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Crossroads of the Heartland
This replica of a sign which spanned the street at 12th and Bishop near the Union Station welcomes visitors to the Museum just as it did visitors to Salina from 1917 to 1953. Click on the image to see the full picture.
The Smoky Hills region lies at the crossroads of the heartland where abundant grasslands have long attracted grazing animals and migrating birds. In turn, for more than 12,000 years these animals and fertile lands have attracted humans to the area. In 1858, five men settled in this lush valley near a bend of the Smoky Hill River, as many humans had done before. We invite you to journey with us through the crossroads of the heartland. Throughout this exhibit, you will experience the people, places, and events that have left an indelible mark on the fabric of the Smoky Hills region, creating a crossroads of business, transportation, and social exchange in the heartland of America. Visitors to the Museum will learn of the history of Salina and Saline County. Among the many exhibits to look at are:
Walk across the porch of a 1920s cottage style house as you head to the Community Planning Learning Center. Utilizing a floor map of the City of Salina, visitors will be encouraged to use the web-accessible Geographic Information System to view aerial maps showing any property simply by entering the address. Remember The Good Life through the decades from 1900 to the present. Watch the Salina Centennial Parade on an early model TV and chuckle about the historical items you are still using. March with the troops of Company M as you learn about the Salina’s military history. Salina’s central location made it attractive as a site for the Smoky Hill Army Air Field and Camp Phillips during World War II. Built as critical support facilities for the war effort, these facilities still influence the shape and progress of the crossroads as we move into the 21st century.
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BACK TO EXHIBITIONS
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The newly renovated museum features a full-sized sod dugout, operating flour mill, and historical exhibits. Crossroads of the Heartland tells the community’s history in a dynamic and inviting way, interweaving it with experiences, tales, graphics, and artifacts.
The Mercantile Store features a façade of an early mercantile with lap siding, wood trim and decorative painting. Inside you will find the Mercantile Store Learning Center which provides hands-on activities for role-playing, discovery, and exploration of the principles of buying, selling, and bartering. Utilizing an interactive kit, visitors will learn how supplies were obtained, staples were stocked and sold, and what types of fabric, clothing, equipment, candy and other necessities were available.
