Tag Archives: Barns

A Trip To Great Steaks

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I had been wanting to return to a little town where I happened across a closed school that was advertising “America’s Best Steaks”.  I stopped and being a “beef connoisseur” I only purchased a couple of pounds of hamburger and two filets.  They were amazing!  I knew I would be making a trip back.  Bogue, KS is 137 miles from home, so there is a lot to see on the way.

Rocks, pond and prairie south of Wilson Lake

First log cabin home in Russell County, KS

❤️️ the hay bale flag

I found Paradise!!  Now if I could only locate the Fountain of Youth!

Built in 1938 the limestone water tower is a historic Works Progress Administration project.

This area of Kansas grows a lot of corn.

Beautiful barn, I haven’t noticed many with hay hooks hanging.

America’s Best Steaks!!  Dry aged angus beef.  SO good!  America’s Best Steaks will ship if you can’t make it to Bogue, KS.  Their steaks are wonderful, trust me……(comments a former vegetarian!)

Couldn’t resist a stop at Al’s Chickenette in Hays on the way home.  The restaurant opened in  1949.  Wylie is waiting patiently (not really) for a bite a chicken.   Here’s a link to their website.

 

 

 

Out and About

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This beautiful watch dog lives a few miles from us.  I love seeing him guarding his sheep.  If I sit and watch him too long, he will move his herd away.  I wished Wylie could spend a day with him!!

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Glad someone is restoring this beautiful home.

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Watching over the prairie

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Stone arch railroad bridge

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I don’t often see a barn with the silo attached to it.

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Whitewater Falls Stock Farm

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Traveling the backroads to find an old barn, my adventure took me across this old steel truss bridge.  It’s one of my favorite design of bridges along with the stone arch bridges.  This bridge is across the Whitewater River in Butler County, KS.

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Tree lined backroad on the way to Whitewater Falls Stock Farm

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In 1879 James Robinson, came to Kansas from Illinois where he was known as “Apple” Robinson because of his success with fruit orchards, he purchased 3,840 acres of land along the Whitewater River near Towanda, KS.  Locals called him  “Wheat” Robinson, as he farmed large amounts of wheat and was the first to grow alfalfa in Kansas.  With his sons he purchased an additional 13,000 acres and in 1884 he began to breed Percheron horses.  By 1911 Whitewater Falls Stock Farm was the largest Percheron farm in the nation.

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The young family that lives on the Farm is in the process of restoring this amazing beautiful barn.  Here is the link to their Facebook page.  Whitewater Falls Stock Farm

Donate Here to help restore Whitewater Falls Stock Farm Barn

Weekend Trip

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Herrington City Lake on a cold snowy day.  I saw a couple of eagles, but couldn’t get a good picture of them.

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Cedar Point, KS

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I liked the old bicycle by the door.

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Cedar Point is located in Chase County, KS  Population 28

Drinkwater & Schriver Mill  This mill has been purchased and is currently being renovated.

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Another Lark Inn property in Cottonwood Falls. This is Fox Hollow, as with all their properties, a wonderful place to stay!!  Comfortable 2 bedroom cottage, within walking distance to downtown Cottonwood.  We ate at Ad Astra Food and Drink, and also at the Grand Central Hotel, so good!!

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A trip to this area wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.

Lower Fox Creek School

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Howard, KS

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Howard, Kansas is the county seat of Elk County.  Founded in 1870, Howard is named after Oliver Howard who was a Civil War General of the Union Army. Current population  is approximately 700.

Elk County Courthouse, Howard, KS

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Filling Station

 

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Howard National Bank

I didn’t open an account here, but what a beautiful building!

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Kansas has so many beautiful barns.  This one is just north of Howard.

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Exploring just West of Home

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It was so beautiful that I just had to get out!  Just a few minutes from home there is this old sandstone homestead.  It sits in a great location, out in the middle of a pasture with sandstone bluffs to the south.  What a beautiful place to live and raise a family.  DSC02835

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Wide open spaces

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You never know who is watching you!

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Sandstone formation

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The barn is the only thing left of this homestead.  Built in 1910

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Old barn with a rock fence

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Another abandoned homestead, they have cleared the trees from around this home.  Maybe someone will fix it up.

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Homestead

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

 

Fall in the Ozarks

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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.

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This is a bridge on Historic Route 66 just outside of Spencer MO

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Dickinson County, KS

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Cemetery and Church near Holland, KS

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Navarre, KS

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Woodbine, KS

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Pearl, KS

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Barn and abandoned farms near Chapman, KS

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Enterprise, KS

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Patriotic silo near Abilene, KS

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Beaumont Hotel, Kansas and Flint Hills along 177

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The Beaumont Hotel is located in Beaumont, KS in Butler County, KS. The hotel was built in 1879 as a railroad hotel.  Across the street from the hotel is a wooden 1885 Frisco water tower,  once used to service steam locomotives, one of the last remaining water tower of its kind in the US.  In the 1940’s business men would land their planes on Main Street to check their cattle.  The hotel purchased some land on the east side of town in 1953  and put in a grass landing strip.  Pilots now taxi up Main Street to park at the bent prop parking lot.  Cars must yield to aircraft!DSC01079

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This is a day trip that I will take again.  It was such a cloudy, foggy, drizzly day.  Just south of Beaumont is the Elk River Wind Project.  There are 150 windmills situated on 8,000 acres.  I couldn’t see any of them.

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I think I will take another road!!!  DSC01087

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A couple of wild horses along the road between Rosalia and Cassoday.  There is a herd of 2000 wild horses just to the south of Cassoday.

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Matfield Station, Matfield Green, KS  is a former railroad bunkhouse that has been converted into a lodge.

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Cottonwood Falls, KS

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Cottonwood Falls and Strong City, KS are only seperated by a couple of miles.  When you are in this area you have to stop at the Ad Astra restaurant.  Such a great place!!!!