to try other work and was given it with the assurance, “But you’ll be back.” He was, after 12 years.

“Wiley’s was my second home,” he says now. And his father, Buford John-son, worked at the first Rorabaugh-Wiley store starting in 1901. From 1950 on, Vern gradually began letting go of the store’s reins, turn-ing more and more over to Phil and Bob. He planned

that he and Lena would travel quite extensively, but his health began to fail, and most of their trips were to Boulder where they both loved mountain drives with their Colorado family. When told in the early 1950s that a new ele-mentary school was to be named for him, Vern seemed overwhelmed. “Why,” he said, “I thought you had to die to get that!” A portrait of him hangs in the V.M. Wiley Elementary School.

SONS LEAD STORE In 1953 he created the title of Chairman of the Board at Wiley’s, assum-ing that title, and naming Phil President and Bob as Secretary-Treasurer. But he continued going to the store every day he was in town until he no longer could.

the wiley sons, below from left, are phil, the old-est, edward and robert.

on friday, march 18, 1938, diners at the wiley tea room had their choice of eight lunch specials, all under 85 cents. still hungry? try dessert for only 15 or 20cents more. (1987.123.04)

“wiley’s was my secondhome.”

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During that year he and Ray Dillon shared the chairmanship for the building of the Baker Hotel (now Plaza Towers). He made his last public appearance at its opening, February 14, 1954.

When he became crit-ically ill soon after that, Mary Lena had a stroke. They were placed in rooms across the hall from each other in Grace Hospital. On March 30, 1954, he died.

The next day The Hutchinson News-Herald gave much of the front page to its story head-lined, “V.M. Wiley, Civic Leader Here, Dies,” to-gether with a large recent photograph of him.

NUMBER 1 CITIZEN “He was Hutchinson’s No. 1 citizen,” it stated. “Few civic activities have functioned in Hutchinson without the attention, support and counsel of Mr. Wiley.” A number of Hutchin-son business houses closed for his funeral. He left six grandchil-dren with two to come later. And of them all, only Doug and Jack, the oldest two of Bob and Jane’s three boys, evinced serious interest in Wiley’s store.

YES, THERE ONCE WAS A VERNON WILEY Recently a young woman asked the writer, “Was there at one time a Vernon Wiley in Hutchin-son?” Oh, yes. Yes, indeed, there was!

(Continued from page 13)

Last publicappearancein February

1954

this 1913 receipt for cotton batting and

calico cloth touts the rorabaugh-wiley store

as “kansas greatest dry goods sellers.”

(1989.133.144)

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It makes you feel good to be a member! Thanks to all our members who are new or renewed January through April! With your member-ship, you are supporting two local museums, the Kansas Underground Salt Museum and the Reno County Museum. Encourage your friends and relatives to join the Reno County Historical Society, too!

Preserver:Tucker & Nation Meyer

Backer:Patty & Dan Foss

James & Mary Lou SunderlandDonna & Harold Swanson Supporter:Dennis & Jennalee BoggsLarry & Marilyn BoltonHerchel & K.T. Crainer John & Jane EriksenAnnie & Robert Fee *John FredricksJames Gilliland Nancy & E. Francis Habiger Jim & Sandra HaskellAndrea & Greg Henne Lona Hinshaw Ken & Barbara KeeferJudy Langley Vern PowersBill & Virginia Rexroad

Donna & Jack WortmanCynda Wright

Friend:Willam & JoAnn DrewsBarbara FrizellSteve Conard Melva & Maurice Cummings Heart of Kansas Quilt GuildCharles Hyter Robert & Marian LundquistAllen & Ila Stone Paul & Debra Waggoner Richard Young

Donors’ Circle:Fee Insurance Group Commerce Bank

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Thank you!

the financial document from the early 1960s, below left, was contained in a leather note-book with “v.m. wiley” inscribed on the cover, at right, and was most likely being used by a son. (1989.119.01) at right is a 1946 document project-ing sales from each department, found in one of vernon’s earlier leather notebooks. (1989.119.03)

the 1946 notebook, above right, was found in the salt city business col-lege building, and was donated to the museum in 1989.

