Community members in Lindsborg gathered on Wednesday to learn about a generous estate gift for the Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum.
Dorothy Runbeck Stout has stepped in for the third time to ensure the future of the Museum with an estate gift of approximately $2.7 million to the Smoky Valley Historical Association. The funds are designated to preserve the Museum buildings and grounds.
The first time Stout came to the rescue was as one of the Runbeck family heirs, transferring the historic 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills to public ownership for preservation. Then in 2007, she spoke out boldly against a controversial proposal to sell off the property to a private investor, successfully keeping the Old Mill in public hands. Most recently, she made sure that the property was included in her estate plan beneficiaries before her passing.
During an event for museum members on Wednesday, the Museum announced that Dorothy’s estate settlement has resulted in $2.7 million coming to the Smoky Valley Historical Association with the express intention that it “be used exclusively for the maintenance and improvement of the grounds… buildings such as the Smoky Valley Roller Mill… and the Swedish Pavilion, other structures and equipment…” according to Stout’s estate documents.
Smoky Valley Historical Association (SVHA) Board representatives played a critical role to settle and finalize Stout’s estate. The SVHA Board of Directors – led by Leland J. Nelson, President – have determined that they will fulfill Stout’s intent by using the money to benefit the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum.
The SVHA Board met with the Museum Board to determine that a small portion of the money will meet immediate museum needs. These include physical accessibility improvements, exhibit and guest experience refreshes, building repairs and renovation, critical maintenance, wireless access, and short-term operational needs.
The remainder will be placed in endowment with the interest used for the maintenance of the Museum property, as Dorothy stated in her estate instructions. This investment will account for about a third of the Museum’s current annual budget.
This $2.7 million represents the largest single contribution for the Museum in its more than six decades of history and will be transformative to secure the financial future of the museum.
“I am happy that, after all of these months of working toward this goal, that we as the SVHA Board of Directors will fulfill Dorothy’s wishes and intent to help maintain and improve the Lindsborg Old Mill Museum through her generous gift,” SVHA President Leland Nelson said, adding, “The Mill will still have to rely on memberships and donations to fully meet operating expenses.”
Executive Director Hayley Samford expressed her appreciation for all the times Dorothy has come to the Museum’s aid, and perhaps most of all for this final gift of support.
“It is a tremendous relief to have such a stronger financial foundation for the Museum with Dorothy’s estate gift,” Samford said. “We are so very thankful!”
She also thanked and recognized all the donors and volunteers who have supported the Museum since it became an independent nonprofit.
Previously fully owned by McPherson County, ownership of the Museum – which includes the Roller Mills, the 1904 World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion, and eight more historic buildings on about 17 acres – transferred to a new private nonprofit in 2021. Public funding from the County was gradually reduced, even as new sources of funding were secured from grants, the City of Lindsborg, and – most of all – private donors. In particular, a $50,000 match challenge in both 2022 and 2023 from two different donors sustained the Museum.
Samford emphasized while that Dorothy’s generosity maintains the status quo financially for the Museum, a stable balanced budget and program growth will require ongoing and increasing community support.
“What that means is that if our supporters continue their present habits of giving, we know where a significant portion of our annual operational budget is coming from,” Samford said. “That’s an amazing place to be at and means we are not having the same level of worry about how we will keep going one year to the next. That said, what this establishes is a reliable financial situation after our years starting up as a new non-profit. We want to grow the programming we offer and make our exhibits even more exciting and engaging. For that, we will not only need continued consistent contributions from our existing supporters, we will need to continue growing our base of support.”
Betty Amos, President of the Museum Board of Directors, gave praise for Stout so generously remembering the Museum in her estate.
“We sincerely thank God for the life and legacy of Dorothy Runbeck Stout,” Amos said. “We are confident that today she is hearing the words of thanks from all of us who love the Museum and the Old Mill.”
The Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum celebrates and preserves the pioneering spirit of the Smoky Valley by educating, entertaining, and building community across generations so that history comes to life. With special emphasis on the period from 1870 to 1910, the museum includes two buildings on the National Registry of Historic Places and extensive archives and artifact collections. The museum seeks to honor the rich story of Lindsborg and its people. Learn more about the museum at www.oldmillmuseum.org.
