Greensburg's Outstanding New Museum

For two-thirds of a century, Midwesterners visited the museum built around the world's largest hand-dug water well. I remember visiting on our way from Kansas City to Colorado when I was ten years old.

Photo by Greg Holmes

Like the rest of the town of Greensburg, the original museum blew away on May 4, 2007.

Now, there is an impressive, beautiful museum that builds on the original. It tells the entire history of the town, the story of the well, and the story of the tornado.

Jaime and I knew it would be at least an hour before the storms began to form, so we toured the new museum and it exceeded our expectations.  The museum is round to evoke the tornado with a spiral staircase down to the base of the well 150 ft. below. Jaime took the photo below.

The floor-to-ceiling circular exhibits start with the founding of the town, the history of the railroads (which dug the well), the tornado, and the town's rebirth.

In addition to the exhibits on the perimeter of the museum, there are stand-alone exhibits. My favorite is the siren that wailed until the tornado cut its power.

The upper level of the museum gives museum-goers a tour of the city.

I just can't encourage you strongly enough to pay the museum a visit when you and your family are in the area. Their web site with hours and additional information is here.