KANSAS! Magazine | Fall 2018 by Kansas Magazine

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE

contents

FALL 2018

The sun sets over a stretch of Interstate 70 in western Kansas. Photograph by Justin Lister

features 38 |

70 Off I-70

52 |

Speedway Fandom: Fast & Fervent

Our guide to 70 family, food and fun attractions just a short drive off the state’s central and historic highway corridor

The Kansas Speedway builds its reputation as the racing track that goes the distance for its fans

In This Issue

06 |

From the Editor

08 |

This Season

26 |

Wide Open Spaces

26 | THE WONDERS OF WICHITA Think you know Wichita? Spend a weekend exploring the vibrant city’s revitalized areas. 30 | TASTE OF KANSAS: A KANSAS STAPLE Enterprise’s Hoffman Grist Mill offers visitors a glimpse into a historic Kansas industry—turning wheat to flour.

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KANSAS! Gallery: Fall

64 |

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ON THE COVER A family explores the sights just off Interstate 70. Photograph by Justin Lister

03 FALL 2018

04 |

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

departments

IN THIS

issue

EMILY BARNES Emily Barnes, an Abilene-based photographer, shot our story on the Enterprise Grist Mill (pg. 30).While 20 Barnes shoots a lot of portrait work, she also loves capturing the beauty of Kansas landscapes as well as international locations when she travels. Check out more of her work at emilybarnesphotography.com/nature-gallery.

WHERE TO GO FALL 2018

Hoffman Grist Mill

John Brown Memorial Park

TASTE OF KANSAS Enterprise

REASONS WE LOVE KANSAS Osawatomie

Kansas Speedway SPEEDWAY FANDOM: FAST & FERVENT Kansas City

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN KANSAS THIS SEASON?

Our calendar of events on page 25 attempts to provide recommendations for the coming season. This edition highlights several, including Haskell Indian Nation University’s grand reunion and the Neewollah festival. But these are only a sampling of events throughout the state. If you are looking for a weekend getaway in Kansas, be sure to check out the full listing of events online at travelks.com/events – there is absolutely something of interest waiting for you.

Kansas Skies THIS SEASON—LENS Across Kansas

Schaffer Furniture

Old Town

THIS SEASON—SHOP Jetmore

WIDE OPEN SPACES Wichita

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Rob Morgan, Emily Barnes

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

The following locations are represented in this issue of KANSAS! Magazine.

BED & BREAKFAST

ASSOCIATION

FALL2018

www.kbba.com

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Andrea Etzel

PLAN YOUR NEXT GETAWAY!

EDITOR

Jeff Colyer, M.D. GOVERNOR

Robin Jennison

KDWPT SECRETARY

WWW.SUNFLOWERPUB.COM LAWRENCE, KANSAS

WWW.MCAPRINT.COM WICHITA, KANSAS

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THE BARN BED AND BREAKFAST INN

Nickerson, Kansas

Valley Falls, KS

hedricks.com

www.thebarnbb.com

888-489-8039

785.945-3225

TUCK U INN AT GLICK MANSION

CIRCLE S RANCH AND COUNTRY INN

DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR

Kelly Gibson SECTION EDITOR

Nathan Pettengill SECTION EDITOR

Leslie Andres COPY EDITOR

Joanne Morgan

Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS, and at additional mailing offices. Newsstand price $5 per issue; subscription price $18 per year; international subscription price $22 per year. All prices include all applicable sales tax. Please address subscription inquiries to: Toll-free: (800) 678-6424 KANSAS!, P.O. Box 146, Topeka, KS 66601-0146 e-mail: ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com Website: www.KansasMag.com POSTMASTER: Send address change to: KANSAS!, P.O. Box 146, Topeka, KS 66601-0146.

Atchison, KS

Lawrence, Kansas

glickmansion.com

circlesranch.com

785-843-4124

913-367-9110

05 FALL 2018

KANSAS! (ISSN 0022-8435) is published quarterly by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612; (785) 296-3479; TTY Hearing Impaired: (785) 296-3487.

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MARKETING, (785) 832-7264

Please mail all editorial inquiries to: KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612 e-mail: ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com The articles and photographs that appear in KANSAS! magazine may not be broadcast, published or otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism or the appropriate copyright owner. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Additional restrictions may apply.

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FROM THE

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE

IS IT JUST ME, OR IS AUTUMN ALWAYS A GREAT TIME TO TRAVEL?

Between the sporting events and holiday get-togethers, families spend much of their time traveling across the state this season. This very idea inspired our special I-70 issue, and we’re excited to share what awaits you just off the highway. In Kansas, I-70 stretches more than 420 miles, providing travelers with easy access to some of our state’s popular destinations and cherished attractions. There are countless adventures to be enjoyed, but we’ve created a list of 70 to get you started. From dining to dinosaurs, you’ll find something for everyone along Eisenhower’s Highway. If you’re planning to visit the State Fair this year, be sure to come by and see our booth. We’re located in the Pride of Kansas building—right across from the butter sculpture! Finally, thank you to all who participated in our readers’ choice favorite “weekend getaways.”The top destinations will be showcased in our next issue.

ANDREA ETZEL

EDITOR, KANSAS! MAGAZINE

facebook.com/KansasMagazine

@KANSASMag

KansasMagazine (get spotted; use #kansasmag to tag us)

PHOTOGRAPH Courtesy Andrea Etzel

FALL 2018

Kansas

Great Bend

Come for the Hunting . . . Stay for the Hospitality

50,000+ acres of Walk-In Public Land Hunting Area for deer, turkey, upland game, waterfowl, and more

Located between Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area & Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Approximately 400 hotel rooms for a comfortable stay after your time in the elements

Stock up on all of your hunting necessities at our excellent local stores and suppliers

3111 10th Street • Great Bend, KS 67530 620.792.2750 • www.visitgreatbend.com Photo Credits: Melissa Tudor; JC Bosch; Alex Moyers

November 9-11

VETERANS DAY WEEKEND 2018 Celebration

MOON MARBLE COMPANY Marbles

Traditional Toys and Games

Gifts

600 East Front St., Bonner Springs, KS 913-441-1432 www.moonmarble.com

Three days of honoring our American heroes in a Veterans Day Weekend Celebration! All veterans are invited to a Welcome Reception, Parade, Veterans Day Service at Fort Scott National Cemetery No. 1 & Much More!

www.visitfortscott.com

adfoer! M s e l Marb website es.

SeeCall or visit demo tim

10 Eat

12 Sampler 15 Shop 17 Outside 18 Culture 20 Lens 22 Reasons We Love Kansas 25 Fall 2018 Events

WIDE OPEN SPACES 26 The Wonders of Wichita 30 A Kansas Staple

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Welcome to KANSAS! magazine’s “This Season.” Here we explore what’s new and buzzing throughout the state—from restaurants and shopping to cultural happenings and attractions.

09 FALL 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) Wichita CVB, Courtesy Exploration Place (Wichita), Emily Barnes (2)

FALL2018

eat. Downtown

CHILI & SOUP FESTIVAL

Eat Grub & Star Gaze

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Hutchinson

WHERE IN KANSAS?

FALL 2018

Cast your vote for your favorite concoction after tasting the offerings for just $5 per person (kids age 12 and under eat free) on Nov. 3 during the annual Downtown Hutchinson Chili and Soup Festival along Main Street. The festivities begin at 11 a.m. and last until the food is gone. Shopping, music and other entertainment add to the fun. downtownhutchinson. com (620) 694-2677

Greeley Flying W Ranch Hutchinson

SEATED AROUND A CRACKLING CAMPFIRE, visitors who have gathered for the Flying W Ranch Star Gazing event in the Flint Hills are getting ready for dinner. Their meal is prepared in 150-year-old cast iron cookware from a fully outfitted, original 1880s chuck wagon, and afterward, they’ll view the broad night sky through telescopes. The event,scheduled to occur on four nights this autumn on September 14,15 and October 12,13,begins with a wagon ride through prairie to a meal cooked by ranch owner and resident chef Josh Hoy, a distant relative of Charles Goodnight,who invented the chuck wagon in 1866.Hoy learned chuck wagon food preparation from his great uncle,Marshall Hoy,who was a ranch cook. “I have my great-uncle’s Dutch ovens and cooking gear and I cook in them all the time,” Josh Hoy says. Although a typical chuck wagon meal is prepared over a campfire, he is required by Kansas law to cook the food for the event in a licensed catering kitchen but still uses traditional

cast iron cookware. The entrée will be a flavorfilled meatloaf made with homeraised, grass-fed beef and Red Wattle pork; it’s topped with a demiglace, a traditional French sauce Hoy perfected at the Culinary Institute of America. Sides include Dutch oven potatoes, kale apple slaw, and three sisters succotash, a traditional Native-American dish of corn, beans and squash.The prairie tea is made from the buffalo bellow plant that grows in the area. Following a dessert of fruit cobbler topped with homemade ice cream, local astronomer Dan Johnson will use computerized telescopes to point out the constellations, planets and other noteworthy objects in the sky. “After stargazing, we will come back to the campfire for cowboy coffee, hot cocoa and s’mores,”Hoy says, adding he uses a family-heirloom coffee grinder and 1890s-era coffeepot. His father, noted Flint Hills and cowboy historian and folklorist Jim Hoy, will entertain with music and stories. flinthillsflyingw.com (620) 340-2802

“I have my great-uncle’s Dutch ovens and cooking gear and I cook in them all the time.” —JOSH HOY, FLYING W RANCH

FOOD ETC. GREELEY SMOKEOFF Greeley Savor ribs, brisket, chicken, vegetables and even desserts hot off the grill on Friday evening and Saturday noon as barbecue teams compete for prizes during the 18th annual Greeley Smokeoff on Sept. 7–8 at the Greeley City Park. The funfilled event includes live music and games for the kids. greeleysmokeoff. com (785) 448-4197

