County lake museum is a work in progress
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
It's just a little building, but the 70-year-old structure stands straight and true, begging passers-by to take notice.
And if they haven't already, they will take notice soon. Located west of the office at Marion County Park and Lake, the building is being renovated into a museum for the historic site.
The 12x18-foot rock structure was built in 1936 by African American veterans of World War I who were assigned to CCC Camp #4755.
The federal CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) provided jobs for unemployed men during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Camp #4755 spent the years 1936-1939 building the dam that created Marion County Park and Lake.
They made the little rock building out of limestone and mortar, with windows on three sides and a door on the south.
It was used as a laundry/dry cleaning facility for the men, and was fitted with a hot water tank, a gasoline-powered washing machine, mangler, electric irons, and sewing machine. It also had a large wash tub and a concrete floor with a built-in drain.
"This building is the pride of the company, for here it is that sanitation for the entire company gets the boost which keeps 'Superior' on the inspection reports
The business was manned by enrollees — a proprietor and chief washerwoman.
The "washerwoman" actually was an enrollee by the name of Henry Reed. He had other nicknames, like Heinie, Boo Boo Skagg, and Father Devine. He was the camp bugler and had performed that service for the Army.
Customers charged their laundry and dry-cleaning bills and paid them on pay day.
The journalist claimed the work done was equal to city laundries, and "the pressing ranks with the best anywhere."
After the CCC camp left on Feb. 1, 1939, the building was used for a while as a Cub/Boy Scout meeting house.
At one time, lake superintendent Dale Snelling built a wood-frame structure onto the south side of the building. It was used to house racing pigeons and later was removed.
When lake residents got permission to renovate the structure into a museum, they cleaned it out, salvaging some items for use in repairs.
Many lake residents are supportive of the ongoing project, and several individuals have volunteered their time and energy toward making it happen.
Dwight Beckham, assisted by his wife, Helen, repaired a broken crossbar and removed broken glass, metal bars, and frames from the windows.
He also built and installed new window frames using some of the lumber found in the building, and built a door frame and door.
Larry Hamler ordered new window glass, and the company has donated it.
A couple of trailer house residents pitched in and poured a concrete stoop in front of the door.
Mary Alice Jolley and Judy Reno are planning to do water color paintings of the building for creating postcards for visitors to buy at the museum.
Marilyn Hamler has plans to plant some traditional flowers and plants around the building when renovation is complete.
Linda Sardou is making a sign which will read:
Marion County Park and Lake Museum, Boo Boo Skagg, washerwoman.
It will hang on the north side of the building.
Teeny Williams is soliciting monetary donations for the project.
Items are being collected for display in the museum. They include game pieces, photographs of the construction of the lake, letters from CCC men, photographs of prominent contributors to the project, and other CCC memorabilia.
Cleland McBurney, son of a man who supervised workers during construction of the dam, is donating a 1937 road map of Kansas. He found it in a 1937 Pontiac he bought and restored years ago. It had been laying in the glove box for 70 years.
Donations of other items related to the lake are welcome.
Specific items still needed are old picture frames and a library table.
A dedication ceremony will be held when the project is complete.
