Remembering the Guest House

Posted on by hchm-curator
This post was originally posted on Friday, August 3, 2012 on HCHM’s previous blog site.

Remembering the Guest House

by Kristine Schmucker, Curator
A week ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Fourth Thursday Story Telling Session at Peace Connections in Newton.  The topic was Guest House Reminiscence.

Some wonderful stories were told.  Myrna Krehbiel, Peace Connections director, and Roger Rutschman led the time of story telling.  Rutschman’s father, James D, along with Dr. J. Winfield Fretz opened the Guest House in the 1950s.

The Guest House was a place of firsts.

For many, the Guest House was their first job.  One lady recalled how she started working at the Guest House at the age of 14 and really disliked wearing the required hairnet. One man, who worked as a manager, recalled how it was a challenge to make sure that hairnets were worn, especially by the teens.

Rutschman was the first in Newton to try the new self service buffet idea at the Guest House.  He had seen a self serve buffet at a restaurant in Wichita, and wanted to see if it would work in Newton.  When he opened the buffet, the Guest House was one of three restaurants in Kansas that used the self service idea.

The Guest House was the first restaurant in Newton to integrate in 1957.  Every one, regardless of race, was welcome to come in, sit down, and be served their meal.
Rutschman also introduced Kentucky Fried Chicken to Harvey County residents.  Stories were also told about the transition to the Ramada Coffee House and the decision to close the Guest House in 1972.
Of course, food was discussed.  Many recalled the that certain dishes were served on specific days – fish on  Friday, turkey on Thursday and meatloaf on Wednesday. One person likened the food on the buffet to “a really good church potluck.”
One story really reflected how times and customs have both changed and stayed the same. Coffee breaks have long been popular.  In the earlier days,  Rutschman would take $10 of change and place it in a bowl and set it on the counter.  People would come in for their coffee break and make their own change from the bowl. He was able to do this for a number of years without any problem. Eventually, he had to remove the change bowl and have someone ring up the customer due to missing money.

Some traces of the Guest House still remain.  Rutschman pointed out the “Exit” sign that is still visible in Peace Connections.  There is also the exterior sign that was revealed earlier this spring when the awning was removed.

This is only a small portion of what was shared at Peace Connections.  From the stories shared, it was evident that the Guest House was an important part of the Newton community for many years.  Some of the stories will be part of the upcoming exhibit, “The Way We Worked: Serving Harvey County,” which opens September 8.

A big thank you to all that shared, to Myrna Krehbiel, Peace Connections for facilitating, and Roger Rutschman for sharing his memories of his family business.

Comments:
DavidAugust 3, 2012 at 1:33 PM

Mr Rutschman sat all us employees down before we opened one day. He had encouraged a Watress to suggest items to customers as a way of increasing sales. “You could sell Strawberries and Ice Cream for breakfast if you just suggest it.” Later she had a customer who said he just didn’t know what he wanted. She suggested Pancakes with IceCream and strawberries. They sold three that day.

Reply

Replies

  • hvcuratorAugust 7, 2012 at 9:17 AM

    Oh that is a wonderful memory! Gives new meaning to the ‘would you like fries with that’ heard at McDonald’s. Thanks for sharing!

A Business #FindItFriday

Posted on by hchm-curator

 

If you have ever needed a motorcycle repair, you probably recognize Buller Cycle Service at 1819-B N. Main, Newton, Ks.

Shoulder a Musket and Go to Battle!

Posted on by hchm-curator

by Kristine Schmucker, HCHM Curator

This blog post is part of a Heritage Grant from Humanities Kansas to digitize the John C. Johnston Civil War Pension Collection. As part of the project HCHM, seeks to tell the stories of these men and their families.

“Shoulder a Musket and Go to Battle”

Most of the pensions in the John C. Johnston Civil War Pension Collection are from men active in the Civil War. However, some men participated in an earlier war which was also related to the same issues.  One of these men was Ichabod Chase.

In 1846-1848 the Mexican American War was the focus of the slave/anti slave state debate.  During that time the debate centered around Texas and whether slavery should be extended to the state. This cause further trouble with establishing the border between Mexico and the United States. Ichabod Chase’s Pension Papers  reveal that he   enlisted on December 1, 1847 “the serve during the war with the Mexicans.” From a brief newspaper announcement and a note in his pension file, also indicate that Ichabod participated in this war.  He was discharged in July 1848 and returned to Michigan to start his family.

Newton Daily Republican, 31 May 1886

In the case of Ichabod Chase, more is learned about him and his life through his wife and her obituary. Born in 1834, Ichabod married eighteen year old Margaret Gillam shortly after he returned from the Mexican American War in 1848.   The young couple was adventurous and went further west in Michigan and secured government land open for settlement.

“They braved the wilds and hardships of pioneer life and three little ones had been added to their home” when the “unsettled question of slavery rose hydra-headed, and a call . . . to leave his young family, shoulder a musket and go to battle.”

Ichabod  enlisted again as a private for the Union army on August 25, 1861 and was gone from his family until August 1864.

These were difficult years for the young family. Margaret’s obituary described this time during the Civil War.

“Only those who lived thru the eventful time can realize the valor and heroism of the man on the field of battle and the fortitude and endurance of the woman in the home. Mrs. Chase with her little children lived on the Michigan farm, while her husband was gone to war, doing the work perhaps of two with the dominant buoyant spirit that then and thereafter lifted her above adverse circumstances.”

The Call of the West!

Following the war, the Ichabod and Margaret owned a mercantile business in central Michigan, but soon they felt another call . . .”the Call of the West!” With the opportunity to acquire cheap land in Kansas, the Chase family came to Harvey County in 1874 and settled north of Burrton, just missing the “grasshopper scourge.” Ichabod took a position as the Superintendent of the bridge and building department for the Santa Fe Railroad in 1878.

Ichabod continued to feel the need to ‘go west’ and in 1889 the family moved to Puyallup, Washington where Ichabod died August 20, 1894 at the age of 60. (The Kansas Workman, 1 Oct 1894)

In April 1895, as a widow, Margaret applied for a “Veteran’s Bounty” and was notified at that time that “claims had been paid at time of service.”

In 1916, shortly before her death Margaret again applied for a widows pension.

It is not clear if Ichabod or Margaret Chase ever received a pension for his time serving in either war.

After Ichabod passed away in 1893, Margaret moved back to Newton to live with her daughter, Lucene Chase Axtell.

Margaret Gillam Chase died on June 20, 1917.

“Having experienced the bitterness of war, she was keenly sensitive to the cause and consequences of the World War and express a hope that she might live to see Peace restored to the nations of the earth, hoping that peace would come before our boys were called into actual battle. “

Sources:

  • Chase, Ichabod. John C. Johnston Civil War Pension Collection, Box 1, Past Perfect # 1900.2.017, HCHM Archives, Harvey County Historical Museum & Archives, 203 N. Main, Newton, Ks 67114.
  • Voter Registration Index. HCHM Archives, Harvey County Historical Museum & Archives, Newton, Ks
  • Newton Daily Republican, 31 May 1886
  • The Kansas Workman, 1 Oct 1894
  • Newton Journal: 29 June 1917
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to
empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since
1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared
stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and
supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their
lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.