PHOTOGRAPH Shutterstock

this season

By Cecilia Harris

Unique 150 Christmas Trees and Ornaments Exhibit October 15 - January 1

10-4pm Wed-Sat | 1-5pm Sun

(785) 887-6148 | www.lecomptonkansas.com

MARYSVILLE CREATIVITY. CULTURE. COMMUNITY.

visitmarysvilleks.org

visitmarysville

www.visitdodgecity.org 1-800-OLD - WEST

Dodge City Convention & Visitors Bureau

Columbus Day

FESTIVAL

Hot Air Balloon Regatta Columbus October 5–7 It’s an up, up and away kind of weekend in Southeast Kansas. Thrill to the gorgeous spectacle of a Friday night balloon glow and on Saturday, watch as the first Hare & Hound race between balloons launches from Columbus’ industrial park. The final balloon regatta lifts off around 7 a.m. Sunday morning. Festivities during the three-day celebration include an arts & crafts fair, car & motorcycle show, quilt show, children’s corner and plenty of live music, food and untethered fun for the entire family. Parking is $1 per person or a $5 one-time vehicle parking pass. Free admission; food and beverage available for purchase. (620) 429-1492 columbusday balloons.com

Architectural Delights IT’S TRUE—I-70 WILL DELIVER YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION IN QUICK ORDER. But if you’re hankering for a side order of scenery with your drive, consider exploring some surprising architectural marvels located just a mile or so off the beaten path. Kansas is home to many beautiful, historic and unique churches, such as St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison and the serene Danish simplicity of the Lone Star Church in Colby. Another spiritual landmark worthy of exploration is Victoria’s magnificent Saint Fidelis Catholic Church, dedicated in 1911 following three years of construction at a cost of $80,575. Despite the fact that the church isn’t the seat for a bishop—and therefore not technically a cathedral—famous American orator and politician William Jennings Bryan dubbed the soaring structure “Cathedral of the Plains.” That nickname has weathered the decades, just like the majestic 141-foot tall towers, imposing 44-foot high ceilings and the exterior’s native limestone blocks, each weighing 50 to 100 pounds.

Named a minor basilica in 2014—the first in Kansas and one of 84 in the U.S.—Saint Fidelis is a spectacular Romanesque church boasting German colored glass windows and art,Austrian handcarved stations of the cross and an Italian marble altar. Drop in for an audio or free self-guided tour from dawn to dusk 365 days a year or daily Mass. If you’re traveling on a Friday evening, you might be lucky enough to hear the Saint Fidelis organist rehearsing. Kansas is chock-full of fascinating military history, and therefore is home to many interesting military structures. Fort Hays State Historic Site in Hays (1472 Highway 183 Alternate) is a must-see for enthusiasts. Established in 1865 as headquarters for Army troops protecting military roads and construction crews on the burgeoning Union Pacific Railway and guarding the mails against robberies, Fort Hays also served as a major supply depot for other Western Kansas army posts. Home to the 7th Cavalry and the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry, Fort Hays never came under hostile fire and was abandoned in 1889.

GET GOING HOG WILD WEST BBQ CONTEST Leavenworth Sept. 7-8, 3-11 p.m. This free event features live entertainment and mouthwatering barbecue, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, in historic downtown Leavenworth. Spend the evening enjoying food trucks, bounce houses and photo booths, then take part in (or watch from afar) a chicken-wing eating competition. Live performance artists also will be on hand to share their talents and delight attendees of all ages.

WHERE IN KANSAS? PHOTOGRAPH Shutterstock

sampler. this season KANSAS! MAGAZINE FALL 2018

By Kimberly Winter Stern

Columbus Hays Colby

Leavenworth Atchison

…Consider exploring some surprising architectural marvels located just a mile or so off the beaten path.

UPCOMING EVENTS World of Giant Insects Sternberg Museum of Natural History May 28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; September 21 Fall Art Walk The Bricks in Downtown Hays August 24 Wines and Steins Fox Pavilion September 7 Thunder on the Plains Car Show Frontier Park East September 15 Oktoberfest Municipal Park September 28 FHSU Homecoming Fort Hays State University September 29 Winter Art Walk and Frostfest Tree Lighting Ceremony The Bricks in Downtown Hays December 7 Frostfest Illuminated Parade The Bricks in Downtown Hays December 15

PLAN YOUR TRIP!

VisitHays.com

785.628.8202

Scott Bean Photography K A N S A S L A N D S C A P E A N D N AT U R E P H O T O G R A P H S

785-341-1047 | S COT T @ S COT T B E A N P H OTO.CO M

www.scottbeanphoto.com

e h t y Enjo Grind Daily er indie Discov s, outique shops, b g s, dinin gal ler ie htlife and nig r ic on histo . rc i a l S t Comme

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

ria.com visitempo

FALL 2018

-3730

| 800-279

One of the largest handmade crafts fairs in western Kansas, Whimmydiddle Arts & Crafts Fair attracts between 5,000–10,000 visitors at its annual fall show. Stop in to see work from artists across the country, ranging from metal work to woodcrafts to dried flowers. Don’t miss the wide variety of food vendors to round out the day. The event takes place at City Park and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free to attend. (620) 214-3295 whimmydiddle.org

shop.

Mid-Century Woodworking ZACK SCHAFFER EXUDES MIDWESTERN MODESTY. He ranches by day, running several hundred head of cattle, and refers to his furniture shop as a passion for woodworking that“just kind of turned into a business.”That business, home to a gorgeous blend of mid-century modern designs and warm, earthy finishes, has shipped to almost every state in the country. Hidden in Jetmore (population less than 1000), just 30 miles north of Dodge City, Schaffer Furniture produces custom designs inspired by Zack’s heroes: Sam Maloof (whose work can be found in New York’s Met Museum), George Nakashima and the Danish modernist Hans Wegner. Why mid-century? “A lot of it, the Maloof-style stuff in particular, is organic in form, you know: it’s simple, but it’s comfortable,” Schaffer says. The stunning simplicity of Schaffer’s designs reflects his unassuming way. His pieces are striking but not showy, intricate without being fussy.“It gets really hard to reinvent the wheel. People need chairs and they need tables,” Schaffer says.“You put your own spin on things.” Schaffer has

WHERE IN KANSAS?

certainly put his spin on a lot: listed on his website are custom orders for rocking chairs, credenzas, a combination of wine rack and bookshelf called “The Lingo,” and a handmade bed and headboard set. Schaffer first learned woodworking in high school, later attending Fort Hays State University for the subject. He knew he wanted to work at his family’s ranch after graduating, and the down-time afforded by such a seasonal occupation gave him the opportunity to perfect his skills at the shop.“I can see a picture of something, and I can figure out how to build it just by looking at it usually,” Schaffer says. In the future, Schaffer hopes to transition into making furniture full-time. Rather than be limited to custom orders, he says, he wants to develop and sell his own designs. Though he bemoans his remote location, arguing it may get in the way of his designs being viewed as art, he realizes what he has in his home state.“I don’t think there’s any furniture designer that’s ever been through Kansas. I’m kind of rare out here, actually,” Schaffer says. schafferfurniture.com

Hutchison Jetmore Scott City

YOURS VS. MINE HOLIDAY VINTAGE WORLD MARKET Oct. 13–14, Hutchinson Head to the Kansas State Fairgrounds for a weekend of art and antiques. Vendors from across the U.S. will share antiques, collectables, furniture, clothing and jewelry. So if you love a great find, don’t miss this market. (620) 728-9494 vintageworld market.com

“I can see a picture of something and I can figure out how to build it just by looking at it, usually.” —ZACK SCHAFFER, KANSAS WOODWORKER

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

WHIMMYDIDDLE ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR Sept. 29, Scott City

15 FALL 2018

SHOP ’TILL YOU DROP

this season

By Rebekah Lodos

Experience Atchison History. Mystery. Entertainment.

_______________

EXCITING 2018 FALL EVENTS: Haunted Atchison Season Funky Junk Flea Market Muddy River Music Festival Catfish Chasers Tournament Vintage Fly-In

Taste of Atchison Oktoberfest Germanfest Witches Weekend Octoberbest

WWW.VISITATCHISON.COM | 800-234-1854 With two beautiful lakes Council Grove is a great

"The Most Haunted Town hunting In Kansas" destination for camping, and fishing. Haunted Atchison Events Haunted Trolley Rides Murder Mystery Dinners Cemetery Walking Tours Paranormal Investigations Sallie House Tours Haunted Hop and more..

Official Haunted Atchison

New this season..

Haunted Weekend with the NewKirks Aiden Sinclair, Master Illusionist Haunted 1889 McInteer Villa Tours For the full Haunted Schedule, go to VisitAtchison.com

VISIT c OUNCIL g rove . com Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism 620-767-5413

Work off that Thanksgiving turkey feast by exploring the parks on Black Friday. The parks are offering free admission for visitors that day, and outdoor enthusiasts as well as newbies can find ample wildlife, hiking trails and relaxing views. ksoutdoors.com/ State-Parks/Locations

Since the inaugural hunt in 2011,The Ringneck Classic has generated more than $350,000 for conservation initiatives and worthy beneficiaries.

outside.

LET’S PLAY LAKE SCOTT CATFISH TOURNAMENT Historic Lake Scott State Park Sept. 15–16

Don’t miss this annual catfish catching event at Historic Lake Scott. Anglers can win prizes (beyond catching a fish, which for some is a prize in itself). chamber.scottcityks.org (620) 872-3525

WHERE IN KANSAS?

