Mission Clay Products donates rare relic to Miners Hall Museum | KSNF/KODE

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kans. — The Miners Hall Museum was donated a historic gift.

“They decided to donate this Ensley to us and we were just thrilled to have it to really kick off our whole Dragline Project, we’re calling it now,” said Phyllis Bitner.

Missions Clay Products donated an Insley Dragline Model K-12. This unique piece of mining equipment was used by W.S. Dickie Clay Manufacturing Company to mine clay used in manufacturing clay pipe in Pittsburg. The Mining Hall Museum has been collecting similar coal mining equipment, but this will be the first dragline of its size on-site at the museum

“This was a piece of equipment that we were looking to either repurpose, remove from the site and we were put in touch with Phyllis at the museum and we jumped at the chance,” said Mark Farmer.

“There aren’t many left out there. It’s a huge project to preserve something like this. You know, it’s not just as simple as let’s throw it on the trailer and move it down the road and then think of restoring it,” added Bitner.

This equipment highlights the rich history of clay in Crawford County.

“This piece of equipment was used to mine the clay after the coal was removed and since the closing of the clay plant mission, Clay is very happy to give back to the community and be able to donate this to the museum,” said Farmer.

“We want to preserve this history and we think what we’re doing is good not only for us, but for all of the other area tourist attractions, because if they come here from New Jersey to see our equipment, well, they’re going to go to Crawford County Museum, they’re going to go to Big Brutus, going to stay in the hotel, eat in the restaurants, buy gas. So it’s going to be good for all of us,” said Bitner.

She says the museum’s goal is to build up its endowment fund to ensure the equipment will be preserved for years to come.

“That money just stays in that endowment and ensures the future. So 20 years from now, when we’re all gone, there still will be money there. They’ll be using the interest to maintain these. Anyone can restore it. But then what happens in the next ten years? Does it just sit there and rust back down? And we don’t want that to happen,” said Bitner.