8 Delightfully Odd Towns In Kansas

Some towns in Kansas will leave you wondering whether you're still in Kansas or whether you've been transported to another place. These delightfully odd towns have a lot of quirky attractions that you can't find elsewhere. For example, one can find the world's quirkiest bathroom, go on an outhouse tour in a "ghost town," or go to the land of Oz in a fun Wizard of Oz-themed museum. That's to say nothing of the many offbeat and unusual art exhibits you'll find tucked away in rural Kansas communities. Read on to learn about 8 delightfully odd towns in Kansas worth checking out.

Wamego

The Wicked movie series has significantly boosted interest in the land of Oz. For many, their first introduction to Oz was through the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy was transported to the land from her home in Kansas. The town of Wamego, Kansas, has laid claim to this story through its delightful Oz Museum. In this bright green museum, you can see costumes and props from both the 1939 film and the Broadway performance of Wicked, along with Auntie Em's Gift Shop to take back your own piece of Oz. Around Wamego, you can see cute statues of Dorothy's dog Toto painted in a variety of styles, from the green Emerald City Toto to Toto in Tulips. These flowers are a big part of Wamego, as the city is brightened up with thousands of tulips for the Tulip Festival in April. Dutch heritage is another key component of Wamego's quirky charm, which you can see at the 1879 Dutch Mill, which is next to the larger Wamego Historical Museum and Prairie Village.

Lucas

Just over 330 people live in this central Kansas community in the Great Plains. Its residents are mainly farmers, but unlike many rural communities, Lucas has an unusual arts scene that extends to its parks, buildings, and even restrooms. First off, there's the Garden of Eden, a sculpture garden and Cabin Home built in 1907 by American Civil War veteran S.P. Dinsmoor, with sculptures that represent religious topics and the history of Kansas. To the east of Eden is Miller's Park, which has a large collection of miniature mountains and buildings made of rocks, such as Pike's Peak or buildings in Lucas. Also in Lucas is the Grassroots Arts Center, which features artwork made of recycled materials by older individuals. If you find yourself needing a bathroom break, then you have to go to the Bowl Plaza, which has mosaics on both the exterior and interior by artists working under the Grassroots Art Center. It's been called the quirkiest bathroom in the U.S.

Lindsborg

While many towns in the U.S. have significant immigrant populations, few have as large a Swedish population as Lindsborg, which is Swedish for Linden Castle. This community has been called Little Sweden by visitors due to its cute Swedish attractions. One of its most unique attractions is the 1904 Swedish Pavilion, which was built in the style of a Swedish country manor house for the St. Louis World's Fair. Today, it is a part of the Swedish Heritage Museum, which also includes an 1898 Lindsborg Old Mill. Throughout Lindsborg, you can find cute Dala Horses, a Swedish sculpture of cute horses painted in colorful arrays. Many shops in town sell small Dala horses as souvenirs. Speaking of art, the Small World Gallery is home to the works of National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson, who is known to greet guests at the gallery when he's not out traveling the world. Festivals like the biennal Svensk Hyllningsfest bring proud Swedish traditions alive.

Galena

Wamego isn't the only Kansas town with a special movie-based attraction. When director Joe Ranft of Pixar visited a Kansas O-Tex Service Station, he saw an old rusty tow truck, which would go on to inspire the character Mater in the film Cars. By pulling off Route 66, you can snap a photo with Tow Mater at Cars on the Route, who has been decorated to look like the character, along with the 1934 gas station. Also off Route 66 is the lovely Schermerhorn Park, a wooded area in the Ozark Plateau next to the Shoal Creek. This slow-moving creek is an ideal spot to grab a float tube and enjoy a ride. Up on a hill overlooking the park is the Southeast Kansas Nature Center, which has exhibits on local plants and animals. Mining was a major industry in Galena which you can learn about at the Galena Mining & Historical Museum.

Elk Falls

By popular definition, Elk Falls is a ghost town. In reality, however, there are just over 100 residents, and they keep the town alive with a few local businesses and one of the oddest tours in America. First established in 1875 as a milling town along the Elk River, Elk Falls grew to around 513 people. However, when the mill closed, the population fell with it. Today, most visitors come by to see the Elk Falls themselves, a 10-foot-high and 100-foot-wide waterfall, which can be viewed from the historic 1893 Iron Truss Bridge or on a short hike to the water. During the weekend before Thanksgiving, the town comes alive with its Outhouse Tour, which has creatively designed outhouses, such as one built to look like a voting booth. The event also includes live music, crafts, and food vendors. Visitors to this "living ghost town" can also check out Elk Falls Pottery, housed within a 1930s building that was formerly called the Rock Garden.

Pittsburg

In order to find unique towns, you have to look past the surface. For instance, one might assume that Pittsburg, Kansas, is just a copy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, especially with its large coal mining industry. However, Pittsburg holds many of its own quirky habits that can't be found elsewhere. For one, the local Pittsburg State University is the only university in the country to have a gorilla as its mascot, and it celebrates this ape with gorilla statues spread all throughout the town. Nearby, in West Mineral, check out the world's largest shovel called Big Brutus. This 11 million pound device was used in the coal industry and today is open for tours. If you make your way to Lincoln Park, you can go to the classic Kiddieland Fun Park, which opened in 1953 and features a train, small roller coaster, and carousel.

Bonner Springs

Located on the Eastern edge of Kansas within the Kansas City, Missouri Metro area, Bonner Springs gets its name from the local mineral springs, which were first uncovered by Spanish explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado in the 16th century. The town grew in the early 20th century as tourists came to take advantage of the medicinal benefits of the mineral waters. Today, Bonner Springs is home to a unique company: The Moon Marble Company. Take a tour with owner Bruce Breslow, who will show how he creates the marbles, along with intriguing information on the history of this vintage toy. For those interested in agriculture, you can go to the National Agricultural Hall of Fame or learn about the Shawnee, Delaware, and Wyandotte peoples who lived here at the Wyandotte County Museum. Lastly, Bonner Springs is the spot for the massive Kansas City Renaissance Festival, which draws in 200,000 people a year. It also hosts the KC Timber Challenge, a unique annual event that draws thrill-seekers who compete in zip lines and obstacle courses.

Atchison

Few towns advertise themselves as being a haunted place like Atchison does. While many historic mansions throughout the U.S. have haunted legends or ghost tours, Atchison has a bona fide haunted house at the McInteer Villa. Built in 1889 for a local businessman, it is today called the Haunted 1889 McInteer Villa, and has had reports of lighting turning off and on at night, a rocking chair moving on its own, footsteps, items moved from one location to another, voices, and many other phenomena. There are many unanswered questions about this house, as there are about Atchison's most famous resident: Amelia Earhart. This female pilot disappeared in 1937 while flying over the Pacific, and no one knows what happened to her. Today, visitors can check out the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum and Hangar Museum.

Creative, Quirky, and Sometimes Spooky

These three words accurately sum up these delightfully odd Kansas towns. Whether haunted by the remains of dead industries or by alleged ghosts, these towns have a lot of "spirits." But these spirits also inspire a lot of creativity at outdoor sculpture centers in Lucas, Toto statues in Wamego, or Swedish Dala horses in Lindsborg. Lastly, these towns are all very quirky and proud of it, and that makes them very special places to check out.