Salter House Museum

Salter House Museum
Susanna Madora Salter was a member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and a young mother of 27 years when she was elected the first woman mayor in the United States. Her home, now the Salter House Museum, was built in 1884 by Mrs. Salter's father, Oliver Kinsey, Argonia's first mayor, with bricks fabricated on site. The two-story red-brick house has seven gables and nine rooms. A frame lean-to was added at one time to the northwest corner.

In 1933 a bronze plaque, given by the Woman's Kansas Day Club, was unveiled in Argonia in honor of the "First Woman Mayor in the United States." Mrs. Salter was the guest of honor for the ceremony. The plaque was mounted and placed in front of the old township hall. Later it was moved and placed in front of the museum.

In 1963 the Salter House Museum was opened to the public. The home has been restored with furnishings of that time period. A second building, formerly the First Baptist Church of Mayfield, Kansas, was moved north of the house in 1967. This building now houses an interesting collection of historical articles. The Salter House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 1971. 1984 saw an exterior renovation of the Salter House. The work was funded by Argonia's Historical Society, friends in the community and a federal grant.

Located on the corner of Osage & Garfield in Argonia, the Salter House is open to the public by appointment. Contact Mary Beth Bookless or the City of Argonia to make arrangements.