NEARBY ATTRACTIONS...Prairie Days Festival is held at the Little House on the Prairie, 13 miles southwest of Independence, KS. The reconstructed cabin sits on the original site where Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family lived from 1869 to 1871. Laura Ingalls Wilder is the author of nine children's books referred to as the Little House Series. The television program, "Little House on the Prairie," is based on Laura's books.
The Independence Historical Museum, the Independence Science & Technology Center, Neewollah and the William Inge Theatre Festival at Independence Community College are prime cultural attractions. Inge, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, was born and raised in Independence.
The Elk City Reservoir, located 5 miles northwest of Independence, offers a wide variety of outdoor recreation such as hunting, fishing, camping, boating, swimming, bird watching and hiking.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS... Coffeyville has many hand painted murals depicting the community's early day history. Rich in color, accurate in history, the murals, painted by the late Don Sprague, transport a person back to a time when bank robbers rode through the dusty streets of Coffeyville, two local brothers created a flying sensation, and a man named Walter "Big Train" Johnson left his mark as a legend in baseball. Scenes include Chief Black Dog, the Interurban, Aviation History, and Coffeyville as it looked when the Daltons rode into town.
Through future preservation and restoration, the Midland Theatre and adjacent Alamo Building will provide a multipurpose facility that will accommodate the public with usage for theatre, movies, concerts, and meeting rooms. Constructed in 1928, at a cost of nearly $80,000, the Midland Theatre was a marvel of architectural construction. Constructed of brick tile and steel, the 50x140 structure became a unique feature of the Coffeyville area. With seating for 1,200, the stage was designed for both vaudeville and motion pictures. An orchestra pit equipped with a $15,000 Wicks pipe organ was also a unique feature.
At the Coffeyville Aviation Heritage Museum memories of aviation are kept alive. Other places of interest include the Center for the Arts, which provides a variety of entertaining and interesting art displays; The Brown Mansion, offering turn-of-the-century elegance and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Death Alley & Old City Jail, Hillcrest Golf Course, Walter Johnson Park and RV Campground, Veterans Memorial Stadium and Aquatic Center are also popular.
  |
|
