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Seward County Historical Society seeks to expand grounds, language access and programming with grant and appropriation support
Summary
The historical society described 2025 improvements—grounds upgrades, a planned mural, Spanish‑language prerecorded tours and summer outreach—and said existing grants and fundraising will support 2026 work; the society asked for continued appropriation funding to match grants and pay required matches.
Nathan Dowell, director of the Seward County Historical Society, told the commission the organization has secured state and local grants to upgrade grounds, add signage and commission a mural, and is developing Spanish‑language prerecorded tours and expanded summer outreach.
Why it matters: the society said investments in site signage, exhibits and multilingual tours would increase local visitation and support regional tourism, bringing direct educational value to residents and indirect economic benefits through tourist spending.
What the society presented: Dowell described an ongoing grounds improvement project funded partially by an attraction development grant from Kansas Tourism and support from the Liberal Tourism Bureau. The society plans campus‑wide interpretive signage that explains the history of buildings and their ties to Wizard of Oz heritage, and a mural project on a building used for events. The society also reported roughly $50,000 in grant awards for 2025 focused on grounds improvements, marketing and Spanish‑language tours; the Spanish tours are intended to be prerecorded and offered during a “Sunflower Summer” program that provides free tours to students for a limited period.
Programs and events: the society plans a July outdoor movie tied to local tourism promotion and an interactive October event using a touring troupe that stages living‑history scavenger‑hunt performances. Dowell said past limited free‑tour offerings filled quickly and the society expects these expanded events to attract residents and visitors.
Funding ask and outlook: Dowell said the historical society plans to complete 2025 projects while continuing fundraising for larger indoor exhibit upgrades and the Seward County Heritage Center. He thanked commissioners for prior support and said even modest county appropriations (for example, a $5,000 contribution) yield tangible program outcomes.
What comes next: the historical society will proceed with grounds and outreach work using grant funds and local donations, and will return to commissioners with further fundraising requests tied to indoor exhibit improvements and the longer‑term Heritage Center campaign.