Lake Scott Colby

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

OPT OUTSIDE All Kansas State Parks November 23

CIVIC ADVOCATES FROM NORTHWEST KANSAS HAVE A UNIQUE BLUEPRINT to bring attention to the bountiful natural resources in their corner of the state, as well as focus on local economic opportunities and the rich community heritage. Initiated in 2011, the Kansas Governor’s Ringneck Classic has a diverse variety of sponsoring companies and partners whose generous subsidies are invested in the region to support conservation programs, youth scholarships, and local organizations. Orange-clad hunters from throughout the country will converge on Colby from November 15–18 to enjoy fabulous entertainment, local cuisine, clay target shooting contests, camaraderie, and of course, challenging pheasant hunting. A plethora of eager canine breeds will lead the hunters over countless acres of prime ground to pursue wily ringnecks.While the event is by invitation only, those interested in being a part of the hunt are invited to visit the website to find information on how to contribute, volunteer or otherwise support this cooperative and expanding event.This year’s event will even be featured on two sporting media outlets, If It Flies, with Marty Fisher on the Pursuit Channel, and the web series,“Sweet Point Setter Tales,” featuring Wade Kisner. Since the inaugural hunt in 2011, The Ringneck Classic has generated more than $350,000 for conservation initiatives and worthy beneficiaries. In 2017, proceeds from the event awarded $10,000 to Pheasants Forever to help fund a regional habitat biologist as well as a $25,000 grant to the Norton County Community Foundation to use for water preservation efforts for Prairie Dog Creek, which forms Keith Sebelius Lake. In April 2018, the Classic entered into a five-year agreement with Pheasants Forever to support the Northwest Kansas “Corners for Wildlife” project by providing a minimum of $20,000 annually.

17 FALL 2018

GET OUTSIDE

More Than A Hunt

this season

By Dave Zumbaugh

METAL POLE ART Hoisington Sixty-two unique, hand-crafted metal banners hang from the light poles in Hoisington’s business district and along the main corridors into the city. The banners highlight the birds and wildlife found at nearby Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area as well as the city’s railroad, oil and agriculture industries throughout its history. getruralkansas.org (620) 653-4125

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

WHERE IN KANSAS?

FALL 2018

JOIN ’EM

FOR THE BIRDS

Marysville Marion Lindsborg Hoisington Great Bend

Street Art SEVERAL KANSAS COMMUNITIES BOAST THEIR OWN UNIQUE VERSIONS OF COWS ON PARADE, the public art exhibit featuring fiberglass sculptures of cows decorated by local artists and displayed in public places in major cities around the globe. Known as the Black Squirrel City, Marysville features fivefoot, nine-inch squirrels, each individually decorated to artfully represent the city’s mascot. One, named Eve, honors the black squirrel’s origin in the city when several escaped from a traveling circus one evening in the 1920s. Another, called Choo-Choo, mirrors architectural elements of the nearby historic Union Pacific Railroad Depot. On Black Squirrel Night on Oct. 25, 13 newly designed squirrels will be paraded through town and added to the tour, bringing the total number to 34 Black Squirrels on Parade. A playful herd of brightly painted Wild Dala Horses grazes on the streets of Lindsborg, a city steeped in Swedish culture that adopted the brightly painted, bluntly-rounded Dala horses with no tails as a symbol of their Swedish culture. Each of the more than 35 four-foot-tall horses has been decorated with a theme and given a clever name, such as Hello Dala!, honoring the city’s long-running summer outdoor theater, Broadway RFD. Self-proclaimed as the Rhino Capital of Kansas, Marion boasts at least 80 Rhinos on Parade, the offshoot of the city’s long-running Chingawassa Days using a rhinoceros in promotional material. Each rhino typically has a theme, such as a spine painted on the local chiropractor’s piece.

All three cities distribute event maps and some include brief explanations of the artist’s inspiration for the work of art.

BIRDHOUSE ART TOUR Great Bend Paying tribute to the thousands of birds that migrate to the nearby Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands each year are over 70 birdhouses perched in front of businesses throughout Great Bend. Ranging in size from three- to five-feet tall, the birdhouses were colorfully painted by area artists, who describe their work in the Birdhouse Tour brochure. visitgreatbend.com (877) 427-9299

visitmarysvilleks.org | (785) 619-6050 lindsborgcity.org | (888) 227-2227 marionks.com | (620) 382-3425

PHOTOGRAPHS Shutterstock

culture. this season

By Cecilia Harris

www.bonnersprings.org

EMILY BARNES BEGAN HER PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY AT A YOUNG AGE AS SHE EXPERIMENTED WITH HER PARENT’S FILM CAMERA IN THE 1980S. Her love for arts continued to grow into her school years as she began taking classes in high school and college. Though nature photography was her first love, as she grew in her abilities, she started her own business and branched out into photographing families, seniors, weddings, and events.Emily has been photographing for more than 20 years and professionally for the past 8 years. The Abilene-based photographer enjoys the challenges of photography and capturing moments of emotion and beauty in all things. She enjoys finding beauty in all types of landscapes and in capturing simple joys in relationships within all people.

WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU WANTED TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER? I remember capturing pictures at the farm I grew up on as a young child. I fell in love with capturing those moments of happiness. I was 10 years old. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAMERA? WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT? My first camera was my father’s 35mm Pentax film camera. At the time I didn’t know what NOT to like about it. I was just thrilled to have a camera.

PHOTOGRAPH Emily Barnes

WHAT ARE SOME UNCOMMON OBJECTS THAT YOU LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH? I love to photograph micro images… snowflakes, frost, small insects. WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING TO PHOTOGRAPH BADLY? Photographing flowers during golden hour. The lighting is perfect. What is the hardest thing to photograph well? Indoor newborns.

TELL US ABOUT THE SHOT THAT GOT AWAY. I try not to think of the shot as getting away, but only a shot meant for our memories only. On my recent trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, there were dolphins everywhere and I didn’t have the correct lens to get the shot. They were beautiful. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KANSAS LANDMARK TO PHOTOGRAPH? My favorite landmark to photograph is definitely sunrises and sunsets. Nothing beats Kansas skies! TELL US ABOUT YOUR BEST CHANCE PHOTO TAKEN IN KANSAS. WHERE WAS IT? HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? Some of my favorite images by chance were capturing farmers with their families in a wheat field or a grandpa in overalls holding his newborn granddaughter. Both of these were family photo sessions.

lens. this season

WHERE IN KANSAS?

Wamego Manhattan Abilene

PINPOINT THREE KANSAS LOCATIONS (TOWNS/ CITIES) THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANCE FOR YOU OR YOUR CAREER. WHAT ARE THEY? Abilene, Manhattan and Wamego

RANK THESE KANSAS ICONS (FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST FAVORITE) IN TERMS OF YOUR CHOICE OF PHOTOGRAPHY SUBJECT: 1. Open skies 2. Fields of sunflowers 3. Prairie flowers 4. Buffalo herds 5. Seldom-heard discouraging words 6. The Kansas River 7. Cottonwood trees 8. The ornate box turtle

A good photographer knows when to be patient and to never rush things. —EMILY BARNES

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

A conversation with KANSAS! photographers about their lives in photography

21 FALL 2018

Emily Barnes

WHO WOULD YOU NAME AS AN “HONORARY KANSAN” FOR THEIR PHOTOGRAPHY? WHY? Josh Junghans is phenomenal. His talent goes beyond what he can do within photographing people, but also what he can do in nature photography.

this season

reasons.

By Cecilia Harris

REASONS we love Kansas

A wide variety of fun fall festivals

NO PRANKSTERS HERE Neewollah Festival, Independence This celebration began in 1919 in Independence as an effort to replace Halloween pranks with positive activities for children and was reinvented in 1958 as a three-day celebration. Now nine days long, the October 19â&#x20AC;&#x201C;27 Neewollah (Halloween spelled backward) Festival features three performances of a hometown musical, three parades, a medallion hunt, chili cook-off, carnival, 5K and fun runs, musical entertainment, and a marching band competition. neewollah.com | (877) 633-9655

OLD-FASHIONED FAMILY FUN Fall Fest, Concordia

STEP BACK IN TIME Great Plains Renaissance and Scottish Festival, Wichita

Historical reenactors from throughout the country recreate the 1856 Battle of Osawatomie during the Freedom Festival September 15–16 at John Brown Memorial Park. Additional activities commemorating the period of Bloody Kansas that led up to the Civil War include a storyteller, live music, a vintage baseball game, night fire and artillery and other history-related activities. This year’s festival will also add an Art in the Park event for the first time. kshs.org/john_brown (913) 755-4384

A frog jumping contest, turtle races, train rides, games, inflatable bounce sets, a 5K race, musical entertainment, and food and craft vendors are among the activities set for the 35th annual Fall Fest on September 22 in Concordia. Hosted by the Concordia Chamber of Commerce, the festival will also include a parade featuring marching bands, horses, antique cars and farm machinery. In the evening, the main street is closed for a block party. concordiakansaschamber. com/fall-fest (785) 243-4290

A medieval village returns visitors to the Middle Ages, a time of knights in shining armor and fair maidens, during the Great Plains Renaissance and Scottish Festival September 29–30 at the Sedgwick County Park in Wichita. The family-friendly event features a jousting arena, birds of prey show, bagpipe music, traditional sword fighting and more. The festival also includes the Wichita Highland Games, celebrating Scottish and Celtic heritage through competitions such as the caber toss and hammer throw. greatplainsrenfest.com facebook.com/GreatPlainsRenFest (316) 253-3392

REASONS

we love Kansas

DOWN ON THE FARM BarnFest, Damar A driving tour past a dozen barns in four counties highlights BarnFest, sponsored by the Kansas Barn Alliance and hosted on September 21–22 by the community of Damar. While on the group tour, participants will step inside six of the barns, one of which is a working barn while the others have been repurposed into a carpentry shop, events center, or other use. BarnFest speakers will focus on the restoration and relocation of old barns, and a barn quilt program is planned. Kansasbarnalliance.org (785) 737-3888

Send your “Reasons We Love Kansas” to ksreasons@sunflowerpub.com or to Reasons, KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

HISTORY RECREATED Freedom Festival, Osawatomie

reasons.

