Tag Archives: CAVES

Lincoln County Again

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Lincoln County is one of my FAVORITE places.  It was such a beautiful day, calm day after all the wind we’ve had.  I wished you were with us.

Since the grasses haven’t started growing  I saw numerous root cellars/storm caves.   NO, I didn’t crawl into any of them!!!

 

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All that is left of this home, is a window in the milo stubble.

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Ash Grove, KS at one time had a grocery store, lumber yard, blacksmith, hardware store, hotel, church and school.

Limestone arch bridge at Ash Grove

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Yard art? or just poor parking?

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The wooden frame building was the Pottersburg Church.  It was moved to Ash Grove in 1925.

The church bell is still in the bell tower.

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Ash Grove school closed in 1966.  Can you hear the school bell ringing?

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To the south of Ash Grove was the site of Pottersburg.

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A woman died near Spillman Creek and was buried in the cemetery.  A local man later bought this stone for her.

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Continuing south is a place that I came across years ago while exploring with my Mom and Aunt.   It is the only place that I have seen that has limestone clothesline post still standing, I was so happy when I came across it again.  It is absolutely in the middle of no where.  Can’t imagine how awesome it would be living there.   DSC03268

I always loved hanging clothes on the clothesline.

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Limestone Double Arch Bridge, no longer used but they preserved it when they re-routed Highway 18.

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Faris Cave, Ellsworth County, KS

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I’ve been wanting to make another trip back to Faris Cave, I had been there in the summer and was concerned about snakes so I didn’t explore the area like I wanted.  I said then, that I would return in the winter when the snakes were “frozen”.  Well, it’s winter, and we haven’t had the cold weather like usual, in fact today it’s in the low 60’s.  Perfect day for an adventure to the caves.  Hope the snakes are not active!!

Faris Cave is located along the Smoky Hill River, caves that were carved into the sandstone formation by Charles Griffin who came to Kansas in the 1880’s.  The 3 small rooms served as his home and a spring house, used to keep things cool.  In 1893 the land was sold to Winfield and William Faris.  They built a wood frame house close to the caves and used the caves as a spring house, generator room and for a short time as a schoolhouse.

The caves are very isolated, gravel and dirt roads, but it’s definitely worth the trip.  As I was standing there thinking about the people who had lived here, I heard silence, only broken by a few chirps from the birds.  Amazing place, I hope you can experience it sometime.

(I didn’t see any snakes!!)

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Back roads on the way home.

Sandstone Bluffs

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Well kept, beautiful abandoned sandstone ranch house

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Ruins of Post Rock

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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.

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Twin Grove School 1870-1947  Historical Site Lincoln, County, KS

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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!

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Bichet School District 34, Florence, KS

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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.DSC01930DSC01933DSC02217DSC02212DSC01937DSC01929

 

Faris Caves, Ellsworth County, KS

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The caves were constructed by Charles Griffee in the Dakota sandstone bluff along the lowlands of the Smoky Hill River in the 1880’s.  William and Winfield Faris purchased the land in 1893.  The caves were used as a spring house, generator room, living quarters,  and for a short time as a school house.

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