Friday, October 15, 2021

Friday Smiles: Return to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Museum

 

It's Friday and I'm once again joining Friday Smiles which is hosted by Annie (at A Stitch in Time).   Let's visit her and the other wonderful ladies who also share their smiles each Friday.

Today we are returning to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum. Next to the letter box that I showed last week is a fully functional phone booth.  It used to cost a dime ($0.10) to make a local call in this phone booth.  Now the sign tells us we should wear gloves and use wipes when using the phone!  Signs of the times.

Changes over time.  I wonder if kids even know what a phone booth looks like.  Or even a rotary desk phone.  I see it still only costs a dime to make a local call from that booth!  I like how it shows that there was "life" before cell phones.

Now we moved on to Faye McCoy sheet music

and a way to listen to it.

Then it was time to visit one of my favorite exhibits.


The last time I was here, I sat down and typed a short note on their letterhead paper.  I even got to take my typed letter home.

This time it appears it is out of order.  I loved how they were advertising for a typewriter repair person to fix it.

The final item I will share today, since I don't want to bog you down with too many items you might or might not be interested in, is when the building I visited that is shown above, caught fire in 1982 and had to be repaired.

I've tried to make it so you can read the information.  There were a great many functions, offices, and services offered in the building before it was turned into a museum.  Note the location of the room I was in at the time was part of the men's ward of the old city jail.




Now let's inspect the interior walls of the museum


The base of the exhibit shows the bedrock on which the museum sits.  It is covered with plexiglass so no one can either fall or climb into the bottom of the exhibit.

I'll share more of this room next time.  There really is something for everyone, whether you live in Wichita or not.  Right now, blogger is really slow loading, and I have a very sick cat I'm trying to get well.  My normally fat cat Squiggles is very sick and when I do get him to eat, he can't keep it down.  True to form, he has to leave the remains on the carpet, not the linoleum. 

I'll leave you with a few cat jokes, since my mind is on Squiggles at the moment.








Now let's join Annie (at A Stitch in Time) and the lovely ladies who join her for Friday Smiles.  Thanks again for visiting and spending a bit of time with Bleubeard (who is actually not bad-mouthing Squiggles for once) and me this Friday.  We would love to have you join us, too. 


19 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

Hi Elizabeth. Fun exhibits in the museum. I've never seen a phone booth with a seat in it! Love the old typewriter. And sunny funny cat memes today! Have a great day, hope Squiggles is getting better! Hugs, Valerie

Elephant's Child said...

Poor Squiggles and Poor you.
And sadly snap from here. Jazz is getting better (fingers crossed). I hope Squiggles is too.

ashok said...

Informative post

Iris Flavia said...

You have a place to sit down in a phone booth? How cool is that!
Interesting sign!
When I was in hospital in 1994 there was a hall full of phone booths and I really did use that!

We still have phone booths! Never see one using one, but some are really working (I reckon).
I have a phone from my parents at home, orange, from the 70´s. Big Niece at age 3 knew at once it´s a phone :-)

Wow, reckon you needed some "power" to type on that thing? Sad the typewriter was "abused" - there are idiots everywhere, huh.

Oh. Glad they rebuilt this great building.

Very sorry about Squiggles - but really, on the carpet?! I wish him well, also for... carpet ;-) No, really, I wish him well!

Funny on the cats.
I wanted one from age 4 on. No luck so far. Got a dog at age 5... never again.

Annie said...

Thanks for linking up this week. I’m sorry I had no smiles to share but I do have one to share with you this morning....for the first time since last Thursday I have woken with no fever. I am as weak as a kitten and very shaky still but hopefully I’m on the up now. Thanks for caring. I’m so glad I am double jabbed....I’m sure it would have been much worse otherwise.
Hugs,
Annie x

mamapez5 said...

I used to have to walk to the end of the road to use a booth to call mum when my dad was in hospital with cancer. After that, Chris had a phone installed at home.
I smiled at the typwriter story and all the cat fun. I do hope Squiggles is much better soon. Kate x

CJ Kennedy said...

