Travel Kansas 2011

Discover the Sunflower State

Balloon festivals take to the skies

Soda Fountains Century-old tradition lives on in 38 communities

Historic hotels recall heyday of elegant travel

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Locations: salina • Wilson • Wichitawww.kansaswine.com • 866-225-2515

Get carried away... zoo, winery, shopping, dining, theatre, golf, concerts, festivals, art and more!

www.VisitSalinaKS.org 7th & Ash in The Lee District • 877-725-4625

www.kenwoodcove.com • 785-309-5765©2011B KCOVE-2688

KCOVE-2688-1 Travel Kansas 2/18/11 3:34 PM Page 1

www.riverfestival.comA project of Salina Arts and Humanities, a department of the City of Salina

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Kansas’ Festival of the ArtsOakdale Park • Salina, KSJune 9 – 12, 2011

The second full weekend each June

SAHC-2690-1 2011 Small 4C Ad travel 2/18/11 4:46 PM Page 1

KKOA Leadsled Spectacular!

Kool cars, entertainment, tire kickin’ FUN!July 29-31 – Salina’s Oakdale Park

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Salina

Tickets/info: 785-827-1998stiefeltheatre.org

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4 Around KansasSaluting Eisenhower, 8 Wonders of Kansas exhibit and book, and Boot Hill

6 Make Mine a MaltState’s soda fountains

recall a sweeter time

9 Grape ExpectationsKansas vineyards and wineries increase in number and production as interest grows

12 Historic Hotels Stand Test of Time Several still open doors to travelers

16 Up, Up & AwayKansas is flying high as home to seven hot-air balloon festivals

20 Kansas, How Do I Love Thee?Count the ways at events celebrating state’s 150th anniversary

22 Christmas Festivities Light Up KansasHoliday spirit shines through decorations, parades and events

25 Calendar Highlights

ContEntS pHotoS By Harland J. SCHuStEr

PubliSher/eDitor

Cynthia Mines

art Director

Susan Burdick

contributing writerS

Amy L. Bickel, Bettse Folsom, Kim Hanke, Sara Peterson-Davis, Becky Steinert andPatsy Terrell

on the coVer The Garden City Hot-Air Balloon Classic – one of seven balloon festivals across the state – has been taking off for eight years. The 2011 event is Aug. 26-28 at the Finney County Fairgrounds. Photo by Harland J. Schuster

PubliSheD by

Matrix Media Inc., a Kansas company. To have a copy of the magazine mailed, send $5 (includes postage) to The Wichita Times, 111 N. Mosley, Ste. 201, Wichita, KS 67202. To order multiple copies or for advertising information, please call 316-264-5850 or e-mail [email protected]. © 2011 Matrix Media Inc.

www.kirby-house.com

www.kirby-house.com

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Boot Hill, dodge City win old West accolades

true West magazine selected Dodge City’s Boot Hill Museum as one of

the best of the hundreds of museums that celebrate the American West. Boot Hill came in at No. 8 on the magazine’s Top 10 Western Museums for 2010.

“Boot Hill Museum captures an important period in one of the West’s most famous towns,” said Bob Boze Bell, executive editor. The magazine called the annual Dodge City Days a “must attend” event. Dodge City Days – this year July 29-Aug. 7 – was also named one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2011. H

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Exhibit looks at 50 years since Eisenhower’s farewell speech

abilene’s Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum is hosting an exhibit, “Eisenhower: Agent of Change,” May 21-Dec. 31, as

well as several special events to commemorate Eisenhower’s legacy in the 50 years since he left office and made what became the most famous farewell speech in modern American history.

The Newseum in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 18 hosted a sym-posium on the speech, which was carried by webcast in Abilene. Several media outlets also reported on Eisenhower’s insightful warnings about the growing “military-industrial complex.”

Records recently donated to the Presidential Library have given additional insight into the speech, including the fact that Eisenhower began drafting the 1961 speech in May 1959, said Karl Weissenbach, library director. “The new records constitute a remarkable addition to what is known about this landmark speech,” he said. “We are all familiar with the phrase ‘military-industrial complex.’ Now we know even more of its history.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower presided over an era of great change. The retrospective exhibit examines his impact on: the U.S. entry into the nuclear age, transportation, the space race, the Civil Rights movement, coalitions such as NATO, and bringing Alaska and Hawaii into the Union.

Complementing the exhibit are several public programs and

educational materials for schools. Events include a Farewell Address/Chance for Peace panel on April 19, a film series, author presentations, special speakers, a Civil Rights Symposium, sum-mer outdoor events and a program on the Cold War.

Last year the Eisenhower Museum had 159,000 visitors, the highest since 1990. It is open daily except major holidays. For more info: 877-RING-IKE or Eisenhower.archives.gov.

When president Eisenhower turned over the presidency to John F. Kennedy in 1961, he made what became the most famous farewell speech in modern american history.

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BirgerSandzén Memorial Gallery

Sharing the arts with the world through the life and vision of Birger Sandzén.

401 N. First St. Lindsborg1 to 5 p.m. Tues.–Sun. | AdMiSSion Freewww.sandzen.org 785-227-2220

one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Art

8 Wonders of Kansasexhibit, new book

a n exhibit featuring the winners and finalists in the 8 Wonders of Kansas

contest opened at the Eisenhower Presi-dential Library in Abilene on Kansas Day,

Jan. 29, and will be on display until Sept. 5.

A new 8 Wonders of Kansas book featuring the winners and 216 finalists has been pub-lished by the Inman-based Kansas Sampler Foundation and will make its debut at a

public reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 16 at the Eisenhower Library.

In addition to the overall 8 Wonders winners, the exhibit and book feature the finalists in eight categories: Architecture, Art, Commerce, Cuisine, Customs, Geog-raphy, History and People.

Artifacts on display at the exhibition in-clude a spacesuit from the Kansas Cosmos-phere, a full Buffalo Soldier uniform, John Steuart Curry’s paint palette, a place set-ting from Brookville Hotel, post rock tools, and a helmet worn by Amelia Earhart.

“Because of the vision of (Museum) Director Karl Weissenbach, tens of thou-sands of people will get to see exhibits that feature some of Kansas’ best,” said Marci Penner, foundation director. “In one fantastic venue, the focus is on the diversity and highlights of Kansas.”

Admission to the exhibition at the Presidential Library is free. This year’s Kansas Sampler Festival will be May 7-8 in Leavenworth. For information on the exhibit or how to purchase the 272-page book, visit 8wonders.org.

8wonders of Kansas!

Guidebook

Marci PennerK A N S A S S A M P L E R F O U N D A T I O N

Photography by Harland J. Schuster

A2 1 6 G R E A T P L A C E S T O E X P L O R E I N K A N S A S

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Make Mine a Malt

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by PatSy terrell

ids just out of school, gathered

around the local soda fountain enjoying a malt

makes you think fondly of days gone by. But, thanks to the vision

of some Kansas entrepreneurs who see them as vital parts of their communities, you can still visit nearly 40 soda foun-tains in the state, about half of which are located in operating pharmacies.

The oldest soda fountain, in Leav-enworth, opened in 1871, and two of the state’s 38 soda fountains date to the 1890s: Georgetown Pharmacy in Mer-riam was built in 1890 and Wakeeney’s Gibson Health Mart opened in 1892. Beloit and Marquette boast ones built in

1901, and the Potwin Drug Store at the Ward-Meade Historic Site in Topeka has been serving sodas since 1902.

A number date from the 1920s, the hey-day of soda fountains, when they became increasingly popular after prohibition started in 1919. Each fountain has some-

thing special or unique: Anthony’s has a unique U-shaped bar and Seneca’s Cor-nerstone Coffee Haus has the only 1950s double horseshoe counter in the state. The Old Mill Tasty Shop in Wichita has a 25-foot marble counter with 11 stools, a wooden back bar and brass foot rails.

The busiest time of day at Clark’s Pharmacy in Cimarron is still right after school. “We are the hip place. Every year a new batch of kids thinks they’ve discov-ered us,” owner Sandi Coast said.

The Cimarron soda fountain’s most famous customer is Oprah Winfrey who stopped in a few years ago as part of a Great Plains Adventure roadtrip. Winfrey had a root beer float before ordering an orange smoothie concocted of sherbet and 7-Up, which is now offered as the Oprah Smoothie, according to Coast.

Sandi and her husband Jim bought the pharmacy in 1975 and have invested a lot in the 1880s building which still has the original tin ceiling. They also had the two signs refurbished by neon specialists.

When the Coasts bought the business in 1975, soda fountains had fallen out of favor but they never considered closing the 1920s tiled counter. “We’ve never thought of that as an option,” Coast said. “It adds to the whole community. It is necessary.”

Ron Booth, owner of the Corner Pharmacy in Leavenworth, feels the same way about his soda fountain. “This is a thriving soda fountain,” he said. “It has always been where the community came to get the news. People from all walks of life eat here.”

On a typical day he pointed out the mix of customers eating lunch at the coun-ter: a Federal judge, a janitor, a retired Army chaplin, a city hall employee and a plumber.

Opened in 1871, the Corner Pharmacy is the longest, continuously operating pharmacy in Kansas and has always had a fountain. Booth bought it 30 years ago, and a few years later he bought the build-ing next door. His fountain was worn out so he decided to start fresh in the new building.

“In ’88 people were taking soda fountains out and I was expanding and upgrading,” he said.

He hired local craftsmen to reproduce

a Victorian era mahogany back bar. All work was done onsite, by hand, includ-ing the curved wood. He hunted for the necessary accoutrements and created a soda fountain. Though he’s “pretty well invested my life in these two buildings and in this business,” the efforts have paid off. “We stay busy all the time,” Booth said. “We have to turn people away.”

He cherishes the way people interact at the fountain. “We are making real con-nections here,” he said. “The camaraderie is heartwarming. This fountain is a true melting pot. . . . This is a Norman Rock-well Pharmacy. When you sit on a stool you’re eye to eye.”

Sharolyn Wagner, who owns The Lin-ger Longer in Bennington, has a similar mission. “Our purpose is to build commu-nity,” she said.

She opened The Linger Longer in June of last year, although they have been work-ing on repairing the building that houses the fountain for 14 years. “We wanted to preserve this building for our community,” she said. “The soda fountain has played an important role in people’s lives.”

The fountain was so important that when the building was auctioned several years before Wagner bought it, the back bar was purchased by the community for $7,000 and used as a bulletin board.

