The Gordon Parks Museum is pleased to announce the installation of informational display signs and a welcome sign at the Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church Commemorative Park, located at 301 S. Lowman Street in Fort Scott.

This historic site, once home to the oldest Black church in Fort Scott. The property land of the Wayman Chapel AME Church, was donated to the Gordon Parks Museum by Fort Scott resident Josh Jones, through the Fort Scott Community College Foundation. The church was regularly attended by Gordon Parks and his family and was even featured in a scene from Parks’ acclaimed film, The Learning Tree.

The property has since been transformed into a commemorative, low-maintenance park honoring the legacy of the church. The new display signage includes four large storyboard panels (76” x 27”) featuring photos, graphics, and text that highlight the church’s rich history and its vital role in the local Black community. These panels will be installed on a concrete slab beneath an already completed pergola structure (12’ x 20’). In addition, a large 4’ x 3’ welcome sign will greet visitors at the park entrance.

"This Park ensures that this important chapter of Fort Scott’s history continues to be honored and shared. It also sits along our Learning Tree Film Sign Trail, adding even more depth to its significance." said Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director Kirk Sharp.

The commemorative project has been made possible with generous support from: Bourbon County Historical Association, City of Fort Scott, Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, Fort Scott Community College Foundation, The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team's Local Health Equity Action Team (LHEAT), Josh Jones, Rick Mayhew, My One Stop, Marbery Concrete, Inc., and Kansas Tourism.

Wayman Chapel AME Church, originally established in 1866, moved to its final location at the corner of Third and Lowman in 1885. For more than 115 years, it served as a spiritual and cultural hub for Fort Scott’s Black community. Due to declining membership and unsafe building conditions, the church was eventually condemned and razed in the early 2000s. Today, its legacy lives on. A stained-glass window and two original pews among many other artifacts from the church are on permanent exhibit at the Gordon Parks Museum.

The AME church was Fort Scott’s first and oldest black church with Shiloh Baptist being the second.