More than just a statue

Looks like a regular statue, right? Located in the Iola Cemetery at the west end of town on U.S. 54, this is one of only a few statues of a Civil War solider whose hand rests on top of his rifle muzzle.

Another detail. There are only a few white-bronze (cast zinc) Civil War statues in the state. In fact, some information shows that only four of this kind exist in Kansas.

Another of the four would be east on U.S. 54 in Bronson, just inside the Bourbon County line. Posed in the middle of the park is a white-bronze Civil War statue. Dedicated in 1907, this "sentinel" style soldier is most commonly seen in northern states.

But now let's get rurally picky.

The web site http://library.cincymuseum.org/cwdetails7help.htm states that from 1870 until 1931, soldiers were the most popular Civil War monument designed with the most common position being parade rest. Of the 120 known soldier monuments in the U.S., 89 of these do have the soldier at parade rest. However, the article goes on to say that most at parade rest have the soldier leaning on the butt of the gun, not the muzzle.

Sounds like we have a relatively rare Civil War statue in Iola. It's not at parade rest and the soldier is leaning on the muzzle. As our "commenter" below said, doesn't it make more sense to have the muzzle pointing up so it doesn't get filled with dirt?!

Where are the other two white bronze Civil War statues in Kansas? Is the soldier at attention or leaning on a gun?

THE MOTHERLOAD OF WHITE BRONZE STATUES

Travel to the Koester House Museum at 10th and Broadway in Marysville and you'll find the motherload of white bronze statues. Not Civil War statues but a collection of twelve that are more appropriate for standing around the house. Cast-iron lions and dogs are included in these outdoor adornments.These statues were made between 1880 and 1910.

It's all pretty interesting. In fact, paying attention will help you "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

Rounding into shape

Are you saying "wow?" I did the first time I saw this place. And then I went inside and the "wow's" only continued.

Vance and Louise Ehmke own a seed farm in Lane County and they needed a scale house to weigh the trucks and the seed. Being the imaginative, skilled, and resourceful people they are they built like a scale house like no other out of this 25,000 bushel galvanized steel grain bin.

You wonder how they could make the interior work in such a round space but they used the curves to create one of the most unique homes you'd ever find. They've been featured on Home and Garden show Rezoned and other places.

Can you imagine telling friends on the coast or big cities that you live in a grain bin? They'd probably feel sorry for you.

But once they saw the grain bin it would help them "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

What do pies and stoves have in common?

What do they have in common? They are two of 24 finalists on the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce finalist list. MarCon Pies of Washington and Mill Creek Antiques of Paxico.

PIE
Marilyn and Connie (that's where the MarCon came from) made pies for auctions and got so famous that they went into the full-time pie-making business. They were probably starting to see cherries and pecans and pie crusts in their sleep so they sold to the business to Don Walsh. He now watches over 500-600 pies being made a made a day (up to 1,500 during Christmas) by the local ladies at the pie factory, 121 W. 8th in Washington.

Over 60 varieties of fruit, crunch, nut, creme and cheesecakes are made to tempt you. Oh, go ahead and break that New Year's Resolution! Learn more at http://www.marconpies.com/.

MarCon pies is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tours are available Monday-Thursday but reservations are requested (785.325.2439). Want to go drool? You can buy pie on Fridays!

PAXICO
Steve (Bud) Hund just took the path in front of him and the result was that he opened a store and Mill Creek Antiques soon anchored the comeback of Paxico -- as in coming back from ghost town status.

Located in Wabaunsee County at the #333 I-70 exit, the stove restoration business impressed the selection committee enough to put Mill Creek on the finalist list. The largest stove restoration business in the Midwest right there in Paxico, population 202!

To consider these two finalists and others go to http://www.8wonders.org/ to vote and to click on the picture of any finalists which will take you to an information and picture page. You'll learn lots of fascinating dinner conversation facts! That way you can help others "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce Announced!

The Kansas Sampler Foundation announced the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce finalists on January 5. Finalist representatives gathered at the Kansas Sampler Center near Inman to hear the news.

The 24 finalists were picked from a group of over 100 that the public had nominated. Criteria required that the business be publicly accessible for tours or that their story be on permanent display at a museum. The finalist could be a past or present business.

In alphabetical order the finalists are:
Baxter’s Bait & Tackle, Stockton
Big Brutus, West Mineral
Bowersock Mills & Power Co., Lawrence
Brant’s Meat Market, Lucas
Brookover Feed Yards, Garden City
Cloud Ceramics, Concordia
Cobalt Boats, Neodesha
Dessin Fournir, Plainville
El Dorado Oil Field
Frontenac Bakery
Hemslojd, Inc., Lindsborg
Koerperich Bookbinders, Inc., Selden
MarCon Pies, Washington
Mill Creek Antiques, Paxico
Millers of Claflin, Claflin
Moon Marble Company, Bonner Springs
RANS, Inc., Hays
Ringneck Ranch, Tipton
Stafford County Flour Mills, Hudson
The Grasshopper Company, Moundridge
Vonada Stone Company, Sylvan Grove
Wichita Aviation Industry
Winter Livestock, Inc., Dodge City
Wolf Creek Generating Station, Burlington

Each finalist had to have a characteristic that made it unique in some aspect of its field and possess some “wow” traits.

