Touring North Central Kansas

September 13 & 14

I left Topeka at 8 AM heading west on I-70. My first stop was Junction City in Geary County. They have a very pretty limestone courthouse.

Further west on I-70 I came to Abilene in Dickinson County and their courthouse is downtown by the Eisenhower Center.

I fueled up there and then went south on 15 hwy and “Lola” was having a fit because I didn’t go back to I-70 like I was routed. I took the Marymount road west into Salina and came out in downtown Salina in Saline County at the courthouse in spite of Lola. Most men have a metal plate in their nose and know how to find places regardless of the nagging we receive from women!

I went back to I-70 and headed west again to 156 hwy, then headed southwest to Ellsworth in Ellsworth County.

Next I headed back to I-70 and west to Russell in Russell County. I ate lunch at a Subway.

I turned the routing off and headed north 27 miles out of Russell on 281 hwy, then east on 281 and 18 hwy to Lucas in Russell County. I had to make a stop in Lucas at the Garden of Eden where I took some pictures. I didn’t go in as it was closed at the time and I didn’t want to be tempted with an apple anyway. I continued on east to Lincoln in Lincoln County. They have a pretty courthouse also.

Then it was on east on 18 hwy to 106 hwy where I went north to Minneapolis in Ottawa County. Along 18 hwy there were several places where there was field art like the dragon I took a picture off. The farmers must have some spare time in the winter and their artistic talents thrive.

I fueled up again and went on east to 81 hwy then went north to 24 hwy where I made a 60 mile round trip to Clay Center in Clay County. I couldn’t find a closer way to get there as it was about 30 miles coming in from any direction.

After getting back to 81 hwy I went on north to my birth place in Concordia in Cloud County. From here I had planned to go on north to Belleville but since it was only 3:30 I decided to head on west.

It was another nice day to ride with temperatures ranging from the upper 50’s to upper 80,s and then falling back to 70 by days end with the passing of a cold front. I hit the cold front just west of Concordia and the wind picked up out of the north. I took 9 hwy west to Beloit in Mitchell County. They have a very pretty courthouse. These Kansas farmers have a good sense of humor as you can see by the picture of the stool I took west of Concordia.

From there I continued west on 24 hwy to Cawker City and the “World’s Largest Ball of Twine”. I went on west to 281 and dropped south a few miles to another gorgeous courthouse in Osborne in Osborne County.

I went north on 281 and came across smaller version of the Statute of Liberty near the junction of 9 hwy. It was placed there by the Boy Scouts. I went to Smith Center in Smith County and viewed their courthouse.

Then it was on east on 36 hwy to Mankato in Jewell County.

I went north on 14 hwy past a farm where dad farmed in Jewell County and where he met my mother, Dorothy Marcotte. They were living there when dad was drafted into the Army September, 1942 during WWII. I rode into Superior, NE where my grandparents, Fred & Nellie Marcotte, lived for many years and are both buried.

I stayed overnight in Superior and the next day I visited my grandparents graves then headed on north on 14 hwy going past the Nuckolls County courthouse in Nelson, NE so I stopped and took a picture of it also. Went to Edgar, NE and attended a funeral for my uncle Bill Marcotte, mom’s youngest sibling. He had leukemia for the past ten years and after a long battle succumbed to it. I did get to visit with aunts and cousins that I hadn’t seen in some time. It usually takes a death to bring a family together.

I headed for home about 1 PM going south and then east out of Edgar to 81 hwy where I went south to Belleville in Republic County.

All along US-36 were garage sales in the towns and at homes along the road. It was an advertised scheduled event. My next stop was in Washington in Washington County.

Next it was on east to Marysville in Marshall County where they have the new courthouse and the historic courthouse. I filled up with gas and found the address of my uncle Lloyd Gerstner and I stopped to say hello to him. He lived two bocks from where I stopped for gas.

I headed on east on 36 to 75 hwy and arrived home about 5 PM after traveling 796 miles in two days. I now have visited 45 counties. Farmers are busy harvesting corn and the milo crop in north central Kansas looks to be a good one. Be sure to check my pictures at the link to the right.