Salt Mines, State Parks and Civil Rights
You may best know
Kansas from its sepia-toned depiction in The Wizard of Oz, but Kansas is more
than the farmland and prairies that Dorothy Gale left behind. Our wide-open
spaces and vibrant communities are the perfect place for your imagination to
soar, so let these six surprising places in the Sunflower State fuel your
wanderlust.
Kansas Route 66 Historic
Byway- Baxter Springs, Galena
Although only
13.2 miles of Historic
Route 66 are in Kansas, the short stretch has a lot to offer. Follow the
Kansas Route 66 Historic Byway to see local landscapes and small towns. Stop in
at Monarch Pharmacy and Soda Fountain to enjoy home-made ice cream and
old-fashioned soda. Drop by Cars on the
Route to see the actual tow truck that inspired the character “Tow Mater”
in Pixar’s “Cars”. Drive over the last remaining Marsh Arch
bridge along the route. Find souvenirs, gifts, and groceries at Nelson’s
Old Riverton Store, which is the oldest store along Route 66, operating
before the Route officially opened! Plan to stay along the Route and enjoy
small-town Kansas hospitality.
Big Well Museum -
Greensburg
Declared one of
the 8 Wonders of Kansas by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the Big
Well in Greensburg is an architectural feat of its time. The well is
32-feet wide and 109-feet deep with two feet thick walls of native stone… and
it was hand-dug in the late 1880s! The well was built to store water for the
city but was also used by the Kingman, Pratt, & Western rail line, located
nearby, for its steam locomotives and supplied water for Greensburg until the
1930s. Being underground, it survived an EF-5 tornado that destroyed much of
the town in 2007. When the community was rebuilt, it created an entirely
‘green’ eco-friendly city. Several of the new buildings were built with
reclaimed materials and all the electricity is generated by wind energy. Greensburg
was the first city in the United State to use all LED streetlights. Today, visitors can visit the museum which has
a collection of items from the tornado as well as descend into the well to
experience the marvel for themselves.
Brown v. Board of
Education National Historical Park - Topeka
Housed in the
former Monroe Elementary School, the Brown
v. Board National Historic Park displays the impacts of the fight for Civil
Rights across the United States. Named for the 1954 Supreme Court case that
ended legal segregation in public schools, it explores a total of five lawsuits
from across the nation that were combined under the Brown case. Exhibits
feature documents and stories from Topeka and across the country showing
tensions of the era and beyond. Across the street, visitors will see the Brown v.
Board Mural depicting the fight which was painted by volunteers and the
Topeka community. The site is also part of the US
Civil Rights Trail.
Strataca - Hutchinson
This is the only active salt mine in the United States open to visitors. Travel 650 feet underground to experience the mine (and true pitch-black darkness) which has been operational since the 1920s. The museum features exhibits and tours sharing the geology and history of salt mining, including practices used today. The dry and cool environment of Strataca makes it the perfect location for the preservation of items such as archives, and even props from Hollywood. Visitors can add extra tours to their visit- take a ride on the Salt Mine Express train along original rails and ties to see a miner’s breakroom, go on a Salt Safari for a guided tour of select parts of the mine not many people get to see, or venture through the mines by lantern just like 1940s and 50s miners on the Lantern Tour.
The Geographic
Center of 48 Contiguous States - Lebanon
It’s rather
apparent that Kansas is in the middle of the United States, but did you know
that just north of the small town of Lebanon is the geographic
center of the lower 48? Identified as early as 1918 by the United State
Geological Survey, the point is marked by a monument erected in 1941. When
Alaska and Hawaii were added as states, it skewed the center of the country two
states north. This dot on the map has a couple of other claims to fame. Over
the years, several high-ranking officials from the country of Lebanon have
visited to celebrate the small town sharing the same name. It was even featured
in the Jeep Super Bowl commercial
in 2021, complete with a visit from Bruce Springsteen! Today, visitors will
find a small chapel, a monument, a shelter house, and picnic tables. They may even
stand in the same spot as ‘The Boss’! See the commercial at
Little Jerusalem
Badlands State Park - Oakley
This state park
covers 332 acres and is the largest expanse of exposed Niobrara chalk formation
in Kansas. Little
Jerusalem holds all kinds of wonders, showcasing a mile-long stretch of cliffs
and 100-foot-tall spires eroded from a layer of rock deposited 85 million years
ago. Once under the Western Interior Seaway, well-preserved fossils of both
swimming and flying reptiles have been found here. The area provides habitat
for wildlife including native amphibians, reptiles, and birds, such as ferruginous
hawks and cliff swallows. Visitors may
even see mule deer and golden eagles on site. Little Jerusalem is owned by The
Nature Conservancy and features two open walking trails and guided tours. A new
visitor center is being constructed which is set to open in 2027.
