50 Things to Make Your Visit to Abilene THRIVE!
Playing off a popular series of travel books, "100 Things to Do in ____ Before You Die", we're happy to compile this list of 50 Things to Make Your Visit to Abilene THRIVE!
Why Abilene?
Conveniently located along Kansas I-70 (Eisenhower's Interstate System), Abilene is full of the great attributes of a thriving small community. As Traveling with Purpose wrote, "The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "Americana" as "materials concerning or characteristic of America, its civilization, or its culture. Broadly: things typical of America." They could just as easily have said, "See Abilene, Kansas."
And for Millennials, Generation Z and younger familiar with Reading Rainbow... you don't have to take our word for it. See what others have to say about Abilene:
- Destination of the Year by Midwest Travel Network (2022)
- Best Historic Small Town by USA TODAY (2022)
- #1 Favorite U.S. Small Town by TravelAwaits (2022)
- #1 Friendliest U.S. Small Town by TravelAwaits (2022)
- Best Promotion of a Historic Place by TrueWest magazine (2022)
50 Things to Make Your Visit to Abilene THRIVE!
1. StrIKE a pose like General Eisenhower
See the 11' statue of 5 Star General and 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Harry and Edith Darby Foundation presented the bronze statue of Dwight D. Eisenhower by Robert L. Dean, Jr. to the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. The statue depicts Eisenhower in the familiar World War II "Eisenhower Jacket." The Georgia granite base quotes Eisenhower's illustrious careers as President of the United States, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, General of the Army, Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, and Chief of Staff of the Army.
2. Sit on the front porch of the Eisenhower Boyhood Home
Opened for public tours in 1947, the Eisenhower family occupied this typical 19th-century home from 1898 until Mrs. Eisenhower died in 1946.
3. See the all-new exhibits at the Museum
Built by the Eisenhower Foundation with funds raised through public gifts, the museum building is constructed of Kansas limestone. Originally dedicated on Veterans Day in 1954, the museum was built to house the materials and objects related to Dwight D. Eisenhower's life.
Today, you can visit the all-new exhibits at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum and experience Ike and Mamie's story in their own words.
4. Pet the Greyhounds at the Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum
Opened almost 50 years ago, the Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum celebrates the Greyhound dog breed (not busses!).
5. Take a Whirl on the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel
Named one of the Kansas Sampler Foundation's 8 Wonders of Kansas - Customs, Abilene's C.W. Parker Carousel is the oldest operational Parker carousel known to exist.
Fun Facts: 24 horses in 12 pairs, four chariots, 40-foot-wide platform.
Built in 1901, A Humble Beginning: Charles Wallace Parker dreamed of creating and operating amusement devices one day.
Parker got his start after purchasing a portable shooting gallery. He began his career manufacturing amusement devices after improving the design of his shooting gallery and ultimately building his own. Parker became interested in carousels after spending most of the only dollar in his pocket to buy his daughter rides on a carousel instead of buying groceries. Seeing the excitement on his daughter's face and realizing he had spent most of his money to see her joy continue, Parker knew he needed to own a carousel.
6. Experience pioneer life in a two-story log cabin
Step inside the original one-room log cabin and see the porcelain basin used for washing dishes by hand, the kerosene lanterns that provided the only light, and the wood-fired stove on which meals were cooked.
7. Learn about Wild Bill's time in Abilene
See the horns of a stampeding longhorn that got away from the herd and was pummeling women and children until the beast took a bullet from a gun in the steady hands of Wild Bill Hickok. View a replica of the six-shooter he used to keep order in the town when rowdy cowboys celebrated heartily after herding thousands of cattle from Texas to this city on the plains.
8. Celebrate agriculture at the Dickinson County Heritage Center
The Dickinson County Heritage Center's annex buildings are full of historic farm machinery, equipment, and tools used and owned by Dickinson County residents.
9. Bowl on a 1904 Box Ball Alley at the Historic Seelye Mansion
Purchased at the St. Louis World's Fair, the wooden Box Ball alley is likely the oldest bowling alley in Kansas.
10. Sit on the front porch of an 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture winner
The Seelye Mansion was voted one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture because of the grandeur of this well-restored three-story Georgian-style mansion.
11. Climb to the top and take a photo of the World's Largest Belt Buckle
At 19 feet 10 ½ inches wide and 13 feet 11 ¼ inches tall (not including the frame), Abilene, Kansas, is now home to the World's Largest Belt Buckle.
12. Ride the rails with the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Enjoy an open-air car ride or dine aboard one of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad's dinner trains. The train departs Abilene eastbound for a 10½ mile round trip through the Smoky Hill River Valley to the neighboring community of Enterprise, KS. In Enterprise, the train stops for riders to see the Hoffman Grist Mill, with a rebuilt working waterwheel that mills flour.
