Kearney County Historical

In 1974, the museum property, one-half city block, was given to the Kearny County Historical Society by Jennie Rose O'Loughlin, daughter of John and Mary O'Loughlin. Jennie's father, John, was the first permanent white settler, who came here in the spring of 1873 to establish a trading post along side the Santa Fe Trail. The complex consists of the museum building and annex, The White House, the School House, The Santa Fe Depot, the Farm Machinery building, and the Round Barn, totaling over 20,000 square feet of historical displays. The museum also houses a large reference library, with volumes reaching back as far as 1847. Reasearchers will find a wealth of information on the history and people of Kearny County, including special family files that are available for those seeking their family's history. Extensive files are kept in the archives along with original newspaper and other publications, photographs, and microfilm.