Wilson County Kansas Historical Society

09/02/2026

🐝 ARE YOU A FREDONIA YELLOWJACKET FAN? 🐝

Did you know the first mention we’ve found of FHS students being called “Yellowjackets” dates back to the 1934 yearbook?

The Wilson County Historical Museum is digging into the history of the Fredonia Yellowjacket mascot—and we need your help!

As we’ve looked through FHS yearbooks, we’ve found quite a variety of Yellowjacket images over the years. Some yearbooks have a Yellowjacket on the cover, while others have no Yellowjacket image anywhere. We’ve also found Yellowjackets on pep club sweaters and even on drums in the band! 🥁🐝

Interestingly, the Yellowjacket image used by FHS today first appears in the 1982 yearbook.

But here’s what we don’t know:

❓ Was any of this artwork formally adopted as the school mascot?
❓ Who made those decisions?
❓ When did the current Yellowjacket design become the official image?
❓ Were there other Yellowjacket designs that we haven’t discovered yet?

That’s where you come in!

If you have memories, information, old photographs, school memorabilia, or other images that might help us piece together the history of the Fredonia Yellowjacket, please share them with us!

In the meantime, enjoy a few of the Yellowjacket images we’ve discovered in the yearbooks. 🐝📚

Help us solve the mystery of the Yellowjacket!
What do you remember?

09/02/2026

❤️ DO YOU LOVE WILSON COUNTY? ❤️

Do you love talking about the “good old days” in Fredonia and beyond? Do you enjoy meeting people and sharing stories?

Then do we have a deal for you! 😊

The Wilson County Historical Society & Museum is looking to expand our pool of volunteers who are willing and able to help keep the museum doors open by serving as a docent a few times each month.

And the best part? You don’t have to be a history expert!

All you need is:
📚 A love of Wilson County history
😊 A willingness to meet and visit with people
⏰ A little time to give
❤️ A willingness to learn

We’ll provide the training—you bring the enthusiasm!

If this sounds like an opportunity that’s just right for you, we’d love to hear from you!

📧 [email protected]

Come be part of preserving and sharing the stories that make Wilson County special! 🏛️❤️

09/02/2026

🧺🧹 LAUNDRY & CLEANING! CLEANING & LAUNDRY! 🧹🧺

The chores never end! But aren’t you glad you don’t have to do them the old-fashioned way?! 😅

Take a (very long) trip down memory lane at Old Iron Days and discover how everyday household chores were once done. From washing clothes to keeping the house clean, you’ll be amazed at how much work went into the simplest tasks!

These are just TWO of the amazing exhibits waiting for you at this year’s show. And trust us—you’ll want to see what else is on display! 👀

Come see the machines, tools, ingenuity, and hard work that made life a little different in days gone by.

📅 September 23–26, 2026
📍 Rollin ‘Red’ Vandever Memorial Park
10392 Jade Rd • Fredonia, KS

🚜 Old Iron Days — There’s something for everyone!
Bring the family and take a trip back in time! ❤️

09/01/2026

📚 YEARBOOKS WANTED! 📚
Do you have an old FHS yearbook tucked away on a shelf or in a box?
The Wilson County Historical Society & Museum has a collection of Fredonia High School yearbooks, and we’d love your help making that collection complete! We’re always surprised by how many FHS alumni visit the museum and ask to look through the yearbooks. These books are a wonderful way to preserve the memories, friendships, and history of our community. ❤️
We are currently missing these years:
📖 1918, 1919, 1922
📖 1927–1932
📖 1973–1975
📖 1979, 1980
📖 1983–1985
📖 1990–1993
📖 1996, 1997
📖 1999–2009
📖 2011–present
If you have one of these yearbooks and would be willing to donate it, please contact the museum.
Help us complete the collection and make sure these pieces of FHS history are available for generations to come! 🐾📚
Do you have one of our missing years? Please share this post and help us spread the word!

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

It’s time for Third Wednesday Museum After Hours! 🏨

Join us tonight at 7 PM at the museum—or tune in to our Facebook Live—as we explore the fascinating history of the Gold Dust Hotel!

Do you know how the hotel got its name?
Who was the original owner?
When was it placed on the National Register of Historic Places?

Come learn the answers and discover more about one of Wilson County’s historic treasures!

🏛️ Museum open tonight: 6–7:30 PM
🎥 Museum After Hours: 7 PM
📍 Join us in person or on Facebook Live!

We hope to see you tonight!

08/18/2026

Fredonia, KS. 1910.
Billiken Economics Club
The Fredonia Billiken Economics Club was one of many groups adopting the Billiken name for a few years starting in 1908. Fredonia’s club was the only one with economics in its name. More common were bridge clubs and other more general social clubs.
Front row:
Lizzie (Defever) Swartz
Hattie (Wicks) Schoolcraft
Unidentified child
Mary (Wolever) Cantrall
Jessie (Morton) Fitzmorris
Mary (Morton) Wolever
Bertha (Pierce) Chapman
Middle row:
Josie Butin
Minna (Koch) Matthews
Floss (Butin) Green
Elsie (Kennard) Wolever
Nellie Anderson
Iva (Griffin) Cauble
Back row:
Mabel Wilson
Blanche (Matthews) Allee
Unidentified child
The story behind the Billiken name and craze:
In 1908, Kansas City art teacher Florence Pretz designed and patented a grinning, potbellied, pointy-headed good-luck figure she called the Billiken. Billed as the "God of Things as They Ought to Be," the whimsical charm triggered a massive international craze before fading into near obscurity by 1912.
Pretz sold her patent to the Billiken Company of Chicago, turning the figure into a ubiquitous pop-culture icon. The image appeared on cast-iron banks, dolls, belt buckles, hatpins, marshmallow candies, and auto hood ornaments. Around 1910–1912, football fans and sportswriters noted that SLU coach John Bender shared an uncanny physical resemblance to the grinning doll, cementing the nickname for Saint Louis University Athletics.

07/15/2026

A Buffalo, Kansas boy. A childhood dream. A historic achievement. A Distinguished Flying Cross.

Join us tonight for Museum After Hours as we explore the remarkable life and accomplishments of Milburn Apt—the Wilson County native whose determination and courage made aviation history.

Discover how a young boy from Buffalo went on to achieve what few pilots ever have, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire.

🎥 Facebook Live begins at 7:00 p.m.

Don't miss this fascinating look at one of Wilson County's most extraordinary hometown heroes!

06/30/2026

We invite you to participate in our BINGO event this Thursday evening, where exciting prizes await! Celebrate America 250 and Wilson County’s history with us.

Scavenger hunts, chalk drawings, and fun for all!