23 FALL 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) Rob Morgan, Shutterstock (2), Kansas Barn Alliance and Fall Fest Concordia.

this season

Discover...

Leavenworth, KS Fall Events Cruisers Car Show Aug. 11 Haymarket Square Concert Aug. 11 Jazz on the River Aug. 18 Hog Wild BBQ Sept. 7-8 Ft. Leavenworth Haunted Houses Tour Oct. 26 & 27 Veterans Day Parade Nov. 12

Fri. Sat. Sun., 12-6pm or by appointment

Top Attractions C.W. Parker Carousel Museum 28 block downtown shopping district Historic Fort Leavenworth Carroll Mansion Richard Allen Cultural Center

Plan your Trip with us! VisitLeavenworthKS.com Winfield, KS | 620-229-wine (9463) www.wheatstatewineco.com

t f i G e h t e v Gi o f Ka n sa s

Visit the From the Land of Kansas Marketplace to purchase and give products that are grown, raised or produced in Kansas.

shop.fromthelandofkansas.com During the holiday season purchase From the Land of Kansas gift boxes stocked with local Kansas products! Place orders from Nov. 1 through Dec. 10 to guarantee delivery by Christmas.

SENIOR GAMES September 13–23 / Topeka The state’s top senior-age athletes gather at the capital for summer sports competitions sunflowergames.com/index.php/ kansasseniorgames KEEPING LEGENDS ALIVE September 21–22 / Lawrence Haskell Indian Nations University hosts powwow celebration of Haskell grads and supporters from Native communities across the United States | haskell.edu CIDERFEST September 29-30; October 6–7 / Louisburg Louisburg Cider Mill hosts apple-harvest celebration and pressing of orchard apples louisburgcidermill.com

PHOTOGRAPH Ryan Coody

HUNT FOR RED ROCKTOBER October 6 / Hutchinson Strataca underground salt mine museum hosts excursions into mining area for unique rocks and formations | underkansas.org RUSH THE RAILS October 6 / Osawatomie Running and cycling race across the Flint Hills Nature Trail rushtherails.com

events.

NEEWOLLAH FESTIVAL October 19–27 / Independence Begun in 1919 as a safe alternative to Halloween pranks, the community-wide festival has grown to include parades, cook-offs and more | neewollah.com NASCAR October 19–21 / Kansas Speedway The NASCAR racing series continues with the Kansas Lottery 300 and the Hollywood Casino 400 kansasspeedway.com SPRINGHILL RANCH CANDLELIGHT TOURS November 10 / Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Experience life and the evening routine on a working ranch, brought to life by historical reenactors | nps.gov/tapr AN OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS November 22 / La Crosse Turn-of-the-century entertainment and holiday decorations usher in the holiday season at Rush County’s five museums rushcounty.org/RCHS

FIND MORE EVENTS AT TRAVELKS.COM Because all events are subject to change, please confirm with organizers before finalizing plans.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

WALNUT VALLEY FESTIVAL September 12–16 / Winfield Internationally known bluegrass music concerts and campout wvfest.com

MONSTER MYTHS BY MOONLIGHT October 13 / Milford State Park A family educational program (and costume party) devoted to learning more about spiders, snakes, bats, owls and other nocturnal creatures of Kansas ksoutdoors.com

25 FALL 2018

KANSAS STATE FAIR September 7–16 / Hutchinson The state’s annual gathering for 4-H champion show rounds, carnival rides, concerts and more kansasstatefair.com

this season

EVENTS fall 2018

wide open spaces

Wonders Wichita The of

Think you know Wichita? Spend a weekend exploring the vibrant cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revitalized areas.

Keeper of the Plains

By Sarah Kelly Shannon

Photography courtesy of the Wichita CVB

Allen House, designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is a must-see for architecture and design fans.

Visit the nation’s third-largest elephant exhibit at Sedgwick County Zoo.

SATURDAY 8 A.M. Start your morning at the Donut Whole, where you can try off-the-wall donut flavors such as Root Beer Float, Fluffernutter, and Peach Cobbler—all pair well with a hot cup of local coffee. The Donut Whole gets its coffee from The Spice Merchant, a Wichita coffee roastery located four blocks away. 9 A.M. Get an early start at Sedgwick County Zoo and see the Reed Family Elephants, who live in the nation’s third-largest elephant exhibit, which includes five acres of outdoor space and a 550,000-gallon water tank. Take the free tram tour or pay $3 for a boat tour to see the zoo from a new perspective. Feed the giraffes between 10 and 11 a.m. for $2 a person, then visit the Cessna Penguin Cove and feel transported to coastal South America. NOON For a lunch you can’t find in most parts of landlocked Kansas, visit Noble House

Here’s how to spend 36 hours in the new and improved Air Capital.

Hawaiian. Originally a food truck based in Topeka, Noble House became a mainstay on Wichita’s burgeoning food truck scene before opening a brick-and-mortar location in the Douglas Design District in 2017. The specialty is Hawaiian plate lunch—sort of analogous to a Japanese bento box or a Southern meat-andthree meal—featuring your choice of entree with sides of white rice and macaroni salad. From the huli huli chicken to the Spam and eggs breakfast, Noble House is a refreshing departure from the mainland. First-timers would be wise to pick a mixed-plate combo to try multiple entrées. 1:45 P.M. Take a 10-minute walk or a 3-minute drive to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Allen House, the last of the famed architect’s prairie houses. The basic walking tour starts at 2 p.m. each day, costs $15 and takes about an hour. The home features more than 30 pieces of furniture designed by Wright and has been ranked by USA Today as one of the top-10 Frank Lloyd Wright houses to tour. Serious architecture nerds should consider the two-hour in-depth tour at 10 a.m. for $20 per person or visit the second Saturday of the month for the 10 a.m. grand tour at $40. 3 P.M. Visit the gardens at Botanica, where you can walk the themed gardens at your own pace for $7 (youth tickets are $5, seniors and military personnel are $6, and children under

27 FALL 2018

ansas’ largest city is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, and you’re invited to enjoy it. This family-friendly destination is opening exciting new restaurants and breweries, revitalizing its older central neighborhoods, and working hard to attract and retain talented young professionals. Here’s how to spend 36 hours in the new and improved Air Capital.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Get a taste of Hawaii at Noble House.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

wide open spaces

FALL 2018

2 are free). If you’re traveling with youngsters, you’ll want to spend time at Downing Children’s Garden, which is full of interactive educational exhibits such as a treehouse to climb on, a maze to navigate, and more. For a more grownup experience, choose the Shakespearean Garden and see the limestone fountain surrounded by perennials, herbs, and Hawthorn trees. 5:30 P.M. Now that you’ve worked up a thirst, it’s time for happy hour at The Monarch. Set in Wichita’s charming Delano neighborhood, this New American restaurant boasts an impressive bourbon selection and several rotating taps featuring local craft beers. Hungry? Snack on loaded sweet potato tots or peppadew hummus. If the weather’s nice, you can’t beat The Monarch’s dog-friendly patio. 7–10 P.M. Walk or drive a quarter-mile to Lawrence Dumont Stadium and watch the Wichita Wingnuts play baseball. The Wingnuts, an independent team, play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. The season runs from May to early September, with walk-up tickets ranging from $8 to $15. You can save a few dollars by ordering tickets in advance. The 84-year-old Lawrence Dumont Stadium, which has hosted the National Baseball Congress World Series since 1934 and in 1949 was home to

the College World Series, will close permanently after the 2018 season. Experience a Wichita institution while you still can—and grab a hot dog while you’re there. 10 P.M. If you’re not ready to hit the hay just yet, go instead to Mort’s Cigar and Martini Bar in Old Town. If cigars are your thing, Mort’s has a nice selection to enjoy on the patio. For smoke-free fun, head inside and order from the extensive martini menu, with everything from Dirty McNasty—that’s Smirnoff vodka, olive juice and fresh blue cheese-stuffed olives—to Georgia Peach, Pineapple Passion, or Raspberry Tuaca Lemon Drop. Mort’s often has live music, so check their website (MortsWichita.com) to see who’s playing when you visit. SUNDAY 7:30 A.M. We all know someone who wakes up early on vacation determined to pack as much sightseeing as possible into one trip. If that’s you, a morning walk or run past the Keeper of the Plains is the perfect way to start Day 2. The 44-foot steel Indian Warrior sculpture stands where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers meet. With paved trails, two bridges, and educational plaques describing the Plains Indians’ way of life, the Keeper of the Plains is a stunning wake-up ritual at any pace. Admission is always free, and the plaza is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

wide open spaces

NOON If you can resist the urge to nap after brunch, your reward is family fun at Exploration Place, Wichita’s science museum. Check out permanent exhibits like the medieval-themed “Where Kids Rule,” where children can build a bridge to cross the treacherous moat, “shoe” a horse in the Black Smith Shoppe, and shoot a catapult across the kingdom. Older visitors might prefer “Kansas in Miniature,” a collage of the state including detailed models of real structures, or “Bridging Art & Science,” a gallery of breathtaking aerial photography by Wichita’s own Paul Bowen. Play a round of mini-golf, explore that visiting exhibits like “The Science of Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” and see a show at the Digital Dome Theater and Planetarium. And don’t forget to stop by the Explore Store on your way out. 3 P.M. If you like a little bit of everything, the Museum of World Treasures is perfect for you. The three-story building in the heart of

Old Town is a monument to cool stuff of all kinds. Its collection spans a fossil gallery, sea creatures of the Plains, military galleries, ancient civilizations, and an exhibit about the Berlin Wall. Admission is $9.95 for adults, $8.95 for seniors, and $7.95 for kids. The museum also offers a family day pass, good for two adults and two children, for $32.95. 4 P.M. Walk less than a block to Public at the Brickyard for signature cocktails like the Lavender Lemonata—homemade lemon and lavender soda stirred with Tito’s Organic Vodka— or craft beer from both local and national breweries. They even have cold brew coffee on tap! Try house-made pickles or buffalo cauliflower to munch on while you enjoy a cozy environment indoors or a sprawling patio outside. 7 P.M. For a memorable final meal in Wichita, try Georges French Bistro in College Hill. Sure, they serve escargot and barramundi, but Georges is far from stuffy. A patio, kids menu, and selection of familiar favorites like steak and macaroni and cheese (well, macaronis au fromage) make this far less intimidating than other French restaurants. Whatever you do, do not leave Georges without ordering dessert. With a variety of sweet crêpes (bananas Foster, Nutella and banana, ricotta honey almond), classic crème brûlée, éclairs, and more, you may want to order two desserts, just to be safe.

