Early-day photos are museum treat

by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

Three enlarged photographs of early-day Valley Falls scenes and a painting of a Valley Falls landmark mounted on the west wall of the entry room greet the visitor to the Valley Falls Historical Society Museum.

The photographs were from glass negatives obtained by the late Dale Irwin from the photographic studio of early-day photographer, Alice Gardiner Sennrich. The pictures are of the first depot, a wooden building built in 1872, featuring three young school teachers (circa 1905), Lenora Steele, Maud Myers, and Anna Kamm, on the platform next to the train. Also shown at the station are Bert McClure and his milk wagon.

The Harness racing picture depicts races held at the old fairgrounds near the river and the photo of the Ferris wheel (1911) recalls the days when carnivals were held in the downtown area, many near Broadway and Sycamore. The painting of the Piazzek Mill, built on the Delaware River in 1855, was acquired by the late Virginia Reichart and donated to the museum. Mrs. Reichart had the paintings done from photographs by the now-deceased artist Donald O. Ballou, one-time resident of Brewster place, Topeka, where Mrs. Reichart resided for several years.

Darlene Glassel, Geneva Lonard, and Ellen Schrick will be museum hosts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Admission is free.

New, 2009 historical society calendars are available at the museum for $5. The 2008 calendars are still available for the same price.