Baxter Springs 66 Station - Kansas Route 66 Visitors Center

09/08/2022

Model T's touring the area!

Antique Model T’s will be seen throughout Southeast Kansas during the week of September 7-11, 2022. The 39th Annual Hillbilly Tour will be based in Pittsburg, with participants exploring scen…

12/06/2021

To all our guests and friends on the Mother Road, Thank You for a wonderful 2021!

We are officially closed for the season...see you in May 2022!!

Call or stop by the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum, open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or Sunday 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. 620-856-2385.

08/20/2021

Whereispeterfrank.com

This man was on Kansas Route 66 riding a UNICYCLE as a Benefit Fundraiser!!!! Check out his page, truly, a very interesting and determined guy!!!

05/30/2021

04/16/2021

To say he will be missed is an understatement...he was feisty and to ornery by far! Rest In Peace, my friend...
https://www.derfeltfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=20798560

Share Memories & Support the Family.

04/07/2021

Hello!

I just wanted to let everyone know that we are going to be opening the Route 66 Visitor's Center this year, and with that comes some slight precautions. But it also means that the Historical Society Board and I have reached the comfort level to encourage our Volunteers to return to both the Museum and the Visitor's Center.

We would like to have the Visitor's Center open and staffed before the end of April. We have some new sales training that all volunteers will need. Which can be done whenever is convenient for you right here at the Museum.

I encourage you to share this message with others, as our Volunteer staff is not as large as it once was, but I am confident that we can reverse that!

Museum Volunteer Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and Sundays 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Visitor's Center Hours: Sunday - Saturday 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding Volunteering!

Thank you my friends, here's to a fantastic 2021!!!!

Mary

07/03/2020

We Will Be Closed On Saturday, July 4th For Independence Day.

Stay Safe & Have A Blessed Weekend!

Mary

06/17/2020

Current Operating Hours and Covid-19 Requirements

The Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum and the Kansas Route 66 Visitor's Center.

Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed on Sunday and Monday. We are limiting access to the main floor only.

Wearing of masks is required and gloves are encouraged. Our display areas are marked for social distancing. The wearing of masks and gloves helps us protect the displays that cannot be cleaned frequently. Our lobby and restroom facilities will be cleaned hourly or more as needed and the entire building will be cleaned nightly.

Our Kansas Route 66 Visitor's Center located at 940 Military, Baxter Springs, Kansas, is closed for the winter season until the 1st of April 2021. Call 620-856-2385 for more information.

All of this is subject to change per the State of Kansas Covid-19 directives on tourism locations and the discretion of our executive board members.

06/11/2020

Our display showcasing some of folk artist Duane Lee's "Pitt Pets". This display will be here until August!!!

Please comment with a picture of your piece of Duane's collection. Share your memory and let us know how far that piece has traveled from Cherokee County Kansas!!!

05/23/2020

Press release about our reopening!!!!

The Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum located at 740 East Avenue, Baxter Springs, Kansas, is enthusiastic to announce the resumption of operations, starting Tuesday, May 26th.

Hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed on Sunday and Monday. We are limiting access the first two weeks to the main floor only. With a maximum capacity of 35 and no groups larger than 5. Starting June 9th, we will open our lower level to guests. With a maximum capacity of 70 and no groups larger than 15. On Sunday, July 5th we will add Sunday hours of 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, July 7th our Tuesday-Saturday hours will extend to 4:30 p.m.

Social distancing, as well as the wearing of masks and/or gloves is highly encouraged while inside the Museum. The wearing of masks and gloves helps us protect the displays that cannot be cleaned frequently. Our lobby and restroom facilities will be cleaned hourly or more as needed and the entire building will be cleaned nightly.

Our Kansas Route 66 Visitor's Center located at 940 Military, Baxter Springs, Kansas, will be open by appointment only from Tuesday, May 26th until Sunday, July 5th, then it will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as volunteer staff is available, or by appointment. Call 620-856-2385 to
make an appointment.

All of this is subject to change per the State of Kansas Covid-19 directives on tourism locations and the discretion of our executive board members.

See you on Tuesday my friends!
Mary

05/16/2020

Taking preorders for our Route 66 Voodoo dolls! $25.00 plus shipping.

05/01/2020

With the Governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly's announcement this evening of executive order 20-29, we will remain closed until at least May 18th.

