Norman #1 Museum
103 South 1st Street
Neodesha, Kansas 66757
(620) 325-2037

Open May through September
Thursday- Friday: 8:30AM - 5PM
Saturday: 8:30AM - Noon

Norman #1 Museum Map

Norman No. 1 Historic Oil Well Museum
Norman Number 1 Museum
Norman #1 Museum - Neodesha, Kansas

Norman No. 1 Replica Well and Museum is a community museum in Neodesha, Kansas. The museum is open only from May through September, but it is located behind the Neodesha Chamber of Commerce Office and they are happy to show it by appointment.

In addition to the many items donated by members of the community that you might find in any local historical museum there are two areas that stood out to us as more interesting to people from outside the community. The first is outdoors - the 67' reconstruction of the oil derrick where oil first erupted in Neodesha in 1892. The well was the first commercially successful oil well west of the Mississippi. There is also a miniature reproduction of the well in the museum.

The actual well location was three blocks southeast of the museum, on land which was owned by T. J. Norman, on the bank of the Verdigris River. The developer plugged the well for ten months, while raising money to lease a million acres. They then started oil production. This well operated for 26 years, while the oil industry grew across Kansas.

Unique to the Norman #1 Museum is a small room of clown memorabilia. The contents were contributed by Tammy and Tom Parrish, a local couple who were Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Brothers Circus clowns. 


 


Farm tools and implements


Neodesha history

Oil Well replica - Neodesha, Kansas
Norman #1 Oil Well replica

Clown memorabilia - Neodesha, Kansas
Clown memorabilia from Tom & Tammy Parrish
 

Tom and Tammy Parrish clown poster
1990 poster with Tom & Tammy Parrish


Native American Artifacts

Wedding Chapel - Norman No. 1 Well Museum
Chapel (Available for small weddings)

Norman No. 1 Museum Map - Neodesha, Kansas
Norman #1 Museum Map

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