The home of Dwight D. Eisenhower, our nation's 34th president, Abilene is located 45 miles to the West of Manhattan on I-70. There are enough sites in Abilene to keep the most avid history buff entertained for at least a day, if not more. Your itinerary should include the Eisenhower Center and Presidential Library, especially a visit to the Place of Meditation, a beautiful chapel where you'll find the final resting-place of the former president and his wife.
A tour of the Seeyle Mansion and Museum is another good pick while in Abilene. Calling the mansion in advance at 785-263-1084 is recommend so that you won't miss the scheduled tour times.
The Smoky Valley Railroad takes visitors on an excursion ride from Abilene east to Enterprise. With a little advance planning, you can take advantage of one of their dinner trains. They have limited availability and fill up quickly. For details, go to their web site at www.assvr.org.
Abilene also boasts the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Museum of Independent Telephony, Greyhound Hall of Fame, Dickinson County Heritage Museum, Antique C.W. Parker Carousel, Lebold-Vahsholz Mansion, Kirby House, Great Plains Theatre Festival, Russell Stover Factory Outlet Store and Brookville Hotel. For additional information, contact the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-569-5915 or visit www.visitkansas-i70.com.
Council Grove
Council Grove, an authentic old trail town experience at the crossroads of the Santa Fe Trail and beautiful Flint Hills Scenic Byway, is located just 36 miles south of Manhattan on K-177. Visit the quaint downtown, relive trail days at 18 historic sites, or dine and bunk at famous 1800's establishments.
The 3,300-acre federal reservoir and the 500-acre city lake provide a scenic area for camping, boating and fishing or just picnicking. Just a couple miles south of the twin lakes, the stone and brick buildings of downtown's shopping district offer everything from antiques and Kansas gifts to root beer floats at a 1920's soda fountain. The oldest continuously run restaurant west of the Mississippi, The Hayes House, established in 1857 is situated on the original Santa Fe Trail. After a nostalgic stroll along the lighted river walk of the Neosho River, reserve a room at the historic 1870's Cottage House Hotel or any of the other lodgings in Council Grove. For additional information, call 800-732-9211 or visit www.councilgrove.com.
Fort Riley
Our closest historic neighbor is America's Army - Fort Riley. Founded in 1852, the Fort Riley Army Post was originally established to protect settlers on the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. Many legendary and historic characters have been associated with Fort Riley over the past century – Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, General George Armstrong Custer, General George S. Patton and General Lewis Armistead.
Today, Fort Riley is home to brigades of the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), the 1st Armored Division and the 937th Engineer Groups (Combat). The reservation boasts an 11-square acre Historic Main Post District that contains over 225 historic buildings, making it one of the largest such districts in the nation. Many historic points of interest on post are open to the public.
Custer House – Built of native limestone in 1855, during the initial building phase at Fort Riley, these quarters stand as the only set of surviving officers' quarters from the Fort's early history. The Custer House is also representative of frontier life on the Kansas prairie. The house is open Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sunday 12-4 p.m. Building 24 on Sheridan Ave., 785-239-2737.
U.S. Cavalry & 1st Infantry Division Museums – Fort Riley houses two of the finest military museums in this region. The Cavalry Museum occupies an 1855 stone building replaced an earlier built out of cottonwood logs and abode brick.
It tells the story of the Army's horse soldiers from 1775 to 1950 when the horse cavalry was discontinued. The U.S. Cavalry Museum and 1st Infantry Division Museum are housed in separate buildings on the historic Main Post.
Cavalry Museum hours are Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The 1st Infantry Division Museum is open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Both are closed on major holidays.
Visitors will need a valid State or Federal ID for all adults in the vehicle, current registration and proof of current insurance for the vehicle in order to get on the post. For more information on the museums, call 785-239-6777 or 785-239-3034 or visit www.riely.army.mil.
Junction City
Founded in 1858 and situated at the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers, Junction City derived its name from its location. The settlers and travelers brought with them a variety of cultures, denominations and ethnic backgrounds. Touring the Geary County Historical Museum, the Civil War Monument at the entrance of Heritage Park, Buffalo Soldier Memorial and the State of Kansas Vietnam Memorial, Junction City offers visitors historical perspectives of strong ties with Fort Riley,
The Episcopal Church on314 N. Adams St. was built in 1859 and is still in use today. This is truly a beautiful church, with striking woodwork and stain glass windows.
Take a stroll down the Historic Downtown District of Junction City, it has been said to have some of the finest limestone building facades in Kansas.
