Special Links


What is
Greensburg Day?

“Tornado Tales”
Oral History
Project

Benefit Raffle
for The Big Well

Greensburg Day
Participants

Special Thanks

Find us


Greensburg
Links

Greensburg
Official Website

The Big Well

Greensburg
Communication

Kansas Sampler
Foundation


Media

News release
(MS Word doc)

Set-up Photo

Photo Captions

  

Sternberg Museum would like to thank everyone who participated in Greensburg Day and helped to make it such a success. Over $1,500 was raised to help rebuild the Big Well Museum.

Be sure to stop by Sternberg Museum and view the 1000 lb Pallasite Meteorite and unusual collection of Greensburg Tornado Artifacts that remains on display in the museum lobby.

The exhibition has been held over into 2008. Visit us soon!


Greensburg Day took place on November 17, 2007 in the Seibel Lobby of Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays, Kansas. The Greensburg Day project is a collaborative effort by Hays area community organizations to offer fun, educational activities to the public and to support Greensburg.








Right: A display of tornado debris recovered from the Greensburg tornado. The mangled tornado siren was a highlight for visitors. Each piece of debris has a unique and sometimes incredible story to tell.





Scenes from Greensburg Day
Brian Bartels, Sternberg Museum educator, helps young visitors build a weather science experiment. Larry Ruthi, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Dodge City, explains the storm system that spawned the Greensburg tornado. Ben Peeler, Sternberg Museum student manager, and Sheila Harvey, perform a mock weather broadcast in a simulated television studio from Hays High School.


“Tornado Tales” Oral History Project

The “Tornado Tales Oral History Project” is a cooperative effort between Sternberg Museum and the Ellis County Historical Society. Throughout the day, we will be conducting videotaped interviews with individuals who are willing to share stories about their experiences during the tornado. The interviews will be compiled and copies will be given to Greensburg's new tornado museum, Kiowa County Historical Society, and the Kansas State Historical Society.

For individuals still wishing to share their stories, the Kansas State Historical Society is still collecting written accounts of the storm. Contact the Kansas State Historical Society for more information.


Greensburg Benefit Raffle

Description Donated by Winner
Feature Telephone Golden Belt Telephone, Rush Center Cindy Dinkel
Weather Radio Alarm Clock Hays Internal Medicine Jaci Gottschalk
Emergency Crank Radio Hays Internal Medicine Keyshawn Bannister
LED Flashlight Sharon Richards, Hays Katarina Rorstrom
Authentic Meteorite Specimen Dr. Donald Stimpson, Haviland Jeremy Doggett
Weather Science Experiments Sternberg Museum Store, Hays Leisha Sadler
Essential Book of Weather Lore Hastings Books, Music & Videos, Hays  John Bauer
Jumper Cables - Commercial Grade S&W Supply, Hays Warren Smith
2 pair Leather Work Gloves S&W Supply, Hays Erin Acre
Emergency Kit State Farm Insurance - Richard & Becky Sook, Hays Jill Arensdorf
Survival Playing Cards JHL Supply - Tom Sciacca Dennis Smith
Duffle Bag & Home Energy Savings Kit Midwest Energy, Inc., Hays Joe Acre
Tool Kit Ransom-Nevada Fire Department - Stan Berry, Ransom Tom Meiers
Screwdriver Set Ransom-Nevada Fire Department - Stan Berry, Ransom Charlie Deltaan



 

Greensburg, Kansas
May 4, 2007

At about 9:45 p.m., a massive tornado struck the southwestern Kansas town of Greensburg. The tornado, rated EF5 on the Fujita Scale, destroyed 95% of the community.

Greensburg is home to the World's Largest Hand Dug Well and one of the world's largest Pallasite Meteorites. Although the well remained intact, the tornado destroyed the adjacent gift shop and museum that housed the meteorite. As a gesture of goodwill, museums in Kansas have offered to provide it a temporary home until a new facility is built. Sternberg Museum is currently hosting this space wanderer that has been dubbed “The Extraterrestrial Ambassador for Greensburg.”

In an effort to educate the public about tornado and disaster preparedness and to help raise funds for the community of Greensburg, Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays, Kansas has planned a day of displays, activities, & presentations in conjunction with the Leonid Meteor Shower focusing on the Greensburg tornado and the meteorite.



Greensburg Day Collaborative Partners

  • American Red Cross, Ellis County Chapter
  • City of Greensburg
  • Ellis County Emergency Management
  • Ellis County Historical Society
  • Ellis County Ministerial Alliance
  • Fort Hays State University
  • Hays Arts Council
  • Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Hays Downtown Development
  • Hays High School
  • Hays Police Department
  • Hays Public Library
  • Historic Fort Hays
  • JD's Barbecue, Greensburg
  • KAKE TV, Wichita
  • Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, LaCrosse
  • National Weather Service, Dodge City
  • Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays


    • A Special Thank You

    Karen Martin, manager
    The Big Well museum, Greensburg

    Dr. Donald Stimpson, PhD, professional biophysicist and volunteer
    The Big Well, Greensburg

    Steve Hewitt, city administrator
    City of Greensburg

    Stacy Barnes, assistant to the city administrator

    Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hays

    Fort Hays State University, Hays



    Where are We Located?

    Hays is located along I-70 in west-central Kansas, mid way between Kansas City and Denver, Colorado. The museum is easily accessed from I-70 or Hwy 183. From I-70, get off at exit 159 (Hwy 183), turn south to 27th Street. Turn east and continue for a mile to Sternberg Drive. The museum is in the giant dome building next to the Interstate.













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    Site hosting and web design courtesy of Rush County Economic Development and the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, LaCrosse, Kansas.