WAKEENEY — The City of WaKeeney Travel & Tourism Committee invites the public to the Wilcox School House, 15 miles south of WaKeeney on Highway 283 at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. The restoration of the Wilcox School will be unveiled and the importance of the school in Trego County’s history will be recognized. The school will be dedicated to Harm Schneider, whose family donated the school in his memory. The 15th anniversary of the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway will be celebrated at the same time.

The Kansas Byway Program designated the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway as a Kansas Scenic Byway in August 2003. Then in May 2006 the Wilcox School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Once it was on the National Register of Historic Places we could start applying for Heritage Trust Fund Grants through the Kansas Historical Society to restore the property.

The Smoky Valley Scenic Byway and WaKeeney Travel & Tourism applied for several grants. Two grants were received. The first grant was received in 2011 to restore the stonework and the roof. Metzker Restoration of Ness City reset the foundation and actually replaced some of the damaged stones, repaired the brick chimney, and put a new roof on the school. The second grant was received in 2015 to restore the windows, door, fascia, and soffit. Schamber Historic Preservation LLC of Damar built new windows and replaced the front door, fascia, and soffit earlier this year. After much deliberation, the committee decided to not restore the interior of the school at this time. Interpretive panels are currently being installed in the windows so visitors can learn more about the building and its history.

There will be a short program followed by displays highlighting the school and the byway. The displays will feature memorabilia from the Wilcox School and the families that settled the surrounding area, the Hi-Plains Gravel Grinders Motorcycle Club, the native wildflowers and grasses that can be found along the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway, and information about the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway and the Kansas Byways.

The preservation efforts were led by the WaKeeney Travel & Tourism Committee and the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway Committee.

— Submitted