Kansas is often seen as a flat, uneventful expanse. However, beyond its major cities and college towns, Kansas hides quirky and unique claims to fame. These small towns boast landmarks and oddities that you won’t find anywhere else.
Get ready for a journey through the Sunflower State’s most bizarre spots!
10. Lucas: The Grassroots Art Capital
Lucas is known as the “Grassroots Art Capital” thanks to its numerous folk art installations. Local artists have created quirky sculptures around town for decades. With just over 300 residents, Lucas has nearly as many art pieces, earning it recognition as one of the “8 Wonders of Art.”
The Garden of Eden
Don’t miss the “Garden of Eden,” a sculpture complex created by Samuel P. Dinsmoor. This garden depicts biblical stories with concrete statues and political satire. It’s a uniquely Kansas experience worth seeing.
9. Greensburg: Resilience and the Big Well
Greensburg was devastated by an EF-5 tornado in 2007. The town has since been rebuilt as one of America’s “greenest” cities, with a focus on low carbon emissions now.
The Big Well
Greensburg is also home to the “Big Well,” the world’s largest hand-dug well. It measures 109 feet deep and over 32 feet in diameter. The museum and visitor center showcase the well’s history and a massive meteorite.
Westmoreland’s Claim
The second-largest hand-dug well is also in Kansas, in Westmoreland. Dug in 1914 using only hand tools, it’s 38 feet deep and just over 29 feet wide.
8. Goodland: The World’s Largest Easel
Goodland is home to the World’s Largest Easel, showcasing a reproduction of Van Gogh’s “Sunflower” painting. The 80-foot tall easel and 32-by-24-foot painting symbolize Kansas as the Sunflower State.
The easel was erected in 2001 and funded by Sunflowers USA to welcome drivers from Colorado.
Replica Helicopter
Goodland also displays a replica of the World’s First Patented Helicopter. The original crashed on its first flight, and the remnants were sold for scrap. The replica memorializes this failed but innovative invention.
7. Pratt: Pageants, Pranks, and Pride
Pratt hosts the Miss Kansas Pageant annually. The Pratt County Historical Museum displays the town’s pageant history, honoring winners since 1955.
Home of Beautiful Women
The museum features an old road sign from the 1960s that reads “Kansas: Home of Beautiful Women,” a taunt to Nebraska after Kansas women won national titles.
Hot and Cold Water Towers
Pratt is known for its “hot” and “cold” water towers. In 1956, a prankster painted these labels on the towers, and city officials decided to keep the graffiti, making it a town landmark.
6. Cawker City: The World’s Largest Ball of Twine
Cawker City is home to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine, weighing over 17,320 pounds and measuring over 40 feet in circumference. It contains nearly 8 million individual sisals of twine.
Twine-a-thon
Every year, Cawker City hosts a “twine-a-thon” during its annual picnic, where residents add to the ball to ensure it remains the largest in the world.
Frank Stoeber’s Legacy
In 1953, Frank Stoeber started the ball of twine on his farm. By 1957, it weighed nearly 5,000 pounds and was donated to Cawker City. It continues to grow under a protective awning, putting Cawker City on the map.
5. Mt. Sunflower: Kansas’ Highest Point
Mt. Sunflower, near the Colorado border, is the highest point in Kansas at 4,039 feet. It’s more of a small hill than a mountain, but it’s celebrated with a homemade monument.
A Unique Landmark
Located on private property near Weskan, the site features a statue, mailbox, guestbook, and a Little Free Library. Visitors can enjoy a short walk to the summit.
4. Lebanon: The Center of the Contiguous U.S.
Lebanon is known as the geographical center of the contiguous United States. The U.S. Geological Survey determined the midpoint lies just outside Lebanon.
The Center Point
A stone monument marks the spot, along with a map showing distances to major cities. A short highway leads to the site, which also features a tiny, 24-hour chapel.
3. Nicodemus: A Historic Black Community
Nicodemus was the first and only predominantly Black community settled in the West after the Civil War. Founded by freed slaves in 1877, it sought to create a safe and free community. The town is nearly a ghost town altogether.
Resilience and History
Although Nicodemus is now a very small town, many century-old buildings still stand, offering a glimpse into its historic past. It’s a testament to the resilience of its founders.
2. Scott City: The Chalk Pyramids
Near Scott City are the Chalk Pyramids, unique natural rock formations made of Niobrara Chalk. These formations, created during the Cretaceous Period, rise up to 50 feet high.
Ancient History
The area was once part of a massive inland sea. Visitors can sometimes find shark teeth fossils. The Chalk Pyramids are on private property but are open to visitors.
1. Concordia: The National Orphan Train Complex
Concordia is home to the National Orphan Train Complex, commemorating the Orphan Train Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Orphaned children from the East Coast were sent west and adopted by Kansas families.
A Somber History
The museum documents this unsettling part of American history, preserving records of the children who passed through Concordia. The town’s train station was also a POW camp for German prisoners during World War II.
Kansas’ small towns offer a mix of art, history, and natural oddities. From grassroots art to massive twine balls, there’s plenty to discover in the Sunflower State.
Which of these quirky Kansas towns would you visit first? Share your thoughts below!
