After spending a couple of Mardi Gras seasons on the Gulf Coast, we decided to do something different last year. We traveled to Liberal, Kansas, for the 75th annual International Pancake Day, always held on Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday as we also know it. What fun!
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We’ve been to a lot of botanic gardens, in the Midwest and other parts of the U.S. So, when we say Botanica, the Wichita Gardens is at the top of our list of favorites, it means a lot. What makes it special? Read on (or watch the video) to find out.
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When the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail launched last year, we couldn’t wait to experience it. The trail is made up of four Kansas cities that were mentioned often in the old radio and television Gunsmoke series— Wichita, Dodge City, Hays, and Abilene—and includes lots of Old West-related attractions.
Our latest Midwest Wanderer Explores e-zine issue, “Kansas Gunsmoke Trail,” includes twelve articles about our experiences on the trail, plus links to related blog posts we’ve published in the past.
…and so much more.
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Old West history… The oldest operating C.W. Parker carousel… An Extensive Telephone Exhibit… These are three things that stood out to me at the Dickinson County Heritage Center and Museum in Abilene, Kansas.
We arrived as the museum was opening for the day, and the first thing I did was to practically run through the building and out the back to where the carousel stands. I scored a private ride on the carousel, and staff member Wade Needham related the history the C.W. Parker carousel company.
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The United State established Fort Hays (originally called Fort Fletcher) as a U.S. Army post in 1865. The fort’s function, like other frontier forts, was to protect railroad workers and settlers as they traveled west. They were also tasked with enforcing treaties with Indian tribes.
The fort grounds included 7,650 acres of land, but its 45 buildings were situated on just 65 of those acres. Today only four buildings remain, as well as a visitor center, on a fraction of the original fort property.
Honestly, when we first saw the property, we thought it would be a quick visit. But, besides the four buildings, there are several foundations that outline other former buildings. Those foundations, together with signage throughout the property and exhibits inside the existing buildings, make a great self-guided tour. We ended up spending several hours exploring Historic Fort Hays.
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We’ve been to several distilleries in our travels, some of which buy their grains from local farmers. But Boot Hill Distillery in Dodge City, Kansas, is the only distillery we’ve been to that does it all—from farming the grain to bottling the spirits. In addition, the distillery itself is in a historic spot, right atop the former Boot Hill Cemetery.
On our 2018 visit, Director of Sales, Lee Griffith, led us on a tour of the distillery. Along the way, he recounted the history of not only the distillery, but also of the building itself, as well as the initial use of the land beneath the building.
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