Dedicated during the 125th Anniversary of Talmage celebration in September, the hitching post was donated by Marvin, Keith and Bob Bennett, sons of Virgil and Ruth Bennett, with a memorial plaque honoring their parents. It came from the Abilene to find its permanent home here in front of the museum.

“ I remember that the hitching post was brought from Abilene about 1920 by grandfather G.M. Bennett when he bought the farm in Cheever Twp. where Anna Hornecker (married name) had previously lived – her father homesteaded there in approximately 1870,” said Keith Bennett, eldest son of Virgil and Ruth Bennett. The farm is now owned by Darin Bebemeyer.

“In searching for the maker of the hitching post another one looking like an identical twin was found in Abilene,” Bennett said. “Probably, several were cast in early 1900’s, most likely in Abilene. My father Virgil thought Buckeye street may have been lined by several such posts before streets became auto traffic only. He was about 5 years old in 1920 when the family moved from Abilene to the farm. The last horse tied to this post, before being donated to Talmage Museum was on our farm west of Salina. Perhaps there have been a horse or two since? I think it weighs about 500 pounds.”