History

CONWAY SPRINGS HISTORY

Conway Springs was founded in 1884.  

By 1909, the townspeople realized they had the best water in the United States.  

The town of Conway Springs was built on the crown of this beautiful prairie just southeast of Slate Creek.  Cowboys passed through this area to water their cattle in the springs en route to Wichita, Abilene and Kansas City markets.   The springs have been the heart of the community since the beginning.  Homesteaders came to this area in the 1870s.  Some of the first family names include Sparr, Whitmore, Duncan, Shelhammer, Orr, & Cranmer.  Hiram Cranmer is one of the well-known founders, building the first home in what would become Conway Springs.  This home still stands today at 108 S. Cranmer St., just west side of the current day park.  Cranmer discovered the 7 springs, now in the located in the park, and popularized the area by advertising the mineral springs as Cranmer Mineral Springs, a health resort with claims that the mineral water had health benefits.  The original town site was established in the early 1880s with a location west of the current day park and was named Northfield.  When the railroad was surveyed in 1883, local residents decided to move the main part of the city eastward towards the railway.  They moved buildings from the Northfield location, re-established a new main street area (Spring Avenue & 5th Street), and renamed the town Conway Springs (named after a town of Conway, NH & an American writer, Moncure D. Conway).  Over the years the town has thrived with the springs as a water source and the Missouri Pacific Railroad running through the town.  Businesses, churches, and schools have come and gone and the population has ebbed and flowed, but the heart of the town still exists on Spring Avenue ending at the heart of the town, the Springhouse in the local park. 

Conway Springs has long been known for its Spring House which was renovated in 1999 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The historic site where water still bubbles to the surface was once famed for the sparkling Conway Springs water which claimed to have medicinal properties. People from all over the country came to Conway Springs to bathe and drink the waters. The Spring House is located 

in Central Park, a two square block area which also includes the historic Band Shell stage built in 1910, the playground, swimming pool, 

a scout hut, picnic pavilion, concession area and tennis courts.

MUSEUM

The Museum building was originally the Springhill rural one room schoolhouse, and it was originally located south and west of Conway Springs.  The building was moved into town in the 1960s and used as a community building for events.  The Cline family later utilized the building as a Museum, displaying local artifacts and historical photos.  In 2016, a year after Mrs. Dalice Cline’s passing, a local work day was held and started the ball rolling on getting the Museum building updated and back open to the public.  The City of Conway Springs and other local businesses & individuals have helped with funding on building projects over the years.  The progress is slow and steady, but the building has had quite a list of improvements over the years including a heating/AC unit installed, a new roof, water mitigation in the basement, insect mitigation, repair and repainting of siding, eaves and windows, resurfacing and repainting of the plaster walls, repainting of the original tin ceiling, refinishing the trim work to the original wood trim and floors, showcase restoration, and lots of cleaning.  There have been many smaller projects completed on the building and artifacts held within the Museum.  Future goals include, assembling more exhibits, creating records and historical research for public access, landscaping, front door replacement, organizing and sorting the current collection, and much more.  The goal is to have the Museum open for the public at least one day a week or by appointment with the help of a volunteer.  Anyone willing to help with funding, physical labor or research, please contact the City Building or the Museum volunteer, Leslie Kittrell.