* New member

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these luxurious,

silky cloth gar-

ment tags, above,

harken back to

the era when

clothes were spe-

cial-ordered and

tailor-made for

the customer.

(1990.148.01)

We all accumulate a lot of “stuff” in our lifetimes – imagine what a department store could collect in 86 years of being in business! This Focus on Collections offers a glimpse of a few of the items in the Reno County Mu-seum’s collection that came from the Rora-baugh-Wiley Dry Goods store that opened in 1901 and closed as Wiley’s in 1985. Many of these items evoke sweet memories of a bygone era and a cherished local business.

A collectionof memories

known far and wide, wiley’s posted signs, such as the one above, throughout kansas. this weathered sign was found at martin harnett’s farm in stafford. (2012.17.01)

found in a black leather notebook, this page outlines phil wiley’s plans for each section of the store – from hand-kerchiefs and “career girl” to gloves and notions. (1989.119.03)

customer service booklet (1987.123.03)

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these pages in the store’s customer service booklet, above, illustrate wiley’s assertion that “courtesy is golden.” the importance of the book-let’s content was made clear in one paragraph: “reading it once is not sufficient. keep it where you can refer to it often, so that each point will become your own.” (1987.123.03)

a wiley’s hat box was quite distinc-tive with its chic decorative stripes. if you purchased clothing during your visit to wiley’s, your take-home box matched the hat box perfectly. (1995.58.87)

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Oh, the memories ... y thoughts as the Wiley Building turns 100: Two little girls in Sun-day dresses, patent leather shoes, white gloves and acting on their best behavior traveled up the

Wiley’s elevator to the fourth floor with their mother for a special lunch about 1959. I don’t remember what I had to eat but I do remember the elegant dining room and the wait-resses in their starched uniforms. Everyone spoke politely in hushed tones and I’m sure that I sat there baffled over the ar-ray of forks and spoons. This has come to be one of my favorite Wiley’s memories along with the annual antici-pation of Christ-mas windows and trying on wedding dresses in a large special dressing room under the guidance of wedding con-sultant, Hazel Graybill. She was petite and proba-bly in her 50s in 1970 but she could and did strike terror into the hearts of groomsmen!

MEMORIES DIVERGE Whereas I remember circling round and round in the Buick with Mom to find a coveted parking

place, and holding on tight to her hand so as not to blow away at the “Wi-ley’s Corner,” my children, born in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s barely remem-ber ever shopping there.

CHANGES OVER TIME Even several years before closing in 1985, perhaps as a result of the 1971 fire, Wiley’s increas-ingly bore little resem-

blance to the store of my youth.

For me and many who grew up during the large de-

partment store era, watching the

Wiley Building struggle and deteriorate has been sad and discouraging. Now, finally as Wiley’s turns 100, there is hope on the horizon.

NEW OWNER A new owner, Manske & Associates, is seeking ap-proval for use of housing and historic restoration tax credits to help finance a $17.2 million project to restore and redevelop the building.

everyonespoke politely

in hushedtones

colorful postcards flourished after the wiley building was completed in 1913. (2002.35.37.2)

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in this july 1913 photo, construction workers pose on the scaffolding of the most recently completed story of the rorabaugh-wi-ley building. (1989.100.03)

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Oh, the memories ...

Linda SchmittExecutive Director,

Reno County Historical

Society

lindas@undergroundmuseum.org

This would be called the “Wiley Plaza Project” and add a significant num-ber of market-rate and affordable housing units to the downtown district. It would provide a built-in market for downtown merchants and restau-rants.

POSITIVE IMPACT This positive econom-ic impact would further enhance the revitalized downtown and create the need for additional goods

and services much like the Wiley Building that I remember. The Wiley Building is the soul of Hutchinson’s downtown, and the time has come for it to rise and shine again. Our lives today are far different than they were

in 1913 or the 1950s, but recent improvements in our downtown have prov-en that a true city center where people can gather for food, art, shopping and fun activities is a timeless notion.

