Two former residents of Iola visited the Funston museums in 1999. Regarding them as “world class, “ they donated the funds necessary for the Society to purchase the large brick, two-story building located south of the Funston museum complex, as well as additional funds for the Society to remodel a portion of the new building. This building became the new Society headquarters and the new Allen County Museum.
Then in 2002, the Society received a HUD grant of 249 thousand 450 dollars for the ”redevelopment of the Funston museum complex.” This covered the cost of remodeling the rest of the first floor of the new Museum building to tell the story of Allen County in the context of Fred Funston’s years growing up.
Prior to the acquisition of this building, the headquarters of the Society was located in the Gallery Building situated at 207 North Jefferson Avenue next to the Jail. The grant also made possible the conversion of the former Gallery Museum building into the Frederick Funston Meeting Hall, thus providing our Society members and the public the long desired meeting room for Society meetings and activities.
Then in 2002, the Society received a HUD grant of 249 thousand 450 dollars for the ”redevelopment of the Funston museum complex.” This covered the cost of remodeling the rest of the first floor of the new Museum building to tell the story of Allen County in the context of Fred Funston’s years growing up.
Prior to the acquisition of this building, the headquarters of the Society was located in the Gallery Building situated at 207 North Jefferson Avenue next to the Jail. The grant also made possible the conversion of the former Gallery Museum building into the Frederick Funston Meeting Hall, thus providing our Society members and the public the long desired meeting room for Society meetings and activities.
