Kansas - Day 30 - Yates Center, Wichita

Wellington KOA, Wellington
Friday, 30 October 2020

There was frost on the ground this morning when we walked around the campground.  I guess last night was the first day it was dry enough to be able to see frost and wet enough to produce it.

today's route

detail of Wichita

 

On the road
My plan today was to drive due south to Yates Center, which claims to be the Hay Capital of the World, and then west to Wichita to see what the largest city in Kansas looks like. 

I first came to Lyndon, "Gateway to the Lakes," they say.  I'm not sure what lakes, since Lyndon's not on one, but I guess they mean Pomona Lake, back where I was last night, and Melvern Lake up ahead, where Eisenhower State Park is.

I saw deer by the side of the road and slowed down, just in case.  There were 3 adults between the road and a wire fence, and a fawn (looked like still with its spots) on the other side of the fence.  Don't know how that happened, but I'm glad they all stayed put.

Woodson
County Courthouse

After 53 miles of the usual Kansas cropland, cows, grazing land and hills, I came to Yates Center, Hay Capital of the World.

Founded in 1875, it's the only town in Kansas that was designated a county seat before anybody lived there.

With about 1,400 residents, it looks like the nice old town it is.

At Yates Center I turned onto US 54 to travel to Wichita.  I crossed the Verdigris River, which I remember from my month in Oklahoma.  Not far on the other side I stopped at a rest area, where I found this historical marker.

I was grateful for an explanation of where the Flint Hills are, because I keep seeing signs about them but haven't found them on the map.  Basically, I've been in them for several days.  I also thought this bit about the cattle grazing was interesting - I had no idea it was so important, both historically and currently, to Kansas's economy.

Once again, today there's still a wind that's strong enough to shove me around on the road.  It's coming from the south and the thing is, I'm not driving a little Honda Civic.  My RV is a big heavy vehicle, but I have to hang on to the steering wheel to keep us steady.

El Dorado is a substantial town of about 13,000.  It has a welcoming sign that boasts "Historic Downtown El Dorado" because more than half the downtown buildings qualify for historic status.

Butler County Courthouse

El Dorado is the county seat, but that was settled only after a fierce fight with the nearby town of Augusta, which wanted to wrest that honor away for itself.  That fight led to accusations of ballot box stuffing (and we thought that was a modern era problem) and to the Augusta Sheriff locking up the courthouse.  But eventually both towns voted and El Dorado won by a 2:1 margin.

The current courthouse (above left) was built in 1909, so it really is as old as it looks.

As I was driving through town, I ended up in the new, commercial end of town where franchises abound.  I passed a Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburger, which I don't remember seeing in Texas, though there're now several, mostly in the Austin/Temple area.  Anyway when I got farther along to a Spangles (similar menu), they had a sign saying their thoughts and prayers were with the family and staff at Freddy's.  I hadn't noticed when I passed, but I'm guessing Freddy's had been closed for a quarantine period.  This virus is hitting everywhere.  Whywhywhy do people think it's overblown?

At Benton, I saw one of those brown highway signs that usually indicate a historic site or an attraction.  This one said Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper.  Those words seemed to not belong together, but they turn out to be a food & entertainment place with what they claim is the world's largest collection of Hopalong Cassidy memorabilia.  Unfortunately, it got put up for sale last year.  I don't know if anyone bought it, but with the virus they sure aren't going to be doing much business this year.

Also in the fields I've been seeing hay, maize and soybeans.  I was surprised to learn that soybeans have become a large share of the output for Kansas farmers.  Kansas means corn and wheat to me, but I guess that's an out-of-date idea.

Wichita

The first thing I saw when I came to town was a hot dog place with a sign saying Happy Halloweenie.

Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception

I was stopped at a traffic light on Central Avenue when I saw this church in the next block.  I took this photo then, figuring I wouldn't be able to take one at a better angle, and I was right.  But maybe you can get an idea of the dome and turrets on this building, and the carving on the front is as elaborate as they are.  It was consecrated in 1912 and really is a show-stopper of a building.

I didn't see it but did see signs for the Historic County Courthouse, built during the Depression with murals on the walls inside from the same era.

Wichita was founded in 1868, though back in those cattle days there weren't too many fancy buildings going up.

I was aiming for the Keeper of the Plains at the Mid-America All-Indian Center.

Keeper of the Plains
and bridges to the island

a closer view

an even closer view

This is a 44' tall metal sculpture, done by a Native American and donated to the city.  It stands on an island where the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers join, and this land is considered sacred to Native people.  Also on this island is the Mid-America All-Indian Museum, which I wanted to visit and ran out of time.  I understand that on some nights, fires are lit around the base of this sculpture, illuminating it in a ceremony.  I think the bridges, one over each river course, are themselves works of art.  

I was on the north side, and there's a walkway along the river and a decent-sized park near the parking area.  The dogs and I walked around for a bit when I was taking the photos, but I didn't try to cross the bridge for fear there'd be lots of other dogs on the island.  In fact, we had to dodge several just trying to get back to the RV.

From there, I drove through town for a couple of miles, heading toward a Frank Lloyd Wright house I'd heard was there.

the Allen House, designed
by Frank Lloyd Wright

Except for that office building in Oklahoma, all the other Wright houses I've tried to see have been secluded and barricaded behind barriers where people wanted lots of money for a tour.  I've never wanted a tour but just wanted to see the outside.

For the first time, I did.  It seems a very attractive house, finished in 1918.

The houses immediately around it looked very expensive, though certainly of a different style than this one.  It sits on a corner, and when I turned that corner and drove back toward downtown on 2nd Street, I started seeing lots of houses I think of as Craftsman-style.  They looked like they were built in the first few decades of the 1900s.

I'm glad I stumbled on it and glad I got the chance to see it.

As an odd side note, I heard a few months ago about a public hearing in Wichita about wearing masks.  One man told the crowd that Bill Gates wants to vaccinate everyone in the United States and the world so people can't get into heaven, because he wants to pump aborted fetus DNA into people's bloodstreams, and that's what all this is about.

Do you suppose other countries have such a diversity of opinions?  And of accurate information?

Back on the road

From town I headed south to Wellington again.  It's the closest campground to Texas, where I'll be going for the next 2 months, and besides, I've stayed there enough to know I'll be comfortable.

I drove through the town of Haysville, which proudly announces it was established as far back as 1951!  Then through Waco (KS), pop. about 3,300.

Coming into Wellington I passed Boss Hog's BBQ, which is a logical name but not one I've seen before.  And then on to the campground.