Tag Archives: Kansas

Beaumont Hotel, Kansas and Flint Hills along 177

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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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!!!!

 

 

 

 

Took the long way home

I went to El Dorado to visit my parents yesterday and instead driving the interstate, took the back roads.

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St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church Pilsen, KS

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Kansas Snow Man

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Ramona, KS

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Dillon, KS

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Gypsum, KS

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Carlton, KS and the hills South

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This is the kind of road that I like to explore, off the beaten path.

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Prairie Flowers

I just found an app for the iphone and will hopefully be able to identify wildflowers, Wildflowers of the Great Plains.

 

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Owl on the chimney

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Old chicken coop

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Castle Rock, Gove County, KS

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Castle Rock, you have no idea what waits for you across this cattle guard and up the road.  It never ceases to amaze me how diverse and varied our landscape is across Kansas.  When people travel Western Kansas along I-70, most are speeding thru at 80 miles per hour, saying there isn’t anything to see or do in Western Kansas.  Slow down, get off the interstate, it’s beautiful.  I am posting more pictures than usual, this place really touched my soul.

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The chalk was deposited from an ancient inland sea.  There are seashells embedden in the rocks, that are so sharp, I had to carry Wylie.

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Castle Rock is on private property, the roads are rutted and rugged.  Please be respectful.

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Wylie, my partner in these adventures, on the way home.

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Tuesday’s Adventure, Wilson & Lucas

Our journey starts out in Wilson, KS the Czech Capital of Kansas.  Such a pretty town that is located off of I-70 at mile marker 206.

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Wilson State Bank Building

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City Jail and Water Tower

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It’s been awhile since I’ve used a phone booth!

Wilson Lake

Known for the clearest water in Kansas, Wilson Lake is one of the better fishing lakes for crappie, walleye and wipers.  The shore line is scenic and rugged.  Unfortunately the lake it is currently at record low.

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Lucas, KS

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Garden of Eden

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Millers Park

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Bowl Plaza

This public restroom is amazing!!!  You have got to go…….see this!!

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The lid is always open and there’s plenty of paper.  (The roll of toilet paper is right side of first photo.)

 

Wine Bottles

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Women’s Restroom

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Men’s  Restroom

 

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The chess set, dominoes and piano keys above the door didn’t show up very well.  Love the Hot Wheels mural.  Be sure to click on the photos too see them better.

 

 

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Farm outside of Sylvan Grove, KS

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Excelsior Lutheran Church

This beautiful church can be seen from I-70.  the metal tower at night displays a white cross. Services are held every Sunday at 8:30

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Saline and E. Ellsworth County, KS

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Concordia, Cloud County, KS

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Nazareth Motherhouse Convent and Academy,  Built in 1903

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Our Lady of Perpetual Help

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United Methodist Church, Huscher, KS

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Camp Concordia 1943-1945  Here’s a  website to learn more

http://www.kansastravel.org/campconcordia.htm

 

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Cloud County, KS

 

Exploring Kansas

Kansas is such a beautiful and diversified state.  From the prairies and farmland to rolling hills and wooded areas, there is such beauty in our natural surroundings.  Wylie and I are taking trips around Kansas, we will be exploring areas off the beaten paths.

 

 

A cold dreary February day spent at Milford Lake spotting eagles.  Total eagle count 48

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Clay County, KS

Geary County, KS

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Abilene, KS Depot

 

 

Dorrance, KS then South to Dubuque, KS

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St. Catherine Catholic Church, Dubuque, KS