Nicodemus 8/9/2016

Kansas is the kind of place you enjoy on an emotional level. It doesn't stun you like the snow-capped mountains in Montana, or the Oregon coastline. But how many places are there in the east where you can see to the horizon in 360 degrees?  Rolling green hills against the blue, blue, sky as far as you can see. There's so much here, but only if you take the time to see it.

The schoolhouse at Nicodemus

Our focus today was Nicodemus, KS. Never heard of it? It is a National Historic site northwest of Salina, KS, and comprises a small part of the community that sprang up here in the late 1870s. Founded in 1877, it was the first western town built by and for black settlers. For black farmers in the region, it was the cultural and economic hub for many decades. After the Civil War, some 300 settlers recruited from Kentucky arrived here. They lived in primitive conditions--at first, in homes dug into the ground. Not all stayed here, but by the mid 1880s, Nicodemus was a prosperous town. But lasting prosperity depended on the presence of the railroad line. Despite tireless efforts of town boosters, the railroad ran several miles south of here, sending the town into a gradual and permanent decline. The National Park Service designated the entire town area a Historic Landmark in 1976, and 20 years later it was designated a national Historic Site. The buildings we saw all require serious attention to preserve them, but the history of this place is evident as you walk the streets.

Rather than return to the interstate, we opted to drive the scenic route that parallels it 15-25 miles

north. we stopped for lunch in Plainville, KS, as the sign at the town border trumpets, "Home of Jerry Moran"(?!) Jerry, it turns out, was a long time Congressman. We stopped at the Plainville Roadside Adventure Park, known elsewhere as a rest stop. We continued to Lake Wilson, and stopped to admire the gorgeous view of the landscape from the elevated vantage point. We saw a collared lizard in the parking lot!

View of Lake Wilson

From there, we traveled to Mushroom Rock State Park, an out-of-the-way attraction that has curiously shaped rocks. We traveled down a dirt road (with the RV and car in tow) to see it. There, we met a native Kansan who recommended a couple of other cool places to visit on our return.

Mushroom Rock

Beautiful country on a beautiful (but hot) day. More   photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/VezEUL5xfheoNoqS9