29 FALL 2018

10 A.M. Don’t leave Wichita without indulging in Sunday brunch at Doo-Dah Diner, a delicious, traditional buffet-style affair. Expect classics like hash browns, biscuits and gravy, meatloaf, cheesy grits, and made-to-order omelets. Doo-Dah’s signature dishes, the banana bread French toast and monkey bread, are must-try. The diner is a local favorite, so your best bet is to call ahead and put your name on the list before you arrive. Sunday brunch is $19.99 for adults and $9.99 for kids.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE TOP LEFT Refreshments infusing at Monarch; National Baseball Congress at Lawrence Dumont Stadium; Exploration Place; a chef prepares fruit at Public; Museum of World Treasures; Botanica.

taste of Kansas

Kansas Staple A

Enterpriseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hoffman Grist Mill offers visitors a glimpse into a historic Kansas industryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;turning wheat to flour. Joe Minick holds wheat berries before milling them into flour at Hoffman Grist Mill.

By Meta Newell West

Photography by Emily Barnes

ORIGINAL HOFFMAN GRIST MILL HISTORY 1868—Christian Hoffman, an immigrant miller from Switzerland with the help of another Swiss immigrant, Jacob Ehrsam, builds a dam and gristmill in what would eventually become Enterprise, Kansas. 1869—C. Hoffman Grist Mill opens for local and area business. 1881–1891—New mill and elevators erected.

1909—Flour sold in almost every state in the Union. 1911—Hoffman Grist Mill merges with some of largest and bestknown mills to form Kansas Flour Mills Company. 1930s—With Hoffman family members at the helm, Flour Mills of American, Inc., now headquartered in Kansas City, becomes the seventh-largest flour milling concern in the United States. 1933—Milling operations end in Enterprise; site is sold to J.B. Ehrsam and Sons Manufacturing Company.

expansion of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad train. “My mind is always busy and I’m always thinking about a current or future project,” Minick says. After reading a railroad magazine about a tourist train that stopped at an old gristmill, the ideas began to flow. He shared those thoughts with a coffee group that included Reed Hoffman, grandson of Christian Hoffman. Thrilled by a venture that would bolster both his hometown of Enterprise and the tourist train, Reed agreed on the spot. The two-story Hoffman Grist Mill was erected during a “mill raising” on a fall day in 2015. Minick provided the “cut list,” including drawings and ready-tocut directions for the size and length of each board for every wall, floor and ceiling, along with assembly directions by section. About 30 people completed the tasks in one day.

31 FALL 2018

f Joe Minick, a Dickinson County native, has his way, today’s Kansans will not only realize their state is one of the leading wheat producers but also understand the old-time process involved in turning wheat berries into flour. It’s the same process that was used in the late 1860s by Christian Hoffman in his mill on the south bank of the Smoky River, near the site of what would eventually become Enterprise, Kansas. A smaller version of that mill has been replicated in Enterprise by a group of community-minded volunteers headed by Minick. Known as the Hoffman Grist Mill, it is located at the turnaround point for the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad’s tourist train. Minick has been instrumental in numerous undertakings in Dickinson County including the relocation, restoration, continued maintenance and

1905—C. Hoffman and Son Milling Company earns the distinctions of being the first mill in Kansas to demonstrate the superiority of hard wheat over soft wheat and the first mill in Kansas to ship flour overseas.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

1904—One-sixteenth of all wheat in Kansas is being milled in Enterprise. Hoffman Elevator Company forms, taking over operation of 32 elevators.

taste of Kansas

FROM

GRAIN TO FLOUR A STEP-BY-STEP EXPLANATION OF THE PROCESS GRAIN GOES THROUGH AT THE HOFFMAN MILLS OF ENTERPRISE.

HOFFMAN GRIST MILL The current Hoffman Grist Mill is located across the road from the original 1896 C. Hoffman & Sons Milling Company site. WATER WHEEL The water wheel that provides fuel came from a vintage mill in Cedar Point. A four-feet-deep pit underneath the wheel holds runoff water that is brought up to the wheel by a submersion pump. ELEVATOR LEG Arriving at a hopper on the number one wood elevator leg, grain is taken up by cups to holding bins on the second floor. The base and head of this machine are what’s left of the original wood elevator constructed in the early 1900s by the J.B. Ehrsam and Sons Manufacturing Company. The mill uses Turkey Red heritage wheat, the same variety brought to Kansas in the 1873 by the Mennonites. This non-hybridized wheat is locally produced in the Navarre area. It also uses non-GMO corn that is grown on the Griffith Family Farm in Jewell.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

GRAIN CLEANER When ready to process, grain is sent back down to a 1940s-era grain cleaner that contains both coarse and fine screens for debris removal.

FALL 2018

GRAIN SPOUT Partially cleaned grain is transported on the number two wood elevator leg back up to second floor to a scouring machine for final cleaning. Cleaned grain is then funneled down a wood spout, through a magnetic separator designed to catch any remaining residue, to holding bins over each grinding mill. GRINDING MILLS A 36” granite stone grinder, about the size that would have been used in Christian Hoffman’s original mill, is used to turn wheat berries into whole-wheat flour. Once ground, the flour is sent back to the second floor on the number three elevator leg where is goes into a bin for storage or to the scalper/bolter. Whole-wheat flour is also ground in another 10” mill stone grinder and then either sacked as whole-wheat flour or sent to the sifter. A corn burr mill grinder cranks out either corn meal or grits. SIFTING THE FLOUR A sifter on the first floor separates whole-wheat flour into fine flour and farina, a porridge-style hot cereal. Or, whole wheat flour can be transported back upstairs and run through the antique scalper/bolter where it is separated into fine flour and farina. CLOTH SACKS An original framed sack used in the late 1800s to early 1900s is displayed on the wall of the mill. Today’s finished products go into small colorful cloth sacks reminiscent of those used in the past. Products are packaged in two- or four-pound bags.

When it came to finishing the inside of the mill and outfitting the building with equipment, Minick referred to original inkon-linen drawings by Ehrsam Company from the 1900s, conferred with other vintage mill owners, and searched the internet for period machinery. In the process, he purchased an antique scalper/bolter, a piece he considers to be one of the mill’s prized acquisitions. Minick, who likes to find a deal, found the machine on Craigslist and bought it from a man in Kansas City for about $400. “The guy was using it to separate sawdust from woodchips, but this is the type of machine first used in the early mill to separate finely ground flour from the farina and bran,” Minick says. When the Enterprise site closed in 1933, its equipment was sent to mill headquarters in Kansas City. Although there is no proof, Minick likes to speculate that the scalper/bolter he purchased in Kansas City was returned to its original home in Enterprise. According to Mary Jane Oard, manager of Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, Minick has an uncanny ability to fix or build just about anything. He rebuilt much of the equipment on the first floor of the mill from original bits and pieces. He designed and built most of the equipment on the second floor to resemble machinery used by the original mill. The mill’s story is one with some interesting twists and turns with people and places interwoven throughout. In 1869, Christian Hoffman recruited Jacob Ehrsam to build his gristmill. Years later in 1956, J.B. Ehrsam & Sons Manufacturing Company recruited Minick, a diesel mechanic by trade, to design and install equipment. Then, during what he calls his “not-so-retirement years,” Minick designed and constructed a replica of the gristmill originally built by the founder of the company that trained him as a draftsman.

THE MILL’S STORY IS ONE WITH SOME INTERESTING TWISTS AND TURNS...

taste of Kansas

TOP Joe Minick operates one of the several machines necessary to process wheat from berries to flour. BOTTOM Joe Minick (left) and Reed Hoffman (right) collaborated to restore the Hoffman Grist Mill, a flour mill located in Enterprise once owned and operated by Reed Hoffmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandfather, Christian Hoffman, in the 1860s.

taste of Kansas

TOP Joe Minick visits with Reed Hoffman, grandson of Hoffman Grist Mill founder Christian Hoffman, who operated the mill in the 1860s. BOTTOM Joe Minick works with replicated machines, showing visitors how wheat berries were once processed at the grist mill.

taste of Kansas

will be held Saturday, September 15, 2018, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on and near the grounds of the Hoffman Grist Mill, 105 N. Factory Street, Enterprise, KS.

KNOW YOUR FLOURS Whole-wheat flour is a mix of the entire wheat kernel, which consists of bran (outer covering, high in fiber and nutrients), endosperm (starchy “insides,” biggest part of the kernel) and germ (nutrient-rich embryo). Fine flour or “sifted wheat flour” has 80% of the bran removed from the whole wheat flour. It is not as fine as all-purpose flour but can be used interchangeably. Farina is a coarser milled cereal grain.