Step back in time at one of state’s 38 soda fountains

Make Mine a Malt Soda fountains are located in:abilene, agenda, anthony, arkansas City, atchison, Beloit, Bennington, Caney, Canton, Chanute, Chetopa, Cimarron, Council Grove, Garden City, Gardner, Glasco, Hamilton, Hays, Herington, Holton, Howard, Hutchinson, independence, Johnson, leavenworth, Marquette, Merriam, norwich, oskaloosa, Quinter, Sabetha, Seneca, topeka, Wakeeney, Westmoreland and Wichita. For more information on addresses and hours, visit 8wonders.org and click on 8 Wonders of Kansas Customs.

continueD on Page 8.

left to right: red stools at Ball Brothers,

atchison; Clark drug sign, Cimarron; counter

at Corner pharmacy, leavenworth; anthony

Coast and Cecilia Hommertzheim at Clark’s;

ice cream and owner Sharolyn Wagner at

linger longer, Bennington. photos were

taken by Harland J. Schuster for 8 Wonders

of Kansas book.

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Wagner refinished it, but knows “We’re just stewards of this back bar.”

Everything in the building has been redone except one concrete footing and the ceiling joists. When they couldn’t match the five different patterns in the original tin ceiling, they made some re-pairs with fiberglass so they could save it.

“We wanted to rekindle the memories of people who used to come in as chil-dren, and to create memories for a new generation,” Wagner said.

Kenny Crouse, who owns Soda and Suds in Canton, had a similar goal – he wanted his grandchildren to be able to have a shake anytime they wanted.

Crouse started out to buy a $100 malt machine and ended up in the restaurant business, which was not on his mind. He builds storm shelters, owns a car wash, and had a Laundromat in the building where the soda fountain now is (hence the name Soda and Suds). But after buying the malt machine, one thing led to another and, Crouse said with a laugh, “I’ve got to

quit these spur of the moment deals.”The soda fountain now in Canton was

made in 1939 and originally shipped to Manhattan. It was moved to Riley and eventually shut down in the early 1980s. After buying it, Crouse lucked into get-ting the original repair books, but didn’t take on the job himself. Instead, he drove the soda fountain to Chicago, where it was fully rebuilt by specialists.

It took him a year and a half to get everything he needed to open, but he remembered as a kid being able to get a milk shake at the soda fountain that was in Canton then, and wanted his grand-kids to have that same experience.

Carolyn Koger, who has a soda foun-tain in the Koger Variety store in Holton, said she thinks fountains are coming back into style because it’s a place where people “sit and talk for awhile.”

As with anything, soda fountains have been lost not just to trends, but to disasters. Hunter Drug in Greensburg was destroyed during the 2007 tornado. So don’t delay visiting a Kansas soda fountain and seizing a chance to step into a time gone by.

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the linger longer opened last year in Bennington in a building that took more than a decade to restore. the community had purchased the original back bar several years earlier and it is once again in use.

Soda fountainscontinueD from Page 7.

facebook.com/coronadoquiveramuseum

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by Sara PeterSon-DaViS

arry Nation might have put down her ax if she could have sampled some of the vintages created by today’s Kansas wineries.

While Kansas grapes withered on the vines in the decades following prohibi-tion, a renewed interest in winemaking surfaced in the late 1980s, and for nearly 20 years Kansas’ wineries have distin-guished themselves by producing award-winning wines made from locally grown grapes, as well as creating unique desti-nations and venues for special events.

Though Kansas’ historical reputation is that of a dry state, at one time it was one of the top five grape producers. Before statewide prohibition was declared in 1880, census records reported that Kan-sas winemakers produced nearly 226,000 gallons. Today, Kansas has more than 30 licensed wineries working to regain the

state’s reputation as a wine producer.But Kansas isn’t a state that comes to

mind when the subject of wine comes up. “Every day, if you’re not on the West

coast, you’re putting on your boots and proving that you can make some award-winning wines,” said Norm Jennings, who is a third generation winemaker and took over the winemaking at Smoky Hill Vineyards and Winery from his late father, Steve Jennings.

Among the oldest vineyards and wineries in Kansas, Smoky Hill started in 1991 with an acre of grapes hand planted by winery partners Steve Jennings and Kay Bloom. Four years later, the vine-yard sold its first bottles of wine. Today, Smoky Hill consistently produces 24 va-rieties of wine from 12 acres of vineyards at the estate on Golf Link Road, as well as grapes from 40 more acres of vineyards in the area.

Smoky Hill is located north of Salina off I-70 and also has tasting rooms and retail stores in Wichita and Wilson. Jen-nings’ approach is to win over customers one taste at a time.

“The consumers’ tastes are always changing and that’s always a challenge,” said Jennings, who has developed a full range of sweet to dry reds and whites as well as blushes at Smoky Hill. “You really need to tell where the consumer is going. We have really pinpointed the kind of grapes that are best-suited to the region.”

Smoky Hill also hosts murder mys-tery dinners and occasional five-course meals that are “really a wine education,” according to Jennings. Each August, the winery also partners with All Saints Orthodox Church in Salina for a Vineyard Blessing and Wine Festival. This year’s event is Aug. 20.

The tasting room at Smoky Hill Vine-yards and Winery is open every day but Sunday. Under the Cork, its Wichita loca-tion at 21st and Maize Road, is open seven days a week, as is the Wilson location, just off the Wilson Exit on I-70.

For Jennings, the tasting rooms, spe-cial dinners and events all fit into Smoky Hill’s customer-winning philosophy.

“You have to bring people into your family,” he said.

t Oz Winery in Wamego, which opened in 2007, co-owner and manager Brooke Balderson tries to make wines less intimidating

by giving them names like Run Toto Run and Drunken Munchkin. While the Wizard of Oz-themed labels might be whimsical, the winery is committed to making quality wine.

“We take our wines very seriously, we don’t take ourselves seriously,” said Balderson.

Balderson and her partner, head winemaker Noah Wright, are no strang-ers to fine food and wine. Balderson is a certified pastry chef from the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute, and Wright is a certified wine professional from the Culi-nary Institute of America in Napa Valley.

Kansas wineries move toward pre-prohibition production levels

Grape Expectations Grape Expectations


left: oz Winery tries to take the intimidation out of wine purchasing by using whimsi-cal names such as ruby Sippers and Flying Monkey. photo by Harland J. Schuster. top: Vineyard at Smoky Hill, Salina.

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The two approach winemaking from the customer’s perspective. Many people, Balderson noted, are intimated when it comes to choosing wines. When they aren’t sure what it is they want, they choose a wine by its label.

“We wanted to take the intimidation factor out when it comes to the customer.”

said Balderson, who tested the Oz labels against more traditional labels. “”People responded to the fun labels.”

With its accessible location just off of I-70 and proximity to the Oz Museum, Oz Winery attracts everyone from curious cross-country travelers and Wizard of Oz fans to native Kansans looking for a day trip. Many out-of-town visitors stop in to buy a bottle for the Oz label and then call back once they get home to order more.

Balderson recalled a couple who came in and bought a bottle of Run Toto Run to take home as a gift for their dog sitter. A few weeks later the dog sitter called back and ordered a case of the wine.

Oz produces as many as 20 varieties of wine made from Kansas-grown grapes. The winery’s tasting room is open daily. Pets on leashes are welcome. Oz is also available for tasting parties featuring food pairings for as many as 40 people.

As with all things Oz, Balderson said the winery staff tries to the take out the stress and add the fun to wine tasting.

“We definitely try to get people to step out of their box,” she said. “It’s free. If they don’t like it, they don’t like it. But usually people like what we have them try.”

t Jefferson Hill Vineyard and Guest House near McLouth the words painted over the dining room door sum up the spirit of Don and Maxine

Bryant: “Celebrate life with friends, food and wine.”

Inspired by a trip to the estate winer-ies and inns around New York’s Finger Lakes Region, the Bryants expanded Jefferson Hill to become the state’s first winery bed and breakfast in 2009.

“Jefferson County is actually prettier than most of those places (in New York),” said Maxine Bryant. “We thought it would be nice to bring that model to Kansas.”

Jefferson Hill sits in northeast Kan-sas’ Glacial Hills and started selling wines in 2005. The bed and breakfast features two rooms connected by a sitting room above the winery’s dining and tasting rooms. In the evening, guests enjoy wine and appetizers, a full meal with appropri-ate wine pairings and a country breakfast the next morning. In their rooms, guests are treated to chocolates from Lawrence’s Sleepy Jean’s Confections.

“We eventually want to build another building,” said Maxine Bryant, who does all the cooking and baking for guests. “We just had no idea a bed and breakfast would be so much fun.”

Jefferson Hill is open from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends for tours and tastings, and on weekdays by appointment. Guests can sample five varieties of wines made from grapes grown on the farm, including

Unique Eateries

Whether you are planning a romantic golf/spa getaway for you and that special someone, an exciting dinosaur adventure with the kids, or something in between, Hays has it.

Feel free to explore our ever-growing Chestnut Street District with unique shopping and eateries, our collection of majestic churches in the area including the Cathedral of the Plains, or our world-class Sternberg Museum of Natural History featuring the famous fish-within-a-fish fossil.

Whatever your taste, Hays is the place to eat, drink and be merry!

Family Fun

Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau • www.haysusa.net • 1-800-569-4505

Dinosaurs Galore

Experience the

of Hays, KansasSimple Sophistication

Below and right: the state’s first combination winery and bed and breakfast has opened at Jefferson Hill Vineyard near Mclouth. pHotoS

By Monty daViS. Far right: Wine selection at oz Winery, Wamego. pHoto By Harland J. SCHuStEr.

Kansas wineriescontinueD from Page 9.

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dry white Catawba, the off-dry Jefferson Red, a deep red Rosa and Indian Summer, a blending of grapes and elderberries.

eff Sollo’s childhood memo-ries are filled with vineyards and wineries.

“Other kids were going to beaches on their summer va-

cations and I was visiting barrel rooms,” said Sollo, marketing manager at Grace Hill Winery near Whitewater.

Grace Hill was started by Sollo’s par-ents, Wichita physicians Drs. David and Natalie Sollo. Wine lovers who wanted to try their hand at winemaking, the Sollos bought the farmstead on Grace Hill Road in 2003 and officially opened the winery in 2008.

“Our biggest challenge is to convince people that Kansas wines are good,” said Sollo, who now appreciates all those wine country vacations as a child. “It’s convincing them of the quality. It’s all handcrafted. It’s not mass produced.”

Grace Hill produces 12 varieties of wine, including five reds, four whites and a blush, from grapes grown at the farm, as well as grapes produced by Kansas grape growers. Grace Hill’s tasting room is open Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. The winery also hosts release parties for new wines in the spring and fall.

Grace Hill in spring 2011 will open a 2,000-square-foot event center with a patio and observation deck overlooking the vineyard.

“We hope to start a concert series and have art shows,” said Sollo. “Anything where people can come out and enjoy wine and converse.”

The Oasis on the PlainsLocated at Exit 53 on I-70• Colby Visitor Center

• Prairie Museum of Art & History

• Kansas Biggest Barn

• Over 900 motel rooms

Free information, Colby Convention & Visitors Bureau 350 S. Range #10, Colby, KS 67701 785-460-7643 or 1-800-611-8835

. . .