The railroad is operated by volunteers, which include engineers, conductors, brakemen, car attendants that narrate every trip, and depot workers. Volunteers also take care of the mechanical work and track maintenance.
13. Visit the Fred Schmidt Museum
Located inside the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad depot, the museum honors one of the founders of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. Enjoy the exhibits of railroad memorabilia and model trains. The G-scale model trains were donated to the museum by the family of Chuck Heroneme. The museum is open when the ASVRR opens the depot for rides.
14. Take the bull by the horns... well, not entirely, but it's really pretty!
According to a signed document from the late Jack Glover, an old west collector and its most recent owner, the bullhead is from the saloon that belonged to "Shotgun Ben Thompson" in Abilene, Kansas. The saloon's name was the "Bull Head" and was headquarters for the drover's trailed cattle from Texas to Kansas in the late 1860s and 1870s.
Glover attested he purchased it from Marvin Tong. Tong was the curator of the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton, Oklahoma. How Tong came into possession of the longhorn is unknown.
15. Sip sarsaparilla in the Alamo Saloon
Sip a sweet beverage called sarsaparilla that you order at the authentic wood bar inside the Alamo Saloon in Old Abilene Town. Experience the Wild West watching the can-can dancers on the saloon's stage and the gunfights in the middle of a dusty street.
16. Relive the wild west while watching the gunfighters
For decades, the volunteer gunfighters at Old Abilene Town have entertained visitors along the streets of this re-creation of Abilene's Texas Street.
17. Appreciate life before selfies at the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum
The Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum features a unique look at the history of Abilene and Dickinson County, Kansas, through the photographic work of the Jeffcoat Photography Studio. Operating since 1921, the studio produced many fascinating views of the local Dickinson County community's life, events, and people. Much of the building is preserved to appear as a historic camera shop and studio still in operation. An assortment of cameras and rolls of film fill the museum's display cases, and framed prints featuring the photographic work of the Jeffcoat Photography Studio line the museum's walls. The museum features seasonal, temporary photographic exhibits on various historical topics, each highlighting the work of the Jeffcoat photographers.
18. Listen to the soothing sounds of the waterfall at Brown Memorial Park
Explore nature at Brown Memorial Park! The park's waterfall is the perfect spot to picnic, stretch your legs and enjoy the park.
19. Play a round of disc golf
The Brown Memorial Foundation recently completed a re-designed 18-hole disc golf course at the park. The course replaces the 9-hole course that has been available to the public for many years.
The new course was designed by Eric McCabe, a professional disc golf world champion who has created multiple courses throughout the United States. Several of his courses have been utilized in amateur world championships and the 2016 PDGA Professional World Championship.
The course features Veteran Baskets, tee signs, and course kiosk signage.
The course is available free of charge.
20. Walk, bike, skip, or run down Phase 1 of the Iron Horse Trail
Located just south of the Dickinson County Heritage Center, Phase 1 of the Iron Horse Trail is nearly complete. This phase is .25 miles in one direction.
21. Take in a show at the Great Plains Theatre
Celebrating its 29th season, Great Plains Theatre brings quality live theatre to the midwest.
See their 2023 schedule here.
22. Follow Abilene's Cowboy Boot Art Trail
Celebrating its cowboy roots, the Cowboy Boot project pays homage to T.C. McInerney's Drovers Boot Store from the 1870s.
23. Celebrate philanthropy at Abilene's Carnegie Library
On December 20, 1900, the Ladies Literary clubs of Abilene held a meeting at Mrs. Thomas Kirby's home to organize a Library Association. Mrs. J.M. Gleissner was elected president of the new organization; Mrs. O.L. Moore, Vice-President; Mrs. H.L. Humphrey, Treasurer; and Miss Mace King, Secretary.
For the new Library Association, starting the library was a slow and tedious process. The first successful fundraising venture was a lecture by William Jennings Bryan, which earned the library 101 dollars. The ladies had other means of raising money, such as rummage sales, a Schumann concert, and selling Ms. Lillian Russel's fur coat. Mr. Parker, of carnival fame, donated funds for a day from a merry-go-round and a mystic maze for the library's benefit. With this money, the association could rent a room for 12 dollars per month on the second floor of the McInerney building (3rd and Broadway). Miss Lida Romig was employed as the first librarian. In 1903 the location of the library was changed to a room over what was the Kansas Power and Light office located at 200 N. Cedar.
In 1904 the women circulated a petition to vote on a tax levy of one mill to support the library. The question was favorably voted upon in the city election of 1905. Soon after this action, a board of trustees for the Abilene Public Library was formed. Mayor H.L. Humphrey wrote to Andrew Carnegie asking for a grant to erect a public library for Abilene.
