Online Chat about the William Allen White Historic Site
July 22, 2008
Nick Gronseth Site Administrator for the William Allen White State Historic Site will answer questions about the site.
Moderator: Our guest today is Nick Gronseth, a native of Liberal and the site administrator for the William Allen White House State Historic Site. The house, at 10th Avenue and Exchange Street, was the family home of William Allen White, editor and publisher of The Gazette, and later of his son, William Lindsay White. We'll start with a general question about the house and its place in Kansas history.
moderator: Tell us about the site and how it compares to other historic sits around the state?
Nick Gronseth: The William Allen White State Historic Site is one of 16 which the Kansas Historical Society operates around the state. While many of the other sites interpret Kansas History during the territorial/Civil War period; this site is unique in that it is the only one, at the moment which interprets 20th century Kansas History. The site consists of the home of William Allen White, his wife Sallie, and their two children (William Lindsay and Mary) lived in from 1899 until 1944 (for WAW), 1950 (for Sallie). After their deaths, William Lindsay White and his wife Katherine and daughter Barbara moved in and lived in the house from the 1950s-till their deaths (WLW in 1973 and KKW in 1988); as well as the house next door to the south where WAW’s mother lived, the formal gardens, and a Visitors Center. The site compares to three other state sites in that it is a site which was once the home of a famous Kansan.
moderator: What improvements have been done at the site over the last several years?
Nick Gronseth: Improvements which the site has undergone has been the updating of all electrical wires in the house, removal of all ivy which had been growing on the outer walls of the house, replanting and cleaning up of the formal gardens to their original look from the late 1920s, building of a visitors center with the help of a Federal grant, as well as the adding of a new roof for the Mother’s House. Finally, the house has also had ramps added for access into the house.
moderator: How did the house end up becoming a state historic site?
Nick Gronseth: The Kansas Historical Society acquired the site in 2001 from the decendents of William Allen White. White’s granddaughter and grandson-in-law Barbara and David Walker, gave the house, the formal gardens, the Mother’s house, and what used to be the garage (now the Vistor’s Center) and nearly 5000 books, artifacts, and furniture originally owned by the White family to the historical society. The state fixed up the site during the next four years, and opened the house to the public with a gala in the spring of 2005.
moderator: What are some of the biggest needs the site has?
Nick Gronseth: Well, the biggest need the site has is to acquire long term, private funding for operations of the site. At the moment the state owns the site, but cannot use any of its state given funds to the site for operations due to the wording in the legislation giving the site to the State Historical Society in 2001. We have had good news recently with the gift of $50,000 from the KT Wiedemann Foundation, however this only allows the site to be run through the private side of the Historical Society (Kansas Historical Society, Inc.) for the next 12-18 months. During this time, the local partnership which has been set up to help locate long term funding for the site, the William Allen White Community Partnership, Inc. will be locating people and/or entities for allocation of funds to build up an endowment for the site. We are very hopeful to have success during this period, however, after this 12-18 months are over, and if we have not succeeded in securing an endowment for the site which is able to cover operations of the site long term we may be in some difficulty. This is by far the biggest need the site currently has. All of the buildings, aside from the Mother’s House, are in good condition and do not need any major help. The Mother’s House is in need of comprehensive rehabilitation. Our goal, once long term funding for the site as a whole is secure, is to rehabilitate the Mother’s House and turn it into a hand’s on education center for children. As this is a project which is not in the foreseeable future, but one which we hope to accomplish, our biggest need is finding long term funding through an endowment for the site. We are also always in need of willing and able people interested in becoming docents for the site. Docents give tours of the site, assist with various office work, make treats for monthly meetings, and assist with large mailings we send out periodically from the site.
powercat: What is on exhibit right now at the house? Do exhibits rotate at the site to give people a reason to keep coming back?
Nick Gronseth: Currently, we have a permanent exhibit which showcases the life of William Allen White through several informative panels as well as a display case with several of his personal affects in the Visitors Center. We do not at present have any rotating exhibits, but we hope in the near future to have ones which detail new aspects of the White family and/or the site as a whole.
quarterback: Is the site just about William Allen White or does it also talk about W.L. White?
Nick Gronseth: At the moment the site is still geared toward interpreting WAW’s life, however WLW is discussed at points during the tour of the site which everyone is encouraged to stop and do if you have not already. We do hope in the very near future to have a display case where we can display affects of WLW, Mary White, Sallie White, and/or Katherine Klinkenberg White.
noel_stanton: How true are the occasional claims that Frank Lloyd Wright contributed to the design of Red Rocks? Did WAW personally know or ever meet FLLW? Thanks, N. Stanton
Nick Gronseth: Frank Lloyd Wright put together an architectural drawing for a renovated house for WAW and Sallie in 1916. This radical design was not to the liking of the Whites, and so the Kansas City firm of White and White oversaw the renovations to the house. This occurred in 1920-1921. Many of Wright's ideas were incorporated to the house as it presently looks, most obviously the pergola which extends out from the south side of the house. This pergola was part of FLW’s design for the house. Yes White and Wright were acquaintances. They wrote several letters back and forth discussing plans for the renovation of the house here in Emporia during the teens.
siamesefred: I read that meetings can be held at the WAW House. How big a group can you accomodate? How do I set something up?
Nick Gronseth: Yes the site does allow meetings to be held here at the site. Our max. number would probably be about 30-40 in the Visitors Center. To hold an event in the house we can only accommodate 10 or less. We also rent portions of the site out for wedding receptions, birthday parties, and other events for a fee. If you are interested please email the site wawhitehouse@kshs.org or call (620)342-2800 and ask for myself, Nick Gronseth. We would love for your event to be held here at the William Allen White State Historic Site.
Moderator: Just one question left, and then we'll let you go.
libbyhughes: Hi Nick! This is Libby Casas and I visited the WAW house last Thursday, I think it was. I was the one whose father's name was NOT in WAW's address book :-) Anyway, the tour was great and I will tell people what a great site it is. You did a great job as guide.
Nick Gronseth: Yes, thank you libby for visiting the site and also for letting everyone know about the site.
Moderator: Our thanks to Nick Gronseth for his informative answers. Thanks also to the people who sent in questions. If you want to know more about the William Allen White house, why not go by for a tour? Hours are posted on the Kansas State Historical Society Web site. A transcript of today's chat will be published in Wednesday's Gazette