By I’m thinking, this morning, about starting an occasional series of posts – to get YOUR thoughts on Kansas.
I’m always yabbering on and on about what I see and like about Kansas, my memories, my experiences, but I’m only one person. And what do I know anyway?
So, let’s try this for fun, and see how it works… A question.
If you could pick one square mile of Kansas to be your very own, what location would you choose and why?
Cheryl, this is an excellent, thought provoking question, maybe more than you realize even.
I’m always looking at real estate in Kansas. I like many parts of Kansas, for different reasons. So, initially, I couldn’t answer that question. I look all over the state, online, at property for sale, just because I like to do that. I daydream about living here or there, or even over there.
It’s easier to point to a few areas and say I wouldn’t want to live right there. But to point on one area and say I’d like to own property right there, that’s harder.
BUT, then I got to thinking (all in a couple of minutes) that I really, really like right where we are. Maybe I’d take my square mile out of the area right here.
A question like that sort of rounds out a person’s real take on things. I daydream a lot about living here or there, but I think the truth is, I’m happy right here.
Well that certainly is thought provoking. I also like to do as Janet does and “shop around” for land and houses with potential. I recently went out to Centerville just southeast of Garnett. a small community with very close to ghost town potential. A feed store-really that’s the name that I found on the front of the building-Feed and Seed Store with a red and white Purina emblem on it, and a few houses. Several of the houses were empty, some for sale and a few well kept, lived in abodes. Many lots were unkempt and needed cleared and mowed but I could tell at one time this community had been beautiful, quiet hamlet if not a bustling throng of activity. The reason I went over there was to see the old. deserted, empty depot that is for sale. Wish I had taken pictures.
It’s a fine, grand old building with lots of character. I saw many opportunities for it. Cement floors and brick and stone doors, lots of wide windows and doors for light and loading in of “stuff”. I imagined a grand home with open loft style living spaces. New windows and landscaping outside. A huge grand piano in this corner, floor to ceiling floaty,breezy, gauzy curtains on all the windows blowing in the breeze, a fireplace over there, a bedroom at this end, the kitchen there, living room here…
OR a business- a big lumberyard right next to the tracks-perfect space, rugged cement floors and huge doors to bring merchandise in and out for your customers. 14 acres go with it so a big yard for more merchandise and more buildings. If Diebolt’s can do so well out in the middle of no where by LaHarpe why not one at Centerville? I can see it bustling with activity, bringing in customers from the whole four county area. Life again in Centerville.
OR a big busy restaurant with a bar area and dance floor. Weekends would be hoppin’ in Centerville. Plenty of room for various different rooms and specified dining areas. Conferences and workshops for business retreats.
But there is also the farm outside of Mound city that my grandparents used to own. There is also Troy and Meade and Emporia to consider. So much of Kansas is my potential one square mile. I haven’t seen all of it yet-how do I decide?
Maybe I’d like one square mile of that beautiful blue Kansas sky.
Any square mile my friends can enjoy with me is fine by me.
That leaves a whole state full of potential, right there. LOL!
There are places I cherish, though, let me think on this one a while…
My Square Mile of Kansas
I don’t have a known square mile but I will describe proto-ideal square mile. It would be in northeastern Kansas. It would include all the topographies typical there. It would be about a quarter timber so that I could explore in the spring. A spring-fed creek would flow through the timber and empty into a modest-sized river that passes through a part of the section. There would be virgin prairie land in rolling hills with vistas displaying the best sunsets. Wildlife would be abundant and not afraid. There would be about one quarter in tillage. The property would have a picturesque farmstead nestled in just the right place with along lane connecting to the section road that frames my little corner of the world.
My mile would encompass many things including a scenic view of Little Sugar Creek. Within a small valley with rich forested hill sides lay’s my ancestral homestead. A ruggedly charming farm house that raised several generations of German immigrants stands testament to the pioneering spirit of the early Kansan settlers. Protected on threes sides by the valleys 150 foot high hills, the basin is a haven out of the persistent wind.
The woods, a glow with strange and fascinating things, snakes, badgers, deer. . . . they provide opportunities to both marvel at the grand design, and awed by our relative insignificance. Hunting and catching channel cat fish in the Little Sugar can also be enjoyed. The night songs of toad and frog, the accompanying strings of crickets and cicada, and the magical dancing of fireflies can be experienced most every night from late April through August.
