Kansas - Wamego, Marysville

Wamego –
Wamego is why we spent so much time in Kansas.  We wanted to experience a "small town" July 4^th.  When I googled "fireworks Kansas" Wamego, Kansas popped up.  This small town has been celebrating Independence Day in style for 140 years.   


Earlier in the day we visited the Oz Museum, home to one of the largest collections of privately-owned Wizard of Oz memorabilia in the world.  We then wandered over to the city park and spent an exciting hour watching matchbox car races on a fifty-foot long track.  The kids were so excited sending their cars down the track and thrilled with the small trophies they won.  Then the adults had their turn and the cheering and competition was pretty fierce.  Lots of fun.   We toured the Wamego Historical Museum that housed a lot of old items that obviously came out of attics, basements, and barns.  The memorabilia included military items, dolls, dresses, high school yearbooks and photos, antique furniture, tools, farm equipment, etc.  Wamego is the birthplace of Walter P. Chrysler (1875), founder of Chrysler Corporation and the museum exhibits include at 1950 Chrysler coupe with just 30,000 miles and original paint, upholstery, and even the tires.  Nice car.  

We shared a cup of homemade ice cream that quickly melted in the 90+ degree sunshine and staked out a spot in the shade on Main Street to watch the parade.  It was excellent, with an honor guard from Fort Riley, WWII veterans, politicians, city officials, fire trucks, rescue squads, lots of tractors, including a huge quad-track, horses, and lots of children on their bikes.  After the parade we had dinner at the local Methodist church before heading to the fireworks.

The fireworks display was spectacular with over 50,000 shells in 30 minutes, the largest pyrotechnic display in Kansas.  It was 30 minutes of constant “grand finale” fireworks, the best we have ever seen, even outdoing the Washington, DC fireworks.  What a way to end the Fourth!

Marysville – 

On our north, we spent one night in Marysville, at a free city park with just four RV sites with water and electric.  We could have stayed for five nights but the next morning we were on our way.  Marysville was a Pony Express main transfer stop and the site of the first barn on the Pony Express route; the original barn is now a museum. The fabled mail service only lasted from April 1860 to October 1861 but the legend endures thanks to riders who braved thieves and hostile Indians.  The museum was small with a few good exhibits that could have been presented better; and all were covered with a thick coat of dust.  A good cleaning is certainly needed.  I am sure we will see other Pony Express sites on our trip west.

While in Marysville, we drove back south about nine miles on a dusty gravel road, then hiked about ½ mile in 95 degree heat to visit historic Alcove Springs.  Pioneers on the Oregon Trail would stop here; many carved their names and dates into the soft limestone walls around the springs, including the ill-fated Donner party.  The names and dates are very worn and hard to read.   Although the spring has never dried up, it was very small and a little disappointing.  We didn’t stay long.

So now we are Nebraska.  We had a wonderful time in Kansas and will definitely be back.  There is so much more to see and do; it is amazing how many people told us that Kansas was boring and just a state to zip through on I-70.  We believe that it is when you get off the interstates that you truly experience how wonderful this country of ours is.