7 Most Eccentric Towns in Kansas

For many, Kansas stands as the very picture of the American Midwest. A member of the Union as of 1861, early on in the US Civil War, Kansas' reputation as a contested territory gave rise to the expression "Bleeding Kansas." However, the state has since evolved into a lovely place where peaceful towns and beloved parts of Americana, like the locally-set classic film The Wizard of Oz, come together.

Also known as the Sunflower State, Kansas' character includes not a few eccentric places. As the towns below can attest, the spirit of each place can make for some unlikely results, like a museum of political losers in the small town of Norton or the embellished moniker Salina, named after a local river's exceedingly salty water. Though sometimes unusual, some of Kansas' best towns can also include some strange details.

Abilene

Northeast Abilene, a seemingly modest little place, attracts fans of one of the twentieth century's most influential men. It holds the boyhood home of World War II hero and postwar US president Dwight Eisenhower. These days, Abilene offers visitors the chance to see Eisenhower's grave, an associated museum, and the man's presidential library. In his own lifetime, Eisenhower showed that he loved his town as much as it loved him. "The proudest thing that I can claim is that I come from Abilene," he said, circa 1945, the same year the United States and Allied countries won World War II.

If an Eisenhower pilgrimage seems normal, more unorthodox attractions speak to Abilene's odder side. The town claims to have the world's largest belt buckle, at almost 20 feet wide and 14 feet across. Fans of dogs (or gambling) might prefer the Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum, which pays tribute to the famous racing breed. Enthusiasts of the Wild West will appreciate Abilene's place along the Gunsmoke Trail, named after the long-running television series (1955-1975), which plays up the town's role as inspiration and location for the show.

Council Grove

Council Grove, an east-central hamlet with only 2,100 inhabitants, makes this list of eccentric towns for features like Hermit's Cave, the onetime abode of a Christian mystic who, by turn, lived in isolation, then walked the Santa Fe Historic Trail, administering the sacraments to fellow travelers. The National Park Service manages Hermit's Cave today.

Council Grove's interest to the traveler also lies in the fact that, despite its tiny size, the town has 15 entries on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Post Office Oak preceded an organized postal delivery system among these. Settlers would tack addressed letters to the tree so that another traveler heading in the direction of their message might bring it onward. More stories of the old West live on at the downtown Trail Days Cafe and Museum, which features recipes from the homesteaders' days, combining European, Spanish, and Native American culinary influences.

Lindsborg

Known in and beyond Kansas as 'Little Sweden,' the unusual town of Lindsborg, population 3,800, owes its founding to a group of intrepid Swedish settlers who first came here in the 1860s. Many visitors head straight to the Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum, a showcase of the history, culture, cuisine, and crafts of the Linsborg original settlers. The town's ethnic background manifests itself through enduring cultural sites, including Bethany Lutheran Church, a Protestant denomination common across Scandinavia. Bethany's builders first used Kansas sod, stone, and a grass roof. Still today, the church flies US and Swedish flags on its premises.

For culture beyond Swedish heritage, check out the annual Art Lovers Affair and Auction. This event offers a chance to see and purchase local creativity. The proceeds support local scholarships.

Norton

Norton, with just 2,700 souls, might get first place among Kansas' eccentric locations, if only for a bizarre museum concept: the "They Also Ran" Gallery, an homage to those who ran, and sometimes lost by a landslide, in the US presidential races. The gallery's motto sums up the legacy of the vanquished politicos very well: "Defeated, but not forgotten." In Norton, anyway.

For a different nod to those in public service, the town's Veterans Memorial Park honors military service personnel of the past and present in the heart of town. Outdoors enthusiasts visit Norton for its fishing, hunting, and diverse set of restaurants. The Keith Sibelius Reservoir, just west of town, is said to be Kansas' finest watering and fishing hole. The Prairie Dog State Park includes a nine-hole golf course, as well as a clubhouse and golf cart rental options.

Ottawa

The name Ottawa conjures mostly Canadian associations, but this Kansan town, with 12,700 inhabitants, strikes a firmly American profile. Named after the Native American tribe on whose reservation the town first took shape, Ottawa today welcomes about 900 undergraduates each year. The town's eclectic architecture, combining examples of Gothic, Victorian, Art Deco, and other styles, has earned a slot on the NRHP for a half-century.

Ottawa's unique draws include what it claims is the oldest continuously-running cinema house in the world: the Plaza Cinema Movie and Memorabilia Museum, built for purpose and operating non-stop since 1907. Places like the Plaza, in addition to Kansas' connection to The Wizard of Oz, make Ottawa and the larger state a magnet for movie fans from everywhere. For more history, the town's Old Depot Museum remembers the old days when the railroad was new and the many changes it brought.

Salina

Salina, a larger central Kansas town of 45,800 souls, owes its evocative name to the local Saline River, reflecting the waterway's high salt concentrations. The town's eccentric side comes into full view along Artwork Alley, which celebrates the town's creative streak in full color. The associated Sculpture Tour Salina deepens the effect and the appeal to outside visitors for a touch of contemporary expression in central Kansas. The town's First Friday's concert series adds live music to the local artistic mix.

Foodies will also enjoy Salina for its fresh approaches to healthy eating options. The town's Food and Art Market offers organic and fresh-grown produce in the heart of town, connecting area farmers with town dwellers looking for top-of-the-line fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuffs. For families, the nearby Rolling Hills Zoo makes for a pleasant, lively outing that is sure to please the kids.

Wamego

In northeast Kansas, the town of Wamego, population 4,900, dials up the eccentricity through one of Kansas' premier attractions: the Oz Museum, dedicated to the film, and the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1900, on which the classic movie is based. The museum features more than 2,000 Oz-themed artifacts on display, while the downtown features an Emerald City Playground, an actual Yellow Brick Road, and a trail gathering 15 statues of Toto the dog, which visitors can follow around central Wamego.

For a break from Oz tourism (or other Oz tourists), head to the 15-acre City Park, a downtown green haven with a historic windmill, the Wamego Historical Museum, and Prairie Town Village, a collection of 19th-century constructions from Kansas' pioneer days. The park is famous as a place to picnic, so bring a blanket and some food for a pleasant lunch outdoors.

Kansas' Eccentric Essence Lives in its Small Towns

Kansas has come a long way from its reputation as "Bleeding Kansas" and the violence the name suggests. Today, the Sunflower State's vibrant towns may seem a little odd, too, but that only helps define a very local kind of charm. Tiny places like Abilene have given world leaders like the US president and war hero Dwight Eisenhower, suggesting that eccentricity is close to greatness. Norton's "They Also Ran" Gallery remembers America's less successful but equally unusual candidates, too. From towns like Lindsborg, also called 'Litte Sweden,' art-packed Salina, or the Oz-mania always on display in Wemago, Kansas' eccentricity helps make the state what it is. For a pleasant visit that promises to be anything but ordinary, Kansas' small towns await the open-minded traveler.