2023 Destination Guide - Abilene, KS

I can claim is that I am from proudest thing

Where’s Abilene?

Lincoln

155 miles (2.75 hours)

Salina

26 miles (26 minutes)

Manhattan

58 miles (1 hour)

Wichita

93 miles (1.5 hours)

Kansas City

150 miles (2.25 hours)

Gettysburg, PA

1150 miles (18 hours)

Washington, D.C.

1208 miles (18.5 hours)

St. Louis

398 miles (6 hours)

Denver

454 miles (6.5 hours)

Denison, TX

408 miles (6.25 hours)

Dallas

454 miles (6.75 hours)

Other “Ike” towns You

Rechargein Abilene!

Happening?

MARCH

Ida Stover Eisenhower Annual Quilt Show

APRIL

Eisenhower Easter Egg Roll

Eisenhower Marathon

MAY

Abilene Downtown Antique Fest

Holm Automotive’s Annual Free Car and Truck Show

JUNE

Symphony at Sunset Annual D-Day Commemoration

JULY

Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration

Petals at Their Peak

AUGUST

Central Kansas Free Fair

Wild Bill Hickok PRCA Rodeo

SEPTEMBER

Abilene Downtown Boutique Crawl

Chisholm Trail Days at Old Abilene Town

Oktoberfest

OCTOBER

Abilene’s Municipal Band started in 1881. Hear them live on Thursday evenings at Eisenhower Park from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Heritage Day Festival at Dickinson County Heritage Center

Wild West Gravel Fest

NOVEMBER

Pink Friday in November

DECEMBER

Homes for the Holidays Tour

Cowtown Christmas

Cowtown Christmas Light Showdown

Old Fashioned Christmas

What’s the Local Scoop?

1. American flags

You’ll notice American flags lining Buckeye Avenue and NW 3rd Street from mid-March until after Veterans Day. Residents, businesses, visitors and fans donate toward the display.

2. Trains

A cowtown at the end of the Chisholm Trail, Abilene shipped hundreds of thousands of cattle to markets via rail, and many trains still run through Abilene. You might be stopped while waiting on a train to pass, or hear whistles during your visit. See if you can tell the difference between a diesel and a steam engine whistle!

3. Parade

The Central Kansas Free Fair parade is top-notch! Held the first Thursday in August, locals place their chairs out early in the morning to reserve their spots.

4. Church bells

Abilene is home to many churches, and you may hear their bells playing beautiful music during your visit.

5. Christmas Tree Lane

During the holidays, tiny cedar trees line N. Buckeye Avenue and NW 3rd Street, placed there by the City of Abilene and decorated by residents.

6. Support

We support our local athletes! You might notice sheets on Buckeye Avenue and NW 3rd Street with witty sayings cheering on student-athletes.

7. Testing, testing

Not to worry, but from April to October, you will probably hear tornado siren tests at noon on Tuesdays.

8. Dining

Many restaurants are closed on Mondays, so call ahead.

9. Farmers Market

The Abilene Farmers Market is open Memorial Day –October in the Lumber House True Value parking lot.

10. Be kind

Like communities across the country, Abilene hospitality businesses continue to struggle with staffing. Please be kind and understand our challenges.

These Guys!

One of Abilene’s founders, Mrs. Elizabeth Hersey, named Abilene after opening her Bible to Luke 3:1 where she saw the word “Abilene,” meaning “city of the plains.”

Seelye Mansion Historic

1105 N. Buckeye Ave Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-1084

seelyemansion.org

Historic Seelye Mansion

Choose Your Own Adventure!

Design your own tour, tailored to your interests. Look for the icons throughout this section, and visit abilenekansas.org/ plan-your-visit for more info!

Experience Art & Culture

Journey to the Old West

Live the American Story

Explore President Eisenhower’s Life and Legacy

Have an Adventure

Enjoy Family Fun and Learning

Eat/Stay/Shop

Named an “8 Wonders of Kansas – Architecture,” the Seelye Mansion is like a time capsule. Most of the home’s furnishings were purchased at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. In fact, the furnishings cost more than the $55,000 that was spent building the 11,000 square foot home. The mansion features the original Edison light fixtures and Tiffany-style mantel. Frank Lloyd Wright suggested remodeling the interior in the 1920s. The home was featured on the History Channel’s Mysteries at the Mansion. Visitors even get to bowl on the 1904 Box Ball Alley, which was purchased at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

DwightD.EisenhowerdeliveredicetotheSeelyeMansion whenhewasayoungboy.TheSeelyesisterstoldstories about Ike as a man from “the other side of the tracks.”

