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It’s not every day you see a pristine 1961 Cadillac DeVille gliding down Main Street in Logan—but this past week, locals were treated to just that. And it wasn’t just any classic car. This beauty belongs to none other than the Museum’s namesake, Dane G. Hansen.
The rare sighting came courtesy of the Museum’s own Grounds and Maintenance Supervisor, Dave, who took the vintage DeVille out for its routine maintenance—and a celebratory cruise. With the chrome gleaming and the whitewalls spinning, the car made quite the impression as it rolled through town.
Photos of the Cadillac posted on the Museum’s Facebook page sparked immediate engagement, with numerous likes, shares, and memories flooding in. Among the most notable was a comment from Harlan Nonhof, who recalled, “In the early 1990s, I had the privilege of checking all the mechanical systems on this car and replacing all the gaskets and seals that could develop into oil leaks.”
Nonhof, who worked for Don Hewitt at Hewitt Pontiac-Cadillac at the time, added a fascinating detail: “Mr. Hewitt told me Mr. Hansen wouldn’t trade for a newer model because the rear door opening no longer extended into the roof line—and Mr. Hansen didn’t want to remove his hat to get into the car.”
Indeed, those who knew Mr. Hansen can attest—he always wore a hat, and his vehicles were carefully chosen to accommodate it. Another of his unique automotive requirements? A back seat long enough to stretch out and sleep in. As a pioneer in the oil industry, Mr. Hansen often needed a place to rest while monitoring drilling sites, especially when one of his wells was close to hitting oil.
Meanwhile, inside the Museum, visitors have been enjoying the current traveling exhibition, A Place to Call Home, curated and built by the Smoky Hill Museum. The exhibit explores the motivations behind why settlers chose to make their home in central Kansas between 1850 and 1900.
Though most of the artifacts are replicas, the exhibition includes one original oxbow and a wealth of engaging content. Guests can test their frontier savvy with a paper-based version of the Oregon Trail game titled Who Will Prevail, You or the Trail?—a playful nod to the challenges of pioneer life.
One particularly intriguing story from the exhibit features the Vegetarian Emigration Company, a group that sought to establish a meat-free utopia near Chanute in 1856. Hoping to live apart from mainstream society, the group prohibited meat, tea, coffee, tobacco, and other stimulants. Members purchased $33,000 worth of stock—roughly $1.17 million in today’s currency—at $5 per share (equivalent to $178 today), with each share representing an acre of land.
Company directors had promised essentials such as a sawmill, a gristmill, and a large communal house for shelter until individual homes could be built. But upon arrival, colonists were shocked to find none of these promises had been fulfilled. By the spring of 1857, the colony had collapsed—some members joined other settlements, while others returned to their homes back East.
Between classic cars and curious colonies, the Hansen Museum continues to be a place where history comes alive in unexpected and delightful ways. The Hansen Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday and holidays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is fully handicap accessible, and admission is always free, thanks to the generous support of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. For more information, please call 785-689-4846. We hope to see you at the Museum!
