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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Historic Landmarks
Description
An account of the resource
Since most structures still standing today date back only a few decades, the planning of Derby’s sesquicentennial celebration in 2019 prompted discussions about how to best tell Derby’s story.
Landmark signs were determined to be the best way to commemorate Derby’s origin as a farming community of people who value family and faith (1869-1949) to its boomtown period (1950-1979) of building homes and schools, its suburban growth (1980-1999) with parks and a cutting-edge recreation commission, and finally to its coming of age as a regional center (2000-2019) with shopping and services to meet most community needs. Visiting the seven Derby Landmarks will provide a thorough education about Derby’s first 150 years.
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lauber Farm & Silo
Brookwood & Redwood
(Historic Landmark #5)
Description
An account of the resource
In 1869, Fred Gerteis homesteaded this land. In 1900, he traveled back to Germany to get his 23-year-old nephew, Albert Lauber, to help work the land by promising the farm eventually would become his. After Albert Lauber returned to Germany to get his sweetheart in 1907, he married Theresa Marie Metzger on Ellis Island. In 1909, Albert, Marie and their infant son John moved into the farmhouse (built in 1874 for $1,200), and Fred Gerteis moved his family to Wichita. Lumber hauled by wagon from Salina was used to build many of the first homes in this area.
The Laubers grew wheat, alfalfa and milo. They raised chickens, cattle, hogs and milk cows. Albert served on the board of education for 27 years and served as clerk of Rockford Township. The silo that used to store grain is a short hike east of this sign and is believed to be the oldest structure in Derby today.
In 1943, John Lauber married Juanita Riley (both had a college education), and they moved into the farmhouse where they raised two children, Mary (married Dick Dameron, 1968) and John Albert, Jr. (married Dixie Madill, 1976). They farmed 1,500 acres. Also in 1943, Albert and Marie Lauber moved to a smaller home near the east edge of the Lauber farm at what later became Valley Stream Court (half mile east of Rock Road). Continuing Albert’s commitment to education, John, John Jr. and Dick each took turns serving on the board of education. Juanita was very active in the community, especially the Derby 4-H Club for 25 years. Mary taught in Derby Public Schools for 28 years.
Beginning in the 1950s, the Laubers sold land piece by piece for housing developments and community facilities, including two high schools (now Fire Station 81 and Derby Middle School) and the Derby Recreation Center. In 1972, the 98-year-old farmhouse was demolished and replaced at the same site with a ranch-style home designed by Juanita Lauber (1015 E. Madison Avenue).
With help from the 381st civil engineering group at McConnell Air Force Base, the Derby Jaycees (est. 1958) constructed the town’s first ballfield at Riley Park. After “Jaycee Field” was dedicated July 4, 1966, the Jaycees established Derby Jr. Football, fire safety education and many other youth programs, plus fireworks and a parade on July 4. Throughout the 1970s, the Jaycees oversaw youth baseball and slow-pitch adult softball programs at Riley Park until the magnitude of the operation was too much for these committed volunteers. In 1980, the Derby Recreation Commission (DRC) was established and soon took over management of baseball and softball at Riley and other newer parks.
Commonly thought of as a “city father,” John Lauber, Sr. died in 1986 in a tractor accident. In2019, Mary (Lauber) Dameron’s memory and records played a key role in documenting community history and celebrating the city’s sesquicentennial.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
City of Derby
1015 E. Madison Avenue
381st Civil Engineering Group (McConnell Air Force Base)
4-H Club
Albert Lauber
ballfield
Board of Education
City of Derby
Derby
Derby Jaycees
Derby Jr. Football
Derby Middle School
Derby Recreation Center
Dick Dameron
Dixie Madill
DRC
Ellis Island
farmhouse
fire safety education
Fire Station 81
fireworks
Fred Gerteis
Germany
high school
Jaycee Field
John Albert Lauber Sr.
John Lauber Jr.
Juanita Louise Riley Lauber
July 4th parade
landmark
lumber
Mary Lauber Dameron
Riley Park
Rockford Township
Salina KS
silo
slow-pitch adult softball
Theresa Marie Metzger
USD 260
Valley Stream Court
youth baseball