In the quaint town of Sedalia sits a historic little building and grounds, the Sedalia Museum and Gardens (SMG). Getting to know this special place is like taking a step back in time. Save the date for this year’s garden sale, Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., located at 4037 N. Platte Avenue.

According to Carole Williams, who is the last, active founding museum member, the impetus of SMG began with a long-time Sedalia resident Barbara Belfield Machann. She became concerned that early stories of Sedalia were being lost as older residents passed away. Barbara and her sister, Pam Belfield, gathered others interested in Sedalia’s history and began to record their histories on tape. In 2000, the group started to meet regularly and applied for status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

In 2005, the SMG, which was a small 18-foot by 24-foot Victorian house, was purchased from a local ranch for $1 and then was moved to its current location on Platte Avenue and restored. The SMG houses history and artifacts of the community and is run solely by volunteers. The neighboring firehouse offers the use of bathrooms and meeting rooms.

A local newsletter, The Sedalia View, serving 20,000 residents, is based at the museum. A community pantry and a little library, both created by local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, are housed on the property as well.

About 12 years ago, a group of volunteers and gardeners roused the idea to grow plants specific to the difficult growing conditions in Douglas County as a way to help fund the museum. With the help of Douglas County Master Gardeners, heirloom tomatoes and peppers along with other vegetables, herbs and flowers were planted and have become abundant in the gardens. They make for a delicious offering and are sold at a garden sale on SMG grounds every May.

In addition to the garden sale, the SMG hosts a Fourth of July homemade ice cream tasting, a tomato tasting in August, and a holiday open house in December that includes a Santa’s workshop. Other events include talks and community member gatherings with subjects ranging from mountain men to quilting.

“We are always looking for members,” said Carole. Regular meetings, open to all, are held on the fourth Friday of each month at 10 a.m. (9 a.m. during summer months) in the fire department’s training room.

The SMG’s gardens are open from dusk to dawn, year-round and by appointment; the museum itself is open May through September and by reservation.

Learn more about this little slice of Douglas County history by visiting Facebook, Sedalia Museum and Gardens, or contact the museum’s president, Deby Williams, at 303-660-4149. To book tours, contact Mary O’Pry at 303-688-5339.

 

 

By Elean Gersack, photos courtesy of Susan Bell