Volunteer in Carriage Factory Art Gallery

to celebrate the power of art to spark the imagination, to enlighten thought, and to provide enjoyment as we strive to integrate art into the lives of citizens of all ages throughout south central Kansas.

Carriage Factory Art Gallery’s history can be traced back to 1883, when John Jacob (J.J.) Krehbiel founded a carriage factory on the site where the gallery is now located.  A descendant of Swiss Mennonites, he and wife Anna and children had moved to Kansas from Iowa in 1879.

When he constructed a two-story wagon and carriage factory adjoining the blacksmith shop that he already owned, his desire was to emulate the Studebaker brothers of Indiana “who were making the best wagons and buggies in the west.”

The Krehbiel carriage factory was very prosperous, and Mr. Krehbiel’s reputation spread as a maker of fine carriages, buggies, and delivery and farm wagons. He became a well-known leader in the community, helping establish Bethel College in 1893 and donating the land for the college.

When the Newton Fine Arts Association adopted the building in 1983, it was in desperate need of repair and the building’s rich history was all but forgotten. Members of the Newton Fine Arts Association began restoring it in 1993. They moved through the immense project one step at a time, employing generous donations from the community and lots of their own time and energy. Fred Krehbiel, grandson of J. J. Krehbiel, provided major financial support for much of the building’s restoration and the landscaping for the adjacent park where the Krehbiel homestead once stood.