Striking black gold in 1892, the Norman No. 1 was the first commercial oil well in Kansas. It was named for T.J. Norman, a blacksmith who owned the land on which the oil was found. A 67-foot-tall wooden replica of the historic oil derrick stands in front of the museum, and a marker at 1st and Mill designates the well's original site (NRHP). The museum features photos of the oil field and this prosperous time in Neodesha, but it also focuses on other area topics including Little Bear, chief of the Little Osage tribe; WPA dolls; and Fredonia natives Tom and Tammy Parish, clowns for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.