By: Ryan Duey
Photo Courtesy of GCHS Facebook Page
On Saturday, June 21st, the Geary County Historical Society and Museum (GCHS) invites the public to a special Victorian Lawn Party and Open House at the historic Starcke House, located next to the museum in Junction City, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
The event will offer Victorian-era lawn games and treats, activities, tours, and more. Heather Hagedorn, GCHS Director, said they are excited to open up the Starcke House.
“We’re just really excited to welcome people over to Starcke House. It’s probably one of our least visited sites, despite being right next to the museum.”
“We will open the house up, we will have some fun lawn games, and fun Victorian treats and desserts. We want to make it a nice community summer event.”
Built in the 1870s by a local jeweler, the Starcke House was passed down through the family into the mid-1900s. Hagedorn said she always calls it a two-part house.
“You really can see kind of the evolution of home ownership through that house. You can see the early Victorian period, and you can see where Eunice did additions later on.
“Eunice Starcke herself was a really interesting character. Despite the fact that she was a woman in the 1930s, after she and her husband got divorced, not only did she retain ownership of the house, but also their business. She was just a really strong local figure.”
The museum will also be open to the public, featuring its new exhibit, “The Missing Piece: Black History in Geary County.” More information on this Event and the museum can be found on the GCHS Facebook page.
