Violin

For travelers on the Oregon Trail walking thousands of miles on foot could become tedious and repetitive. In other words boring. Music and storytelling were popular ways to break up the constant struggle of travel. Virginia native James Limerick played this violin around Kansas campfires in 1855. He reportedly could dance and play at the same time. Eventually settled in Pottawatomie County. A descendant of a family friend donated the violin to the Kansas Historical Society in 1959. It now sits in the museum's main gallery.

For more information visit: https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/immigrant-s-violin/10268