Sally McVey, Frank House Administrative Assistant, 308.865.8284
Brian Whetstone and Jessie Harris, both of Kearney, will present their research findings about two of Kearney’s historic areas—East Lawn and West Kearney—in a Saturday at the Frank House presentation this Saturday (March 9).
The 1:30 p.m. event is free and open to the public. The Frank House is located on the University of Nebraska at Kearney West Campus.
East Lawn was founded in 1888 and was promoted as one of the most lavish places to live in Kearney. The development was host to mayors and presidents of companies until the economic decline in the 1890’s and again in the 1930’s.
According to Whetstone, West Kearney was near the cotton mill west of town and was almost a city in itself. Many of the owners and managers of the cotton mill chose to live in West Kearney. It boasted a brownstone depot, an extensive park in the center of the neighborhood, as well as brickyards, the woolen mill and the cotton mill.
“I decided to do this event at the Frank House, because I actually grew up in an older home by East Lawn,” Whetstone said. “That house was really what started to spark my interest in the history of Kearney, and the historic homes and buildings around Kearney.”
The presentation will also be a small look into the book that co-authors Whetstone and Harris are getting published, titled “Images of America: Kearney’s Historic Homes.” Both East Lawn and West Kearney are featured in chapters in the book.
“I hope that this event will be interesting, because a lot of people don’t know about these neighborhoods and what they were like in the past, because there’s not even a trace left of West Kearney and only one home left from East Law,” Whetstone said. “I hope to bring in some information about Kearney’s lavish boom period that others do not know about.”
Regular walk-in-hours for tours of the Frank House are Monday – Friday, 2-5 p.m., and Saturday, noon-5 p.m. The Frank House is closed during UNK breaks and holidays. Donations are always accepted. For more information, visit www.frankhouse.org, and find the Frank House on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UNK.Frank.House to stay up-to-date with the Frank House activities.
