Church is important part of region’s history

    Recently, Windthorst Heritage Inc. has received a lot of bad press and comments from the public regarding our interactions  with the CFAB board and receiving their recommendation for $25,000 in grant money for the development of the site around the historic Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.
    The preservation of this site is important to the history of southwest Kansas. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is not an active church but a National Historic Landmark located in eastern Ford County. It is a nonprofit, historic preservation group. We are not affiliated with any organized religious group except through our history.
    The preservation of this site is important to the history of southwest Kansas. Just as Dodge City has its own unique history, so do the rural settlements of the area. The establishment of the family farm in the 1870s and 1880s started the agricultural base that is the backbone of the Kansas economy today. These areas were settled by immigrants from various countries and various religious faiths: Mennonite, Lutheran, Catholic, etc. This part of the history of Kansas is just as important as the history of the "wild West" that surrounds Dodge City.
    The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is a beautiful cathedral that sits on the plains of western Kansas. It was closed as an active parish in 1997 and was established as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. It is currently the site for choral presentations by schools, colleges and local choirs.
    Windthorst Heritage has acquired many historic artifacts over the years that reflect the religious and agricultural settlement of the area. It is our mission to build a museum where these items can be displayed and enjoyed by the public. It is important that our children realize the importance of the development of the farming communities of SW Kansas.
    Our need for a handicapped-accessible restrooms is a priority, as many people attend our concerts and our present facilities are difficult to access. The new "museum building" would house not only a display area but also the badly needed handicapped-accessible restrooms.
    We are not wasting funds received with the recommendation of the CFAB board. We are preserving an important element in the history of the area. By doing this, we are providing a historic and cultural base in Ford County.
    We invite the public to come see this amazing and beautiful landmark. Learn the history of how farming communities were developed. We are part of the history of Kansas.

Susan Rueb
President of the board of directors,
Windthorst Heritage Inc.
Spearville