East Park showcases Harvey County’s landscape in two ways: the Osage Nature Trail is ideal for hiking, running, and horseback riding. The same park also has a fenced beach area where you can swim with pets and enjoy direct access to the water.
Prairie, Migration, and Educational History
At the Kauffman Museum, Mennonite history meets a living prairie exhibit. The permanent exhibition “Of Land and People” tells the story of Mennonite migration from Europe to the Central Plains. The Tallgrass Prairie Restoration is a 1.5-acre living exhibit featuring more than 15 grass species and over 100 wildflower species. Its themes range from a migration story to the grasses and wildflowers of the tallgrass prairie.
The Kansas Learning Center for Health presents historical exhibits about Dr. Hertzler, Halstead Hospital, and the Halstead School for Nursing. Kellas School offers a different educational focus: it is a restored one-room schoolhouse dating from 1873. Historical exhibits on health and nursing thus sit alongside a tangible example of a one-room schoolhouse.
Historic Places in Halstead and Newton
The Santa Fe Depot in Halstead is a single-story brick building dating from 1917 and now houses the Carriage Factory Art Gallery. The Warkentin Farm in Halstead is significant for its agricultural advancements and German-Russian heritage.
In Newton, the name Santa Fe Depot refers to a Tudor Revival-style building with railroad significance that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1985. The Newton Main Street Historic District I, by contrast, is a commercial district in the Late Victorian style; it was listed on the same register on November 15, 2003. The two Newton listings show different scales of historic heritage: a commercial district and a single building of railroad significance. Halstead’s depot differs from these in its 1917 brick construction and its current use as an art gallery.
Traces of the Abilene-Chisholm Trail
Historically, the Abilene-Chisholm Trail ran along the east bank of the Little Arkansas to Sedgwick, then on both sides of Sand Creek to Newton. Branches of the route also have specific connections to places in the county: one branch crossed the Bethel College campus, where a trail marker stands. Three branches crossed the grounds of the Kauffman Museum, where a swale and a marker can be found. The trail’s history can therefore be explored both through its route between places and through individual traces on the campus and museum grounds.
Events and Local Cuisine
The Bethel College Fall Festival features Mennonite cuisine. The Prairie Window Concert Series pairs American roots music with gourmet cuisine in a prairie garden setting. The two events offer different highlights: the festival is an opportunity to sample Mennonite cuisine, while the concert series combines music, food, and a garden setting. If you plan to attend either event, check the dates.
More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Hesston, Newton, Saline County, Wyandotte County, Douglas County, Kingman County, Finney, Allen
For the broader travel overview: Kansas.