WIND NEVER DIES A new and reimag-ined Wiley’s will again, after many years of deterioration, be a centerpiece of which we can all be proud … although I’ll bet it will still be windy on that corner!

wiley’s department store appears brighter and

much more modern in this hutchinson news photo dated

october 17, 1980. (2001.87)

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the management team below that ventured under-ground are, from left: dave unruh, jay brown, gayle ferrell, chrisifuhrman, kourtneykrehbiel, gaylon green, jaminlandavazo, lindaschmitt and tonyagehring.

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KABOOMM ...what a treat!!

By Gayle Ferrell, KUSM Director of Operations

have the privilege of working with the most awesome manage-ment team ever! Most have been here our entire six years of operation. With this team, anything is possible and everything can be han-dled. We have done so much together. So what was left that could be done for these managers? A blast! For six years I had been told that someday, just maybe, we could be at the mine face when they pulled the fuses to blast at night. We’ve heard them during scout over-

nights, rumbling through the mine like deep rolling thunder. Harold Mayo, Hutchin-son Salt Mine Gener-al Manager, and John Kinkade, Hutchinson Salt Mine Supervisor, were to be our guides and protec-tors on this expedition. On the des-ignated date, we gathered at 10 p.m. on the salt company dock with our hard hats, rescuers and safety glasses. Having signed release forms, we stepped onto the skip for that exquisitely quiet ride down to the mine level. We made a stop at the un-derground break room to pick up required earplugs before continuing on to-ward the mine face.

UP AGAINST THE FACE The mine face is where active mining operations occur. This could include blasting or other activities involved in salt mining. And now we were to experience what is an ev-eryday occurrence for the miners. It’s been happen-ing nightly for decades but

we were acting like kids in a candy store. Arriving at the face, we are allowed to look from a reasonable distance at the wall that will be blasted. It has been loaded and set with charges along with

two others in the area that we do not see. We retreat to our respective gators (un-derground transporta-tion similar to golf carts)

to wait. The blasting crew dis-appears to pull the fuses. We are on the edge of our seats. Looking as far as the headlights shine.

COUNTDOWN STARTS The blasting crew drives up on their gator to join us and wait. A mine su-pervisor checks his watch. Four minutes and 45 seconds after the fuse is pulled….BOOM! Then BOOM again. Now we are yahooing! The room we saw is straight ahead beyond the headlights and the anticipation mounts as we

the sound…to feelthe power

…stupendous!

(See BOOM, page 22)

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tracks made bygators, golf-cart-type vehicles used

underground, criss-cross the area

leading to the site of the blast. this

haunting view is looking as far as headlight beams

can reach.

800-760-5315 620-662-5315

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await that last blast. And then . . .BA-BOOOMMM!The sound! To hear the rolling thunder up close and personal! To feel the power! It was stupendous, awesome, unforgettable and inspiring! When it was over, our gators turned in unison and headed back through the underground tunnels toward the salt shaft.

I can’t say what the con-versations were in the oth-er two gators but John, our driver, kept asking if we had a good time … was it worth the effort … and was this really a good reward for the managers? No matter how excited we were, he still couldn’t believe that this was a perfect way to reward the group that has worked so

hard and passionately for our success. Thank you, Harold and John, for spending personal time on a late Saturday night to give a group of salt geeks the most anticipated experi-ence of a lifetime! But most importantly, thank you, Tonya, Dave, Jay, Gaylon, Chrisi, Lin-da, Jamin and Kourtney, for making the past six years stupendous, awe-some, unforgettable and inspiring for this salt geek! It’s been quite a ride and I am so lucky to be sharing it with all of you!

P.S. We’ve been brain-storming about how we can share the sound and experience with our visitors, so stay tuned for an update on plans for a future “Boom Room” in our underground museum area.

BOOM!(Continued from page 20)

joan and jerry wray, above, enjoy a panel in the “americans by choice” exhibit.

a van brunt wheat drill, below, is among a variety of tools in the “tough, rough and ready” exhibit.