Presidential Library & Museum

200 SE 4th St Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-6700 or (877) RING IKE

eisenhowerlibrary.gov

IkeLibrary

Visitors Center: Tickets

Start your visit here for information, to purchase museum admission and home tour tickets, and watch the 23-minute orientation film.

Boyhood Home: Scheduled tours

understanding of how Ike’s experiences made him the perfect commander to lead the Allies to victory in Europe during WWII. Hear his words on everything from D-Day to world peace in the new mini-theaters. Learn about Mamie not only as First Lady, but as a friend, and discover why President Eisenhower became known as the “Champion of Peace.”

Pylons: Photo op

Located on the east end of campus, this monument makes for a great selfie or group shot!

Place of Meditation: Burial site

This is the final resting place of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, and their first-born son, Doud.

AbileneKansas.org/IkeSites

Learn about additional Ike-sites in Abilene at

Abilene & Smoky Valley

Railroad

200 SE Fifth St

Abilene, KS 67410

Office: (785) 263-1077 or (888) 426-6687

Depot: (785) 263-0118 or (888) 426-6689

asvrr.org

ASVRR1

Ride the rails on a 100-year-old steam engine,

enjoy an open-air ride or dine aboard one of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad’s dinner trains. (For an added fee, you can ride in the cab of the steam locomotive!)

The train departs Abilene eastbound for a 10.5-mile round trip through the Smoky Hill River Valley to the neighboring community of Enterprise. There, the train stops for riders to see the Hoffman Grist Mill, featuring a rebuilt working waterwheel that mills flour.

Be sure to visit the Fred Schmidt Railroad Museum inside the railroad depot and enjoy the exhibits of memorabilia and model trains.

GreatTheatre Plains

Dream big at GPT by experiencing live, professional theatre on I-70 between Denver and Kansas City.

Through the years, GPT has developed a flourishing education program for regional youth members and continues to share exemplary, family-friendly main stage performances. As Abilene grows and evolves, so does Great Plains Theatre by adding diverse opportunities for entertainment and giving back to the community.

Great Plains Theatre truly has something for everyone. The quality theatrical productions are bound to astound. You will be leaving the theatre with a song in your head, joy in your heart, and a smile on your face!

Abilene, Kansas was officially incorporated in 1869. Abilene, Texas was named after Abilene, Kansas in 1881.

GreyhoundMuseum Hall of Fame

407 S. Buckeye Ave

Abilene, KS 67410

(785) 263-3000 or (800) 932-7881

Free Admission!

greyhoundhalloffame.com

GreyhoundHallofFameMuseum

Explore the exciting world of racing and learn about the greyhound dog breed at the Greyhound Capital of the World!

The Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum is even named in Atlas Obscura’s “The Ultimate List of Wonderfully Specific Museums.” And bonus: You’ll be greeted by a resident greyhound.

The National Greyhound Association headquarters is west of the city.

Abilene is known as the Greyhound Capital of the World.

Abilene Town Old

200 SE 5th St Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 571-7441

Free Admission!

oldabilenetown.org

OldAbileneTown

See the new Chisholm Trail Museum and Interpretive Center in the Way Station at Old Abilene Town.

Visitors can stroll the boardwalk, just as Wild Bill Hickok did during Abilene’s wild and woolly days. Get a taste of the Old West by drinking an ice-cold sarsaparilla and watching can-can dancers as they perform on stage and on the bar from the original Alamo Saloon. Gunfighters stage mock shoot-outs during the summer travel season.

Old Abilene Town also hosts Chisholm Trail Days during Labor Day weekend. Enjoy live cattle drives through Old Abilene Town, reenactors, country music performances and more!

Be sure to check out the Great Western Cattle Co. building to see a complete re-creation of Abilene’s original Texas Street.

Abilene played a key role in the transport of cattle from Texas to U.S. markets. The Chisholm Trail was 1,000 miles long, ending in Abilene, Kansas, where the cattle were loaded on railcars and sent across the country.

JeffcoatMuseumPhotography Studio

321 N. Broadway St Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-9882

Free Admission!

JeffcoatStudio

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 life, events and people of the local community. 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 walls. The museum features seasonal temporary photographic exhibits on a variety of historical topics, each highlighting the work of the Jeffcoat photographers.

Carousel C.W. Parker

412 S. Campbell St Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-2681

dickinsoncountyhistoricalsociety.com

DKCoHistory

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.

Built in 1901, the C.W. Parker Carousel was named a National Landmark in 1995.

Thecarouselis hand-carved andfeatures24horses in12pairs,4chariotsand a50-foot-wideplatform.