BlueJacket Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Eudora, 785-542-1764, bluejacketwinery.comBurgess Farm Winery, Harveyville, 785-589-2413Davenport Orchards & Winery, Eudora, 785-542-2278, davenportwinery.com Diamond S Vineyard & Winery, Russell, 785-445-3850, diamondsvineyardandwinery.com Dozier Vineyard and Winery, Ellinwood, 620-564-0195, dozier-winery.com Grace Hill Winery, Whitewater, 316-799-2511, gracehillwinery.com Heimhof Winery and Gift Shop, Leavenworth, heimhofwinery.com Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery, Basehor, 913-724-9463, holyfieldwinery.com Jefferson Hill Vineyards & Guest House, McLouth, 913-796-6822, jeffersonhillvineyard.com Kugler’s Vineyard, Lawrence, 785-843-8516, kuglersvineyard.com Middle Creek Winery, Louisburg, 913-377-4689. Oz Winery, Wamego, 785-456-7417, ozwinerykansas.comPome on the Range, Williamsburg, 785-746-5492, pomeontherange.com Rowe Ridge Vineyard and Winery, Kansas City, 913-721-9776, roweridge.comSmoky Hill Vineyards & Winery, Salina (additional tasting rooms in Wichita and Wilson),

866-225-2515, kansaswine.comSomerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery, Somerset, 913-294-9646, somersetridge.comStone Pillar Vineyard & Winery, Olathe, 913-839-2139, stonepillarvineyard.comVin Vivante, Wamego, 785-458-2930, vinvivante.comWhite Tail Run Winery, LLC, Edgerton, 913-893-6860, whitetailrunwinery.comWindswept Winery/Storey Vineyard, Udall (tasting room also in Winfield), 620-782-3952,

windsweptwinery.comWine Barn Winery and Vineyard, Kansas City, 913-721-5577, winedottebarn.comWyldewood Cellars, Mulvane, known for its many varieties of elderberry wine, additional

stores in Paxico, Wichita, Kansas City, 800-711-9748, wyldewoodcellars.com

Visiting Kansas wineries

Midland, Weaver thrived as railroad stopoversby Kim hanKe

n the past couple of years, three historic properties have reopened their doors and are once again checking in guests at the front desk. They join several other historic hotels in

continuing the tradition of century-old hospitality, thanks to concerned citizens and local preservation groups.

In 2009, the Midland Hotel in Wilson

and the Weaver Hotel in Waterville – both elegant stops during the heyday of rail-roads – and the recently renovated Elgin Hotel in Marion reopened for business.

The Midland Hotel in Wilson – whose claim to fame is being the setting for the movie “Paper Moon” – reopened last fall after being closed and then sold at auction. The 1886 Elgin Hotel in Marion reopened after being purchased and restored by a local family.

Built in 1899, the Midland was origi-nally named the Power Hotel after Wilke Power, who funded the limestone hotel. It was renamed the Midland because it was equidistant between Kansas City and Denver – and also was the best hotel be-tween those two points, according to new owner Tom Mahoney.

Like many other Kansas hotels, the Midland thrived in its position along the Union Pacific railroad track and across from the depot.

“Today, when you get off an airplane, you walk through the concourse and into a Hyatt Regency,” Mahoney said. “You can think of this as being the same way – but with trains. The lobby area has a couple doors built into the front windows and they would actually bring baggage over and unload it directly into the hotel. It was all about service.”

During the 1920s, the hotel was so busy at times that guests had to sleep in the hallways. However, business came to a halt during the Great Depression, and the third floor was closed down and used as a

place to raise chickens for the restaurant.

In the early 1970s, the movie “Paper Moon” was filmed in the area and the stars – Ryan O’Neal, Ta-tum O’Neal and Madeline Kahn – came to the little town of Wilson.

Despite the excitement generated by the movie, business was stagnant and the hotel eventu-ally closed for about ten years. In 1998, a group of local citizens decided it

was time to save the hotel and the group bought the hotel for $38,000, then applied for grants and raised funds. They eventu-ally invested $3.2 million in renovating the hotel, which reopened in 2003.

“I have to really credit the architect,” Mahoney said. “A lot of creativity went into renovating the building. It’s hard to save the flavor and authenticity of a historic building and yet make it a modern hotel without giving up the romantic feel that it had.”

The hotel has most all of the original woodwork as well as the front stained glass windows. The inside lights are almost identical to what they were in the 1920s. To maintain the historic nature of the building but also update it with mod-ern heating and air conditioning, an ad-ditional building was added underground behind the original building, according to Mahoney. A tavern was added in the base-ment where the former boiler room was

located, and a public restaurant is located off the lobby.

The local foundation operated the hotel from 2003 to 2008, but ultimately wanted to turn it over to someone who had hotel management experience. They closed the hotel at the end of 2008 and decided to auction it off.

“My wife and I went to the auction to see what was going to happen with the hotel,” Mahoney said. “We really didn’t go with the intent of buying it.”

When bidding started, Mahoney was surprised at how low it was going. In the end, he and his wife got the winning bid of $235,000.

“We got this incredibly well renovated facility unbelievably cheap,” he said. “We got a turn key job. We pretty much had to turn back the sheets and open the doors.”

After about a month and a half of doing some basic housecleaning, the Midland Hotel and Restaurant reopened Labor Day weekend of 2010.

Mahoney says they’ve had a pretty good run at it so far and gotten a lot of support locally, including hosting holiday parties and weddings.

“There is no doubt this hotel should be an event hotel.” Mahoney said.

nown as the “Pride of the Central Line,” the Weaver Hotel in Wa-

terville also thrived because of its location at the end of the Central

Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. The hotel was built

in 1905 across from the railroad tracks, but changed hands several times through the decades and was closed for almost 20 years before the Waterville Preservation Society acquired it in 1999. It took the group 10 years, but the hotel reopened.

Originally, travelers seeking respite at the Weaver included railroad crews, traveling salesmen and bankers looking to buy land, said LueAnn Roepke, preserva-tion society member. “They knew people would follow the railroad,” she said. “At one time Waterville was one of the richest little towns west of the Mississippi.”

The train also transported POWs and was part of the original orphan train,

Historic hotels stand test of time

EldridgE HotEl

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according to Ann Walter, preservation society member. “If a train came through and the curtains were drawn, that meant it was a POW train,” she said.

The preservation group’s initial intent was just to restore the outside, Roepke said, but then the group received a “magnificent gift” of $100,000 given in memory of a local high school alumnus. “This opened doors and let us think about doing something else,” she said.

Through a $1.2 million federal trans-portation grant and fundraising efforts for matching funds, the restoration was com-pleted and the hotel reopened in May 2009.

“A lot of people put out a lot of effort and we raised the money,” Roepke said. “The community wants to be a part of things, you just have to give them the op-portunity.”

The hotel was kept as authentic as pos-sible, and visitors can still see the bullet hole from a 1913 robbery attempt. The authentic Victorian furniture came from the Thompson Museum in Waterville.

“Between the grant, fundraising and donations, we came out debt free,” Roepke said. “It’s been quite an

experience and we are proud of what we have accomplished.”

Check in to these historic hotels

Beaumont Hotel, BeaumontEstablished in 1879, Beaumont was

first used as a stagecoach station and stopping place. The hotel opened in 1890 and now houses four guest suites and seven guestrooms as well as a restau-rant. A wooden water tower built in 1885 stands across from the hotel and is the only one still in use in the United States. For more info: hotelbeaumontks.com.

Clyde Hotel, ClydeThe hotel was established in Cloud

County in 1870; additions made in 1885 and 1912 are what constitute the present hotel. The current owners purchased the building in 1968, then demolished the 1870 structure, built living quarters for themselves and renovated the hotel rooms so they were larger and included private baths. For info, call 785-446-2231. continueD on Page 14.

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Cottage House, Council groveLocated in Council Grove, a town

crucial to the Santa Fe Trail, the Cottage House Hotel Bed & Breakfast has a long and colorful history of serving travelers. The property dates to 1867 when it was built as a cottage and blacksmith shop; in 1871, the property was turned into a two-story boarding house encompassing the original cottage. A two-story Queen Anne addition in 1879 converted the boarding house into a hotel. All rooms are now decorated in prairie Victorian style, and a buffet breakfast is served to guests in the parlor. Under new ownership, the 26 rooms have recently gotten a facelift, including new flat-screen TVs, though the signature gazebo porch still reminds guests of a simpler time. For more info: 620-767-6828 or cottagehousehotel.com.

Courtland Hotel, Fort Scott Built in 1906 to house railroaders and

their clientele, the hotel has maintained

its historic look and charm, according to owner Frank Adamson, who says the entire downtown area was designated a national historic area in June 2010. Con-veniently located one block from the Fort Scott National Historic Site and the Fort Scott Visitors Center, the hotel also offers spa services, which were added after Ad-amson and his wife bought the property in 2004. They also updated the décor in the hotel’s 15 rooms. For info: 620-223-0098 or courtlandhotel.com.

dodge House, dodge City The Dodge House Hotel was one of

the first buildings in this vital stop on the Santa Fe Trail, which was also home to the likes of Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. In the late 19th century, the Dodge House played host to the famous Doc Holliday, who practiced out of Room 24. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the full-service hotel combines a dedication to its Old West roots while providing mod-ern luxuries. The hotel also houses meeting and banquet rooms as well as a restaurant and saloon. For more info: 620-225-9900 or dodgehousehotel.com.

Eldridge Hotel, lawrence Built in 1855 by the New England Emi-

grant Society, the Eldridge was originally named the Free State Hotel though it paid dearly for its abolitionist stance on more than one occasion. Just a year after open-ing, the hotel was burned down by pro-

slavery sheriff Sam Jones and his band. It was rebuilt by Col. Shalor Eldridge but attacked again in 1863 by Quantrill’s Raid-ers in the invasion that killed more than 150 residents. Eldridge once again rebuilt the hotel, this time giving it his name. In 1925 the city tore down and rebuilt the deteriorating hotel; it closed in 1970 and later reopened as an apartment complex. The National Register of Historic Places property was purchased in 2004, reno-vated and reopened in 2005. The Eldridge houses 48 suites, a restaurant, bar and banquet space. For info: 785-749-5011 or eldridgehotel.com.

Historic Elgin Hotel Bed & Breakfast, Marion

The pride of Marion when it opened in 1886, the Elgin Hotel was built to stimu-late an economic boom and its 40 rooms provided extravagant accommodations. The Elgin remained open until the late 1950s; the stone structure was renovated in 1976 and it reopened the next year as apartments. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and sold at auction in the 1990s. It was purchased in 2007 by a local fam-ily looking for a place to live and redo. Jim Cloutier, president of family-owned Shawmar Oil & Gas Co., purchased the building, and renovating it became a labor of love for himself, his wife and their daughter. They created living quarters for themselves on the third floor and eight

A Better Way to StayA Better Way to Stay

Kansas Bed & Breakfast AssociationGift Certificates Available | www.kbba.com | 888-572-2632

Buffalo Bill Bronze Sculpture2nd St. and US 83 HighwayTwice Life Sized, Gift Cabin on Site

Fick Fossil andHistory Museum

700 West 3rd St.More than 1,000 shark teeth!

Genuine Fossils, Folk Art, and Hundreds of Historical Photos

You will also enjoy:Veterans Memorial Garden

Annie Oakley Park & Cool PoolMonuments Rocks, Butterfield Trail

Museum, and Keystone Gallery Nearby

www.DiscoverOakley.com

Historic hotelscontinueD from Page 13.