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Two exhibits are better than one! When the Reno County Museum had the oppor-tunity to bring you two brand new exhibits at the same time, and open them to our members for a sneak peek on the same night, we jumped at the idea. We always love giving our visitors more to see, do, learn and experi-ence. On February 28 we did just that with the opening of “Tough, Rough, and Ready: Reno County Tools A-Z” as well as “Ameri-cans by Choice: The Story of Immigration and Citi-zenship in Kansas.”

TOUGH TOOLS “Tough, Rough and Ready” showcases more than 200 tools that built and shaped Reno County in a variety of ways. From cobblers’ shoe lasts to carpenters’ planes to farmers’ wheat drills, visitors have a chance to see the homemade and the store-bought, the well-loved and the barely used, the ornate and the bare- bones versions of many items still in use today – and some you may have never seen before! There’s fun for all ages, as entertaining inter-

actives invite kids (and adults!) to match, invent tools and much more.

STORY OF IMMIGRANTS “Americans by Choice” is an award-winning traveling exhibit that will be up only until May 18. Created by the U.S. District Court of Kansas, it follows the stories of im-migrants – past and pres-ent, and their decision to come to the United States and apply for citizenship. We added a local twist to this exhibit by adding several stories and arti-facts related to our own Reno County immigrants,

past and future. Be sure to stop by and leave a sticker on our map to let us know where your an-cestors came from! These exhibits are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday – Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Stay tuned for our next exhibit opening in June!

Two betterthan one...exhibits, that is

By Jamin Landavazo, RCHS Chief Curator

fragile items can turn todust withoutproper storage.

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Each box was taken out and set carefully on waiting tables – 10 boxes in all. The fragile scripts, plays, notes and news clippings inside repre-sented the life’s work of one man – Wallace Bruce – and many who had been involved in his troupe, the Wallace Bruce Players. From 1919 until 1942 – and then again from 1959 until Bruce’s death in 1968 – the Wallace Bruce Players traipsed through Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma, bringing plays, singing and dancing that entertained thousands in big cities and rural areas.

SO MUCH TO PRESERVE The collection sitting in the processing room at the Reno County Museum represented so much his-tory – personal and enter-tainment history plus the history of the cities and towns the Players visited. Museum staff knew that it needed to be preserved, and we knew what needed to be done: Switch out the

acidic cardboard boxes for new acid-free boxes. Re-organize the contents and house them in acid-free folders for better organi-zation and access. Input information into a data-base to ensure that the items would be searchable and easy to find. What we didn’t know was how much that would cost, or if our small cura-torial budget would cover what we needed to ensure that these records were cared for properly. It’s a challenge that we face at the museum each day. We receive approxi-

mately 150 donations per year, and those can range in size from one item to more than 1,300 individ-ual items per donation, as in the case of the large Wallace Bruce collection.

IT’S UP TO US We are charged with protecting and preserving the items we accept, and we take that charge very seriously – even going so far as to decline items if we don’t feel that we can store them in the proper conditions to ensure that they will last many, many years.

New fund created forcare of ourcollections

By Jamin Landavazo RCHS Chief Curator

this short sketch,above right, was published by the penn publishing company in 1914 and performed by the wallace bruce players. (note the wallace bruce name writ-ten in pencil on the front cover.) it is just one of thousands of items that are part of the wallace bruce collection that help preserve a fascinating and mostly vanished segment of enter-tainment popular in reno county’s past – vaudeville. (2012.89.05.5)

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We’re proud to share our hometown with you.How fortunate we are to live in a community with such diverse and high quality amenities -- including the Reno County Museum and Kansas Underground Salt Museum!

4 Hutchinson locations to serve you

Each donation requires staff time to record the information, issue a Temporary Registration Receipt, bring the item or items before our Collec-tions Committee, provide permanent Deeds of Gifts for documentation, pro-cess the item by recording a detailed description, measurements and histo-ry, clean and number the item, prepare the item for storage, and then com-plete the log-book, folder and database entries that help us track and find the item. Often, how-ever, it takes specialized tools – such as the acid-free boxes and folders discussed above – to complete the work. These items, which are specially made for muse-um and archival collec-tions, are ordered through approved suppliers and, due to their nature, cost more than other materi-als.

