Norman #1 Museum - Neodesha, Kansas
In addition to the many items donated by members of the community that you might find in any local historical museum there are two areas that stood out to us as more interesting to people from outside the community. The first is outdoors - the 67' reconstruction of the oil derrick where oil first erupted in Neodesha in 1892. The well was the first commercially successful oil well west of the Mississippi. There is also a miniature reproduction of the well in the museum. The actual well location was three blocks southeast of the museum, on land which was owned by T. J. Norman, on the bank of the Verdigris River. The developer plugged the well for ten months, while raising money to lease a million acres. They then started oil production. This well operated for 26 years, while the oil industry grew across Kansas. Unique to the Norman #1 Museum is a small room of clown memorabilia. The contents were contributed by Tammy and Tom Parrish, a local couple who were Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Brothers Circus clowns.
copyright 2009-2020 by Keith Stokes |
Norman
No. 1 Replica Well and Museum is a community museum in Neodesha, Kansas.
The museum is open only from May through September, but it is located behind
the Neodesha Chamber of Commerce Office and they are happy to show it by
appointment.
