A Kansas roadtrip anyone? I was driiving down Route 83 towards southern Texas which took me through the northwest corner of the state. Having never been to this state before I decided this was a great opportunity to explore. In the little research I did I found a few popular sites in the northwestern part of the state near Oakley that I wanted to see.
The first on my list was Monument Rocks. After a 15 minute drive over gravel road I saw the huge rocks in the distance. The unique formations stood in stark contrast to the flat prairies surrounding them, it was a capitvating and intriguing sight.
Monument Rocks also known as the Chalk Pyramids, is a stunning geological formation. There are several towering limestone pillars, some reaching up to 70 feet in height formed over millions of years by the erosion of the surrounding landscape. It was a spectacular spot for exploring and picture taking.
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park
Next spot was Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park just a few miles away. The unique name came from the nearby bustling town of Jersualem, which is now a ghost town.
The park features rugged limestone bluffs, woodlands and the meandering Solomon River. There are tonnes of hiking trails to take you through the bluffs, I only took a short walk as it was getting to be the end of my day.
Buffalo Bill
As the day came to an end the cold weather, clouds and forcasted rain storm set in. I decided to spend the night at a TA truckstop near Oakley. The next morning I woke up to heavy fog and rain. I decided it was safer to stay and enjoyed gluten free pancakes at IHOP, explored the shops in the small town of Oakley, and visited the Buffalo Bill Cultural & Visitor Center.
The bronze statue outside of the visitor center is of Buffalo Bill Cody on horseback. It pays homage and commemorates the legendary frontierman and showman, Willian F “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his contributions to developing the American West.
At the visitor center I learned more about Kansas and found several scenic roadtrips throughout the state that looked interesting. I decided to head along highway 18 to Wamego where I could see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz museum, which was on my list.
Kansas Roadtrip Scenic Drive
My first stop that day was at the “Cathedral of the West”, a nickname for the beautiful Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the tiny town of Park. The parish started in 1898 and the large church and steeple were build in 1923. The steeple is visible from Highway 70 and is a dominant fixture in the western Kansas countryside. Unable to see the inside I enjoyed walking around the outside and reading about its history.
Nicodemus
Next stop was at Nicodemus, the first black settlement in Kansas. Wanting to own land, Affican American settlers, some former slaves founded the town in 1877. The town was named after the biblical figure Nicodemus, who helped prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
Furthermore, despite the town’s decline over the years, it remains as a symbol of African American resilience and self-determination. The National Park Service designated Nicodemus a National Historic Site in 1996. This gave the town the recongnition it deserved for its significance in American history.
Efforts are being made to preserve and interpret the town’s history, including the Nicodemus National Historic Site Visitor Center. The only information I could find was on some outdoor signs as to my disappointment the visitor center was closed when I was there.
Cyclone Day
I read about the “Cyclone Day” structure in Cordell and then was so intriguing I decided to stop. The name is in reference to the phenomena of tornadoes (cyclones) hitting the Cordell community in 1916, 1917 and 1918 all on May 20th. I thought this was fascinating piece of history and the structure was beautiful..
First Log House
A few miles further along this route, in Luray, was where I visited the first log house built in this area. As I walked through this one room cabin I could see the determination and craftsmanship used to built this beautiful structure. It symbolizes the challenges overcome by those who sought the new beginning in the untamed frontier.
A living piece of history preserving the stories of the brave people who build it and the struggles they endured to establish their hiome in the vast prairie landscape.
One of my Favorite stops on my Kansas Roadtrip
The small town of Lucas is the Art Capital of Kansas. The town has a vibrant art scene with quirky art installations, galleries, and events that celebrate creativity and expression. One of the most famous sites in Lucas is ‘The Bowl’, a mosaic walled bathroom and courtyard. The town was very artsy and I explored a few cool galleries.
The Garden of Eden
I took the tour of The Garden of Eden located in Lucas. This fascinating home and cement garden was created by local eccentric artist named Samuel Perry Dinsmoor and was my favorite stop so far on my Kansas roadtrip.
He built his house by himself (mansion at that time) with limestone that he transported from local mines between 1905 and 1907. Dinsmoor began constructing the Garden of Eden in 1907 and completed it in 1929.
This really unique art site is a series of concrete sculptures and structures that depict various biblical and polititcal themes. He showcased his unconventional artist vision in his backyard. Using over 130,000 tonnes of cement to build the sculptures that was all moved to the site by hand.
He was narcissistic besides being eccentric, deciding to build a stone mausoleum where eventually he and his second wife were buried. He is mummified and placed in a cement coffin with a glass lid. This is where his body lies today. His wife lies below him in separate stone coffin.
You have the option to enter the mousoleum to view his body laying there. I found the history of the place, his commitmment to his artist dream and definitley a touch of craziness mixed in very fascinating.
Rock City
Rock City near Minneapolis was a really cool, otherworldly site. The rocks are magnificent examples of sandstone concretions. These formed over millions of years when the area was an inland sea now making them a one of a kind site.
This is the only place in the world where so many concretions of such a giant size are found in one area. To me they looked like huge cow turds, but learning about the history of how these rocks were formed made it very interesting to explore.
Finally Stop on my Kansas Roadtrip
My final stop along Highwary 18 was the Wonderful Wizard of Oz museum in Wamego. The Wizard of Oz book was not a big part of my childhood but to me Kansas and the book were synonymous.
I really enjoyed the couple hours going through this really extensive museum. It’s vast amount of memorabilia and stories were really cool to see and read.
Across the street was a yellow brick road to walk and explore the beautiful wall artwork. A very fun, informative day.
Time to Head South
Mid October and snow was predicted, which meant it was time to head futher south. I found out Kansas is the Sunflower state while exploring, I realized I missed the vast fields of sunflower blooms. I will definitely make another Kansas roadtrip to this beautidul state.