Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Center

Welcome to the Sumner County, Kansas Historical and Genealogical Research Center!

We are located in the southeast corner of the Memorial Auditorium lobby, 208 N. Washington Wellington Kansas.

Mailing address: Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Center
or SCHGC
P.O. Box 402
Wellington Kansas 67152

The Chisholm Trail History and Genealogy Center was formed January 2001 by the Sumner County Genealogical Society. Thanks to the generosity and help of Carl Meyer Wellington City Manager, Ellen McCue Memorial Auditorium Director, Sherri Theurer Vice-president of the Sumner County Genealogical Society, and the Wellington Public Library. As well as many members of the Sumner County Genealogical Society.

The Center officially opened June 10, 2001, and is conveniently located in the Memorial Auditorium in downtown Wellington Kansas. The Center is two blocks from the Sumner County Courthouse and the Chisholm Trail Museum and around the corner from the Wellington Public Library.

In the Summer of 2001 the Sumner County Historical Society and the Sumner County Genealogy Society voted to merge the two societies. The new Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Society hopes to be able to better serve the researchers of Sumner County and to operate the Sumner County History and Genealogy Center to further this goal.

Anyone can research at the center free of charge, although donations are greatly appreciated. There is a nominal fee for copies.

Our volunteers will be glad to do lookups free of charge for those who cannot visit the center, a nominal fee for copies and postage will apply, and donations are always appreciated. If you would like our volunteers to do research for you outside of the center an hourly fee of $10.00 ($10.00 dollar minimum) will apply. Copies, postage and mileage (volunteers discretion) are extra. Research outside of the center include Obituary request, Courthouse records, cemetery records (those not available at the center), and any other records not located at the center are subject to the hourly fee. All fees collected (except for mileage) go into the Center fund for operating costs and to collect more research materials.

It was decided in 2005 to change the name of the Chisholm Trail History Genealogy Center, to the Sumner County History and Genealogy Center. We hope this change will alleviate any confusion between the Center and other entities.

In 2012 the City of Wellington received a grant, and with matching funds from the Horton fund were able to bring the Auditorium up to ADA compliance. The old bathrooms were close and new bathrooms were built along the mezzanine. The grant also enabled the city to paint the main lobby, lay carpet, and install an elevator.

As a part of the renovation the SCHGS was able to move to the south end of the auditorium lobby. This gives us more space as we can utilize one of the old bathrooms as archive space, and we also will be utilizing the old ticket booth as storage and office space. We officially opened in our new rooms April 2nd 2013, after many months of moving organizing and cleaning. We are excited to be in our new rooms and once again able to help researchers in the search of Sumner County history and family history.

Chisholm Trail Ghost Riders
Marker located on US-81 south of Caldwell, Sumner County Kansas

To contact the Sumner County History and Genealogy Center or the Sumner
County History and Genealogy Society write or e-mail to:

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