Emergency Project:
Elevator Modernization
Estimated Cost: $150,00-$200,000
Total raised: $2,500
On December 16, 1986, the Geary County Historical Society’s newly installed elevator was opened to the public, making all three floors of exhibits fully accessibly to visitors of all ages and abilities.
On August 15, 2026, the elevator suffered a catastrophic failure, resulting in an emergency response from JCFD and complete closure of the elevator until a complete modernization can be completed.
A series of blown fuses, likely from a power outage, caused the elevator to malfunction, ultimately leading to a catastrophically overheated system early on a Saturday morning. Luckily, staff arrived and noticed something was wrong before the overheated system caused a fire.
Along with making the three floor museum accessible to all visitors, the elevator is also the access point for our attic storage, which houses roughly 1/3 of the museum collection.
The elevator makes programs and fundraisers, like our annual historic murder mystery event accessible for all attendees.