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Last year was a busy time for the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum and this year promises to be just as busy, a museum official said today.

"The museum is in a constant effort to improve itself," said Heather Ferguson, museum director.

The latest project is to pave a brick sidewalk leading to the Bland School House on the museum grounds, and the museum is looking for donors, Ferguson said.

Ferguson said the brick sidewalk is part of an overall effort to create a new look for the museum. Donations for the sidewalk will be used not only to pave the walk but also to build an old western facade on the front of the museum building.

The facade would be a false-fronted 1870 Summit Street replica, she said.

"It will not only look more like a museum, it will undoubtedly draw in more travelers from the highway," Ferguson said.

The museum must raise $17,000 to see the project complete, she said.

In 2007 the museum built a new Native American Exhibit, began building a replica of Bryson Paddock Archaeological Site, refurbished its storage facility, reformed its ties with the National Park Service as a NPS Affiliated Site and made plans to reinvent itself through building the new facade, Ferguson said.

Individuals, organizations and businesses are invited to purchase a brick engraved with a name or names on it, she said.

"By purchasing an engraved brick, one will not only be helping the museum to fund the facade, but will also be adding their name or a loved one's name to the site to be remembered," Ferguson said.

Bricks are $35 for a 4x6" brick with three lines of characters up to 13 characters per line. One may also purchase a copy of their brick for personal use for $20.

It can be put it in a garden, used for a paper weight or put in a sidewalk at someone's home.

For more information call (620) 442-6750 or e-mail hferguson@arkansascityks.gov. Send contributions to Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum, 31639 US 77, Arkansas City, KS 67005.