December 5 – January 17, 2021

Kauffman Museum, North Newton, KS

We are the third stop in Kansas for the Smithsonian exhibit, Crossroads: Change in Rural America. The Crossroads Kansas tour is sponsored by Humanities Kansas in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program. The Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit will be shown in the Kauffman Museum special exhibit gallery. Admission to the exhibit is free on Saturdays.

Crossroads: Change in Rural America, offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred. The exhibit covers themes such as: Identity, Land, Community, Persistence and Managing Change with photographs, hands-on activities, and audio and video clips provided by the Smithsonian in the Crossroads exhibition to tell the history and culture of local rural life in Kansas and spark conversations about our state’s future.

Kauffman Museum Companion Exhibit, Of Land & People

December 5 – February 7, 2021

North Newton is strategically located at a historic crossroads in south-central Kansas. Of Land and People: Our Community at the Crossroads of Change celebrates the land on which our museum and community is placed, honors the people who have lived and worked on it, and invites visitors to reflect on the profound changes that have occurred here.

The exhibition will encourage you to:

• Take Another Look! at Kauffman Museum permanent exhibits with related themes.

• Take a Walk! outdoors to discover additional content along North Newton trails.

• Add your hopes, dreams and critiques to the Community Response wall.

Public Programs

Exhibit Opening as part of “Five Places of Christmas” | December 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Crossroads exhibit will open at Kauffman Museum during “Five Places of Christmas” at Kauffman Museum. The annual holiday open house is a collaborative event among the Carriage Factory Art Gallery, Harvey County Historical Museum, Kauffman Museum, Warkentin House, and Bethel College Women’s Association. This year, the Bethel College Women’s Association and Harvey County Historical Museum will host virtual events while Kauffman Museum, Warkentin House, and Carriage Factory Gallery will be open with free admission and COVID precautions in place. Be sure to contact each site for its safety requirements.

Sunday-Afternoon-at-the-Museum with Gene Chavez | December 13, 3 p.m.
In a virtual presentation, Gene Chavez will discuss the rich history of Mexican immigration to Kansas and the journey of the humble but important flour tortilla. Chavez is a consultant on diversity issues and president of Chávez and Associates. This event is free, with thanks to Humanities Kansas.Sign up to attend on Zoom.

Family Yoga with Erin Ulrich | December 26, 4 p.m.
#Move with Erin Ulrich, owner and instructor at Bend and Breathe Yoga, Lawrence, during a virtual yoga class open to all ages. This event is free, with thanks to Humanities Kansas. Sign up to attend on Zoom.

Sunday-Afternoon-at-the-Museum with Florence Schloneger and Pauline Sharp | January 10, 3 p.m.
In a virtual presentation, Florence Schloneger and Pauline Sharp will share their family stories related to land ownership, economics, education and identity. Schloneger’s ancestors immigrated to Kansas in the 1800s while Sharp’s relatives, as members of the Kanza tribe, lived in central Kansas for centuries prior to the arrival of Europeans. Schloneger is a retired Mennonite minister. Sharp is a Kaw tribal member and board member of the Kanza Heritage Society. Sign up to attend on Zoom.

Celebrate Kansas Day! | January 30, 2021. Time TBD.
Celebrate our state’s birthday with this free Kansas Day event at Kauffman Museum. Details to be announced. This year we’ll highlight Of Land & People: Our Community at the Crossroads of Change with food trucks, local food producers, and informative stops along with the North Newton trail system.