With available ingredients, including freshly ground wheat flour and fruit from the orchard or foraged berries, early settlers created cobbler, a dessert that is now considered to be an American classic.

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup granulated sugar + extra for sprinkling on top • 1 cup Hoffman Grist Mill sifted wheat flour • 1 stick butter, softened • 2 large eggs • Fruit: fresh fruit cut to cover bottom half of pan & sweetened to taste with sugar. Could also use sweetened frozen fruit or a (30-ounce) can of pie filling

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

ENTERPRISE FALL FESTIVAL

CLASSIC AMERICAN COBBLER

35 INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease or spray an 8-9-inch round or square pan. 2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, butter and eggs to make a thick batter. 3. Arrange fruit in bottom of prepared pan. 4. Spoon dollops of batter over fruit; spread to partially cover the fruit. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired. 5. Bake around 45 minutes until lightly brown.

FALL 2018

But the twists and turns don’t stop there. The success of the early mill was due, in part, to the railroads that built tracks through Enterprise. Those same rails that shipped flour out of Enterprise now transport visitors into that small town, making the Hoffman Mill an attraction at the end of the Abilene and Smoky Valley rails. Today’s mill shows visitors how grain was once ground into flour using granite stone wheels. It produces only small quantities of flour and cornmeal, but the millers do some custom grinding for customers and clean wheat berries for others who have their own smaller mills. The mill is open most Saturdays and during the annual Enterprise Fall Festival that will be held on September 15, 2018.

38 | 70 Off I-70

PHOTOGRAPH Justin Lister

Our guide to 70 family, food and fun attractions just a short drive off the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central and historic highway corridor

52 | Speedway Fandom:

Fast & Fervent

The Kansas Speedway builds its reputation as the racing track that goes the distance for its fans

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f f o 0 7 o d t n e a d i d u s o g n o o Ourmily, f racti drive fa n att hort eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fu st a s stat ju f the l and way of ntra c high ce stori or hi rrid co ni Afa lly a F ith ey w l a r er F Amb y b ry Sto

t r a t S

Kansas has always been shaped by travel routes: animal migration patterns, river passages, overland pioneer trails, railways, air fields, roadways and then—since it first opened in Kansas in 1956—the national interstate highway system. Now, perhaps no other highway defines Kansas more than the heavily traveled I-70 route that cuts the state from west to east (or east to west). It is the lifeline of communities and commuters who live along its route, and it is the thin strip of passage that many Americans take through the state on longer journeys. Whether you are a Kansan or a visitor to the state, you can easily turn your I-70 odyssey into something else—a short discovery of new art, a magnificent meal, an educational side trip or even an inspirational contact with nature. Here are our picks for some of the state’s best encounters just off I-70 where there is a world of Kansas to explore and enjoy.

Goodland

White Eagle Gas Station

Exits 17 & 19

A completely restored and historically furnished Queen Annestyle Victorian home with gift shop.

Goodland High Plains Museum

See a replica of the first patented helicopter in the United States, invented by Goodland residents W.J. Purvis and C.A. Wilson in 1909.

t s e w t tar s ’s Let

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RALPH FISCHER / The Visitor’s Center, Colby

If you head out for a quaint jaunt over to Colby, a very peculiar building might catch your eye. The Visitor’s Center there is shaped like a grain bin—and inside, you’ll meet longtime volunteer Ralph Fischer. Ralph knows all things Colby, and he’s been the go-to for visitors there since it was built 14 years ago.

Friendly Face off I-70

Goodland Art Tour

Goodland is home to several public art exhibits, including the Giant Grasshopper, Cameron Cross’ giant replica of van Gogh’s Three Sunflowers in a Vase and the restored White Eagle Gas Station.

Three Sunflowers in a Vase land od

Ennis-Handy House

colby

Exits 53 & 54 The Prairie Museum of Art and History

Located on 24 acres, this museum is the site of a 1930s farmstead, sod house, one-room school and the historic Cooper Barn, the largest barn in Kansas.

Essential Kansas

ROAD SNACKS STORY BY Linda Ditch

Here are some authentic Kansas snacks to make your journey across the state a real treat. COOKIES: Every road trip needs a sweet treat, and Helmuth Country Bakery in Hutchinson makes bagsfull of them for your trip. The company specialized in Peppernuts Hospitality Cookies, which is a small spice cookie brought to Kansas by Mennonite immigrants.

SNAXSUN WHEAT TREATS: Since Kansas is also the Wheat State, enjoy this treat from Wheatland Foods in Hays—popped whole wheat kernels and topped with salt, cheesy nacho, cool ranch, smoked bacon, or barbecue flavors. CASHMERE GOURMET POPCORN: Made in Downtown Topeka, there are 15 savory and sweet flavors to pick from when buying this hand-crafted popcorn. Try the Tornado—a combo of cheesy cheddar, butter, and caramel popcorn all mixed together. LOST TRAIL AND PRAIRIE HARVEST TRAIL MIXES: No road trip snack bag would be complete without trail mix, and Louisburg Cider Mill’s Lost Trail or Newton’s Prairie Harvest trail mix make for a healthy road snack. Colby

CARR CREEK BEEF JERKY: Kansas is a great place to raise cattle, and the jerky you find here is some of the best. Carr Creek Beef Jerky is available in two flavors—original and spicy. ALMA CHEESE CURDS: Though made in Alma, packages of these little nuggets of cheesy deliciousness can be found at just about any grocery store in the state.

Butterfield Trail Museum and Historical Association RUSSELL SPRINGS A.K.A. “The Little Museum on the Prairie,” this museum displays the rich history of the Butterfield Overland Despatch stagecoach line, as well as the human and natural history of this corner of the Great Plains.

The Fick Fossil and History Museum OAKLEY Established to showcase the Fick family’s findings and artwork, the Fick Museum allows you to walk through the history of Logan County. Visitors start in the Prehistoric era amid sharks teeth and fossils and finish their tour walking the through replicas of the early boardwalks of Oakley during the dust storms of the 1930s.

Exit 168

Ellis Railroad Museum / ELLIS

Over 5,000 square feet of model train layouts, plus a full-size Union Pacific caboose and a General Motors Aero Streamliner await at this museum for train lovers!

Walter P. Chrysler Boyhood Home & Museum / ELLIS

Built in 1889, this immaculately restored home is accurate to the time of Chrysler’s childhood. See his many innovations and several period cars!

The Cathedral of the Plains VICTORIA Officially the Basilica of St. Fidelis, and one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas, the Cathedral of the Plains is one of only 78 minor basilicas designated by the Vatican in the United States and the only one in Kansas. This Romanesque church was completed in 1911 from native limestone and is open to the public from dawn to dusk. Audio tours available.

Buffalo Bill Cultural Center / OAKLEY

View one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas, the monumental bronze sculpture of Buffalo Bill Cody. This travel information center with maps, brochures and a gift shop featuring many Kansas-made products makes the perfect picnic spot. Pet friendly!

Exits 70 & 76

ellis/ victoria

l Sprin sel

SUNFLOWER ey/Rus SEEDS: kl Munching on sunflower seeds is pretty much mandatory in the Sunflower State. The Sunflower Seed Company in Lenexa not only provides snack-sized packages of shelled kernels (in honey roasted and blazin’ hot flavors) but also makes Sunny Seeds—chocolate-covered sunflower kernels with a candy coating.

Oakley/ russell springs

ria cto

Ellis/Vi

The Cathedral of the Plains

Russell Exit184

Oil Patch Museum

t s e w d i m d an

The indoor-outdoor museum educates visitors on how oil is found and refined, as well as the history of oil production in Russell. Take an outdoor tour of drilling rigs, steam engines and pump jacks used throughout history.

he ot t e nu ti n co

Gernon House

Hays

The Gernon House is the oldest stone home in Russell. Constructed in 1872 by blacksmith Nicholas Gernon, the house has been fully restored to 1890s standards by the Russell County Historical Society.

Russel

hays

Exits 157 & 159 Sternberg Museum of Natural History

This museum, home to an extensive dinosaur bone collection, houses approximately 3 million specimens that document the natural history of the Great Plains. Home of the worldfamous fish-within-a-fish fossil!

Vineyard Nature Trail

Sternberg Museum of Natural History

View native plants and wildlife along this scenic hiking trail that takes visitors through prairies and wetlands.

Antique Mall of Hays

This shopping experience has 8,000 square feet of showroom, multiple vendors and a wide array of antiques, collectibles, furniture and lamps.

Fort Hays State Historic Site

A U.S. military post at the height of the Indian Wars from 1867–1889, at various times, Fort Hays served as home to the 7th U.S. Cavalry and the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry regiments. Today the site has a visitors center and four original buildings.

Frontier Park

See real live bison in this 89-acre scenic park that was once part of the Fort Hays U.S. military post. Today it features the City of Hays bison herd, large shade trees, walking trails, picnic and restroom facilities, and playground equipment.

PATRICK MCGINNIS / Breathe Coffee House, Hays

When you need a caffeine fix and conversation, Breathe Coffee is the go-to in Hays. That’s where Patrick McGinnis started the coffee house under a different premise— provide a space where the primary goal is dialogue. Patrick wanted to bring the community together to discuss challenging topics (but he’s all for laidback exchanges, too). Just as long as you “make your coffee intentional.”

Friendly Face off I-70

Ellsworth/lincoln

Lincoln County Courthouse

Exits 219 & 221 Hodgen House Museum Complex ELLSWORTH

Village Lines / LINCOLN

Take a break and have a piece of homemade pie at Village Lines in Lincoln. The “little Kansas store” features local limestone art, handmade pottery, jewelry, wheat-weavings, food, books and more! Be sure to take a picture of the Lincoln County Courthouse, a massive limestone edifice listed in the National Register of Historic Places and one of the most photographed buildings in Kansas.