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guest rooms with parlor and kitchen on the second floor. A dramatic chandelier and stained-glass windows depicting Kansas scenes grace the lobby area. On the main floor are a ballroom, meeting room and space for a restaurant. The hotel reopened for business in 2009. For info: 620-382-3200 or marionelgin.com.

grand Central Hotel, Cottonwood Falls

The 10 guest rooms at the impecca-bly restored Grand Central Hotel & Grill each feature their own “brand” taken from historic ranches in the surround-ing Flint Hills. The hotel was built in 1884 and renovated in 1995. Located four miles from the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and one block off the National Scenic Byway 177 in Cottonwood Falls, the Grand Central also houses Kansas’ only AAA Four Diamond restaurant, which was a finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine contest. For info: 620-273-6763 or grandcentralhotel.com.

Midland railroad Hotel, Wilson Twenty-eight rooms and a honeymoon

suite offer modern amenities. On the

National Register of Historic Places since 2002, the hotel also earned a Kansas Pres-ervation Alliance Award for Excellence in 2004. On-site restaurant. For info: 785-658-2284 or midlandrailroadhotel.com.

tioga Suites Hotel, ChanuteThe 50 rooms boast art deco style from

the 1920s and include 18 themed suites named after famous Kansans, such as Buster Keaton, Dwight Eisenhower, Wil-liam Allen White and Walter P. Chrysler. The facility features two restaurants as well as a bar, day spa and ballroom. Built in 1929 and added to National Register of Historic Places in 1990, the hotel has been completely remodeled, but still maintains its original style, said owner Todd John-son, who bought the hotel in 2004. He offers an interesting piece of local trivia: “The co-creator of Google Earth is from Chanute and if you use a Mac computer to zoom in on Google Earth from the default location, you will end up looking at the intersection in front of the Tioga Suites Hotel. So we consider the hotel the ‘Center of Google Earth.’” For info: 620-431-3343 or tiogasuites.com.

Weaver Hotel, Waterville The recently restored hotel offers 10

guest rooms, party rooms and a gift shop. For info: 785-363-2515 or weaverhotel.com.

Becky Steinert and Amy L. Bickel contributed to this article.

top: Cottage House, Council Grove. above: pitcher and custom stained glass at Elgin Hotel, Marion. pHotoS By Harland J. SCHuStEr.

SuzannE SCHuStEr, KiM HanKE.

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by Sara PeterSon-DaViS

Conjuring images of the Wizard of Oz lifting off in a hot-air balloon, seven hot-air balloon festivals now dot the state, from

Garden City in the southwest to Kansas City in the northeast.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it,” said Steve Hines of Onyx Meeting and Events, coordinator for last year’s inaugural Kan-sas City Hot Air Balloon Invitational in Gardner. “It was very dramatic. It’s very much like the Wizard of Oz: The balloons take off and the people are waving and the pilots are waving.”

The state’s oldest hot-air balloon event is Topeka’s Huff’n Puff Hot Air Balloon Rally at Lake Shawnee’s Tinman Circle. Now in its 36th year, the Huff’n Puff is one of the largest free events in northeast Kansas, attracting as many as 10,000 spectators on both Friday and Saturday.

Another longstanding balloon festival is in Columbus, which each year attracts a loyal group of pilots from across the region who fly in for a weekend of hot-air ballooning and small-town charm. The Columbus Day Festival and Hot Air Bal-loon Regatta features 20 balloons and brings out as many as 10,000 spectators to the town of 3,500 in southeast Kansas.

“We’re very proud of our festival,” said Jean Pritchett, director of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. “We’re in our 21st year. We’ve been very fortunate most of our pilots come year after year.”

One thing that brings them back, according to Pritchett, is the regatta’s friendly, small-town atmosphere. Pilots stay with local families, many of whom serve as ground and chase crews for the pilots while they’re in Columbus.

“That gives them that down-home feeling,” said Pritchett, who used her background in aviation to bring the regatta to Columbus. “They’ve been taken in like family and they come back to visit and for weddings.”

The Columbus Hot Air Balloon Re-

Up, Up and Away Up, Up and Away

gatta starts on Friday night with a tethered glow

at the Columbus Indus-trial Park. It continues on

Saturday with a Hare and Hound Race between balloons

in the morning and a regatta event in the evening. The last launch of the weekend is on Sunday morning with another race. In between balloon events, spectators can take in some of the other festival events, including a car and motorcycle show, an art and craft fair and gospel concert.

The Garden City Hot Air Balloon Classic got its start eight years ago when a local balloonist invited other pilots from across the region to come to western Kan-sas for a weekend. Today, it has become a favorite among pilots, who make it a point to clear their calendars for the fes-tival year after year. For their part, local residents step up to sponsor balloons, as well as serve as ground and chase crews for pilots. The event attracts nearly 5,000 spectators.

“I like to tell people that we’re just exactly like Albuquerque – except they have 700 balloons and we have 15,” said Lynn Schoonover, director of the Finney County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It really has become a family event.”

Because of the Classic’s size and atmosphere, Schoonover said, spectators have ample opportunities to talk with the pilots and see the balloons. Some pilots offer flight tickets for a fee.

“For the pilots this is their hobby and they love to talk with the public about it,” she said.

The Garden City Classic starts on Friday night with a balloon launch at the fairgrounds. On Saturday, the event

continues with an early morning launch and an

evening balloon glow and watermelon feed. It winds up Sun-day with an early morning launch. Between balloon

events, visitors can take in musical and

children’s entertainment at the Tumbleweed Festival in

Garden City’s Finnup Park.

The “glow” is a tradition at most hot-air balloon events with balloonists inflating their envelopes (the term for the balloon) in the evening with the baskets tethered to the ground. The glow creates the effect of giant lanterns throughout the launch area.

Along with the launches and the teth-ered glows, the Huff’n Puff festival and the Topeka Parks and Recreation Depart-ment will offer a Discovery Workshop on

Saturday afternoon for fourth through sixth graders. Along with making their own balloons, kids get limited edition Huff’n Puff t-shirts and the opportunity to crew one of the festival’s balloons on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

“At the workshop they learn the physics behind hot-air ballooning and make their own hot-air balloons,” said David Mills, sponsorship chair for the event and a member of the Great Plains Balloon Club, which organizes the rally. “It’s a hands-on experience that the kids can do. We’ve had kids return for all three years.”

Balloons were launched from the capitol grounds the first three years of the rally, which typically brings out between 25 to 30 balloons. The event at Lake

Shawnee starts on Friday night with a fun flight and a tether glow, then contin-ues through Saturday and wraps up on Sunday with a final early morning launch. During the tethered glows on Friday and Saturday nights, spectators can take tethered balloon rides for a suggested minimum donation of $5 (proceeds go to Topeka’s Ronald McDonald House).

The tethered rides and the Discov-ery Workshop have gone a long way to

attracting people to the sport of hot-air ballooning, Mills said. One man took a tethered ride at the Huff’n Puff and a few weeks later he took a flight on a balloon.

“By the middle of the next year,” Mills said, “he had purchased a balloon and was learning to fly.”

This will be the second year for the Kansas City Invitational, slated for May 27-30 at Gardner’s Celebration Park. Last year, the inaugural event attracted 36 balloons and nearly 30,000 specta-tors. Hines expects as many balloons and spectators at this year’s event.

Unlike other balloon events around the state, the Kansas City Invitational is principally a competition. Pilots bring

Kansas is flying high as home to seven hot-air balloon festivals

Up, Up and Away

left: a night “glow,” such as this one at topeka’s Huff’n puff, is a favorite of balloon spectators. above: pilots get ready for a launch in Garden City. pHotoS By Harland J. SCHuStEr.

l 17

Up, Up and Away


18 l

their own crews and race to win. It’s the only balloon event in Kansas sanctioned by the Balloon Federation of America.

The Kansas City Invitational starts Friday with an evening balloon launch. Saturday, Sunday and Monday feature

launches in the early morning and the late afternoon. Balloon glows are planned for Saturday and Sunday evening.

Like most balloon events, Hines said, the atmosphere at the invitational will be casual and family-friendly, with plenty of food vendors and other facilities to ac-commodate spectators as they watch the waves of balloons launch.

“We want people to enjoy themselves while they get to see the balloons get set up and watch them launch,” he said.

Hot-air balloon events are dependent on the weather and getting in all the launches is often a challenge for organiz-ers. Even if the sun is shining, the wind can’t top more than 10 miles an hour for pilots to launch safely. That means some-times the balloons don’t launch on time or not at all.

“It’s a tricky thing and the weather has to cooperate,” Pritchett said. “We were very fortunate this year. We were able to get in everything.”

2011 Kansas Hot-air Balloon FestivalsAll are free though some charge for parking.

May 6-8 | 14th Annual Sunflower Balloon Fest, Anthony Airport, SunflowerBalloonFest.com

May 27-30 | 2nd Annual Kansas City Hot Air Balloon Invitational, Celebration Park in Gardner, kchabi.com

July 8-10 | 2nd Great Midwest Balloon Fest, Overland Park, greatmidwestballoonfest.org

Aug. 26-28 | 8th Annual Garden City Hot Air Balloon Classic, Garden City, Finney County Fairgrounds, gardencitychamber.net/convention-tourism-bureau/hot-air-balloons

Sept. 9-11 | 36th Annual Huff’n Puff Hot Air Balloon Rally, Lake Shawnee, Topeka, huff-n-puff.org

Oct. 7-9 | 21st Annual Columbus Day Festival & Hot Air Balloon Regatta, Columbus Industrial Park, columbusdayballoons.com

Oct. 14-16 | 3rd Annual Balloons, Bikes, Blues & Barbeque, Parsons, parsonschamber.org/events.html

Kansas Balloon FestivalscontinueD from Page 17.

2011 Ciderfest Weekends:Sept. 24 & 25 — Oct. 1 & 2

8:00am to 6:00pm

100% Pure, Old Fashioned Apple CiderMade Fresh Daily Cider Donuts

Unique Gifts & Gift BasketsSnacks • Spices • Fruit ButtersHome of Lost Trail Root Beer

Named one of the top 10 Cider Mills in America

www.louisburgcidermill.com913-837-5202

&Country StoreOPEN 7-Days-A-Week, Year-Round:

For seasonal hours, more informationor to shop, call or visit us online:

SINCE 1977CIDER MILL®

14730 K68 Highway, Louisburg, KS 66053Louisburg Cider Mill is 20 minutes southof metro Kansas City via US Hwy.69 to

Louisburg Exit (Hwy. 68), then 3 miles west.

