8 Best Downtowns In Kansas
Kansas is, for many, the very soul of the American Midwest. Joining the Union in 1861, in the early phase of the Civil War, Kansas' past as a violence-ridden area inspired the nickname "Bleeding Kansas." Yet, since its days as a territory, the state has developed into a far more peaceful, attractive place to live and visit.
Sometimes called the Sunflower State for its large-scale production of oilseeds and other crops, Kansas' towns offer tourists an abundance of interesting areas, especially its historic and vibrant downtowns. From 19th-century architecture to displays of world-renowned contributions to American movies and culture like the Wizard of Oz film, Kansas' downtowns make for one or several trips around the state.
Council Grove
The small, east-central town of Council Grove makes regular appearances on lists of Kansas' prettiest downtowns. Formerly a stop on the Santa Fe Trail, the quintessentially Western figure of Seth Hays, the great-grandson of Daniel Boone, came here in 1847 to trade with the Kaw tribe of Native Americans. A community has been thriving at this spot ever since. Council Grove's attractions have only grown since then. It has no fewer than 15 places on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Perhaps the most famous among these is the Post Office Oak, a tree on which settlers would fix letters to loved ones, with the hope that a traveler headed in the same direction would take the letter and, eventually, connect with its destination.
Downtown Council Grove offers an array of historic landmarks that capture its frontier past. The Guardian of the Grove Statue, standing near Main Street, pays tribute to the Native American heritage of the area, particularly the Kaw (Kansa) people. Nearby, the Hays House 1857 Restaurant, established by Seth Hays himself, is one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants west of the Mississippi. Additionally, the Madonna of the Trail Monument, one of 12 statues across the country honoring pioneer women, is another must-see near Main Street.
Lindsborg
A place called 'Little Sweden,' the tiny town of Lindsborg, with a population of just 3,800, exists thanks to a group of intrepid settlers from Sweden who first arrived here in the tumultuous 1860s and whose example attracted others to join them. Tourists in Lindsborg often visit the Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum, where the culture, history, cuisine, and other artifacts of Linsdborg's first settlers stand on proud display.
Other Scandinavian-themed cultural sites include Bethany Lutheran Church, a Protestant denomination prominent across Scandinavia. For culture beyond Swedish heritage alone, come to town for the Art Lovers Affair and Auction, held every year. Proceeds from Art Lovers support local scholarships. The Birger Sandzén Gallery, located downtown, celebrates the famous painter of the same name, who was born in Sweden and died in Lindsborg in 1954.
Ottawa
If the name Ottawa brings up thoughts of the Canadian national capital, this eastern Kansan town remains resolutely of the American Midwest. The downtown historic district still boasts several nineteenth-century buildings, including examples from the Gothic, Victorian, Art Deco, and other architectural schools. Ottawa's downtown has enjoyed a place on the NRHP for more than 50 years.
For even more historical interest, the Old Depot Museum celebrates the golden age of rail, which helped develop and transform the young state of Kansas. Ottawa's other draws for visitors include what the town says is the world's longest-continuously-running cinema house: the Plaza Cinema Movie and Memorabilia Museum, which has been showing films and inspiring dreams since 1907.
Wamego
The town of Wamego, in Kansas' northeast, invites travelers to enjoy a slower visit among beautiful surroundings. Located west of Topeka, the town takes its name from a famous Native American chief of the Potawatomi tribe. Downtown attractions here include the stone-built Dutch Mill, erected in 1879, and the Columbian Theatre for the Performing Arts, built in 1893. The picturesque Kansas River flows just south of town.
Wamego's Oz Museum, open since 2004, welcomes tourists who are enthusiastic about the classic 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. The destination displays only a handful of its whopping 25,000 objects related to the film. Every autumn, Wamego puts on OZtoberFEST, which combines a German-style Oktoberfest and celebrates The Wizard of Oz in one unique gathering.
Norton
The small town of Norton brings together natural beauty and abundant history. In the heart of downtown, the Norton Historic Theatre has run movies and brought in continuous improvements, like 3-D screens, since opening in 1948. Also in town, the Norton County Historical Society and Museum puts its own humorous spin on America's political past: the "They Also Ran" Gallery, offering an homage to the losers of U.S. presidential races, makes for a one-of-a-kind visit and museum experience.
For some light exercise, the Norton Public Library offers an outdoor sculpture collection that invites strolling and contemplation. The downtown Veterans Memorial Park honors military service personnel from Norton and nearby.
Abilene
In northeastern Kansas, the small town of Abilene is all about its most illustrious son — indeed, one of the most famous Americans of the 20th century. Dwight Eisenhower, a hero of World War II and the United States' 34th president, grew up in this all-American spot. Today, Abilene hosts the statesman's grave, the official Eisenhower presidential library, and a library museum.
Other downtown attractions in Abilene include the Seelye Mansion. The stately home was once the residence of its namesake family and the seat of medical products baron A.B. Seelye. (The house also features a 120-year-old indoor bowling alley.) Nearby, Old Abilene Town reconstructs a downtown in the spirit of the bygone American West. From its days as a territory to its glory in raising a future U.S. president, Abilene's downtown attractions satisfy scores of visitors each year.
Hutchinson
The larger, central Kansas town of Hutchinson, with a population of nearly 40,000, sits on the Arkansas River. Founded in 1871 and the seat of surrounding Reno County, the town, which locals simply call "Hutch," was nicknamed "Temperance City" for its anti-alcohol politics. For a similar history and a lovely architectural example, the Reno County Courthouse, first constructed in 1929, stands as an art deco behemoth. The Downtown Sculpture Walk allows for a stimulating jaunt for art lovers of all ages.
Families with children will like the Hutchinson Zoo or the Kansas State Fairgrounds, where Hutchinson has organized the state fair since 1873. The Cosmosphere, a popular local museum, celebrates American achievements in space exploration with artifacts and a planetarium.
Coffeyville
In Kansas' southeast corner, Coffeyville is just north of the state line with Oklahoma. The town boasts a historic downtown rich in Victorian architecture, with standouts like the Brown Mansion, built in 1906. Also in town, the Aviation Heritage Museum honors the advancements and risks undertaken by intrepid pilots since the dawn of mechanized flight.
In more rough-and-tumble Western history, Coffeyville's Dalton Museum remembers an 1892 bank heist, in which ordinary citizens took up used firearms to resist — and which left four bank robbers and four vigilantes dead. More on that story, and others from the town's Wild West days, await at the Dalton Defenders Museum and a related, foreboding attraction called Death Alley.
Kansas' Best Elements Await in Its Downtowns
As these towns suggest, some of Kansas' finest downtown attractions lie in its smaller, seemingly out-of-the-way locations. From the pioneer spirit on display in places like Council Grove and Lindsborg to the abundance of architectural richness in Ottawa and Norton, Kansas offers the visitor a great deal of culture, often concentrated in its historic and more modern downtowns, from Wizard of Oz originality to museums focused on science and technology. Fans of Western lore will find their bliss in the towns that celebrate the rough-and-ready Western spirit, like Coffeyville, or across the state's diverse offerings of its days as a more dangerous territory. For all that Kansas has to offer, head to the vibrant downtowns of its places like these.