There was great difficulty securing a location after the Carnegie grant of $10,000 was obtained. At the time, the site decided upon was an eyesore to the whole town, covered with rubbish, an unsightly livery barn, and four or five rickety buildings used for blacksmith shops and second-hand stores. The property was condemned for park purposes and cleared to build the library. Andrew Carnegie agreed to increase his grant to $12,500 if the library board would decide to levy annually not less than 10 percent of his gift.
On October 1, 1908, the first building was presented to the public by Dr. F.S. Blayney, president of the library board; C.M. Harger accepted for the community. Interested citizens contributed many books, but no new books were purchased with tax money until 1913.
24. Set your eyes on something bigger... a big spur, that is!
At 28 feet high, the big spur stands on its ends to form an arch and weighs a ton. It was built by Larry Houston in 2002 and was certified as the World's Largest Spur by Guinness World Records until 2017.
The spur is displayed outside of Rittel's Western Wear.
25. Shop til you drop!
Whether you're looking for antique treasures, best-selling books, home decor, cowboy boots, the latest fashioned or something you never knew you needed at an old-fashioned hardware store, Abilene has you covered!
26. Explore Eisenhower Park & Rose Garden
With beautiful flowers and history, Eisenhower Park and Rose Garden is frequently named one of Kansas's best places to picnic.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Abilene City Park Historic District is home to the Eisenhower Park & Rose Garden, stadium, municipal pool and playground, and the Central Kansas Free Fair. In 1952, General Dwight D. Eisenhower announced his run for the presidency from the stadium.
27. Stop at Little Ike Park
"The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
June 22, 1945
See young Dwight D. Eisenhower in Little Ike Park.
28. Eat like a local
With so many things to see and do, you're bound to work up an appetite. Whether you're looking for a quick bite to eat or a family-style meal, Abilene has something great to offer!
29. See a large and impressive Abilene Cowboy
Installed in early 2020, The Abilene Cowboy is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. It stands more than 15 feet tall and weighs more than one ton.
Artist: Jason Lahr and Donnie Knauss
30. Admire Abilene's Murals
Graffiti artist, Whitney Kerr, completed this vintage postcard-inspired mural in downtown Abilene. Each letter depicts an integral part of Abilene's history.
A: The National Greyhound Association, where all racing greyhounds are registered, and the Greyhound Hall of Fame is located here.
B: Dwight D. Eisenhower was raised in Abilene.
I: The Parker Carousel was built in 1901 and is part of the Dickinson County Heritage Society and Museum.
L: C.L. Brown was a pioneer in electricity and telephony, starting the companies now Evergy and Sprint.
E: The Lebold Mansion was built in 1880 over the dugout, which was the home of the Tim Hersey family, the founders of Abilene.
N: The cowboys drove the longhorns from Texas to Abilene on the Chisholm Trail.
E: The flag represents the boyhood home of the 34th president of the United States, five-star general and Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, "Ike."
31. Spot I Like Ike Murals
On June 4, 1952, then-General Dwight D. Eisenhower announced in his hometown of Abilene that he was running for president of the United States. These images are from a TV ad promoting his candidacy. The presidential ad "I like Ike" was produced by Walt Disney's brother Roy, using music by Irving Berlin. This was the first presidential election that incorporated television advertising.
While communities across the state are embracing mural movements, Abilene's started in 2007 with the addition of a Dwight D. Eisenhower digitized mural. Fifteen years later, that mural was updated with a new "Ike Wins" by artist William Counter, completed on November 5, 2022 - 70 years to the date that his win made Abilene Reflector front page news - a historic moment in Abilene. A total of nine out of 10 voters in Abilene voted for Ike in the 1952 Presidential election.
32. Interact with the "Harmon" Mural
This interactive mural inspires visitors to create a variety of poses. This giant mural was modeled after resident Harmon Geissinger and completed by graffiti artist Whitney Kerr.
33. Celebrate stamps with these two murals
This stamp was issued in 1961 to celebrate Kansas' centennial and was completed by local artist William Counter.
The American Bison is featured on this unique 6-cent stamp postmarked from Abilene and completed by local artist William Counter.
34. Remember the 34th President from the 34th State
Visit all things Ike on this special tour!
35. Remember Abilene's Chisholm Trail, wild and wooly cowtown days, with these murals
This mural on the north side of Midwest Meat celebrates Abilene's Chisholm Trail cowtown roots. The mural was completed in September 2022 by Mindy's Murals.
Paying respects to Abilene's famous former town Marshal, Wild Bill Hickok, this mural was completed in 2018 by local artist William Counter.
