Riley County Commissioners Ron Wells, left, Robert Boyd and Ben Wilson.
Earlier in Monday morning’s Riley County Commission meeting commissioner Robert Boyd said, “Busy people are happy people.”
Riley County Historical Museum Director Cheryl Collins is one of those busy — and yes — happy people.
Collins announced many new exhibits and programs for local history buffs that will no doubt give them plenty to explore and much to smile about.
The most prominent exhibit Collins announced will run through Jan. 31, 2016, and is called, “Strong Hearts: The Henry Strong Family of Riley County.”
The exhibit highlights Henry and Eleanor Strong, who arrived in then Territorial Kansas during the 1850s with abolitionist convictions and located their family close to Manhattan.
“From the 1850s to the present, the Henry Strong family has contributed to the education, culture and business of the community,” Collins said. “Grandma Hoerner’s foods was inspired by Henry Strong’s granddaughter, Mabel Hoerner, and is owned by Henry’s great, great grandson.”
Collins said the exhibit has two parts, which will be located at the Riley County Historical Museum and the at the Goodnow House Stat Historic Site, which was the home of Isaac Goodnow, who helped find Manhattan as well as Kansas State University.
“Henry Strong and Isaac Goodnow shared a great, great grandfather as well as experiences pioneering Kansas Territory,” Collins added.
The exhibit is free and open to public with exhibit hours running 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Collins also announced that a historical actress, Lu Adams, will portray Mary “Mother” Bickerdyke on Sept. 20 at the Manhattan Public Library at 2 p.m.
Bickerdyke was a Civil War nurse and advocate for the Union.
Collins also told commissioners that the Goodnow House will participate in the Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live! event from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 26. Participating museums across the nation will open their doors to visitors for free that day.
Collins said that since the Goodnow House is already a free site, a gift will be offered to visitors that day instead.
Finally, a temporary exhibit, “At Home with Nature: The Wildlife Photography of Jane Laman” closes at the Wolf House Museum on 620 Fremont St. on Sept. 20.
Laman’s exhibit features photography of the Flint Hills.
In other items, Riley County Extension Director Jennifer Wilson told commissioners she’ll again be hosting a Medicare Basics workshop on Sept. 29 in Pottorf Hall from 6-8 p.m.
The workshop helps answer questions about Medicare and enrollment procedures.
Commissioners also approved the county’s State Health Insurance contract renewal.
The county will see an increase of 6% to the employer rates of premium costs, although when the annual personnel and benefit budgets are established, funding for any possible increases are included in the preparation process.
Human Resource Manager/Deputy Clerk Cindy Volanti said in the proposal to commissioners that the county will not experience an additional cost to their budgeted benefits in 2016.
