Birth of the Sedalia Museum and Gardens
The Sedalia Museum began in 2000 as a small group interested in the history of Western Douglas County, Colorado. The West Douglas County Fire Protection District built a new fire house and offered the group a place to house local exhibits and other memorabilia.
Soon museum collections outgrew the space. Barbara Machann offered $1 to buy a small, dilapidated cottage and the offer was accepted if we moved the house. The fire department offered to locate the building on its property. The volunteers worked to raise the money, estimated at $36,000 to get the building moved and renovated. It soon became clear that bake and garage sales were not enough and grants were obtained and many donations from the community. Some four years and $150,000 later, the building was restored and opened October 9, 2009 as the new Sedalia Museum and Gardens.
More detail can be found here.
Remembering Barbara Machann
When Barbara Machann died June 30, 2024, she left behind a town changed forever by her efforts. Barbara was the founder of the Sedalia Museum. The very appearance of the town entrance gained a focal point, and the history of those who settled Sedalia is preserved.
Barbara had many talents. She trained as an X-ray technician, served as a dispatcher and office assistant for the fire department, became a wildlife rehabilitator, and was interested in minerals and medicinal herbs. But her real passion was local history. In 1982, she published her first booklet on Sedalia’s history. A fuller account can be found in the Sedalia View, Volume 14 | Issue 3 | September 2024.