“To inspire curiosity, learning and community pride by preserving Fort Scott's railroad legacy and offering meaningful experiences that deepen public understanding of the region's role in shaping American transportation history.” That's the vision statement of the new Fort Scott Railroad Museum, owned by Al Niece.
Niece hosted the Chamber Coffee on Thursday morning, saying he intends the event to mark the starting point for the work being done at the Depot, 1 Scott Street in Fort Scott.
“I wanted this today even though there isn't much to look at because I have scheduled a Coffee for one year from now so that we can gather again and see what has been done in a year,” Niece said.
Niece purchased the Depot earlier this year and has been working on everything it will take to make his vision a reality.
“When we looked at it and were closing the deal, there was all sorts of stuff being stored inside of it, including an old horse buggy. We told them we didn't want all that,” Niece said.
Al's wife, Luanna, was by his side through the inspections, conversations and negotiations.
“Al told them we didn't need all the other stuff in there so they cleaned it out. We opened it up after closing and it was completely cleaned out. No railroad stuff was left. We just got the building,” she said.
“Lu went to several antique shops in the area and bought back some things,” he said.
The Nieces are eager to locate and receive donations of items pertinent to the history of the railroad in the area.
This week, rails were delivered and installed. In approximately three weeks, a caboose, purchased in Houston, Texas, will arrive and be placed on the rails to become part of the attraction.
The crowning glory for local rail enthusiasts as well as the Nieces is the discovery and recovery of the bell from a locomotive that plunged into the Marmaton River in the 1890s. The story is that a rock slide occurred at Hell's Bend in west Bourbon County, and the engineers could not respond quickly enough and bailed from the train, allowing the engine and at least one car to dive 80 feet into the Marmaton.
After nearly 100 years, the bell from that locomotive was identified by Don Banwart, who was working on his book “Rails, Rivalry, and Romance: A Review of Bourbon County, Kansas, and Her Railroad Nostalgia.”
A few years later, Don Miller, who was instrumental in getting the Depot moved to Scott Street to save it, spoke of a deep desire to locate the infamous bell. Banwart provided information he'd learned about where the bell was located.
The bell had originally been found at a farm in Fulton, but had later been passed on to the farm owner's children in the Kansas City area. With some work, the bell returned to Fort Scott and is now at the Fort Scott Railroad Museum.
Niece provided a statement describing the project as “to prepare and improve the historic Fort Scott depot for the arrival of two major interpretive assets, a restored MKT caboose and a functional historic dining car, and to complete essential upgrades that will allow the museum to safely and effectively serve the public.”