My final thoughts are those of myself and other children as we explore this fairyland full of mystery. Tromping, unbidden, through fields of wild grasses and cattle, being chased by a teased bull, and winding up safe back home in the arms of my parents.
Very eloquent Bill. Did you find FOP because of Facebook? Are you in Alaska?
I think I’d like a square mile right around our 5 (plus the inlaws’ 41) acres. People come out to our place and tell us it doesn’t feel like they’re in Kansas any more. For years that’s what I wanted. If I had to be in Kansas, I wanted property that looked as different from Kansas as could be. I missed hills and trees.
Our property sits on part of an abandoned quarry. The rock was dug out in a strip rather than a round hole like you sometimes see, and the land sat idle for at least 30 years after the quarry shut down. There was plenty of time for nature to heal the gashes left by machinery and fill the gaping wounds where rock had been torn from the earth. Cottonwoods, elm, walnut, willow, eastern red cedar, and dogwood covered the scars. We have woods, hills, river, creek, ponds, cattail marshes, cliffs and miniature canyons. The property to the south of us is uninhabited and pure wilderness. Neighbors have permission to ride and hike through from our northern property line south about 3/4 of a mile through several other properties.
I did finally learn to love the Kansas landscape–in all its forms–for what it is. I am thankful to be able to out my driveway and look to the west across the neighboring pasture at a typical Kansas scene. We have it all right here.
If I had to pick someplace other than here, I would pick a spot around Elk Falls or Elk City Lake or maybe near the Tallgrass National Prairie. These days, though, I find something I love everywhere I go in Kansas. Even where the landscape is lacking, there are people with hearts as big as our vast, sweeping prairie, as encompassing as our endless sky.
I feel a column based on this concept.
The north halves of sections 4 and 5, Lincoln Township, Rice County, Kansas, which include parts of both Cow Creek and Lost Creek…and once upon a time a cattle farm and a two-room school house…and lots of buffalo grass, starry nights, and…
Since we are leaving Kansas & selling ALL of our properties here EXCEPT OUR BURIAL PLOTS here in Kansas——-so we will return to Kansas one day——-our burial plots are in the old Phillips Cemetery or some now call it the Duck Creek Cemetery– just to the North of the Reading or Lyon County State Lake-where my Great Great Grand Father Oliver Phillips was the second settler to settle in what is now Lyon county of Kansas—— close to the cemetery is Duck Creek—& the remains of the Old Phillips Inn—- & the old church site & the old school & the old log cabin- & the Phillips Inn stage coach stop——– in the pastures if you know where to look-you can still see the wagon ruts from the wagon trains of the 1800’s!
Walnut trees–& all sorts of wild game— mushrooms if you know where to look— wild grapes & all sorts of great hidden things if you know where to look——I guess that is my square mile-in Kansas——- where I’ll some day come back to rest——if we are not raptured first!!!!!!!!!
Hey, Flips, I was reading my mother’s family genealogy and one of my relatives is buried in the Phillip’s cemetery!
Back to “my square mile in Kansas” I would have to say it’s wherever I am. I’m perfectly happy right where I am now–east of Emporia, but I was perfectly happy in Woodbine, and living on the family farm southwest of Woodbine, and happy when staying with my grandparents on their farm, and even perfectly happy living in town when I was going to ESU and the 3 years we lived in town after the fire. I don’t think I’d like living where it floods or in a big city–well, maybe the city. The thing is that Kansas has magnificent landscapes wherever you are; there’s always something beautiful or unique or interesting to see. (well, Dave can even go out in his yard and take stupendous & amazing pictures of spiders and bugs!)
I have really appreciated you information on Oliver Phillips, Flips. So many of the early people don’t get the credit due them. Fortunately, you have remembered stories told to you and have shared some of them here.
I still think we need a bronze statue of him surveying at he intersection of 12th Ave. and Burlingame Rd.
Ele—that is very interesting——–some time I would love to know the name of your relative that is buried there!!!!!!
Rog– thank you very much —– & I totally agree with you– I would love to see that bronze statue some day!!!!!!!!!
Great responses y’all gave to this question! I’m impressed. It was fun to read all the in-depth comments. You guys rock! 🙂