History Comes Alive in Ulysses & Grant County

V isitors who take the Cimarron Cutoff from the Santa Fe Trail find themselves at the Lower Spring campsite nestled in the heart

of the Cimarron River valley, a site now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Stop and Stay Awhile Grant County offers superb hunting and shopping. Dining options include Kansas- fed beef, a wide variety of the BEST Mexican food and catering for visiting groups.

Above: Jeff Trotman portrays early settler Jedediah Smith along the Santa Fe Trail..

Historic Adobe Museum An interpre-tive center for the Santa Fe Trail which includes the Hotel Edwards. 300 E. Oklahoma, (620) 356-3009. Open daily (except major holidays).

For information on planning your visit call (620) 356-4700; or visit us on the web at www.ulysseschamber.org

m e n t i o n t h i s a d F o r v i s i t o r d i s c o u n t s

8wonders ofKansas!H I S T O R Y

KANSAS SAMPLER FOUNDATION ©

topeka’s rally takes place at lake Shawnee. pHoto By Harland J. SCHuStEr

l 19

Arts KS Travel 2011 convt.indd 1 2/23/11 9:43 PM

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A n exhibit titled “150 Things I Love About Kansas” opened on Kansas Day, Jan. 29, and will

be on display until Dec. 31 at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka. The exhibi-tion features 150 historic objects, photos, quotes and artwork that helped shape Kansas over the past century and a half.

Included are items such as the first known photograph of a tornado, Eisen-hower’s sunflower campaign button, a

rifle from the Jesse James gang shootout, Christmas cards

from Amelia Earhart, a bottle of Turkey Red

wheat brought to Kansas by Mennonite immigrants, and memorabilia from the “Wizard of Oz”

and “Gunsmoke.” The exhibition

presents Kansas sym-bols and stereotypes while

also turning them inside out and inviting public re-action. Visitors will be able to electronically share their favorite thing about Kansas.

Located at 6425 SW 6th Ave., the museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students.

Kansas became the 34th state in the Union on Jan. 29, 1861. For an extensive list of events commemorat-ing the sesquicentennial, visit Ks150.kansas.gov. Here are some highlights:

march 17-may 19 Kansas at the Movies, McPherson Opera House, this 10-week film series celebrates the state’s cinematic history with the showing and discus-sion of films made in or about Kansas. Included are: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Dodge City,” Seven Angry Men,” “Picnic,” Carni-val of Souls,” “In Cold Blood,” ‘The Gypsy Moths,” “The Learning Tree” and “Kansas City,” mcphersonoperahouse.org.

June 2-4 Battle of Black Jack Commem-oration, Wellsville, battle reenactment and tour of the battlefield where John Brown led his militia against proslavery forces on June 2, 1856; this armed clash is

considered by many to have been the first battle of the Civil War.

June 3-July 15 Kansas: 150 Years of Statehood, Southwind Art Gallery, To-peka, a juried art competition and exhibit showcasing Kansas artists and culture, www.southwindartgallery.com.

June 4-5 Kansas 150th Armed Forces Celebration at Forbes Field, Topeka, celebrates Kansas’ 150th birthday with military reenactments, aircraft displays, civilian and military fly-ins, and a classic car show.

June 9-12 Prairiesta, Russell, held every 10 years since 1941, this year Prairi-esta will celebrate not only the Kansas Sesquicentennial but Russell County’s 140th Anniversary with parades, art and

aircraft shows, pageants and a cattle drive, russellks.org/prairiesta.

June 25-26 Historic Lecompton Territorial Days, an annual celebra-tion in Kansas’ first territorial

capital complete with a carnival, parade, re-enactments, lecomp tonterritorialdays.com.

July 3-aug. 14 105 Kansas Quilts 4 Kansas’ 150th, quilts showing diverse styles and techniques represent each county in an exhibition at the Stauth Museum, Montezuma, 620-846-2810.

aug. 8-21 Civil War on the Western Frontier, commemorates Lawrence’s territorial and Civil War history around anniversary of William Quantrill’s raid on the city, visitlawrence.com.

aug. 26-28 Tumble-weed Festival and 150th Birthday Celebra-tion, Lee Richardson Zoo, Garden City, 620-275-8621.

Sept. 17-18 Freedom Festival, John Brown Memorial Park, Osawato-mie, living history reenact-

ment of the largest battle of the Bleeding Kansas era.

Sept. 23-25 Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant, reenactment of the Treaty of 1867 and celebration of the settlement of the Great Plains complete with Spanish conquistadores, fur traders, mountain men, pioneers, Indians, cowboys and cattle drives, peacetreaty.org.

oct. 7-8 City of Garnett and Kansas celebrate 150th anniversaries, experience garnettks.com.

In recognition of the state’s 150th anni-versary, the Kansas Humanities Council is offering the Statehood Speakers Bureau

featuring 71 presentations and discussions about Kansas. There is no cost to the host communities. For the catalog of speak-ers and programs, visit kansashumanities.org.

among the 150 items on display (clockwise): original Kansas state banner; state seal cowboy boots worn by Gov. Fred

Hall; pin created for Kansas lions Club members to trade

at national conventions; and Eisenhower

sunflower cam-paign button.

Events celebrate Kansas’ 150th year

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Visit Marion County

Pictured, starting at bottom: Flint Hills wagon train; Harvey House Museum, Florence; Wheat Straw Liberty Bell at Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum, Goessel; Peabody Main Street; Mennonite Settlement Museum, Hillsboro; prairie fire; Santa Fe Trail marker; Watusi cattle near

Goessel; live entertainment; Civilian Conservation Corps statue at Marion County Lake.

Come, Grow with UsMarion County Economic Development | growmarioncounty.com | 620-382-8830

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

126 N. Main - Hillsboro

Hours:Mon.-Tues.-Thurs.-Fri.-Sat.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.Wed. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.Sun. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Where Service and a SmileAre Always in Style!”

GREATHOMECOOKED MEALS

Order Your Favorite Off Our Menuor Enjoy These Daily Specials:

THURSDAY:All Day Mexican Buffet

or BierrocksFRIDAY:

All Day BBQ BuffetSATURDAY 5-8 p.m.:

Steak BuffetSUNDAY 11 to 2:

Sunday Buffet

Central Park Antiques330 E. Main St. • Marion, KS 66861

620-381-3483

Delmar & Nadine Iseli

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Shop online at auntbeesmarionks.com 1201 E. Main, Marion • 620-382-3030

Country Lakes Cafe Lunch daily (closed Tuesday)

Evening specials: Tacos on Monday, steak and shrimp Friday-Saturday Fried chicken on Sunday | Breakfast served on Saturdays

202 E. Main, Marion | 620-382-2901 Red Brick Cafe

Open Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-2 p.m. with a daily special Saturday 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Closed Sunday

102 S. Church, Burns | 620-726-5233 Doyle Creek Mercantile & Corral

A unique shopping experience, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. or call for appointment | Florence | 620-878-4567 | www.doylecreek.com

Eight buildings in a village-like setting tell the story of Mennonites who emigrated from the Ukraine in 1874

Open Tues.- Sun. May-September; Tues.-Sat. March-April, Oct.-Nov.

Closed Dec.-Feb. except by appointment200 N. Poplar, Goessel | 620-367-8200

22 l

ansas shines during the holiday season – whether it’s from the glow of a candle or a luminary, or lights outlin-ing a trolley, parade floats,

botanical gardens or an entire downtown area or drive-through panorama.

Wakeeney’s light display earned it the nickname “Christmas City of the High Plains” more than 60 years ago after two local businessmen – the owner of the hardware store and a local banker who was artistic – came up with the idea in 1948. Two years later their design became a reality, and the annual decorating tradi-tion is considered by many to be the larg-est Christmas tree and lighting display between Kansas City and Denver.

In Wakeeney the start of the holiday season is signaled on the Saturday after Thanksgiving when Santa himself flips the switch on more than 6,800 multi-colored lights in a four-block area at the intersection of Main and Russell Avenue. The focal point is a 35-foot tree hand-made from fresh pine greenery resting on a canopy of blue lights in the middle of the intersection. The event also includes music and horse-drawn wagon rides.

Since 1999 Beloit has hosted an ex-traordinary display featuring more than 200 displays called the Chautauqua Isle of Lights. At Botanica, the Wichita Gardens, more than 4,000 luminaries line garden pathways, the meadow comes alive with lights moving to music, structures are lit with twinkling white lights and large evergreens create enchanting reflections on the pond.

At Abilene’s Seelye Mansion, guests are greeted not only by twinkling lights on dozens of decorated trees but also 100 pointsettias and 700 nutcrackers stand-ing at attention throughout the 25-room mansion. Christmas was always a festive occasion at the Seelye Mansion because the owner’s parents had been married on Christmas Day 1855, according to current owner Terry Tietjens. In fact, the first meal served in the mansion was Christ-mas dinner in 1905, and the next year the Seelyes shipped in 50 poinsettias from California, hired an orchestra and served a Christmas banquet to 300 people, ac-cording to Tietjens.

The Seelye Mansion offers tours year-round, but starting the day after Thanks-giving the tours have a holiday theme. The festive holiday decorations prompted a visitor three years ago to donate their family’s collection of 700 nutcrackers to the Abilene mansion. The family wanted a

good home for the nutcrackers which had been purchased in all 50 states and 47 countries. A painting of the house exterior decorated for the holidays adorns the cover of the recently released book, “The Seelyes of Abilene.”

Other holiday events in Abilene in-clude the Homes for the Holidays tour, A Night of Christmas Magic, sunset parade of lights ending at the 1928 Historical Union Pacific Depot for a special lighting ceremony, an old-fashioned Christmas in the Cabin, and a ride with Santa Claus on the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad.

Kansas’ historic forts offer a candlelit

glimpse into holiday traditions of the past. Nearly 100 re-enactors bring Fort Scott National Historic Site to life by candlelight on the evenings of Dec. 2-3. This year scenes reflect how Fort Scott soldiers and civilians took part in events that led to the Civil War. Christmas Past events are

at Fort Hays Dec. 2-3 and Fort Larned on Dec. 10. In Kansas’ oldest city, Fort Leav-enworth, several historic homes and build-ings are festively decorated with lights and ribbons, and the Candlelight Vintage Homes Tour is planned for Dec. 11.

At Lecompton, the territorial capital of Kansas, the museum is lavishly decorated for the holidays from top to bottom on all three floors in preparation for hosting the annual Christmas Vespers service, which traditionally ends with everyone singing “Silent Night” to the accompaniment of an 1857 melodeon. This year’s event at the Territorial Museum is Dec. 4.

the centerpiece of Wakeeney’s decorations is a 35-foot tall tree made of fresh greenery resting under a canopy of blue lights which radiate from four ivory stars that crown the tree. the down-town display is made up of 3 miles of electrical wiring, 1,400 pounds of fresh greenery and 1,100 yards of fresh greenery roping.

