By 
A side street in Herington.
Herington, as you may recall, is the hometown of author Richard Uhlig and he used it as the setting of the fictional town Harker City in his novel, “Last Dance at the Frosty Queen.”
I had the chance to hear Uhlig speak twice when he was on his book tour this past autumn. I loved the book which is about a senior in high school, his life and that last enormous month before graduation.
After I read the book in October, I had asked Rick if there really was a Frosty Queen in Herington.
His response:
“The real diner was called the Frigid Queen. The suits at Random House thought that was too weird of a name for a diner, so they changed it to Frosty Queen. But the Frigid Queen is still in Herington — not functioning, however. It’s an old 1940s Valentine Diner manufactured in Wichita.”
Last Sunday while Dave and I were driving through Herington, I thought of Rick Uhlig and Arty, the novel’s protagonist. And I kept an eye out to see if I could find the diner mentioned in “Last Dance at the Frosty Queen.”
We didn’t spend a lot of time in Herington and not having an exact location, I didn’t find the Frigid Queen. Maybe next time.
Didn’t find the diner, but did find an, um, baking company.
The Frigid Queen? LOL That cracked me up.
I love the picture of the bakery.
lolololololololol!
Do they have the book at Town Crier?
Yes, they carry it at Town Crier.
I started my 2008 Christmas list. However, I don’t know if I can wait that long or not. You did a great promotion job, Cheryl.
I put the links on the Emporia/Kansas page of the Web Site also. Your addition of links were great also. Thanks!
I remember eating many times at the “Frigid Queen”–it is/was over on the south side of town on a highway, or a paved street. I wonder if it’s still there; that’s been a looonnnnggg time ago.
Have you read the book, ele? You’d probably recognize a lot of places he writes about.
No, but I think, if I remember, I’ll go to the Town Crier and get it as soon as I finish me “work” here….
What happened to the photograph of the swimming pool building? I was going to answer that I learned to swim at that pool (and, no, it wasn’t in 1937; that’s way before my time). We used to go to Herington a lot–my favorites were the library, the swimming pool and Duckwalls, and a store on the corner south of Duckwalls that had those cylinders that would take your money up to the office in a sort of balcony and then your change would come back down to you–cylinders on some sort of wire. I thought it was just cool. …okay, now I really am showing my age…
The pool photo is still up.
If you go to Weavers Department Store in downtown Lawrence, they still have those pneumatic tube money changer things.
The pool photo is up, but comments can’t be made. When I tried, I get a note that tells me I’m trying to look for something that isn’t there.
OK, I fixed the comment section on the pool photo. WordPress seems to be picky about titles – and that title was “1937.” I guess it doesn’t do well with numbers.
Also, I e-mailed Rick Uhlig today about the location of the Frigid Queen.
He said:
“It’s on west Trapp street. If you take Highway 56 into town it turns into Trapp Street. Go past Broadway. It’s on the left hand side, beside an old motel and an army/navy store.”
That’s easy enough to find. Next time I’ll check it out.
I’m going there tomorrow! I need to go to Woodbine and check on my parents, so I’ll go through Herington and take the old highway (77) home.
hmmm….is it still open?
No, the Frigid Queen – not open. I don’t even know if there’s a sign. Just look for a tiny building. Take a photo!