PRESERVING COSTLY For example, you might be able to go to a local store and get a cardboard banker’s box to hold materials for about $2 or $3. For a similarly sized acid-free archival box, you will likely pay $10. We have seen over time the effects of keeping re-cords in a regular card-

board box. The acid in those boxes will leech into the papers as the years go by, causing yellowing and making the papers even more brittle.

IT IS IN OUR MISSION If we pull out those pa-pers after 10 years, they may be so discolored as to be unreadable, or so fragile that they crumble to dust.

For us, it is worth it – and it is in our mission – to pay a little extra to help fight the known caus-es of deterio-ration. Our bud-

gets, however, are not limitless, and that is why we have started a new Collections Care Fund to help offset the cost of tools we need to preserve our collections. In 1984 a study was done that found the cost of storing one artifact was $50 per square foot when

accounting for materi-als like those discussed above as well as heating, air conditioning, lighting, storage furniture, etc.

WE NEED YOUR HELP When you take into consideration almost 30 years of inflation and the 36,187 items in our col-lection at the time of this article, you can see why we need your help! By informing our donors, supporters and others about the costs involved with the care of our collections, we hope to bring attention to this

it is ourmission –

to fight thecauses of

deterioration

now imagine allthese files times 10. that’s the size of the wallace bruce collection. and each piece of paper and each item in each file must be properly preserved to be saved.

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(See SAVING, page 27)

we have seen over time the effects of keeping records in a regular cardboard box. The acid in those boxes will leech into the papers as the years go by, causing yellowing and making the papers even more brittle.

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The Reno County Museum has new signs on all its outdoor artifacts! The old signs had deteriorated to the point that all the surfaces were faded, cracked and nearly illegible. Through wonderful, generous donations from friends of the museum, the staff has at last re-placed the old signs with new ones that are full of colorful and vibrant images. As warmer weather seeps back with the spring, be sure to come visit our outdoor areas and check out the new signage!

Signs ofthe times

new signs replacing old tattered and faded ones now proudly explain the history of exhibits and structures on the reno county museum grounds. at left is the siegrist claim house, and below is the outhouse.

hutchinson relied on this temporary jail until a per-manent one (see close-up of sign on page 27) could be built. this structure was donated in 2000 by charlotte galler, owner of midwest iron, where this jail had been resting for 25 years.

issue and offer people a concrete way to help preserve the past for the future. Donations can be made by check, credit card or cash. Please be sure to specify that the donation is for the Collections Care Fund. Checks should be made out to the Reno County Museum. Funds will be restrict-ed and 100 percent will be used for the care of collections. Donors will be recognized in the Legacy magazine. As we continue to care-fully add to our collection, we thank our members and supporters for their crucial role in helping us meet our mission!

(Continued from page 25)

Saving...

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KANSAS UNDERGROUNDSALT MUSEUM

9 am–5 pm Tues–Fri9 am–6 pm Sat 1–6 pm Sunday

closed Mondays

last tour departs two hours before closing.

advance reservations strongly recommended

allow about two hours for your adventure.

open Memorial Day Monday, May 27

9 am–6 pmlast tour at 4 pm

open july 4noon to 6 pm

last tour at 4 pm

call us or check our website for other

holiday hours.

NEW SALT BLAST PASSour best deal

includes gallery tour,dark ride (both handi-

capped-accessible) and new train ride.

adults: $19seniors (60+) and aaa: $17

children (4-12) & members: $12.50

reno county residents: $14

children under 4 not admitted

due to mine safetyregulations.

pricing availableto add only dark ride

or train ride togallery admission.

all prices include sales tax.

special pricing forgroups over 28 and school groups witharrangements made

one week in advance.

3504 e. avenue g (at airport road)

hutchinson, ks 67501

620-662-1425toll-free 866-755-3450

Miners’ Trash Display

See this fascinating new display case of items left behind by miners. It’s a preview of the larger “A Miner’s Life” exhibitcoming soon to KUSM.

salT Mine express

Hurry aboard to ride the thrilling new underground train on the original rails and ties used underground.

salT secreTs Salt secrets exposed!