Public vote will determine the top eight. People are encouraged to vote online at 8wonders.org, call 620.585.2374 for a ballot, or pick up a ballot at a finalist. Voting begins January 5 and will end February 17 at midnight. The top eight will be announced before the end of March.

Foundation director Marci Penner said, “I bet this list will surprise people. The goal was not to choose the top money-making businesses in Kansas but to select businesses, big or small, that have reached a gold standard in their arena -- and that also allowed group tours or are open for retail business. The contest web site (click on each picture) provides a grand snapshot of Kansas businesses.”

Educating the public about Kansas and encouraging travel in the state is the purpose of the 8 Wonders series organized by the non-profit Kansas Sampler Foundation. The overall 8 Wonders and contests for Architecture and Art have been completed. The rural culture elements yet to be showcased are Cuisine, Customs, Geography, History, and People.

Penner continued, "Winners do not receive a cash reward or sculpture made in their honor. The only goal is to educate the world about Kansas -- and have fun doing it. These are incredible finalists. Read all about them!"

Paper ballots will likely be available at each business or by calling 620.585.2374.

CLICK HERE TO GET TO 8 WONDERS PAGE

To click on the pictures on the Commerce page and read the information page will really help you "Get Kansas!"

What a great diverse list!

KE #2 Marci Penner

Excited about Commerce!

We're working every minute to get the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce contest web site ready for the announcement Monday at 1 p.m. at the Kansas Sampler Center.

While WenDee is loading pictures and putting the web site and ballot together, I'm writing the information page for each of the 24 -- AND IT'S SO EXCITING! Exciting because of the story of these places. The more I research and read, the more in awe I am of what we have in Kansas!

Representatives from the 24 finalists will come here to the barn on Monday and not only will be anxious to hear their business named officially but they'll also be ready to know the other 23.

Voting will start Monday and go through February 17.

More later.

I have to go to work so we'll have a great website to help the world "Get Kansas Commerce!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

Keep your eyes open -- and you'll see alot

You'd be amazed what you might find by just keeping your eyes wide open while you're out driving the Kansas back roads.

For instance, did you know that Cawker City has more than one Ball of Twine? Artist Cher Heller Olson painted many classic paintings around town and inserted a ball of twine. Look into that eye very carefully...

Citi Bureau? Found in Damar, a French Canadian settlement in Rooks County. You'll find many other French motif buildings, too. It doesn't matter that most of those buildings hare abandoned.

Mri Pillar's Fork Art in Lucas spruces up Brant's Meat Market west wall. The World's Largest Souvenir Travel Plate adorns the roadside just outside of town east of the cafe on K-18.

Then there are just odd things -- like the fire department water hose just lying beside the hydrant. It saves time if you have a fire right there. Where will you see that? We better not tell.

And mailboxes often gain the attention of the observant eye. Some kind of a tractor/crane sets right over the mail box in Dover.

These things and more will you find as you keep your eye open to "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

It's a New Year -- and so many places to see!

Sommerset Hall Cafe. Home of Norma Grubbs, the "Slice of Pie" winner on Good Morning America.

The big and white wooden corner frame building dominates the Dover intersection. Quite a few cars surrounded this Odd Fellow and Rebekah Lodge and it was already 1 p.m.

Of course everybody starred when we walked in. They didn't know us so we became the object of their curiosities, as is the tradition in any local cafe when a stranger walks in -- especially when one is carrying a big camera.

There is alot of space in here so remembering that someone had said there was a line outside the door for the Friday night buffet during Norma's pie race, this place must have been hopping.

Bummer. Norma wasn't there on this day. But just eating here is a definite Explorer experience. There are a few canned goods, cat litter, work gloves, Sommerset Hall mugs, and other items available on the shelves. Tables fill the big blank spaces and there are about five round seats on pedestals at the counter.

At the top of the shelves are all sorts of antiques including references to barns, cows, and rural. One shelf, above the cat litter bag, is a whole row of local yearbooks.

I had the Mexican buffet with southwest egg rolls. WenDee ordered a hamburger and sweet potatoe fries -- and she liked it! She had her heart set on Coconut Cream Pie but that will wait for another time.

You had to look for references to Norma but once you started looking you found everything from a chart that listed how many pies she had made to Norma Christmas ornaments! Tucked away in the corner behind a chair stood a sign that welcomed everyone to the Sommerset Hall Cafe, home of Norma and her homemade pies.

Had the winner been from a big city, they likely would be using their new designation in ad campaigns, billboards, and making a big deal about it. Our subtle way of absorbing recogntion is part of "Getting Kansas."

This blog is mostly to remind us all that Kansas is full of explorery places and is a treasure trove for experiences, memories, and having a great time with the family.

All rural towns invite the world to Come and "Get Kansas" in 2009!

KE #2 Marci Penner