This historic museum complex in Ellsworth consists of the 1878 Hodgen House, 1880s livery stable, 1912 one-room school, 1880s Second Baptist Church, 1909 caboose, 1900 train depot, turnof-the-century wooden windmill and more.

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Wilson State Park

Midland Railroad Hotel and The Sample Room Tavern WILSON

This unique store showcases the largest collection of Kansas goods and artists in the state! Discover Kansas-made foods, books, art, jewelry, toys and clothing and more!

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this historic hotel and restaurant was featured in several scenes of the 1973 film Paper Moon starring Ryan and Tatum O’Neal. Authentic Midwestern cuisine.

Switchgrass Epic Mountain Bike Trail WILSON This 25-mile challenges mountain bikers and hikers. Unlike any other trail in Kansas, Switchgrass is the only trail in the state to be designated Epic by the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Wilson State Park SYLVAN GROVE Enjoy kayaks, paddleboards and canoes, or you can take a hike at one of Kansas’ most scenic, premier fishing lakes!

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

View this Kansasmade 20-foot-tall painted egg in a traditional Czech design and stop for an old-fashioned ice cream soda and a slice of pizza at Grandma’s Soda Shop!

Kansas Originals Market and Gallery WILSON

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World’s Largest Czech Egg WILSON

STEVE HOWARD / Cozy Inn, Salina

At the Cozy Inn in Salina, it’s all about you. Salina’s oldest restaurant, known for serving up miniature burgers every day, sports a map on the wall where customers can pinpoint their hometowns. Owner Steve Howard is the friendly face behind this local joint, and the restaurant’s website shares stories from all the customers who have reached out and messaged them.

Friendly Face off I-70

KANSAS! MAGAZINE FALL 2018

Abilene/ Chapman Exits 275–286

Brookville Hotel / ABILENE

Cozy Inn, home of the Cozyburger since 1922

Stop for lunch or dinner at the iconic hamburger restaurant that’s been flipping sliders since 1922. The Cozy Inn serves from 1,500 to 3,000 sliders every day!

Rolling Hills Zoo

Rolling Hills Zoo is home to big cats, primates, exotic mammals, birds and reptiles on 65 acres nestled among the beautiful Smoky Hills of Saline County.

Central Kansas Flywheels Yesteryear Museum

An agricultural and cultural museum that depicts early rural life. See farming implements and other items of settlers’ early life in the Midwest. e/Cha en

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Kansas Auto Racing Museum CHAPMAN

Greyhound Hall of Fame ABILENE

This 21-acre museum is home to the first NASCAR and NHRA trophies, as well as many restored race cars from seven different racing eras, video play stations and rare film footage.

After you’re greeted by the museum’s two greyhound racing retirees, you’ll learn about greyhounds and greyhound racing from ancient times to present in this notto-be missed tribute to man’s best friend!

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home ABILENE

Dickinson County Heritage Center ABILENE

Home of authentic, Midwestern, family-style, sit-down fried chicken dinners! The Brookville Hotel serves the same meals it did during the railroad expansion of the 1870s along the Chisholm Trail. Gift shop.

Includes a visitors center, his presidential research library and his modest boyhood home, which has been painstakingly restored.

Russell Stover Candies Factory and Outlet Store ABILENE

This 25-room, Georgian-style mansion was built in 1905 for Dr. A.B. Seelye. Seelye made his fortune selling patent medicines, which visitors can learn about in the Patent Medicine Museum located inside the mansion. The mansion includes a lever-operated bowling alley, purchased from the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

Features all lines of Russell Stover, Whitman’s and Pangburn’s candies, plus close-outs and factory seconds. Watch the Russell Stover team prepare handmade candies, cookies and caramel apples in the candy kitchen!

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Seelye Mansion and Gardens ABILENE

This area celebrates the unique local history and includes indoor and outdoor exhibits such as the Museum of Independent Telephony, a settler’s cabin and an early grocery store. Be sure to ride the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel while you’re there!

Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad ABILENE All aboard! Choo-choose one of many train ride options including passenger train rides, steam train rides and dinner trains. Be sure to buy heritage flour from the Hoffman Grist Mill or take the historic home bus tour while you’re there.

Junction city Exits 299–304

U.S. Cavalry Museum, Custer House & 1st Infantry Museum at Fort Riley

Learn about the history of the U.S. cavalry, the Big Red One and military life on the western frontier during the Indian Wars period. (Please note all visitors to Fort Riley aged 16 and older must provide photo ID and submit to a quick background check in order to receive a visitor’s pass.)

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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad

Geary County Historical Museum

Houses an extensive collection of vintage photographs, Plains Indian artifacts and a “Main Street” reproduction of six businesses typical of 1900s-era Junction City.

Milford Nature Center

Located near the Milford Reservoir in the Flint Hills, Milford Nature Center offers living examples of Kansas wildlife such as lizards, prairie dogs and more! Visit the Nature Playground, Butterfly House Exhibit and the Milford Fish Hatchery.

alma/wamego Exit 328

Alma Creamery / ALMA

Purchase a variety of Kansas-made cheeses, milk, jerky, summer sausage, jams, fruit butters, barbecue sauces and other Kansasmade goodies at the Alma Creamery!

Oz Museum / WAMEGO

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The Oz Museum is dedicated to celebrating the beloved Wizard of Oz books written by L. Frank Baum, as well as the many films inspired by those books. Lots of Oz merchandise available in the gift shop!

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manhattan Exit 313

Konza Prairie Trails Biological Station & Trails

A unique preserve of a native tallgrass prairie ecosystem managed by the Division of Biology, Kansas State University. Take a self-guided hike with 24 scenic and educational stops. (No dogs, please!)

Vineyard Nature Trail Kansas State University Gardens and Insect Zoo

This unique zoo offers an interactive look at numerous species of insects, including bees, beetles, walking sticks and praying mantises, as well as tarantulas, scorpions, and more!

Aggieville

Take a stroll and experience the unique shops and eateries in the oldest shopping district in Kansas! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find everything from tacos to Thai food to fine art and Wildcat clothing and souvenirs. Aggieville has something for every visitor!

Oz Museum

Paxico Exit 332

Wyldewood Cellars Tasting Room

Sample and purchase a wide variety of award-winning, sometimes exotic, but always delicious, Kansas-made wines! Paxi c

REST STOPS along I-70 STORY BY Kim Gronniger

Road trips require frequent breaks not only for buying fuel but also for stretching legs and filling stomachs with the beverages, bonbons and blue-plate specials the locals favor. If your travel plans call for a trek across I-70, get your motor runnin’ with these Kansas prairie pit-stops, shops and fun photo-ops. Stuckey’s Maple Hill

At the state’s sole Stuckey’s, a chain staple for travelers seeking souvenirs and pecan logs since the 1930s, stock up on sweet and savory seasoned nuts, cellophane packets of circus peanuts and rock candy sticks to enjoy on your journey. Pick up a tornado snow globe, refrigerator magnet or other trinket for an Americana keepsake.

Kansas Originals Market and Gallery, Wilson

Dandelion jelly or homemade fudge, anyone? This roadside respite draws thousands of visitors each year. The acclaimed store celebrates artistic ingenuity evident in everything from hand-stitched quilts and cowhide coatracks to limestone name posts and wheat-woven dolls and windmills.

The Pennant, Topeka

If you can plan a gas stop anywhere on the east side of Topeka, call ahead to The Pennant to place an order for sandwiches, locally sourced salads, milkshakes or fries. Kids (and nostalgic adults) can take a short break playing at the diner’s 25 vintage arcade games.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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Exits 353–366 Evel Knievel Museum

See this extensive collection of ’70s icon Evel Knievel’s helmets, costumes, motorcycles and even his iconic 1974 Mack Truck & Trailer “Big Red” at Historic Harley Davidson in Topeka!

Kansas Museum of History

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This award-winning museum tells the history of the people of Kansas. See Carry Nation’s hatchet, William Allen White’s printing press and a full-sized 1880s Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe locomotive. Hands-on historical fun for the kids in the Discovery Place!

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

Established by Congress to commemorate the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision aimed at ending racial segregation in public schools.

Ward-Meade Historic Site

This historic district includes a botanical garden and Old Prairie Town featuring the Ward-Meade Victorian mansion, the Mulvane General Store Visitors Center and Gift Shop, and the Potwin Drug Store with working soda fountain.

Kansas State Capitol Building See John Steuart Curry’s historic John Brown mural Tragic Prelude and take a free tour of the Capitol dome. Stop for lunch in downtown Topeka!

Kansas State Capitol Building

Haskell Cultural Center and Museum

Topek

Lawren

Historic Downtown Lawrence LAWRENCE Discover blocks of fantastic dining and eclectic shopping in this uniquely preserved Midwestern downtown district.

University of Kansas Natural History Museum / LAWRENCE

View the historic diorama prepared by Kansas professor Lewis Lindsay Dyche for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, the horse Comanche that survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn, dinosaur fossils and more. Gift shop.

Booth Family Hall of Athletics LAWRENCE This museum, adjacent to Allen Fieldhouse honors KU’s athletes and coaches and features Dr. James Naismith’s 13 Original Rules of “Basket Ball.” Self-guided and guided tours available. Gift shop.

Clinton State Park LAWRENCE

Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) is one of the nation’s most respected tribal universities. Visit the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum and take a self-guided tour of the historic campus!

Prairie Park Nature Center LAWRENCE Nature center featuring live birds of prey such as eagles and hawks, as well as walking paths covering 100 acres of woodlands, wetlands, prairie habitats and a lake.