KANSAS UNDERGROUND SALT MUSEUM EVENTS

perMian playgrounD Go interactive and explore the incredible varieties of salt. First hand!

Mine corriDor Explore the general history of salt mining in Hutchinson.

The ioDine Deficiency DisorDer sTory Explore the efforts of Kiwanis International and UNICEF in using salt to combat IDD.

MurDer in The Mine 2013inTeracTive MysTery Dinner TheaTre

“The Case of the Deadly Killer”6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 24

$55 per person / $400 for table of 8Doors open at 5 p.m.Last trip underground: 6:15 p.m.Must be 18 years old due to adult humorFor details and reservations:620-662-1425 • 866-755-3450

Sherlock Holmes is at it again. Help him solve a dastardly crime and save London from yet another band of crimi-nal masterminds.

Future Murder in the Mine events: December 13 and February 22, 2014.

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Take iT wiTh a grain of salT Discover how live bacteria were extracted from ancient Permian salt.

MyronMobile

Come see the “Myronmobile,” from TV’s “Dirty Jobs,” filmed in the Hutchinson Salt mine.

The sTory of unDer-grounD vaulTs & sTorage View costumes and props from your favorite movies.

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overnighT scouTing

November 2 – Boy Scout Merit December 7 – Boy Scout Overnight2014January 11 – Boy Scout MeritJanuary 18 – Boy Scout OvernightJanuary 25 – Boy Scout Overnight February 1 – Boy Scout MeritFebruary 8 – Boy Scout OvernightFebruary 15 – Boy Scout OvernightMarch 1 – Girl Scout Overnight

Jazz concerTFriday, November 8KUSM Event Center

Tickets go on sale in the fall for this Hutchinson Community College Jazz Concert.

EXHIBITS & EVENTS

KUSM EXHIBITS

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Tough, Rough & Ready: Reno CounTy Tools a-ZThis tool-tally awesome new exhibit displays an amazing variety of tools that built Reno Countyfrom the ground up.

ameRiCans By ChoiCe: The sToRy of immigRa-Tion and CiTiZenship in Kansas

lasT day: may 18This traveling exhibit, commissioned in 2011 by the U.S. District Court of the District of Kansas, conveys the personal

RENO COUNTYMUSEUM HOURS

9 am–5 pm tues-Fri

11-5 saturday

closed sunday

and monday

closed july 4

free admission

unless

otherwise

noted

100 S. Walnut

620-662-1184

ICE CREAM SOCIALJULY 18

It’s ice cream time from 5:30 to 7:30 – or until the ice cream runs out – on Third Thursday at RCM.

hail To The hall: 100 yeaRs of ConvenTion hall This exhibit traces the history of Convention Hall and officially displays the items from the Conven-tion/Memorial Hall 1911 time capsule box.

TRanspoRTaTion galleRy See the Schuttler wag-on, an Amish buggy, the Indian motorcycle, sidecar and much more.

struggles, sacrifices and accomplishments along the path to U.S. citizen-ship for many Kansans.

BisonTe hoTel:The BesT in The WesT lasT day: June 8Visitors have the opportu-nity to take a long-awaited look at one of Hutchin-son’s most beloved mem-ories – the Bisonte Hotel from the early 1900s to more modern times.

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“tough, rough and ready: reno county tools a-z” features every tool imagin-able, far left.

this photo of eleanor kerntoff, featured in “amer-icans by choice,” was taken about 1914 most likely in russia. she is the daughter of julius kerntoff who immi-grated to the u.s. in 1916 and settled in pretty prairie. (1994.05.01)

DON’T FORGET...last day to view the exhibit, “bisonte hotel: the best in the

west,” is saturday, june 8,at the reno county museum.

RENO COUNTY MUSEUM EXHIBITS

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a peeK inside Reno CounTy’s JeWelRy BoxWatch for this fascinating opening in June.

reno county historical societyp.o. box 664hutchinson, kansas 67504-0664

return service requested

WILEY’S: QUALITY AND SERVICE RULEDPAGE 4

If your address changes, please call us at 620-662-1184.