For additional information, contact the Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-528-2489 or visit their website at junctioncity.org/cvb/openmain.htm
Marysville
Historic Marysville, located 60 miles north of Manhattan, sits adjacent to the Big Blue River of northern Kansas. Home to an original Pony Express Station, Marysville features a bronze statue of a Pony Express rider displayed on the west side of town. The city has built the Historic Trails Park, also on the west side of town, to celebrate the many historical trails that crossed here. Home of the famous black squirrel, City Park also features a sod house, a little red schoolhouse, a steam locomotive, and a 1901 Union Pacific Depot. For additional information on Marysville, visit their website at www.skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/ Marysville.
Paxico
Established in 1879, Paxico is just a short distance from Manhattan at exit 333 off of Interstate 70. Town was named after an Indian medicine man called Pashqua.
The railroad that reached the community in 1887, brought with it German immigrants interested in raising cattle in the beautiful Flint Hills. Today, Paxico features a series of historic buildings in near original turn-of-the-19th-century condition.
Although the town is tiny, it is known for its antique shops that attract tourists from around the world. Each one has its own personality, decor and specialty. Visitors can spend hours looking through the antique shops.
For additional information about Paxico, call 800-357-8002 or visit www.lasr.net/ leisure/ kansas/wabaunsee /paxico.
Wamego
A rural community of 5000, Wamego is located along the banks of the Kansas River, approximately 15 miles east of Manhattan on U.S. Highway 24.
Driving down the main street in Wamego, one cannot miss the huge eagle atop the Columbian Theater, Museum and Art Center. The Columbian Theatre, Museum and Art Center, located at 521 Lincoln, is a renovated 19th Century opera house exhibiting rare paintings and other artifacts from the 1893 Chicago's World Fair. The Columbian offers special exhibits on the main floor gallery, a performing arts series in the theatre, and a unique gift shop. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. For additional information, call 800-899-1893.
The OZ Museum also on Lincoln Avenue, features one of the world's largest collections of OZ memorabilia open to the public. Ranging from first edition books from the early 1900s, through silent films of the 1920s, the famous MGM motion picture of 1939, to the collectibles of today, the array of OZ artifacts is astounding.
Driving farther, and turning onto 5th street, will bring one to another site "not-to-be-missed". 5600-square-foot Ditto Leach House with its 21 gables and some 60 windows including 14 intricate stained glass windows, commands attention. The house was built around 1890 by Louis B. Leach, a prominent businessman, and restored to its current stately condition by Wamego resident Dr. Bill and Rose Ditto. Tours are available by the historical society.
Possibly the most visible thing to see in Wamego is the "old Dutch Mill", Kansas' only operating stone mill perched atop a mound of earth, is the central figure of the Museum complex in Wamego's city park.
Located in the eastern portion of the Wamego City Park is the historic Wamego village complex, operated by the Wamego Historical Society. The central attraction is the museum, housed in a building that replicates the original City Hall from the late 1800s. Also located in the village is White Chapel School, the Louisville Jail, a log cabin and the only remaining reminder that Wamego was once the last stop on the main Union Pacific cross country line –– the machine shop that was originally attached to the roundhouse. The museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from April to October and at other times of the year by special arrangements.
Walter P. Chrysler, founder of the Chrysler Corporation, was born in Wamego in 1875. Compelling evidence suggests he lived in Wamego into his teen years where his father was an employee of the railroad. The home in its original location is now in jeopardy, so efforts are underway to move it to a suitable location where it can be viewed and toured. After the relocation, the Chrysler home will become the new Pottawatomie County visitors center.
Historic Printing museum dedicated to printing equipment from the mid-1800's – 1900's is a recent addition of a must see attractions in Wamego. The collection includes tabletop press to large newspaper presses. The collection also displays a rare unitype simplex typesetter. The museum is located at 810 4th Street. Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Appointments to see the museum may be made by calling 785-456-7450.
A short drive south of town on highway 99, then a jog west on K-18, leads to the historic church established in 1857. The great minister from Brooklyn, the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher, supplied money for Sharps rifles and 25 Bibles, thus the name, Beecher Bible and Rifle Church.
The historic Oregon Trail, which was instrumental in the movement west, passed just a few miles north of Wamego. Actual ruts of the thousands of wagons traveling through the area can still be seen. Further along is the Oregon Trail Nature Park. This park offers hiking and picnic areas, as well as a panoramic view of the Kansas River valley and a lake that provides a home for waterfowl year-round .
Each spring, visitors flock to Wamego to participate in the Tulip Festival. The annual Tulip Festival is held on the third Saturday of April, and thousands of tulips burst into color as friends and families gather in the park for a variety of crafts, food and entertainment. On Independence Day, the Wamego parade has been an attraction for more than a century and the outstanding fireworks display in the evening attracts people from miles around. One other parade, the lighted Christmas parade, completes the year.
For additional information, contact the Wamego Chamber of Commerce at 785-456-7849 or visit their website at www.wamegochamber.com.