36. Honor the railroad that built Abilene
Celebrating Abilene's days as a Chisholm Trail cowtown, this mural by graffiti artist Whitney Kerr pays homage to the railroad, carrying hundreds of thousands of cattle to eastern markets.
37. Follow the Eisenhower Barn Quilt Trail
A project of the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition, the Flint Hills Quilt Trail Committee compiled this helpful list of barn quilts, including the Eisenhower Barn Quilt Trail in Abilene. Utilize the interactive map to learn more about each block.
38. Pose for a photo with Angel Wings
Located behind Aksent Boutique, graffiti artist Whitney Kerr created this interactive angel wings mural, making the perfect photo opp in downtown Abilene!
39. Scout the Cedar House Greenhouse Mural
Thanks to the efforts of Patti O'Malley and the Cedar House, Donald "Scribe" Ross, a famous Kansas City artist, completed this fun mural in Abilene. The mural is on the side of the Cedar House greenhouse at 307 NE 14th Street.
Bonus: Enjoy more colorful art inside the Greenhouse!
40. Find a rock commemorating the Chisholm Trail
A boulder with a sign erected in 1926 marks the historic Cattle Trail that brought millions of longhorns from Texas to Abilene for shipment east by railroad. The marker was placed at the Abilene Post Office by the Abilene Chapter NSDAR.
41. Spend the night!
With so much to see and do, you'll want to spend the night. Abilene is home to more than 200 rooms ready to serve travelers. From national chain hotels to locally-owned motels, award-winning bed and breakfasts, and unique Airbnbs, Abilene's lodging community offers something for every price point.
42. Spot a "Church within a Church"
The sanctuary inside this limestone church built in 1939 incorporates the original wooden Gothic Revival church building constructed on the site in the 1800s; thus, it is dubbed the "church within a church." Note the hammered finished door hardware.
43. Explore Abilene's Historic District #1
Of the Italianate style, the Thomas Building (301 and 303) and the J.M. Brenizer Building (305 and 307) were built in 1885, while the third building (309) was constructed in 1886. The following year, businesses in these buildings included two groceries, a carriage repository, a confectionary, and a millinery.
44. Sit a spell with Benjamin Franklin
In front of this historic Carnegie Library are two statues, one of Benjamin Franklin seated on a bench reading a paper and another of a boy and girl reading on a bench.
45. Admire the Lebold Mansion's architecture
Local banker, realtor and politician C.H. Lebold built this 20-room mansion in 1880 over the site of Abilene's first log cabin. It has served as a residence, a home for telephone operators, an orphanage, and an apartment building.
46. See a house (or four) that Brown built
Cleyson L. Brown turned his small telephone company into a utility conglomerate and, in 1925, built four homes, for his daughter and three business colleagues, in Spanish Colonial Revival Style behind his mansion. He changed his Queen Anne home at 800 North Buckeye, built in 1886, from Eastlake-style to Free Classic-style in 1914.
47. Spot these cool signs!
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Whether you're driving the highway or downtown streets, signs are everywhere you look. Which signs catch your attention?
Here are some of our Abilene favorites!
48. Follow the Bi-Centennial Plaque Trail
In October 1977, one of the first actions taken by the Abilene Bicentennial Commission when the city of Abilene appointed it in 1975 was a decision to erect an undetermined number of historical site makers. With no funds, the first decision was not to go to the taxpayers. Henry Jameson, as chairman, delegated it to a sub-committee. The committee took the assignment seriously, and the site markers were installed at 11 locations. The theme is a cross-section of Abilene's history, more than individually labeled specifics. The committee started with 11 fairly costly markers but of lasting design and construction, and the eleven exhausted the committee's budget. Six are mounted on posts, five on buildings.
49. Salute the flags
Beautiful American flags line Buckeye Avenue and NW 3rd Street. They fly from the Eisenhower Marathon week to Veterans Day.
50. Stop and say "hello"
Visit the Abilene Visitors Center in the former Union Pacific Depot and say hello!
Abilene, Abilene...
After completing this list, you're sure to leave signing Abilene's song!
Abilene, Abilene
Prettiest town I've ever seen
Women there don't treat you mean
In Abilene, my Abilene
I sit alone most every night
Watch those trains roll out of sight
Wish that they were carryin' me
Back to Abilene, my Abilene
Abilene, Abilene
Prettiest town I've ever seen
Women there don't treat you mean
In Abilene, my Abilene
Crowded city, there ain't nothin' free
Nothin' in this town for me
Wish to the lord that I could be
In Abilene, sweet Abilene
Abilene, Abilene
Prettiest town I've ever seen
Women there don't treat you mean
In Abilene, my Abilene
Women there don't treat you mean
In Abilene, my Abilene