I will continue to respond to calls, emails and facebook messages.

[email protected]
620-856-2385

Stay safe my friends...

Mary

03/18/2020

Update: the State of Kansas stay at home order has been extended until May 3rd.

I am still answering our Facebook, email ( [email protected] ) and the phone ( 620-856-2385 ) so feel free to continue contacting us!

In following with the state and federal recommendations on social distancing, we are delaying opening our Kansas Route 66 Visitor's Center and we have closed the Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum, at least until April 6, 2020.

We do understand that this might be an inconvenience to travelers and tourists that are enroute to their intended destinations. To which we apologize.

But to serve the greater good, we feel limiting contact with others, which will slow the advancing spread of this disease, is something we all must do.

At this time we have cancelled all scheduled events and tours until April 6th. We will look at the state of this national health crisis after that to determine whether we may resume operations or continue with the closure.

We encourage all to stay home as much as possible and limit your chance of exposure.

Thank you for understanding and I pray that we will see each other soon!

Mary Billington, Director
Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum

03/15/2020

Wow! No school in Cherokee County this week and next week is spring break.

Breaking News-Kansas State Department of Education strongly recommends closing schools statewide for the week of March 16.

03/06/2020

Tourist Season Is Here For 2020!

We are looking for volunteers to work at our Kansas Route 66 Visitors Center at 10th & Military and at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum at 8th & East Avenue.

What Are You Doing This Summer? Come be a Docent!
Are you a retiree looking for a wonderful creative outlet? Be a Docent!

Are you a stay at home parent, whose kids are in school now and you have a few hours during the week that you want to spend with adults? Be a Docent!

Are you a high school or a college student who is looking to add community service hours to your educational resume? Be a Docent!

Are you looking to learn basic job skills? Be a Docent!

Are you wanting to learn the history of Baxter Springs and Cherokee County? Be a Docent!

Our docent volunteers enable us to share our community and encourage travelers to stop and learn just how much we have to offer in Cherokee County!!!

Duties would include; engaging with guests, learning and sharing our history, sharing directions to nearby locations, recommending local businesses and attractions, selling gift shop merchandise, very light housekeeping.

Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum Hours are: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Kansas Route 66 Visitors Center Hours are: Sunday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. As volunteer staff is available.

Contact the Museum for more information;
620-856-2385 or via Facebook Messenger!

10/04/2019

Events in Baxter Springs tomorrow!!

05/23/2019

05/23/2019

Be Aware! Anticipated Road Closures into Baxter Springs.

05/21/2019

Helpful Information when traveling!

05/12/2019

We had a truly inspiring visitor today.....Sutham Nateetong a Buddhist Monk is walking along Route 66 for world peace. He started in March in Santa Monica, California. He plans to continue on to New York after he reaches Chicago.

After leaving Baxter Springs he was headed to Galena with stops at the Galena Museum and at Cars on the Route. He will then be spending the evening in Joplin, Missouri.

04/19/2019

Updates at the Visitor's Center are almost complete!
Painting is done and electrical should be done next week.

We anticipate being open for the Season on Saturday, May 4th, during the Baxter Springs Cow Town Spring Fling!

If you have any questions or would like to become one of our Volunteers please call the Museum at 620-856-2385!

Thank you and have a wonderful Easter weekend.

Mary

12/19/2018

12/09/2018

2018 has been a great tourist season!!! The Visitors Center is officially closed until April 2019. Have a wonderful Winter Season, and we will see you next year!!!!!

If you need Route 66 gift shop items, we wlll have them at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum located at 8th & East Avenue. One block east and then two blocks north of the Visitors Center.

10/23/2018

Baxter Springs Christmas Parade Information!

Note that Riverton and Galena will also be hosting their Christmas Parades that day(at different times) so if you wanted to have a Kansas Route 66 Christmas, we can set you up in style!

10/14/2018

We are open this evening until 6pm! Stop by and pick up your Baxter Springs Cowtown T-Shirt!!!

10/12/2018

We are open with extended hours this weekend, for the Grand Opening Event for Decades of Wheels!!

Stop by sign the wall!!

10/11/2018

To celebrate Decades of Wheels this weekend we are having a classic movie weekend! We will be showing 3-4 movies a day starting today and going through Sunday. Take a break from the Decades of Wheels festivities and come watch a movie with us! 🎬🍿