Shawnee Town 1929 Museum Wins National Award of Excellence for "In Their Footsteps"
In 2022 and 2023, the Shawnee Town 1929 Museum made the history of veterans come alive with the “In Their Footsteps: A Veterans Day Lantern Tour.” Visitors encountered Great War (World War I) veterans, family members, neighbors, and travelers, all talking about the fight for veteran support and how the town still grappled with the war’s aftereffects over a decade later.
Now the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has honored the Museum with the Award for Excellence for the tour. The award is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
The living history tour experience included the stories of real Shawnee veterans and families, meticulously researched by the dedicated museum staff to ensure accurate details to provide visitors with a broader understanding of America at the end of the 1920s. Program actors including museum professionals, living history performers, school teachers, professors, volunteers, and children from across the Kansas City area. The program will return again in 2025, with plans to host the event every two years.
Shawnee Town 1929 Museum is an open-air living history museum located at 11501 West 57th Street in the heart of downtown Shawnee. Visitors can explore the 1920s downtown square along with a working truck farm, featuring a mix of historic Shawnee structures and replica buildings along with original historic collections and authentic reproductions. The museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, March to October.
The American Association for State and Local History is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history.
For more information contact: Doug Donahoo, Communications Director, 913-742-6202.