Heritage Center Dickinson County

(785) 263-2681 dickinsoncountyhistoricalsociety.com

Learn about Dickinson County’s famous former residents, from C.L. Brown — whose telephone company eventually became known as Sprint — to Abilene’s former Marshal Wild Bill Hickok to Joseph McCoy, who brought hundreds of thousands of cattle to Abilene in the 1860s, making the community a booming cowtown at the end of the Chisholm Trail.

United Telephone Company grew to become Sprint, which is now T-Mobile. In 1922, C.L. Brown required employees to save 10% of their income for retirement.

412 S. Campbell St Abilene, KS 67410

World’s Largest Belt Buckle

400 N. Pine St

Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-2231

worldslargestbeltbuckle.com

At 19 feet 10 ½ inches wide and 13 feet 11 ¼ inches tall (without the frame), Abilene is home to the World’s Largest Belt Buckle. Climb the spiral staircase to the top to take your photo “wearing” the buckle!

Eisenhower Park and Rose Garden

500 N. Pine St

Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-7266

EisenhowerParkandRoseGarden

The Eisenhower Park and Rose Garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Abilene City Park Historic District is home to the Eisenhower Park and Rose Garden, municipal pool, playground and grandstand.

In 1952, General Dwight D. Eisenhower announced his run for the presidency from the grandstand.

Abilene Golf & Fitness

1705 Country Club Lane

Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-3811

abilenegolfandfitness.com

AbileneGolfandFitness

Bring your golf clubs and golf like Ike at Abilene Golf and Fitness.

The Iron Horse Trail is a five-mile trail connecting Abilene and

Russell Stover

1993 Caramel Blvd

Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-0463

russellstover.com/store-109

RussellStoverUS

Complete assortment of Russell Stover, Whitman’s and Pangburn’s products including sugar-free and Weight Watchers candies by Whitman’s. Be sure to check out the “back room” for added discounts!

Big Spur

1810 N. Buckeye Ave

Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-1800

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.

Little Ike Park

324 N. Spruce St

Abilene, KS 67410 (785) 263-7266

See a statue of a young Eisenhower in Little Ike Park.

Iron Horse Trail

500 S. Campbell St Abilene, KS 67410

Iron Horse Trail

The Iron Horse Trail is a 5-mile trail connecting Abilene and Enterprise along the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad.

Picnic Spots

Eisenhower Park & Rose Garden | 500 N. Pine St

Little Ike Park | 324 N. Spruce St

Bicentennial Park | 1501 N. Mulberry St

Brown Memorial Park | 1935 Lane

Historic Sites

Check out the waterfall at Brown Memorial Park! Visit AbileneKansas.org/ waterfall for detailed directions. The park also has a large disc golf course.

Pick up a copy of the Heritage Homes Association’s “Little Town of Mansions” brochure at the Abilene CVB or Dickinson County Heritage Center to learn more about Abilene’s historic properties. Also, watch for brown “Historic District” sign toppers in neighborhoods around the city. Learn more about Abilene’s history at AbileneKansas.org/history.

The Abilene Cemetery is the burial location for many notable people including David and Ida Eisenhower, Marshal Thomas “Bear River” Smith, rodeo legend Gerald Roberts and White House press secretary to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, Marlin Fitzwater.

Statues

The Abilene Cowboy | Abilene High School, 1300 N. Cedar St

Benjamin Franklin | Abilene Public Library (Carnegie Library), 209 NW 4th St

General Eisenhower | Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, 200 SE 4th St

Little Ike | Little Ike Park, 324 N. Spruce St

Cowboy Boots

Abilene Civic Center/Visitors Center | 201 NW 2nd St

Little Ike Park | 324 N. Spruce St

Abilene Public Library | 209 NW 4th St

Abilene City Hall | 419 N. Broadway St

Arts Council of Dickinson County | 401 N. Cedar St

Abilene High School Football Stadium | 900 Block of N. Walnut St

Central Kansas Free Fair | Pine St in Eisenhower Park

Abilene Senior Center | 100 N. Elm St

Old Abilene Town | 200 SE 5th St

Dickinson County Courthouse

109 E. 1st St

Celebrating its cowboy roots, the Cowboy Boot project pays homage to T.C. McInerney’s Drovers Boot Store from the 1870s. Using this ad for inspiration, the Arts Council of Dickinson County, Quality Life Coalition of Dickinson County and Community Foundation of Dickinson County joined forces to add cowboy boot art throughout the community.