The museum looks like so much fun, and I loved the advertisement for a typewriter technician next to the typewriter. Cats are purr-fect and I hope Squiggles is feeling better.

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Although there are fewer public phones in the UK now many areas have kept the red phone boxes and turned them into public libraries where you can leave your old books for others to read or information centers which is quite nice. I think there will be many younger people who will never have used one. The typewriter is beautiful and loving your kitty funnies. Have a lovely weekend. Hugs, Angela xXx

My name is Erika. said...

Fun photos today from the museum. I enjoyed reading the story about the tower being hit by lightening shortly after opening Glad they didn't suffer any more damage to their exhibits because they are classics. I am sure there are people alive (most likely young) who don't know what those items are. And nice cat memes today. I got a kick out of all of them with the same photo. Hope the end of the week is good for you. Hugs-Erika

Sami said...

Hope Squiggles will recover soon Elizabeth, so worrying when our pets get sick. Interesting museum, cute phone booth with the seat and beautiful old typewriter. Due to most people no longer having landmines, recently in Austria all phone booths have become free phones.

craftytrog said...

An interesting read, and great feline jokes. Hope Squiggles is better soon Elizabeth.

Olde Dame Holly said...

Oh gosh, the common items of my YOUTH are now in a MUSEUM and OUT OF ORDER to boot! One of the local banks has an old Selectric on the counter, for those needing to type forms or addresses, etc. I thought that was really nice of them. The millenials don't even know what it is. SIGH!

LA Paylor said...

I had a turquoise portable typewriter that got "lost" in the last move. I love museums

Lisca said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Squiggles. I hope he recovers soon. It's quite a worry.
The cat funnies are great. They had me giggling and they were written next to a magnificent looking black cat.
You know I love your museum features. And this one again is very interesting. I liked the typewriter too. I remember using one of those. One had to really push down the keys! My dad brought home a discarded (relatively modern) typewriter from the office, and it was one with an extra wide carriage. My sister and I really learned to type on that beast. Our mum had been a secretary and she taught us. I even remember how to change the ribbon and do basic cleaning.
It's a shame that they can no longer find anyone who repairs typewriters. I suppose they have all died.
I found it interesting to read about the municipal building. It's a lovely building and so much was happening in there and now it is a museum. Very fitting I think.
Phone booths.... I remember those too. (But I have never seen one with a seat in it) When Graham and I were courting, he had to phone me from a phone booth. Very expensive (International call). He obviously thought it was worth the money just to hear my voice for one minute. Bless him.
Again all the best wishes for Squiggles (and for you and Bluebeard too of course),
Lisca


Rita said...

i hope Squigges is okay!
That looks ike my Underwood. They are a beast to type on but that's what I earned on as a teeneager. Cool you got to type on it. :)

Divers and Sundry said...

I love museums, and it's fascinating to see working exhibits.

Poor Squiggles :( I hope he's better soon!

Neet said...

I am so sorry to hear that Squiggles is not well. I know what a worrying time it is when one of our fur babies is poorly and I remember well when Fudge was ill and how upsetting it was. I do hope you get to the bottom of this and all is well soon.
I've only ever seen something like this phone booth in France, inside a Post Office I think it was. How very interesting this must be - what a place to visit.
I remember training to use a PBX when I first left school, I loved my time on the "exchange" (no idea what to call it) putting calls through to different departments with those 'eyeballs' that dropped down if someone wanted to make a call.
Obviously, love the typewriter. I would love to own one of those myself. Made me smile saying there was "no delete key".
Take care, love to you and Bleubeard and gentle strokes on the head to Squiggles. Tell Squiggles I am thinking of him.
Hugs, Neet xx

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Great exhibit. (I'm back tracking now, to learn more about Squiggles.)

pearshapedcrafting said...

What an interesting place - I may have to break my (self-imposed )rule and take a look back for more of this museum.
Oh that phone - I used to love the feel of those - so heavy though! I actually used to work in office where we all had to take some time on the switchboard.
As for the typewriter, for years (when with hubby no1) we had one - I never thought I would be regretting not having it now.
Love the funnies, hugs, Chrisx