The Kramer Family Research Room

The Watkins Museum’s archive has thousands of photographs and documents about the history of Douglas County, Kansas and its residents. These materials cover themes including businesses, schools, churches, personal correspondence, and changing Lawrence city governance. While the core research materials outlined below are on hand through our research facility, materials in the museum’s archival collections can be made available through research requests.

The renovation to the Watkins Museum’s research room was possible thanks to a generous $100,000 donation from Carol J. Koenig, in memory of her mother, Daisy Viola Kramer Koenig, who grew up in Douglas County, Kansas. The renovated research room is designated the Kramer Family Research Room, in recognition of this gift.

Research Requests

While the Watkins Museum of History is open for normal hours, research staff are not on-site everyday. Please submit all research requests via email to Collections Manager Kate Grasse or Research Assistant Gillian Nichols at [email protected] or call (785) 841-4109 for more information. In your email, provide a summary of your research objective, question(s), and any background information relevant to the research request.

On-Site Research

• The Kramer Family Research Room is available by appointment only Tuesday through Friday, 10am – 4pm. Appointments may be available for other days but must be requested at least 3 business days in advance of the desired date.
• Researchers should email the research team at [email protected] with details of their research topic prior to visiting Watkins. All research requests are handled in the order in which they are received. 
• The research staff will review each request to determine whether relevant materials are available and will contact the research to schedule an appointment

Membership Benefits: The following Douglas County Historical Society membership levels receive a discount on research fees. Not a member? Sign up here.

• Associate ($100-249/year) = 10% off a purchase of $20 or more
• Supporter ($250-499/year = 15% off a purchase of $20 or more
• Patron ($500-999/year) = 25% off a purchase of $20 or more
• Benefactor ($1000 and above) = 25% off a purchase of $20 or more

Reproduction Fee	Image Type
$5.00	Per image for personal research only
$10.00	Per image for publication or public display (hard copy, web, film usage)
$20.00	Per image for commercial use
$30.00	Per oversized image (originals exceeding 11” x 17”)
Price Varies	Per media reproduction (ex: Oral Histories, CD, etc.)

Copying Fee
$1.00 per Black & White photocopy

Postage & Handling Fee
$3.50 minimum

---

Additional Online Resource

To access digital resources already available online see Douglas County On-line Resources.  Please check back frequently as the listing will be updated by Watkin staff. To access digitized newspapers, visit the Newspaper Search Guide.

Other area institutions:

• Kenneth Spencer Research Library
• Helen Osma Local History Room, Lawrence Public Library
• Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas

---