By: Ryan Duey

The Clay County Historical Society & Museum continues to add to its collections and exhibits in the Museum. In recent months the Museum has added a Penny Press, Dino Dig Tables, and very recently a new Sports Exhibit.

Pat Gilbert, Historical Society & Museum Board Member, said a group of volunteers worked over 2 months on the exhibit. The exhibit has multiple display cases full of trophies dating back to the mid-1900s and earlier from across Clay County. A variety of trophies come from schools that have not been in existence for quite some time, with most cases being organized by sport. Gilbert highlights some unique trophy cases on display also.

“This horseshoe case is supposed to be all communities, and so the outlying communities we have one little trophy from Oak Hill, trophies from Morganville, and this end ended up being Clay Center basketball. A lot of the trophies will have names on them, and this side here is Green. Over here is our mishmash case, we had a car club, there was a car club, the Road Runners, and we have a little bit from them. We have T-ball girls, and back here is a scholarship one, trap shooting, some cheerleading, we have Kayettes, golf, just a real assortment.”

With most trophies still having names etched into them visitors have the opportunity to look back and reflect on the past when they or maybe a friend or family member played during that championship season.

The exhibit is not just trophies. There are various uniforms from teams and towns that no longer compete, a tribute to the old bowling alley in Clay Center, and even an official Olympic Jacket from the 1980s.

“We have Kelly Rankin’s jacket from the Olympics, his Starter Jacket, and tie is on there.”

The exhibit has a vast amount of sports history from the area. Thanks to local volunteers visitors of the Museum can now reflect on the broad history of sports in Clay County. Volunteers meet on Thursday afternoons to help the Museum as they can, including building displays like this. Anyone interested in volunteering can get more information at the Museum.