Thursday, 17 September
The Journey to Webster State Park
The jump was only a 2-1/2 hours drive. We did get gas about 45 minutes out just because we did not fill up the day before, and this new state park was somewhat away from civilization.
Webster State Park
The park wasn’t very large, but I managed to get turned around while trying to find our campground. We were fortunate to have a nice pull-thru site about 100 yards from the water. Although several long-term campers across from us had a better view, we still enjoyed a lovely spot.
After setting up the essentials, we took a short walk to the shoreline. The weather was warm enough that we decided to hit the beach before the weekend crowds arrived. We also quickly planned to scour the empty sites for any leftover firewood.
Once we changed into our swimsuits, we explored the park further and found a couple of firewood stashes. The park was well-maintained, though the roads were a bit rough. We were greeted by a blue-green algae warning sign when we reached the beach. Though the website hadn’t mentioned anything about it, the slimy green algae along the shore made us rethink going in.
Returning to our site, we took a moment to relax before Lisa got dinner started. I spent the time cutting some of the logs we’d gathered. We enjoyed a hearty meal of salad, turkey sausage, potato salad, and baked beans for dinner. We ate outside at the picnic table, which was lovely, though Lisa had to swat away half a dozen flies during the meal.
After dinner, we carried our chairs to the shore to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, the sky was so foggy that the sun disappeared into the haze before reaching the horizon.
Back at our site, I started a fire, and when the flames died down to glowing coals, we roasted s’mores. Although we’d been having microwave and gas firepit s’mores, this was the first time we’d made them over a real fire this summer, and they were fantastic.
We wrapped up the evening by watching a few camping YouTube videos before heading to bed, smelling like campfire smoke with a faint trace of bug spray.
Friday, 18 September
It was 54 degrees when I woke up, so I stayed inside to enjoy my coffee. Since it was chilly, we decided to do some sightseeing before heading out for kayaking later in the afternoon.
By 9:30, we were ready for breakfast and enjoyed some French toast. The temperature had warmed up just enough to eat outside at the picnic table, where the view was so nice that we wanted to savor it as much as possible.
Nicodemus
Around 10:30, we set off toward Hill City, with our first stop being Nicodemus. This town is known as the only active black settlement west of the Mississippi and is now mostly a ghost town. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1996. According to Google, the population is now just 47 people. Unfortunately, all the buildings were closed due to COVID-19, but there were plenty of informational kiosks near the key buildings.
We explored the site and saw the visitor center/community center, a schoolhouse, a turn-of-the-century AME church, the old First Baptist Church, a hotel/post office, and a ball field. Aside from the visitor center, the buildings were in various states of disrepair. The AME church was fenced off, and some restoration work was underway.
The informational kiosks, however, didn’t do a great job conveying Nicodemus’s significance. It was disappointing that the visitor center was closed, as I’m sure it would have provided a much deeper understanding. I read a bit on Wikipedia, which helped me grasp more of the history—the struggles and dreams of the black families who arrived here after the Civil War.
Cottonwood Ranch State Historic Site
Our next destination was the Cottonwood Ranch State Historic Site, a former sheep ranch that’s over 100 years old. The ranch had been beautifully restored, and there were numerous outdoor kiosks providing information about its history. We wandered around the exterior of the house and had the opportunity to meet the curator, who was working with some horses in the back. Apologizing for not hearing us pull in, he immediately welcomed us and began giving us an impromptu tour of the property.
Before we even entered the house, he asked how much time we had, explaining that he could easily spend all day sharing details about the ranch. Having been the curator for over 35 years, he was responsible for much of the restoration work, and his passion for the property was evident. He also identified himself as an archaeologist, which gave his explanation of the house’s evolution an incredibly detailed and scholarly perspective. As we walked through the ranch, it was clear he took immense pride in his work and the preservation of the site. His deep knowledge and enthusiasm made the tour both informative and engaging.
Morland
We then headed back toward the park, stopping in the small town of Morland for lunch. After a quick drive through the town, we settled on their city park, located across from some busy grain silos. A long line of trucks waited to unload, creating an active scene as we parked. Initially, we planned to sit at the picnic tables near the remnants of a historic train depot, but the tables were overrun with ants, so we opted for our folding chairs instead.
Lisa had packed a delicious lunch, and as we ate, we watched the activity around the silos. Trucks came and went steadily, and we even saw one truck attempt to pull off to the side of the road, only to accidentally bend a road sign in the process. After lunch, we took a short walk to stretch our legs.
First, we ventured over to the park’s bathrooms, which were, unfortunately, in poor condition. From there, we visited the Pratt Pony Bridge, an old truss bridge notable for its lack of overhead support beams—a design meant to keep horses from feeling spooked when crossing. However, the bridge and surrounding area were heavily overgrown, which made it hard to appreciate the structure fully.
While relaxing in the park, I took some time to read about the history of Morland. Like many small towns along the railway, it once played an important role in the region’s development but has since dwindled to just a few remaining businesses. Over the years, frequent flooding from the nearby Solomon River was one of the town’s significant challenges. This issue wasn’t fully addressed until the construction of reservoirs like Antelope Lake and Webster Lake, which helped control the river’s flow and mitigate the flooding.