Light Up KansasChristmas Celebrations

by bettSe folSom anD cynthia mineS

l 23

In what eventually became the capital of Kansas – Topeka – residents begin cel-ebrating Nov. 19 when the 2.5 mile drive through the Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights tour at Lake Shawnee Park opens.

Lighted floats highlight the Miracle on Kansas Avenue Parade on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and the Festival of Trees at the Kansas Expocentre’s Ag Hall this year is Dec. 2-5.

Immigrant customs are kept alive at Strawberry Hill Museum in Kansas City, which hosts its Olde World Christmas event with more than 30 rooms in the mansion lavishly decorated. Each ethnic group that immigrated to the Kansas City region is represented, and their Christ-mas cultures and memorabilia adorn the rooms.

Lindsborg celebrates its Swedish heritage with dancing, parades, food and music during the Old-Fashioned Christ-mas and Snowflake Parade Dec. 3 and Lucia Festival on Dec. 10. A traditional Julotta church service is early on Christ-mas morning.

Santa stays busy in December, and one of many stops is at the National Agri-cultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs. The Santa’s Express event features a visit from Santa in a historic depot, and chil-dren are able to participate in crafts and activities while learning about the way the prairie pioneers survived the harsh elements of winter on the plains.

Lawrence perhaps has the most unique twist on holiday celebrations – hundreds of residents gather the weekend after Thanksgiving for the “rescuing” of Santa from atop Weaver’s Department Store. Apparently abandoned there by his reindeer, Santa climbs down a firefight-er’s ladder with a pack full of treats.

On the first Saturday of December,

the city hosts its Old-Fashioned Christ-mas Parade featuring more than a hundred horse-drawn carriages, surreys, buggies, and riders decked out in Christ-mas regalia. The parade ends with the traditional finale of Santa Claus driven high above the crowd in a classic white sleigh and waving enthusiastically to the children below.

Other holiday events: nov. 19-Dec. 31 Winter Wonderland, 6 to 10 p.m. nightly, Lake Shawnee, Topeka, 785-232-0597

nov. 20-Dec. 30 Winfield Isle of Lights, 6 to 10 p.m. nightly, 620-221-2418

nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10, 17 Illuminations, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Botanica, the Wichita Gardens, 316-264-0448, botanica.org

nov. 26 61st Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, downtown Wakeeney

nov. 26 Lighted Christmas Parade & Weinachtfest, Russell, 785-483-2897

nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10, 17 Santa House, Commercial Street Mall, Atchison, 913-367-2427

nov. 28 Parade of Lights and kick-off for Christmas in Old Dodge City, visit-dodgecity.org

nov. 29 Downtown Christmas Parade and Holiday Festival, 6 p.m., Fort Scott, 1-800-245-3678

Dec. 2 Moonlight and Mistletoe Homes Tour, Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1-800-245-3678

Dec. 2-5 34th Annual Festival of Trees, Kansas Expocentre Grounds, Topeka, ksexpo.com

Dec. 2-3 Christmas Past, 7 to 9 p.m., Historic Fort Hays, 785-625-6812

Madame Hatter’s Tea Room

Moon Marble Company

SPEND A DAYWITH US!Bonner Springs, KansasVisit our playground of attractions and spend a day with us!■ Downtown Specialty Retail Shops & Restaurants ■ Moon Marble Company■ National Agricultural Center & Hall of Fame■ Kansas City Renaissance Festival■ Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone■ Sunflower Hills Golf Course■ Wyandotte County Historical Museum

Downtown Shops/Restaurants :

Exit 224 on I-70, South on K-7 Hwy. to 32 Hwy. exit, Right on 32 (Front St.).Shops located on Front, Oak Street & 100 block of Nettleton Avenue.

Exit 224 on I-70 | www.bonnersprings.org

Downtown Bonner Springs

2011 We are here ad FINAL:Layout 1 2/11/2011 9:50 AM Page 1

Light Up KansasHoliday celebrations (from left): lawrence parade; nutcrackers stand guard at abilene’s Seelye Mansion; and the Swedish Jultomte in lindsborg’s Snowflake parade.

Continued on page 24.

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Dec. 2-4 FrostFest, lighted parade on Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m., Hays, 785-628-8201

Dec. 2-3, 9-10 Let’s Make Merry: A Victorian Christmas Celebration, Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita, 316-219-1871, oldcowtown.org

Dec. 3 Holiday Craft Show, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Abilene, 785-263-3474

Dec. 3 Old-Fashioned Christmas Events and Festival of Lights Parade, Ellsworth, 785-472-4071

Dec. 3 Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, downtown Lawrence, lawrencechristmas parade.org

Dec. 3 Evening of Christmas Magic and Mayor’s Tree Lighting, downtown Abilene, 785-263-2231

Dec. 3, 10 Old-Fashioned Prairie Christ-mas, Old Mill Museum grounds, Lindsborg

Dec. 3 Snowflake Parade, Lindsborg

Dec. 4 Christmas in the Cabin, Heritage Center, Abilene, 785-253-2681

Dec. 4 Christmas Vespers at Historic Lecompton, 785-887-6148

Dec. 10 Lucia Festival, Lindsborg, 888-227-2227

Dec. 8-18 Christmas Traditions Trolley Tours, Abilene, 785-263-2231

Dec. 9-11 Prairie Nutcracker, Hutchin-son, 620-663-1981, prairienutcracker.com

Dec. 10 Fort Larned Christmas Past Open House, 7 p.m., 620-285-6911

Dec. 11 Candlelight Vintage Homes Tour, Leavenworth, [email protected]

Dec. 11 Cathedral Christmas Concert, presented by Fort Hays State University Choral Music Department at the Cathedral of the Plains, Victoria, 3 and 6:30 p.m., 785-628-4258

Dec. 11 Santa on the Train, 1 p.m., Abilene, 785-263-7266

Dec. 15-23 Dolly HollyDay Tours, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, fortscott.com

HillsboroArts & Crafts Fair

The Midwestern Creative Art Market

saturday, sept. 17, 2011 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Exhibitors from 16 states German Food Fest • Kaffeehaus

For more information,call 620-947-3506

Or write: Hillsboro Arts & Crafts Association

109 S. Main, Hillsboro, KS 67063

Holiday CelebrationscontinueD from Page 23.

l 25

april1 Tulip Time at Lake Shawnee, Ted Ensley Gardens, 785-267-1156.

1-2 7th Annual Mountain Man Encamp-ment, Cherokee Strip Museum, Arkansas City, 620-442-6750.

8-9 Mennonite Relief Sale and quilt auction, Hutchinson fairgrounds, kansas.mccsale.org.

10 Lincoln in Kansas with William S. Worley, 2 p.m., Glasco Corner Store, 785-568-0120.

12 Monumental Sculpture in Kansas with Erika Nelson, 6:30 p.m., Concordia, 785-243-3730.

13-16 30th Annual Inge Festival, celebrat-ing the Kansas playwright and the theater, Independence, 800-842-6063.

16 Civil War Reenactment Day, Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita, 316-219-1871, oldcowtown.org.

16 Easter Bonnet Parade, Brown Grand, Concordia, 785-243-2553.

16 Easter Bunny on the Train, Abilene, 785-263-7266.

16 Fort Leavenworth Homes Tour, Fron-tier Army Museum, 913-684-3193.

16-17 Civil War Calvary Weekend, Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1-800-245-3678.

17-24 Messiah Festival of the Arts, includ-ing performances of Handel’s “Messiah,” Lindsborg, 888-227-2227.

23 Easter Eggstravaganza, Sedgwick County Zoo, scz.org.

23 Easter Egg Hunt, Eisenhower Park, Abilene, 785-263-7266.

29 Atchison Art Walk, Atchison, 800-234-1854, atchisonkansas.net.

29-may 1 Wings N’ Wetlands Festival, Kansas Wetlands Education Center, Great Bend area, 620-786-7456.

May4-6 3-I Show, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

5 Cinco de Mayo, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

6-8 3rd Annual Prairie Rose Western Days, Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper, Benton, 316-778-2121.

6-8 KANZA Days, Winfield Fairground, 620-221-2420, winfieldchamber.org.

7 El Kan Western Riders Ranch Rodeo, Ellsworth, 785-225-6844.

7 Haunted Atchison Tours, Atchison, 800-234-1854, atchisonkansas.net.

7-8 Kansas Sampler Festival, Leaven-

worth, 913-417-7575, kansassampler.org.

7-8 Millfest, Lindsborg, 888-227-2227.

8-14 McPherson County All-Schoolís Day, carnival, May Fete, parade on May 13, McPherson, allschoolsdays.com.

13-14 Ellsworth Rods, Ribs & Rock Festi-val, Ellsworth, 785-472-5566.

27-30 Little Britches Rodeo & Old West Fun Fest, Dodge City, visitdodgecitty.org.

28 Vintage & Experimental Aircraft Fly-In, Amelia Earhart Airport, Atchison, 816- 262-5090.

28 Burns Route 77 Classic Car and Bike Show and Festival on Main Street, music, food, quilt and craft show, burnks.com.

28-30 Ride Steam Engine #3415, Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, Abilene, 785-263-1077.

28-30 Highlights in History, Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1-800-245-3638, and Fort Larned National Historic Site, 620-285-6911, nps.gov.

30 Antique Tractor & Engine Show, Lehigh 620-483-4176.

June1-12 Beef Empire Days, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

3-5, 10-12 Day Out with Thomas at Mid-land Railway, Baldwin, midland-ry.org.Continued on page 26.

Counties make it easy to hit two fairs in a day

Two flea markets in Doniphan County and two arts and crafts fairs in Marion County on the same days give shoppers ample opportunity to visit hundreds of vendors.

The Sparks Flea Market – which has been rated the fifth leading flea market in the nation – now has more than 500 vendors and attracts more than 50,000 visitors over a four-day weekend. It and the nearby White Cloud Flea Market are twice a year – in 2011 the weekends of April 30-May and Sept. 3-4.

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Marion County continues a decades-old tra-dition of hosting two large arts and crafts fairs – one in Hillsboro and one in Marion.

the 2011 Symphony in the Flint Hills is June 11. photo taken by student Jillian Blackburn for the WSu Flint Hills Media project.

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3-5 Good Ol’ Days Festival, Fort Scott, 1-800-245-3638, fortscottgoodoldays.com.

3-11 Wichita River Festival, downtown, wichitariverfest.com.

3 ZooLaLa, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rollinghillswildlife.com.

4 National Biplane Fly-in, Junction City’s Freeman Field, junctioncity.org.

4 Chingawassa Days, Marion, 620-382-3425, chingawassa.com.

4 Big Brutus, Miner’s Day Reunion, West Mineral, 620-827-6177.

4-5 19th Annual Mulvane Art Museumís Mountain/Plains Art Fair, Washburn Uni-versity, Topeka, washburn.edu/mulvane.

