Dickinson County Heritage Center — Attraction in Abilene

The Dickinson County Heritage Center sets the bar high! This is not your "typical" historical society. The exhibits not only tell the story of local history, but also how Dickinson County's former residents had an impact on a global scale.

Learn about Dickinson County’s famous former residents from C.L. Brown, whose telephone company eventually became known as Sprint, to Abilene’s former town Marshal Wild Bill Hickok and Joseph McCoy who brought hundreds of thousands of cattle to Abilene in the 1860s making Abilene into a booming cowtown at the end of the Chisholm Trail.

Make sure to take a whirl on the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel, believed to be the oldest operating Parker carousel in existence. The carousel is hand-carved featuring 24 horses and four chariots.

And don't forget to visit the beautifully preserved buildings outside, including a unique two-story cabin and school house.

Thanks to Michael Hook and the staff and volunteers at the Dickinson County Heritage Center for their passion...

Direkt hinter der Old Town Abilene und der Dwight D. Eisenhower Bibliothek liegt das Abilene Heritage Center. Manche sagen es sei klein, aber für mich gehört es zu einem der besten in der Prärie von Kansas, Nebraska und Colorado. Das Center besteht aus knapp einem Dutzend alten Bauten die in vielen Details zeigen, wie das Leben vor 150 Jahren draussen in der Prärie war. Alle Gegenstände sind liebevoll restauriert oder erhalten und gepflegt und sehr gut beschrieben. Wer sich zudem noch für die Geschichte der Telegrafie und Telefonie interessiert findet hier eine fantastische Sammlung alter Apparate. Auch die sind wiederum sehr gut beschrieben und es scheint das Sprint, heute zusammen mit T-mobile oder Verizon eine der grossen Telekomgesellschaften des Landes hier ihren Ursprung hat. Last but not least gehört ein liebevoll erhaltenes und hervorragend wiederhergestelltes Karussell zur Ausstellung das nicht nur Kinder, sondern auch jung gebliebene Erwachsene begeistert.

Next to the Old Town of Abilene and the Dwight D. Eisenhower library you will find the Abilene Heritage Center. Some may say it is small, but to me, this is one of the best I ever visited in the prairie from Kansas to Nebraska and Colorado. The Center has almost a dozen of old houses showing very detailed how life was out in the prairie a 150 years ago. All items has been lovingly restored or maintained and well described. If you are also interested in the history of telegraphy and telephony, you will find s fantastic collection of old apparatus here. Again, these are very well described, and it seems like Sprint has his origin here. Next to T-mobile or Verizon they are among the big telecom players in the country. Last but not least, belongs a lovingly preserved and excellently restored merry-go-round to the exhibition that thrills not only children, but also...

Interesting place, informative and the Carousel is so cool..but..Don't rely on online sites that say it is a pet friendly place..I saw it was so I took My baby..whom I had in a front sling carrier and was told I could NOT take her in with me so had to wait outside while kids went through..but was allowed to carry her to outside part which you have to walk through museum anyways so that was stupid..I mean She was in a carrier..ON ME..but nope you can't walk through museum with her...to view ...but you can to go out side🤦‍♀️So..lesson..call every place that says they are pet friendly because chance...