We kicked off spring break with a road trip to Abilene, KS. Abilene is a quick two hours from Kansas City, a totally doable trip for anyone looking to get away for quick weekend of fun! And there is truly something for everyone in this small western town that is big on charm! Abilene was named one of the "Best Small Towns to Visit" by Smithsonian Magazine for a reason. In our short time there, we experienced so much history, culture, and pride. Come along with me while I recap our time in Abilene and take notes for your own visit to the original city of Abilene!
We arrived on Friday afternoon and picked up our itinerary from their visitors center. The cutest little brick building in the heart of their historic downtown. Prior to becoming a depot, Dwight D. Eisenhower departed from this very spot in 1911 when he left for West Pointe. Years later, his funeral train arrived in 1969. But before all of that, in 1928 California architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed Abilene's Union Pacific Railroad Depot and matching freight depot. Passenger's began using the depot in 1929. Union Pacific announced they wanted to close the depot in 1986, but a community campaign was launched to preserve the depot. In 1988, the Abilene Civic Center became a public use facility. Visiting the Civic Center is a must when starting your tour of Abilene. They have all the brochures you need and awesome souvenirs.
After we left the depot armed with all the information we needed, we met up with our tour guides from the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Association (ASVRA). The railroad was founded in 1993 as a heritage railway. Their mission was to preserve the legacy of the railroad industry in Kansas. The ASVRA is an all-volunteer organization and the currently run regular excursions, private charters, school field trips, and dinner trains. While we were touring the dining cars, the volunteers were decorating for their upcoming St. Patrick's Day dinner. The train runs round trip between Abilene and the neighboring Dickinson County community of Enterprise which is roughly a 10 mile ride aboard the A&SV. The railroad operates on track that was initially laid by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in 1886.
You will board the train via the Abilene's historic Rock Island Depot located in Old Abilene Town. The Rock Island Depot didn't sit on the plot of land where it currently stands today. Built in the late 1880s, the depot opened in 1888, with the first passengers being let off the train in January of that year! The railroad used this depot until the 1950s when Rock Island decided they no longer needed it in use. In 1959, the entire depot was moved across the tracks to where it sits today when the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum plans were introduced.
The ASVR has two dining cars, a gondola car, a box car, and a caboose. The two dining cars were once a passenger and freight car. The wooden coach was manufactured for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad in 1902. It currently houses an old wood stove and the original ice boxes, which I personally hope they incorporate in the reno, as the wooden coach will undergo its renovation soon. The other dining car has already undergone a renovation that included new lighting, carpet, and draperies.
Original Wood Stove
Original Ice Box
Original Door Handle
After the dining cars, we headed back inside the depot and toured their museum. Relics upon relics of original railroad equipment. It was so cool to see. Take a look!
The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad is the only steam railroad in Kansas! They operate with a Santa Fe 3415 steam engine that is currently being serviced, but we were so fortunate to be allowed a behind the scenes look at this massive piece of machinery. The 3415 was rebuilt by volunteers after it sat in the Eisenhower Park for 40 years. It made its first run on these rails in 2009. McKinley already has big plans to return to Abilene in 2025 to see the 3415 back in action post service.
After our time at the train yard, we headed to the Dickinson County Heritage Center. Dickinson County was founded by entrepreneurs who set in motion a town of historical figures. A.B. Seelye who developed one of the largest patent medicine companies in the world. C.W. Parker who created an amusement park empire with his creation of the carousels and shooting galleries. And eventually C.L. Brown who established Brown Telephone Company in 1902 that later became United Telephone Company in 1911. Abilene was the headquarters of United Telephone. (Side note: I am third generation telephone employee! My mom and grandmother were telephone operators for United Inter-Mountain Telephone out of Bristol, Tennessee. My dad became an employee of United Inter-Mountain in 1974, heading up their in-house magazine. He quickly moved up and throughout the company, becoming an executive with the company that saw many changes throughout his 35 year career.)
There are so many amazingly nostalgic elements to the Heritage Center and several interactive exhibits. Make sure you take the time to play along. And, even though my generation will remember so many things about the evolution of the telephone, it's fun to watch your kids try to figure out how we used to call up our friends on the daily! And even before that, how operators like my mom helped connect a phone call from one person to another! Where will we go next?
As you browse through the photos, check out local prairie grass samples, the horns from the steer that was shot on the streets by "Wild Bill" Hickok, the gun that he used to take down the steer, and so much more! You will learn more about A.B. Seelye next blog as we explore his mansion and outstanding career as a medicinal entrepreneur. But you will get a glimpse of Duckwall's, a local five and dime, that would sell of Seelye's products.
Phone line insulator caps.
Do you see the operator station inside the home?
I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the C.W. Parker 1901 Carousel. This carousel is the oldest know working carousel in existence. It has 24 horses in 12 pairs, 4 chariots, and a 40-foot-wide platform. I was so sad the carousel wasn't operating on the day of our visit. Due to the weather, temperatures must be above 45 degrees in order to be operational, our visit consisted of taking a walk around the magnificent wooden structure. This carousel runs on an electronic engine, but there are times during the year where they run the carousel on the original steam engine. Parker knew he had to create his own version of a carousel, after spending grocery money on other rides for his daughter, due to her immense joy. Parker's business was headquartered in Abilene until 1911 until its moved to Leavenworth due to a property line dispute. C.W. Parker Amusement Company was in existence until 1955. The community of Abilene raised the $8,900 asking price, to bring the carousel back to Abilene after several owners, in 1976.
After checking into our hotel, and putting our feet up for a bit, we headed out for pizza at Tossed n Sauced. Located in Downtown Abilene, Tossed n Sauced offers a casual dining environment with three levels of seating. Make sure you find the right booth! McKinley had a personal cheese pizza while Joel and I shared a medium "create your own". Our go-to toppings are pepperoni, black olives, and mushrooms. So good! Joel was a huge fan of the crust. The edges were "doughy" but baked. A really nice chew! I also ordered their side salad sans green peppers with blue cheese dressing. The perfect appetizer! Definitely order one for yourself. Great ending to a great day!!
So this was day one. Day one!! We saw so many things and learned so much about this sweet town. I am in love! Come back next week to learn all about what day two had in store. It was jam packed!!
XO,
Andrea
P.S. This was a sponsored trip, but all thoughts and photos are my own.
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