4-5 45th Annual Butterfield Trail Ride, Oakley, discoveroakley.com.

4-5 Atchison County Farm Tours, Atchison 800-234-1854, atchisonkansas.net.

4 John Brown’s Battle of Black Jack, 155th anniversary of the battle that many say was the first in the Civil War, Baldwin, 785-883-2106, blackjackbattlefield.org.

4-5 Mulvane Mountain/Plains Art Fair, 10 a.m., Washburn University, 785-670-1124, washburn.edu/Mulvane.

5-6 47th Annual Prairiefest, Arkansas City, 620-442-5895, prairiefestks.org.

8-11 Beef Empire Days Rodeo, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

8-9 Fort Harker Days, Kanapolis, 785-531-0147.

9-12 Paririesta, Russell, 785-483-4039.

9-12 Smoky Hill River Festival, Oakdale Park, Salina, riverfestival.com.

10 Dream Night at the Zoo, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rolling hillswildlife.com.

10-11 Orphan Train Riders Annual Celebration, Concordia, 785-243-4471, ridersontheorphantrain.org.

11 Symphony in the Flint Hills, Wabaunsee County, 816-471-0400, symphonyintheflinthills.org.

13 Mosaic Rock Concert, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

17-19 International Forest of Friendship Celebration, Atchison, 913-367-1419.

18-19 Downing Childrenís Garden Grand Opening, Botanica, Wichita, 316-264-0448, botanica.org.

18-19 Juneteenth Celebration, Atchison, 913-167-2481.

18-19 Midsummer’s Festival, Lindsborg, 888-227-2227.

19 Father’s Day Car Show, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rolling hillswildlife.com.

Hodgden House Museum Complex9 historic properties • 785-472-3059

Ellsworth Village MallAntiques • Gifts-Espresso bar • Deli210 N. Douglas Ave., 785-472-4659

Robson’s Card & Gift ShopHallmark Gold Crown Store • Gifts for all occasions

211 N. Douglas Ave. • www.robsonscardgift.com

Paden’s Place Restaurant & Bar Family Dining • Chicken Fried Steaks Specialty

785-472-3643

America’s Best ValueGarden Prairie Inn

Indoor pool, spa, meeting rooms, guest laundry 785-472-3116

C&R Old West Trading PostWestern wear • Antiques • Saddles • Accessories

123 N. Douglas, 785-472-3919

785-472-4071 • [email protected]

Wilson The CzeCh CapiTal of Kansas

Celebrating Our Heritage

51st anniversary Czech fest July 29-30, 2011

# events throughout the year# lake Wilson

for more information, contactthe Wilson Chamber of Commerce at:

785-658-2211

‘Expect the Unexpected in Lucas’Grassroots Capital of Kansas

Discover 17 “Outsider Art” Environments

[email protected]

Garden of Eden • 785-525-6395www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com

Grassroots Art Center • 785-525-6118www.grassrootsart.net

$1 Off All Tours with Ad

Topeka On the turnpike,

5 miles east of TopekaDaily : 9 am - 6 pm785.379.0200

Featuring 250 Kansas artists, craftsmen, authors and food producers at two locations:

Wilson1-70 Exit 206

Mon.-Sat. : 9 am - 6 pmSunday : 11 am - 6 pm

785.658.2602www.kansasoriginals.com

State of the Art with the Art of the State!

Calendar continued from page 25.

Sedgwick County zoo in Wichita celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

l 27

19-24 National Bass Tournament, Wilson Lake, russellks.org.

23-26 Country Stampede music festival, Manhattan, countrystampede.com.

25 Territorial Day, Lecompton, re-enact-ments, tours, parade, carnival, 785-887-6148.

26 Amelia Earhart Century Bike Ride, Atchison, 913-360-2617.

26-28 Hot Air Balloon Classics, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

26-28 Sky’s the Limit Championship BBQ Contest, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

July2 Celebrate America, Old-Fashioned Independence Day, Wichita, 316-219-1871, oldcowtown.org.

2-4 Highlights in History, Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1-800-245-3638.

2-4, 23-24 Ride Steam Engine #3415, Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, 200 SE Fifth, 785-263-1077.

4 Freedom Safari, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rollinghillswild life.com.

4 Old-Fashioned Independence Day Cel-ebration, Historic Fort Hays, 785-625-6812.

4 Wild West Festival, 9 a.m. to Midnight,

Municipal Park, Hays, 785-623-4476, wildwestfestival.com.

9-10 American Indian Festival, Mid-America All-Indian Center, Wichita, 316-350-3341, indiancenter.org.

15-16 Amelia Earhart Festival, Warnock Lake, Atchison, 800-234-1854, atchison kansas.net.

16 Great Planes on the Great Plains Fly In, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hays Regional Airport, 785-628-7350, flyhays.com.

20-23 74th Pretty Prairie Rodeo, Pretty Prairie, 800-638-2702, pprodeo.com.

23 National Day of the Cowboy, Old Abilene Town, 785-263-2681.Continued on page 28.

McPherson Opera Housee First-class live entertain-

ment in an elegant and intimate setting.

e Rental spaces for every occasion, including conferences.

e 21st-century amenities in a beautifully restored 19th-century Opera House.

Visit our website mcphersonoperahouse.org

for a complete show schedule.620.241.1952

September 24 & 25, 2011 Lakeside Park, McPherson

(Centrally located, between Wichita and Salina on I-135)

Year of the Pipe & Drum Come see 100 pipers and drummers from several states perform at this family-centered weekend

of traditional Scottish activities.

Massed bands • Highland athleticsCeltic singers & dancers • Kids’ crafts & games

Clan tents • Nationally known musiciansChildren 12 and under admitted free

S p e c i a l t r av e l k a n S a S o f f e r

$1 off admission(you may photocopy)

1-800-324-8022www.macfestival.org

phoTos © laurel Kenney, Jr.ad funded in parT by MCpherson CVb granT

The 18th Annual

A Top 100 Event in North America

For balloon festival dates, see page 18; for Kansas 150th anniversary events, page 20; and holiday events, page 23.

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24 Taste of Adventure, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rollinghillswild life.com.

29-30 Bluegrass & Old Tyme Music Festi-val, Milford State Park, junctioncity.org.

29-30 51st Czech Festival, Wilson, 785-658-2211.

29-aug. 7 Dodge City Days & PRCA Rodeo, Dodge City, 620-227-3119, visitdodge city.org.

29-31 Kustom Kemps of America (KKOA) Leadsled Spectacular Car Show, Oakdale Park, Salina, 877-725-4625.

august3-7 Tri-Rivers Fair, Rodeo & Draft Horse Show, Saline County Livestock & Expo Center, 877-725-4625.

4-6 65th Annual Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo, Abilene Fairgrounds Arena, 785-263-4570.

4-6 Ride Steam Engine #3415, Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, 200 SE Fifth, 785-263-1077.

5-6 Follow the Yellow Brick Road Event, Garnett, 785-448-6767, garnettchamber.org.

5-7 Goessel Country Threshing Days, 620-367-2229 goesselks.com.

8-21 Civil War on the Western Frontier, Lawrence, 785-865-4499, visitlawrence.com.

13 3rd Annual 19th Century Vintage Base-ball Game, 1 p.m., Eisenhower Grounds, 785-263-6700.

19-21 Cherokee Strip Renaissance Festival

– An Enchanted Summer’s End, Arkansas City, 620-442-6750.

19-20 El Kan Western Riders Rodeo and Cowtown Festival, Ellsworth, 785-472-3900.

19-21 K&O Steam and Gas Engine Show, Winfield Fairgrounds, 620-221-7608, kosteamgas.org.

20 4th Annual Topeka Railroad Festival,

Visit Morris County 800-732-9211

www.councilgrove.com

[email protected]

photos courtesy of Harold Gaston/Kanscape Photography

Kansas Largest night

JuLy20-23Pretty Prairie

• starts at 8 p.m. all 4 nights

• Get autographs before each performance

• Wednesday/thursday are Family nights(kids 12 and under FREE)

• FREE DancE after rodeo all nights

www.pprodeo.com

save on advancedticket Purchases

call1-800-638-2702after July 4

74thDowntown Historic council Grove

Prairie victorian B&B centrally located on historic santa Fe trail. Perfect place

for romantic getaways, family reunions, girls’ weekends,

meetings or retreats.Modern Comforts in Nostalgic Surroundings

26 Rooms in Main Building

Two Honeymoon Cottages

Near Famous Hays House Restaurant

On-site Motel Units Perfect for Hunters

High-speed Wireless Internet

Breakfast Buffet with Fresh-baked Muffins

Rates from $70-$190

25 North Neosho, Council Grove620-767-6828 or 800-727-7903

cottagehousehotel.com

foTo CoWboy

the Emma Chase Cafè in downtown Cottonwood Falls hosts local musicians in a jam session every Friday evening throughout the year. pHoto By Harland J. SCHuStEr


l 29

9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Great Overland Station, 785-232-5533, greatoverland station.com.

20 Western Vista Sunflower Classic Bike Tour and Family Fun Ride, Annie Oakley Park, Oakley, discoveroakly.com.

26 Zoo Brew, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rollinghillswildlife.com.

26-28 Tumbleweed Festival and 150th Birthday Celebration, Lee Richardson Zoo, 620-275-8621, gardencitychamber.net.

27 Victorian Ball, Old Cowtown Museum, 316-219-1871, oldcowtown.org.

27 Big Brutus Polka Fest, West Mineral, 620-827-6177.

September3 Adams Apple Festival, Lucas, 785-525-6288, lucaskansas.com.

3-oct. 17 Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, weekends, kcrenfest.com.

3-oct. 31 Haunted Atchison Season, Atchi-son, 800-234-1854, atchisonkansas.net.

3-4 Age of the Gunfighter, Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita, 316-219-1871, oldcow town.org.

3-5 Clyde Watermelon Festival, Clyde, cloudcountytourism.

3 Kansas Cattle Towns with Jim Gray, Caldwell, 620-845-6666, kansas humanities.org.

3-5 Ride Steam Engine #3415, Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, Abilene, 785-263-1077.

3 The Cherokee Strip Land Rush of 1893 with Heather Ferguson, Caldwell, kansashumanities.org.

4 Old Settlers’ Day, Russell Springs, discoveroakley.com.

9-18 Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson fair-grounds, kansasstatefair.com.

10 Fort Scott Air Show, Fort Scott Airport, 620-5490, fortscott.com.

14-18 40th Annual Walnut Valley Festival and National Flat-Picking Champion-ship, Winfield Fairground, 620-221-3250, wvfest.com.

16-18 5th Annual US Highway 36 Trea-sure Hunt, 785-282-3548, ushwy36.com.

17 Art in the Park/Fall Fest, Garden City, 800-879-9803.

17 42nd annual Hillsboro Arts & Crafts Fair, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hillsboro, 620- 947-3506.

