The place doesn't have alot of open information about the children that lived here, or their families and culture. It heavily glorifies the pro slavery Johnson and the Confederates who bunked there. Instead of recreating the rooms were the children slept, played, were taught, ate, and possibly kept in touch with their families (no evidence is shown either way) the museum features a room devoted to the Confederates who stayed there.
I visited this beautiful historic site today, with my husband. Shawnee Indian Mission, was well kept, the volunteers, and the woman who worked there, were very informative.
I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone with a sincere interest in history. It favors a side steeped in racism, insidious hate, and pro slavery. And it ignores the children who most likely had to face a tough life being forced from their culture and made to feel inferior.
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So, before I started typing this review, I read some of the other reviews. Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion, that you really cannot write a review of a history museum, if you do not know your history. The person who reviewed this museum, claimed the museum had confederate war items....the museum had nothing like that. I read every form of information that was on display here. I was shocked to even had read that review. Johnson, was Union. The whole town was Union, the museum had Union Attire. They had nothing confederate in the museum. Maybe, the person who reviewed this meseum, did not even visit the museum? Maybe, they don’t know history? The museum was far from what the reviewer posted. We go to museums’ to educate ourselves, and to learn from the past.
Wonderful location with lot's of history, would be nice if they were open more.
Nov 21, 2017 Edit: Through conversation with the staff, I've learned that there is some balanced attention given to union soldiers as well as confederates. However, most of my original points below still stand. The place does not give much respect to the kids the school was built for, in comparison against the information about the civil war.
The reasons as to the schools disbanding are kept vague, emphasis is put instead on how much of a loss it was for Johnson. No mention is made about what this meant for the children, where they went, or what happened to them.
Nice Fall festival but is crowded and cramped in event area and parking
We all should support our history. I am glad they had Native American, items here and had beautiful displays of their culture. The museum was mostly veered towards the life of Native Americans, when they stayed there. It was very refreshing!
Fascinating to see these from 1839 are kept in good shape, good piece of history..
Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site is a US Museum based in Fairway, Kansas. Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site is located at 3403 W 53rd St, Fairway, KS 66205, USA.
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