The BUSTER KEATON MUSEUM - Piqua, Kansas - OUR COLLECTION of Buster Keaton Artifacts & Mementos

WELCOME! First - Look around the Keaton Museum by clicking on the photos below.

Keaton Museum 1

Keaton Museum 2

Keaton Museum 3

Keaton Museum 4

Next - View our Keaton artifacts and memorabilia organized by category below.
(see a list of contributors)

View Newspapers

Keaton Family artifacts

Keaton books

Keaton Festival items

Keaton Movie posters

Local Newspaper Photos and Articles (click links to view):

Keaton birthplace revisted. Captioned photo of Keaton marker dedication ceremony.	Keaton's actor friend, James Karen, and Eleanor Keaton pose with the Keaton marker and tile sign outside the museum.
James Karen and Eleanor Keaton pose with Piqua officials and friends at the marker site.	Some of those gathered to honor Keaton at the marker site.
"Eleanor Keaton poses with Bill Linda, creator of the tile sign outside the Buster Keaton Museum. . . ."	Another newspaper photo during one of the annual Keaton festivals on the site.
Front page of "Keaton in Kansas" article.	"Piqua plans Keaton festival" (9-8-1994).
"Keaton magic in filmmaking celebrated" article.	"Keaton magic in filmmaking. . ." photo/caption.
"Vaudeville Memories: A tribute to Keaton."	"Keaton event details set for Saturday. Eleanor Keaton recalls 1957 stop in Piqua. . . ."
"Buster Keaton's birthday fest puts Piqua on map." (Topeka Capital Journal - Oct. 1, 1995).	"About the Buster Keaton Museum," "Buster Keaton Celebration Saturday: Sign dedication."
"Buster Keaton Centennial Festival 1995!" flyer	"Keaton Celebrations in Iola continue to grow."
"Piqua to host Keaton fest" (1995).	Peter Jones' Buster Keaton documentary: "Genius in Slapshoes" (from The Keaton Chronicle, Summer 1995).
The Keaton Chronicle, Summer 1995. (back page)	The "Damfinos" (Keaton international society) order form.
"Damfinos" registration form (photo of a hilarious Buster).	"Keaton the Magnificent: The great film comedian's centenary brings tributes galore" article.
Newspaper portrait of Buster and Eleanor Keaton.	"Keaton Celebration is Sept. 29 and 30" article.
"Piqua welcomes Keaton group" article (Sept. 29, 1995).	"Piqua welcomes Keaton group" photo and caption.
"(Steve) Allen shares talent, viewpoint" article/photo (Iola Register - Oct. 2, 2000)	"Granddaughter of Keaton visits" article (same issue).
Advertisement for "The Sound of Buster Keaton" book (copy available in museum).	"Silence is golden: Iola goes all out for silent film star Buster Keaton's 100th birthday" (GO! magazine, front cover).
"The Return of the Man in Porkpie Hat" (magazine front cover).	"Send in the Clowns. Piqua will mark Keaton's 100th birthday. (Emmett) Kelly Museum building has long history" article/photos.
Turn-of-the-century Piqua Herald newspaper (front-page).	"Buster Keaton Rides Again - Across Canada" article (New York Times 1965).

Keaton Family Artifacts (click links to view):

The House in which Buster Keaton was born.	Portrait of Buster Keaton as an infant (circa 1895)
Buster as a young child (circa 1898).	Keaton Family Family Portrait (circa 1902).
Keaton Family Family Portrait (caption listing members).	Keaton Family Family Portrait (closer view).
Portrait of a young Joe Keaton.	Family portrait of "The Five Keatons."
John P. and Sarah (Clouse) Keaton portrait w/caption	John P. and Sarah (Clouse) Keaton portrait (closer view)
Postcards sent by father Joe Keaton to his cousin Alva Keaton while traveling the vaudeville circuit.	Close up of Joe Keaton postcard: "Can you picture me under one of these trees? Harly Keaton called me also. Write me c/o Orpheum, Oakland, w/c Feb. 2nd - Joe." (posted Jan. 27, 1908, Los Angeles, CA)
Little Buster Keaton, publicity compilation shots	Little Buster Keaton publicity shot.
Postcard advertisement for "The Three Keatons."	Poster advertizing "The Five Keatons."
Another pulicity shot of "The Three Keatons."	Another turn-of-the-century postcard from Joe to Alva Keaton.
Buster Keaton "Hanky Dots for Little Tots" (donated by Eleanor Keaton, Sept. 29, 1995).	Buster Keaton life mask
A middle-aged Buster Keaton and Family Woody (circa 1930's).	The gravesite of Buster Keaton remembered, snapshot
"Buster Keaton," b&w artwork by Tibbetts '93 (donated by Eleanor Keaton)	Tibbetts artwork (inscription by Eleanor Keaton): "Thank you for your kindness, Eleanor Keaton, 9-24-94"
"The General" publicity still - inscribed by Eleanor Keaton.	"The General" publicity still - inscribed "Eleanor Keaton 1862."

Books about Buster Keaton (click links to view):

"Silent Echoes: Revisiting 101 locations from Buster Keaton's classic comedies" - by John G. Bengtson.	"The Complete Films of Buster Keaton" - by Jim Cline.
Buster Keaton's "International Portfolio"	"The Sound of Buster Keaton" - by David Macleod
"The Cottage Grove Historical Society presents 'The Day Buster Smiled' - The 1926 filming of "The General" as chronicled in The Cottage Grove Sentinel newspaper."	"Silent Echoes: Discovering Early Hollywood Through the Films of Buster Keaton" - by John Bengtson.

Items from the annual Iola Buster Keaton Film Festival (click links to view):

1993 Keaton Film Festival poster	1994 Keaton Film Festival poster
1995 & 1996 Keaton Film Festival posters.	1997 Keaton/Chaplin & 1999 Keaton/Lloyd Film Festival posters.
2000 Keaton/Laurel & Hardy Film Festival poster.	1998 Keaton/Mary Pickford Film Festival poster.
Festival buttons	More festival buttons.
Another festival button above an early portrait of Myra and Joe Keaton	More festival buttons above snapshot of Keaton gravesite remembered.
More festival buttons with "Buster de Milo" photo and Films in Review cover.

Movie Posters, Stills, and other advertisements for Buster Keaton films. (click links to view):

"The General" movie poster.	Early Keaton publicity photo
"College" movie poster (1920's).	"The Timid Young Man," Educational films movie poster (1930's).
"Sidewalks of New York" movie poster.	United States stamps honoring the stars of the silent era.
Keaton publicity photo from his "Beach Movies" period (1960's).	Mock-up of early Keaton Family publicity photo.

The BUSTER KEATON MEMORIAL MUSEUM located in Piqua, Kansas.
This website was created and is maintained by John 'Scott' Kemp.
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All material contained herein, written or graphical, used by permission only.
This page was last updated on February 21, 2006.