17 32nd annual Art in the Park and Craft Show, Marion, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 620-382-3425, marionks.com.

17-18 Freedom Festival, Osawatomie, 913-755-4384, kshs.org.

17-18 Midwest Deutsche Oktoberfest, Ellis County Fair Grounds, 785-628-7350, midwestdeutschefest.com.

22-24 Bald Eagle Rendezvous, Lecomp-ton, 785-887-6148.

22-25 Santa Fe Trail 2011 Symposium, Dodge City, 620-227-7377.

23-25 Medicine Lodge Indian Peace Treaty Pageant, peacetreaty.org.

23-24 23rd Annual Kansas Championship Ranch Rodeo, Medicine Lodge.

24 Old Settler’s Day, Marion, parade, food and games, Central Park, 620-382-3425, marionks.com.

24 National Drovers Hall of Fame Kansas 150th Longhorns Cattle Drive End-of-the-Trail Celebration, Ellsworth, 785-472-5085.

24 Rails ’n Trails Festival, Herington Fair-grounds, 785-258-2115.

24 Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair, 8th & Iron, Salina, 785-309-5776.

24 Fall Fest, Downtown Concordia, concordiakansaschamber.com.Continued on page 30.

National OrphanTrain Museum

1 in 25 people are connectedto an Orphan Train Rider

Brown Grand TheatreNazareth Convent

POW Camp Concordia

Great Lodging & Dining

Longest sculpted brick mural in the US at 6th & US81

Whole Wall Mural

Coronado Quivira Museum

Three Golf Courses Sterling Lake

Motels Unique Shopping

Bed and Breakfast Historic Courthouse

620-257-5166 [email protected]

LYONS “Fair on the Square” September 24, 2011

STERLING Old Fashion 4th of July

July 3 - 4, 2011

30 l

1904 Pope HartfordSingle - 10 hp - 78” wb

WELLINGTON’S

Spring Mid-April thru May1-5 pm • Sat. & Sun.

Summer June thru October1-5 pm • Daily

Fall All of November1-5 pm • Sat. & Sun.

Chisholm Trail MuseuMHOURS:

502 N. WashingtonWellington, Kansas 67152

620 326-3820

“You need to preserve your heritage, ... or you lose your way.”

Across the street from the Sumner CountyCourthouse, the Chisholm Trail Museumcontains over 40 rooms filled with over20,000 artifacts and pictures, most collectedlocally, some dating back to the Civil Warand the early-day cattle trail that passed westof Wellington.

ADMISSION: Donations Graciously Accepted

(We are supported by donations.)

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Chisholm Trail Museum 2010

Monday, March 01, 2010 12:05:05 AM

Open Year Round with

Fun for the whole family

Old Western MoviesHorse-drawn Wagon Rides & Train Rides

Special Kids’ Activities

Featuring Cowboy Entertainment by

Southern Gospel Sounds of

15 min. northeast of Wichita off K-254Reservations required: 316-778-2121

www.prairierosechuckwagon.com

24 Fair on the Square, Lyons, 620-257-5166.

24-25 Cider Days, Kansas Expocentre, Topeka, 785-230-5226.

24-25, oct. 1-2 Ciderfest, Louisburg Cider Mill, 913-837-5202, louisburgcider mill.com.

24-25 McPherson Scottish Festival, Lake-side Park, 800-324-8022, macfestival.org.

october1 33rd Annual Chisholm Trail Day Festival, Abilene, 785-263-2681.

1 Glasco 25th Annual Fun Day, City Park, Glasco, skyways.org/towns/glasco.

1 Oktoberfest Arts & Crafts Festival, Commercial Street Mall, Atchison, atchison kansas.net.

1 Railroads in Kansas with William S. Worley, 2 p.m., Dane G. Hansen Memorial

Museum, 785-689-4846, kansas humanities.org.

1 Winfield Art in the Park, 620-221-2161, winfieldarts.com.

1-2 Ciderfest, Louisburg Cider Mill, 913-837-5202, louisburgcidermill.com.

1-2 OZtoberfest, Wamego, ozmuseum.com, 866-458-TOTO.

1-Jan. 8, 2012 Creatures of the Abyss Na-tional Traveling Exhibit, Exploration Place,

The hotel is unforgettable.The cuisine divine.

Life is good . . .in the Flint Hills!

Grand CentralHotel & Grill

Cottonwood Falls, KS800-951-6763 (reservations only)

620-273-6763www.grandcentralhotel.com

AAA Four Diamond Historic Hotel Since 1998

Facilities available for meetings, executive retreats, seasonal parties, [email protected]


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Wichita, 316-660-0670, exploration.org.

2 Apple Festival, Old Prairie Town, Topeka, 785-363-3888.

7-8 Old-Fashioned County Fair, Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita, 316-219-1871, oldcowtown.org.

7-8 Svensk Hyllningsfest, biennial Swedish celebration, Lindsborg, 888-227-2227.

7-9 Columbus Hot Air Balloon Regatta and Columbus Day Festival, Columbus, 620-429-1492, columbusdayballoons.com.

8 Oz Festival, Dorothy’s House, Liberal, 620-624-7624.

8 Pumpkin PaZoola, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rollinghillswild life.com.

8-9 Antique Engine & Steam Show, Yester-year Museum, Salina, 877-725-4625.

15-16 54th Annual Maple Leaf Festival, Baldwin, 785-594-7564, mapleleaffestival.com.

16 Century of Toys Toy Show, Bicentennial Center, Salina, 877-725-4625.

20-23 9th Tallgrass Film Festival, Down-town Wichita, 316-974-0089, tallgrass filmfest.com.

21-22, 27-29 Night Terrors, 7 p.m.,

Theatre Atchison, atchisonkansas.net.

26-29 Arkalalah, Fall Festival, Arkansas City, 620-442-6077.

28-29 Halloween Haunted Train, Atchison Rail Museum, atchisonkansas.net.

28-30 Night of the Living Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, scz.org.

29 Graveside Conversations, 7 to 10 p.m., Historic Fort Hays, 785-625-6812.

29 Hay, Hooves and Halloween, Wichita, 316-219-1871, oldcowtown.org.

31 Legends of Old Boot Hill Cemetery, 7 p.m., 18th & Fort Street, Hays, 785-628-2624.

november1- Dec.26 Sandzèn Art Gallery Annual Holiday Gift Show, Lindsborg, 785-227-2220, visitlinsborg.com.

13 Taste of Adventure, Rolling Hills Zoo & Wildlife Museum, Salina, rollinghills wildlife.com.

30 Gordon Parks Birthday Celebration, Fort Scott Community College, 1-800- 245-3678, gordonparkcenter.org.

For holiday events, see 23-24.

Travel Kansas and stay at these exclusive

hotels & motels managed by

Kansas-owned and locally operated

BurlingtonCountry Haven Inn | 1-800-942-8369

CoffeyvilleSleep Inn & Suites | 1-877-424-6423

HeringtonHerington Inn & Suites

1-800-597-4581

HesstonAmericInn Lodge & Suites

1-800-686-4377

HillsboroCountry Haven Inn | 1-877-404-2836

HoisingtonCheyenne Bottoms Inn & Suites

Opening early 2011 | 1-877-406-6022

GarnettGarnett Inn, Suites & RV Park

1-877-448-4200

LyonsCelebration Centre Inn & Suites

1-866-372-0882

ParsonsSleep Inn & Suites | 1-877-424-6423

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SVHA Travel Kansas 10

Thursday, March 04, 2010 3:17:47 PM

A journey on a historic two-lane highwayA journey on a historic two-lane highway

Corporate East HotelWhere Business Meets Pleasure____

Opened July 2009____1110 E. Oklahoma Ave., Ulysses

620-356-5010corporateeasthotel.com

Historic LecomptonTerritorial Capital of Kansas 1855

Pre-Civil War Sites Open Wednesday-Sunday:Territorial Capitol Museum and Constitution hall

Territorial day June 25bald eagle rendezvous September 22-24

Christmas Vespers December 4 Tours: 785-887-6148

lecompton exit east of Topekawww.lecomptonkansas.com

H e r i nGton

Fun for all ages

Sept. 24, 2011 For more info, call 785-258-2115

e-mail [email protected] or visit www.tricountycofc.com

For year-round screenings, festival showtimes and information: www.tallgrassfilmfest.com

9th Annual

Oct 20-23, 2011 • Wichita, KS

Get Twisted

32 l

Abilene 2-3, 4, 5, 22, 23, 24 Agenda 7Anthony 7, 18 Arkansas City 7, 32 Atchison 5, 7, 23Beaumont 13Beloit 7, 22 Bennington 7, 8Bonner Springs 23Caney 7Canton 8Chanute 7, 15 Chetopa 7 Cimarron 7 Cloud County 13, 29 Colby 11 Columbus 16, 18, 30 Concordia 29 Cottonwood Falls 15, 30Council Grove 7, 14, 15, 28Dodge City 4, 14, back coverEdgerton 11 Ellsworth 24, 26 Ellinwood 11 Eudora 11 Fort Scott 14, 22, 24, 32Garden City 7, 17, 18, 20, 24 Gardner 7, 18 Garnett 20 Glasco 7 Goessel 21Grant County 18

Hamilton 7 Hays 7, 10, 24Herington 7, 31 Highway 24 31Hillsboro 24, 31Holton 7 Howard 7 Hutchinson 7, 24 Independence 7 Johnson 7 Junction City 24Kansas B&B Association 14

Kansas Sampler Foundation 5Kanopolis 26Kansas City 11, 16, 17, 23 Lawrence 11, 12, 14, 20, 23, 24 Leavenworth 5, 7, 11, 22, 24 Lecompton 20, 22, 31Lindsborg 5, 23, 24Louisburg 11, 18 Lucas 26Lyons 8, 29, 31 Manhattan 8 Marion County 14, 15, 21, 25 Marquette 7 McLouth 10McPherson 20, 27 Medicine Lodge 20, 24 Merriam 7Montezuma 20

Mulvane 11 Norwich 7 Oakley 14 Olathe 11 Oskaloosa 7 Overland Park 18Parsons 18, 31 Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper 30Pretty Prairie 28 Rice County 29Russell 20, 26 Quinter 7, 11 Sabetha 7 Salina Inside front cover, 9, 11 Seneca 7Sterling 29Topeka 7, 16. 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 26 Udall 11 Ulysses 18, 31Wakeeney 7, 22Wamego 9, 11, 32 Waterville 12, 15Wellington 30 Wellsville 20Westmoreland 7Whitewater 11 Wichita 1, 7, 11, 15, 19, 31Williamsburg 11 Wilson 12, 15, 26

You thought it was only a dream . Oz Museum

511 Lincoln, Wamego866-458-TOTO (8686)

ozmuseum.com Open daily except major holidays

OZtoberfest

Celebrate all things Oz at our annual festival, first weekend in October

www.visitwamego.com

Listed by town or county, does not include calendar listings.

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