April 2023
At the end of 2022, a new board for the Friends of Ferguson Home was elected: Connie Burcham-President, Joe Bryan -Secretary, Mary Larson-Treasurer, and Todd Lafferty- Member-at-Large. The Home itself is owned by the City of Watonga, and the Friends of Ferguson Home Inc. is a nonprofit organization that works to preserve the T.B. and Elva Ferguson Home, jail, and relay station as Historic Landmarks and interpret the early day lifestyles of a politician, newspaper owner, and pioneer from the establishment of the Cheyenne and Arapaho land opening in 1892 up to 1947. The website for the museum is: www.tbfergusonhome.org, and their facebook page is Ferguson Home Museum.
The Friends group is in the process of working out a contract/lease with the City of Watonga that will allow the Museum to stay open and to improve the condition of the home. The property is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is one of our town's tourism attractions that brings visitors from across the country. The Friends group is sustained by donations, memberships, and volunteer hours.
The next event to be held by the Friends of Ferguson Home is a Tea Party on May 6, 2023, at the First Baptist Church in Watonga, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tickets are $10 each, and must be purchased in advance of the event. Janine Espy is the chairperson of the event and Linda Barrett is assisting with ticket sales (call 580-623-4269).
As a member of the Friends of Ferguson Home, I encourage members of our community to support this fundraiser, and to considering becoming a Member of the Friends group. I'll be writing more about the Ferguson Home and Museum, upcoming events and fundraisers, and membership details in the next few days.