Murals

Abilene Mural | Former Abilene Reflector Chronicle building (east side of building), 303 N. Broadway St

American Bison Stamp Mural | Unoccupied building (west side of building), 203 N. Cedar St

Angel Wings Mural | Aksent Boutique (east side of building), 309 N. Buckeye Ave

Cedar House Greenhouse Mural | West side of building, 307 NE 14th St

Ike Wins Mural | South side of building, 401 N. Buckeye Ave

“I Like Ike” Murals | Arts Council of Dickinson County, Sunflower Building (east side of building), 409 NW 3rd St

Interactive “Harmon” Mural | South side of KABI Radio Station, 200 N. Broadway Ave

Longhorn Mural | Abilene Middle School (north side of building), 500 NW 14th St

Sunflower Stamp Mural | Tossed N Sauced (south side), 306 NW 3rd St

Train Mural | Abilene Printing Co. Inc (west side of building), 207 NE 3rd St

Wild Bill Hickok Mural | Dave’s Guns (south side of building), 201 N. Buckeye Ave

Turtle Mural | West side of building, 321 N. Cedar St

Midwest Meats Longhorn Mural | North side of building, 610 S. Buckeye Ave

Sunset Silhouette Mural | 1000 N. Washington St

Bison Mural | South side, 307 N. Spruce St

Cowboy Art Trail

The Abilene Cowboy | Abilene High School, 1300 N. Cedar St

Cowboy Boots | Abilene Civic Center/Visitors Center, 201 NW 2nd St

Big Spur | Rittel’s Western Wear, 1810 N. Buckeye Ave

World’s Largest Belt Buckle | Eisenhower Park /

Central Kansas Free Fair, 400 N. Pine St

Bull’s Head Saloon Longhorn | Old Abilene

Town, 201 SE 5th St

Wild Bill Hickok Mural | Dave’s Guns (south side of building), 201 N. Buckeye Ave

Longhorn Mural | Abilene Middle School

(north side of building), 500 NW 14th St

Midwest Meats Longhorn

Mural | North side of building, 610 S.

Buckeye Ave

Train Mural | Abilene Printing Co. Inc (west side of building), 207 NE 3rd St

Wild Bill Hickok Bronze Statue | Dickinson County Heritage Center, 412 S. Campbell St Tom “Bear River” Smith Tombstone | Abilene Cemetery, 501 NW 4th St

Celebrate The Old West along Abilene’s Cowboy Art Trail

The once lawless cattle town is now one of the West’s premier historic Old West destinations. Named a Top 10 True Western Town of the Year by True West Magazine, Abilene continues to celebrate and promote its wild and woolly Cowtown days by adding new tourism attractions and art.

According to a signed document, the bull head is from the Bull Head Saloon that belonged to “Shotgun Ben” Thompson in Abilene. It was headquarters for the drovers who trailed cattle from Texas to Kansas in the late 1860s and 1870s.

Find your next treasure in Abilene! Abilene is home to a variety of unique and specialty stores, including more than 150 antique vendors.

Shopping

Whether you’re looking for oneof-a-kind antiques, the latest fashion finds or the perfect gift, Abilene retailers are your go-to stop!

Learn more at AbileneKansas.org/shop . .

Dining

See a list of locally owned and fast food restaurants at AbileneKansas.org/eat

Marshal Wild Bill Hickok was Abilene’s most famous marshal. He left town after accidentally shooting a friend, settling in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he was killed.

Lodging

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites This award-winning hotel offers an indoor pool, business center with free Wi-Fi and a hot, deluxe breakfast bar. Enjoy dinner at local, historic restaurants.

110 E. Lafayette Ave

(785) 263-4049

Abilene’s Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast, Tea Room & Gift Shop Relax in parlors or on the large porch. Next to Eisenhower Park and within walking distance of Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum and other Abilene attractions.

820 NW 3rd St

(785) 263-7774

Engle House The Engle House is a newly renovated bed and breakfast. It is one of the few Mission Arts and Crafts homes listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

102 Highland Dr

(785) 479-3749

Super 8 by Wyndham A complimentary continental breakfast is included. Featured amenities include a business center, express check-in and express check-out. Pets welcome!

2207 N. Buckeye Ave

(785) 200-8850

Budget Lodge Inn Pets allowed. Restaurant on-site. Wireless internet.

116 NW 14th St

(785) 263-3600

Diamond Motel Breakfast included. Pets allowed. Wireless internet.

1407 NW 3rd St

(785) 263-2360

Abilene is also home to a variety of Airbnbs. Visit airbnb.com/abilene-ks/stays to learn more.

Bringing your RV? RV hookups are available at Abilene’s Covered Wagon RV Resort, Flatland RV Park or Central Kansas Free Fair grounds.