Abandoned Kansas Road Trip
Francesca Catalini, the photographer and storyteller behind Sierra Winds, dedicates her time and Instagram account to sharing some of rural America’s remaining treasures before they are forever gone from our landscape. We recently had the chance to sit down and interview Francesca for our podcast, and now she’s sharing some of her favorite abandoned places in Kansas — which we think you may want to check out, too. These are the places Francesca recommends for your abandoned Kansas road trip:
Paxico, Kansas
Nestled in the beautiful Flint Hills, this small town of 220 is a must see. Paxico’s Historic District displays a number of well-kept and restored buildings from its early days and is a favorite among photographers.
Mine Creek Battlefield
The site of the largest Civil War battle in Kansas, the Battle of Mine Creek was fought on October 25, 1864 near present-day Pleasanton, when 2,500 Union soldiers defeated nearly three times as many Confederate soldiers. Many Confederates were captured and more than 600 were killed or wounded. This decisive Union victory contributed to the defeat of the 1864 Confederate invasion of Missouri and Kansas.
Black Jack Battlefield
The Battle of Black Jack was the first armed conflict between proslavery and antislavery forces in the United States. The battle near Baldwin City on June 2, 1856, had implications far beyond Kansas Territory. Some call it the first battle of the Civil War. The debate over Kansas and the events here clearly marked a turning point in the march toward the Civil War.
Sauer Castle
The Sauer Castle in Kansas City, Kansas is a decaying 19th century Italian villa style mansion which sits vacant and is reputedly haunted — and is definitely a must see, according to Francesca. The castle was erected around 1871 at an estimated cost of $20,000 for Anton Philllip Sauer, a German immigrant who first came to Kansas City in the 1860s. The house originally stood on a 63-acre site that was landscaped and terraced for Sauer's vineyards. Only four acres remain today.
Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse
This one-room schoolhouse is located on the edge of the beautiful Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City, Kansas. Stonemason David Rettiger constructed the building using limestone from the nearby Barney Lantry quarries. The building was used for classes from 1884 to 1930, and later for housing for the ranch and eventually hay storage. In 1968, local garden clubs sought permission from ranch owners to restore the building and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.