Tonganoxie Community Historical Society members recently presented a session on “History Camp for Fun” at the Kansas Museum Association conference.

Four volunteers from TCHS discussed the history camp the Tonganoxie group offers for youths entering grades, 4, 5 and 6. They discussed how TCHS created the camps and shared their successes and challenges.

The first camp, “Who Lived Here Before Us?” was offered in June 2021. Each day focused on a group of people who lived in this area before those of us who live here now. Specifically, TCHS focused on prehistoric people, the Kansa, the Delaware, freed slaves and Europeans.

History Camp at the TCHS Museum is offered during the first full week of June each year and youth attend from 9 a.m.-noon. Each day includes activities, crafts, and games that explain and reinforce the daily theme. Snacks each day are researched and based on what would have been eaten at the time. For instance, sorghum molasses was served on cornbread one day. There was a sorghum mill at Neely years ago.

The second camp was offered in June 2022. Its theme was “Searching for Freedom in Bleeding Kansas.” Local citizens contributed their time to the camp. Dr. Grant Ritchey talked about dentistry in the mid-1800s; John Evans II reprised his role as Lemuel Evans who nearly died at the Battle of Wilson Creek; Judy Manthe, Principal Chief of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas led the youth in making spirit bags and learning about herbs in our yard; and the 3rd Kansas Light Artillery Battery B re-enactors, led by Tonganoxie USD 464 Superintendent Loren Feldkamp, capped off the week.        

Planning for next year’s camp will start in late March 2023. The planning committee includes Janet Burnett, Lynn Jennings, Sarah Kettler, Joy Lominska, Rose Mangan, Kris Roberts, and Donna Talbott. Valuable assistance comes from volunteers, including Marie Brockhoff, Lane Kesinger and Allen Morgan.

The presentation was well-received at the conference, with many questions asked and answered.

Here was feedback from one participant:

“Tonganoxie volunteers gave an impressive presentation on their summer history camp at the 2022 KMA Conference. Their success comes from how passionate their volunteers are about giving local kids a memorable and meaningful experience at their museum. I would highly encourage other community museums to learn from their creativity and thoughtfulness in making history relevant and fun.” – Natalie Vondrak, communications and outreach manager, Watkins Museum of History.