Discover the 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture
Stone, wood, iron, or brick? What materials were used to build the structures and why were they used? When were the buildings constructed? By whom? What style of architecture are they, and how have structures evolved?
An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Fromme-Birney Round Barn
From U.S. 54, 3¾ miles south on 10, then 1¾ miles west on O. On its original site, this...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Skyscraper of the Plains
When this four-story stone building with 13-foot ceilings was completed in 1890 it was the...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Holy Cross Church
1606 Sarratov. Even though the parish closed in 1993, the pride and spirit of this beautiful...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Cooper Barn
1905 S. Franklin. Part of the Prairie Museum of Art and History complex, the largest publicly...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Seelye Mansion
1105 N. Buckeye. In 1905 A.B. Seelye, famous patent medicine inventor, completed this grand...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Lebold Mansion
106 N. Vine. An early founder of Abilene, Conrad Lebold built this 1880 Italianate Tuscan...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Kansas State Capitol
300 SW 10th. It took 37 years (1866-1903) to build this stately Neoclassical Renaissance...An Eight Wonder of Kansas Architecture
Chase County Courthouse
The red roof on this 1873 limestone structure is no ordinary one, in fact every part of this...Check Out these other examples of Rural Culture Element Architecture
How to get the most out of exploring? 8 Rural Culture Elements
When Mil Penner and Marci Penner started traveling the state in 1990, they asked townspeople what their town had that could be included in a guidebook. The common answer was that they had nothing and we should move on to the next town.
This biased answer prompted Mil and Marci to create the “rural culture element” concept to help towns inventory their assets. No matter the size of a town or a community, it either has evidence or a story to tell about each element. And, everything in a town fits into one of the eight element categories.
When you’re out exploring and can’t find information about a town, go through the checklist of the eight elements and ask yourself these questions. They will help you see the area with new eyes