Baker Wetlands Discovery Center LAWRENCE Named “the most beautiful place in Kansas” by House Beautiful magazine, the Baker Wetlands encompasses 927 acres of wetland with 11 miles of trails and features a breathtaking array of native wildlife and plants. Learn about the wetland ecosystem in the Discovery Center!

This scenic lake with marina features camping, 25 miles of hiking and biking trails, a swim beach, traditional golf course and disc golf course, the Mutt Run off-leash dog park and four playgrounds.

Constitution Hall in Lecompton LECOMPTON National Historic Landmark where the Kansas Territorial Government convened, and a large antislavery delegation met to protest the proslavery constitutional convention.

BOB WERTS / Waxman Candles, Lawrence

In the artsy community of Lawrence, you’ll find one man completely immersed in his artistry. Bob Werts is known as “the Wax Man,” and runs the store by the same name (Waxman Candles). A number of programs help the community take part in candle-making, and on any day Bob’s there, inviting shoppers to watch the process of making handdipped candles.

Friendly Face off I-70

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Exits 197, 202, 204

Haskell Indian Nations Walking Tour / LAWRENCE

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lawrence/ lecompton

kansas City Exit 423A

MIKE AND JOE PEARCE / Slap’s BBQ, Kansas City

In Kansas City, you’ll find not one but two friendly faces at this local institution. Brothers Mike and Joe Pearce started Slap’s BBQ after wanting to turn their love of cooking into a reality. The brothers compete in dozens of contests every year and love chatting it up with customers at what they refer to as their “no-nonsense” BBQ joint.

Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center

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See this historic, restored Queen Anne-style mansion built in 1887, later purchased by St. John’s Catholic parish and used as an orphanage from 1919– 1988. The gift shop features artwork and items of the Baltic and Slavic heritage of the neighborhood. Hourly tours.

Legends Outlets

Acres of outlet shopping, dining and entertainment, including Cabela’s, Dave & Buster’s and Sporting Kansas City soccer.

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Exit 224 eastbound & exit 410 westbound Moon Marble Company

See live marble-making demonstrations and shop for a wide assortment of factory-made and handmade marbles in a rainbow of colors. Toys, too!

Zip KC, a zip-line park

Over one mile of zip-lining above the bluffs of the Kansas River on nine different zip lines reaching speeds of up to 50 mph!

National Agriculture Center and Hall of Fame

Chartered in 1960 to educate the public on the history and future of American agriculture, the Ag Hall of Fame features the National Farmer’s Memorial, National Poultry Museum and “Farm Town U.S.A.”

ZIP KC

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE FALL 2018

An interaction with a sports star can be an unforgettable experience for a fan. Just think of the 1979 Coca-Cola commercial where Mean Joe Green tosses his jersey to a young fan; it stays with us because the possibility of connecting with an athlete is what many fans live for. Unfortunately, in the age of multimillion-dollar sports contracts and super-sized, super-regulated arenas, this type of up-close contact is almost a myth. But not at the Kansas Speedway, where fan experience—as well as fan interaction—is top priority. Angel Ortiz, a probation officer from Wichita, is proof. His initial trip to the Kansas Speedway would have been impossible to top ... until he topped it. “My first experience at the Kansas Speedway was when I somehow won a contest where I got to do a three-lap drive with (NASCAR drivers) Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.,” Ortiz laughs. “Somehow at the Kansas Speedway, we get to do everything we could possibly want as fans.” Cruising around a track with NASCAR drivers seems hard to top. How often does an NBA fan get to warm up with a favorite team? How often does an NFL fan get to toss the football around with the offensive squad? Ortiz’s ride along with Bayne and Stenhouse, though, ranks No. 2 among his favorite Kansas Speedway memories. “I planned my proposal through the Kansas Speedway,” Ortiz says, happy to retell the tale. “I was there with my (now) wife and my dad, watching (ESPN NASCAR analyst) Bob Pockrass take questions from the crowd. Bob asked if anyone had any more questions, and I said, ‘I do, but not for you, Bob ... ’” The rest--the marriage proposal and the acceptance in front of the crowd--is Kansas Speedway history, as well as an Ortiz family legend. The Disney approach Pat Warren has worked for the Kansas Speedway for a dozen years, with the last eight as president. There are many aspects of the Speedway he is happy to boast about—the Kansas City track’s proximity to two major interstates, which makes traffic in and out relatively fluid; the

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Pat Warren

KANSAS SPEEDWAY PRESIDENT

Angel Ortiz

“Rent a headset radio” “If you’re coming to your first race, and without someone who understands it ... you have to rent a headset radio. Pick a driver to follow; it doesn’t matter who you follow. You listen to the driver talk to the crew chief, who is on pit road, and the spotter, who is up on top of the press box. It’s like going to a football game and listening to the quarterback, the offensive coordinator and the head coach speak live to each other while you’re watching the game. It makes a huge difference. Instead of cars just going around, it provides a narrative.”

“See it up close” “Definitely get a scanner (radio) so you can listen. Bring lots of water and pack sunscreen. Unless you’re under cover, the sun is going to beat down. Visit as much as you can on the midway and give yourself plenty of time. If you have the ability, get track passes or go to the infield to walk the track—the 10-degree embankment, it makes a big difference when you see it up close.”

FAN FROM WICHITA

Leesha Heins

FAN FROM MAYVIEW, MISSOURI “Get there early” “Get there early and take in the displays. If you’re fortunate enough to be there on a Saturday or a Sunday, get the track pass and go out on the track and get up-close and personal with the cars.”

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

modern architecture of the Speedway, which allows for good viewing from any seat in the stands; the kid-friendly attitude of NASCAR that allows free Saturday race entrance to children 12 and under. But the aspect he is most proud of is what he calls the “Disney approach” to the Kansas Speedway. The Speedway staff (35 people most of the year, but 3,500 on race weekends) strives to be friendly and helpful and over-deliver on everything. “Part of our culture and our mission is to provide the best guest experience in motor sports,” Warren says. “We’re not the biggest track and we’re not a short track experience. But what we can do, and what we believe we do, is provide the friendliest, most open, welcoming and cleanest facility.” Warren notes that only at Kansas Speedway can fans come on to the track and sign the finish line. They can also write their names on the wall on turn four, or the starting line. Now, it takes the right kind of ticket to roam around the track before the race, but the opportunity is there at Kansas Speedway. “The difference in NASCAR in terms of how you can get close to the sport and close to the competitors ... you can’t do that in other sporting events. Some fans literally get to meet, get an autograph, take a photo with their favorite driver,” Warren says.

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A great spectacle Jed and Christina Weathers of Blue Springs, Missouri, have many fond memories of the races they’ve attended at the Kansas Speedway. Jed likes to rib Christina about the time she was worried about a plate of nachos in her lap and forgot about her napkins. The Kansas wind blew the napkins on the track, causing a yellow caution flag during the race. Jed says Christina is now forbidden to eat nachos at the Speedway ever again. But she is still permitted to bring her a championship belt that Jed bought her, in honor of then underdog driver, Kyle Busch. “I picked him randomly because he drives the M&M’s car,” Christina says. “Then in 2015 he won the NASCAR championship, so I brought (the belt) with me in 2016. I was being obnoxious that race, holding the belt above my head ... and he won!” What can top that experience? Meeting Busch and having him autograph the belt, of course—which she did at the Kansas Speedway during a meet-and-greet the following year. “It’s a spectacle, her with that belt,” groans Jed, “but I’ll admit ... it’s a great spectacle.” Jed and Christina have started a YouTube video series called No Onions, No Tomatoes that features the couple talking about, among other things, the NASCAR action each week. Jed says he enjoys showing the world the diversity of NASCAR fandom. “I’m black, and we’re an interracial couple,” Jed says. “I’m not the only black NASCAR fan—there are plenty of us out there. The sport is becoming more diverse with (drivers) like Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace Jr. It’s a friendly sport, and a guy like me feels welcome there.” Ortiz, now happily married to his wife for five years, agrees. “I’ve got to admit, the first time I went to the Speedway I was a little bit wary because I had never been there,” Ortiz says. “They go the extra mile to help make the experience wonderful.”

BYO BYO cooler

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Kansas Spee their own fooddway allows fans to bring side food opti and drink, but the trackons might lure you away Leesha Heins of Mayview, Missouri, and her son, Jace, love going to the Kansas Speedway for the excitement of the race, the camaraderie of the friends they’ve made over the years and the concession stands. Yes, the food. “They have these mini-donuts that are bitesized and fresh,” Leesha says. Six-year-old Jace adds over the speaker phone that he and his dad also like the hot dogs; the jumbo dog for Dad, the normal dog for Jace. Oh, and don’t forget the kettle corn. Leesha suggests race fans be flexible when attending the Kansas Speedway—pack that cooler but also be ready to enjoy the on-site treats. “We do both, depending on the day; we’ll eat in the parking lot but still take our cooler in,” she says. “Especially our drinks. But the food, we like to splurge a little.” Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren says about half of the 70,000 fans entering the gates will have their own coolers in tow. They can pack anything they want, including food, beer and liquor—just no glass bottles allowed. Angel Ortiz also brings a cooler, mainly because he doesn’t like leaving his seat once the action starts. But he will take a break to go find the pork nachos, which he recommends. Jed and Christina Weathers enjoy some of the chain burger options and the occasional taco truck, and the food they can’t make at home— funnel cakes and kettle corn. “Follow the rules, but pack your favorite snacks because that gives you more time to take in the experience,” Christina says. “If you’re not looking for food, that gives you more time to soak it all in so you can experience all the Speedway has to offer.”

ABILENE, KANSAS

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MARSHALL COUNTY | Scott Bean

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SHAWNEE COUNTY | Thomas Arnhold

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