Carry Nation Home

The Carry Nation Home is next door to the Stockade Museum and, although it is separately owned, a Stockade Museum ticket also admits the visitor to the Carry Nation Home Museum.

David and Carry Nation moved to Medicine Lodge in 1890 when David became pastor of the First Christian Church. They purchased this house at that time, though it was smaller then.

While living in Medicine Lodge, Carry began lecturing against the vices of tobacco and liquor, and helped organize the Medicine Lodge chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).

In 1880 Kansas had passed a constitutional amendment prohibiting the non-medicinal sale of intoxicating beverages, which Kansas saloon keepers widely ignored. This troubled Carry greatly, and she began smashing saloons in her attempt to enforce the law. She smashed her first saloon on June 1, 1900, in Kiowa, 20 miles away.

This home, where Carry lived when she began smashing saloons, was declared a National Historic Landmark in May 1976. Inside the home are memorabilia of Carry’s crusade against alcohol. Local people donated the period furnishings; Carry owned and used the antique writing desk, pump organ, walnut dresser, and oak bed.