Buildings at the 

Santa Fe Trail Center 

Escue Chapel 

January 4, 2021

By Seth McFarland

 

The Escue Chapel was dedicated in 1907, although the Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E) Church in Larned was organized as a circuit church in 1885.   The church did not have a permanent pastor, and only held meetings in an empty store in the business district.  It was Reverend William Escue who began to build the church in 1906.   It was located on Johnson Street in Larned for nearly 80 years; thereafter, the church membership purchased their present church on Carroll Street.

In recognizing the need to save the older church building, Mrs. Woods provided the funding to relocate the church to the Santa Fe Trail Center.  After being relocated to the Trail Center, it has undergone a series of renovations in order to protect the heritage of the chapel and the families of the congregants. Due to leaks, and the harsh weathering of the Kansas wind, the chapel is being re-sided in order to protect it for future generations.  

Historic buildings are physical reminders of our past.   They tell a portion of our communities’ stories, and cannot be replaced once they are destroyed. Preserving and renovating historic buildings is a major undertaking as age, building materials, and climate all factor in to how a building must be preserved and protected.   Unfortunately, cost, time and risk both to the occupants and the structure are other considerations that set the level of preservation and restoration.   Certain materials such as stone are far more enduring; however other materials such as wood and earth tend to deteriorate if not protected.  

With the grassroots support of individuals and communities, the irreplaceable buildings and historic sites can be preserved to save the history.   With nearly a dozen structures at the Trail Center, four of the buildings were relocated to the premises in order to preserve them.    Each building requires its own level of protection and maintenance.   These buildings are the largest objects within the museum’s collection, and require special attention.   

 Through the generosity of Dale and Melba Woods, we are able to re-side the Escue Chapel.

For more information of the further information about why and how you can be involved in such preservation, visit the website savingplaces.org for more information from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.