Graham Country Historical Museum
We then headed toward Hill City to visit the Graham County Historical Museum before it closed at 4 p.m. It was around 2 p.m., giving us plenty of time to explore. Unlike many museums we’ve visited, this one wasn’t focused on narrating the county’s history through curated timelines or themed exhibits. Instead, it felt more like a display of general history, showcasing various items from different time periods and facets of life.
The museum spanned several meticulously arranged rooms, with artifacts ranging from military uniforms to matchbooks, quilts to pottery, prom dresses to railroad safes, and much more. While the displays didn’t necessarily connect to tell a cohesive story, each room was like stepping into a time capsule of life in Graham County’s past. Many items were labeled, which helped provide context, and the friendly volunteers were eager to answer any questions or share anecdotes about the exhibits.
One of the highlights for me was the collection of World War II uniforms. Each uniform had a photograph of the soldier who wore it pinned to the fabric, creating a poignant connection to the individuals who served. Seeing the faces behind the uniforms made the display feel personal and deeply moving.
Another memorable section included household items, tools, and fashion from the early 1900s. From intricately designed quilts to beautifully preserved prom dresses, it was fascinating to see how people lived and expressed themselves during different eras. The variety of artifacts gave us a glimpse into the everyday lives of the people who once called Graham County home. We were glad we made time to explore it.
After we left, we drove by the city park and admired the stone pavilion and group shelter made by the WPA that featured a green rock mined there in the county.
Dunbar
As we headed back toward our campground, we headed to Damar and the 1912 St Joseph Catholic Church there. This small town was founded by French Canadians and the streets and buildings all had french names. It was a very well-kept town, and the church was absolutely beautiful. We were lucky to find someone practicing the organ for a wedding the following day who allowed us to walk around inside.
Errands and Ice Cream
We then headed back to our trailer to go kayaking. The wind had been pretty strong all day and when we saw the lake, the waves were so high that some had whitecaps. We decided that it probably was not a good time to kayak, so we decided to head to the closest Dairy Queen that was about 40 minutes away in Plainville. Along the way, we crossed the Webster Lake dam which was really long. Though the lake was not in the top 10 largest lakes in Kansas, it was definitely large.
When we got to Plainville, we stopped at a Dollar General store to get some bread. Once again at this Dollar Store, no one wore masks to include the employees. They even had a sign on the door stating that it was required. Oh well, we do live in a world of inconsiderate SOBs. Though they had a deal for two quarts of ice cream for five dollars, we decided to spoil ourselves and go to Dairy Queen instead. We both got medium-sized blizzards at the Dairy Queen about a block away at the drive-thru. Of course, none of the employees were wearing masks either.
Codell – Tornado Monument
I then decided that we should continue on down to the town of Codell about half an hour away. The town was in the Guinness Book of World Records for having been struck on three successive years (1916, 1917, 1918) by a tornado on May 20. The final tornado was so devasting that the town never recovered. In 2018, at the hundredth anniversary of the tornado, the town installed a 15-foot tornado monument to commemorate this event. The town itself only consists of a couple of buildings now and has a recorded population of less than 100.
Evening
We drove through Stockton on the way back to the trailer. When we got back, we relaxed a bit before having some hamburgers, potato salad, and pork and beans for dinner. After dinner, I went down to the lake and took some videos as the sunset but the sun disappeared in the haze of the evening.
Saturday, 19 September
Stockton & Rooks County Historical Museum
It was in the high 50s in the morning. After eating blueberry pancakes and sausage for breakfast, we headed to Stockton to see the Rooks County Historical Museum there. The museum was another excellent county museum. The items were mostly in one large room but broken down into smaller displays usually by a type of business. Once again we really enjoyed learning about the history of the area.
Afterward, we drove over the fairgrounds and drove by the grandstands that were built during the depression by the WPA out of limestone blocks. They were not impressive. Since we were out of things to see in Rooks county, we headed up to Fort Bissel in Pleasanton that was about 30 minutes away.
Fort Bissel
When we arrived at Fort Bissel, we found it closed, but there was a nice park next to it with a picnic table where we decided to have lunch. The park had a nice frisbee golf course and a really nice playground. After lunch, we walked up to Fort Bissel and peeked through the wooden palisades. This was never a military fort but was built for the safety of the settlers. We just walked around and saw what we could.
The Journey Back to Campground
We then headed over to the town of Logan to Logan County Historical Museum. Unfortunately, we found it closed also. I was unable to find any other nearby attractions so we headed back to the state park.
When we returned, the wind blew hard with gusts up to 20-30 mph. The waves in the lake were so high, that it was pretty easy to decide that we could not go kayaking.
Evening
Though it was only about 4 pm and in the high 70s, it was a little chilly so we decided to start the fire. Because the wind was so high though, the wood burned so fast that it looked like it dissolved. Despite having started with a lot of wood at the start, we had run out of wood in a couple of hours. We then had dinner chops and diced potatoes for dinner and then used the last of the coals to roast some marshmallows.
We went inside to watch some YouTube and Netflix’s Schitt’s Creek before bed.
Sunday, 20 September
It was really windy when we woke up. The forecast called for winds up to 20-30 mph again. We were able to get packed, dumped, and on the road by 10:45.