I always love spending time in the Flint Hills. I stayed at another property owned by Lark Inn, as usual it was a very comfortable and certainly enjoyed our stay.
Lark Inn on Main, Cottonwood Falls, KS
On the way home I had planned on hiking at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, but the weather had changed and I wasn’t prepared for the cooler temperatures! I did explore around the Lower Fox Creek School
I always love to take the road that is less traveled.
This low water crossing opened up to bottom land that is now cultivated farm ground.
As I traveled up from the crossing thru the field I went up to an abandoned homestead. I can only imagine what life would have been like for this family. This place is so isolated even to this day. I always think I would have loved to have lived in Kansas during this time. The beauty of the land, so unspoiled, no noise pollution, just the sounds and sights of nature. So dark at night.
I read a book titled Homesman, which is also a movie starring Tommy Lee Jones. It’s about a woman and Tommy Lee who take three women from the Nebraska territory, who unfortunately have been driven mad by life on the prairie, back east to their families. As I stood at this homestead I thought about some of the hardship these pioneer women went thru. My grandmother was out in Western Kansas during the 1930’s dust storms and she didn’t want to talk about it. Now I feel bad when I complain about the dust on windy days!
I find so many of these old sites that I wished I could buy them and restore them. Such a loss.
It was a beautiful clear crisp fall day, perfect for a trip to Post Rock Country. 
Sunrise School District #58 Built in 1885
Farmhouse and Stove Cave Celler
This was a big stone home. A great one to fix up!!
Bethany Cemetery and Church
I love the shoe scrapper! Made out of a horse harness!
Battle Creek School 1923-1965
Victor, Kansas
Round Springs Cemetery 1914
Outhouse behind church. I think I can wait!
Paris School District #42 1882-1947
Just a Little House on the Prairie
I spent a wonderful week in Missouri with the grandkids while their parents were on vacation. NO adult supervision!! They kept poor ole granny busy, getting them to school, cheer, riding lessons, church activities, dentist. Thankfully everything was written out for me and I didn’t miss anything or forget a child anywhere!
Fall in the Ozarks (actually anytime of the year) is beautiful.
This is a bridge on Historic Route 66 just outside of Spencer MO
It’s been a rather slow week at Farmer Days. Mr. Farmer is out of town and Wylie is “suppose” to be keeping quite and limiting his activities due to an injury, so I though I would look back to my photos from October 2013. It SNOWED on October 18, 2013. We could use the moisture now, but I would like it as rain and not snow. I’m certainly not looking forward to winter. Why is autumn so beautiful, but so short?!? I hope you can get out and enjoy this beautiful day.
On our adventure to Denmark, we encountered numerous abandoned homesteads. It’s sad to see this part of our history in ruins. I can only imagine what it would have been like out on the prairies of Kansas. I just received a book titled Sod and Stubble by John Ise. It’s about a young woman and her family homesteading near Downs, KS in the 1870’s. I looking forward to reading it. I’m sure there will be an adventure to that area when I finish the book!
These photos were taken around numerous places between here and there. Mostly there, in Post Rock Country.
Twin Grove School 1870-1947 Historical Site Lincoln, County, KS
I’ve come across numerous cellars and I have not ventured down into any of them. I really doubt if I ever go into one!
Denmark Kansas, located in Lincoln County, was settled in 1869 by Danish Lutherans. The church was completed in 1880, the bell tower and entry was added in 1901. The Denmark Hotel was built in 1917 when the railroad came through the town. At one time there was a bank and several other businesses. Today there is a co-op and also a great destination for pheasant hunting. Spillman Creek Lodge.
Here is a link to the lodge http://spillmancreek.com/index.cfm
Monarchs stopped by today on their way to over-winter in Mexico. Each spring and summer there are 3 – 5 generations born. Most of them live 5 weeks, with the exception of the last generation born at the end of summer. They make the journey back to Mexico. They will then return the following spring. Over-wintering monarchs can live to be 8 months old.
The monarchs were feeding on the butterfly milkweed and vitex (Chaste tree). We are also in the process of adding a larger area of plants focusing on plants that attract butterflies.
There was a time in Kansas history, when a one room school house was built in almost every township, approximately 3 miles apart. They stood on an acre of ground donated by a farmer and built with public funds. Low enrollment and consolidation forced the closing of Kansas’ one room school houses in the 1950’s and 60’s.
The Bichet School District 34 was built in 1896. Along with the one room school house, are two outhouses and a stone cave, all constructed of native limestone. Two students were attending the Bichet School when it closed in 1946. The school served the French settlement 4 miles east of Florence, KS. The Bichet School District 34 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A post office was established April 1860 at Bazaar, Kansas, in July of 1876 the post office was renamed Mary (in honor of the postmaster’s wife) then changed back to Bazaar 2 years later. On March 31, 1931 TWA Flight 599 crashed southwest of town, killing all 8 on board, including Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. There is a memorial along the Kansas Turnpike and also at the crash site, which is on private land. With the arrival of the railroad, Bazaar became a major shipping point for cattle. The school that as built along what is now Highway 177 closed when it consolidated with Cottonwood Falls, and it now serves as a community center.
Matfield Green, KS is named after Matfield, England. A post office was established here in 1867 it closed in 1995. Around the turn of the 19th century this was a town of 350 residents. There was a bank, grocery store, livery and blacksmith, hardware store, flour mill, lumber yard, hotel and schools. 2010 census is 47. Matfield Green is located in the beautiful Flints Hills and there are 2 ranches nearby on the Nation Register of Historical Places, the Crocker Ranch and Pioneer Bluffs Ranch.
Farmer Days 