This is a lovely traditional courthouse and a welcome pick-me-up after Ponca. Of course, I am trying to solve a riddle here. I’m trying to figure out their stance on flags. They seem a little ambivalent about them, but it’s hard to tell. I just can’t put my finger on it, so maybe one of … Continue reading 700. Wayne, Wayne County (NE17)
727. Kingman, Kingman County (KS105)
Not my first Kingman, but certainly the most important one to date. With this, Kansas finally comes to an end! This was a lovely courthouse to go out on. The red brick, the rough-hewn stone… Yes, I’m a bit of a fool for the aesthetic. But something I hadn’t had to mention in a bit … Continue reading 727. Kingman, Kingman County (KS105)
726. Hutchinson, Reno County (KS104)
Another beautiful example of a courthouse! Even through the scaffolding, you can tell! Unfortunately, what you can’t see from this vantage is the small gold dome on the top that can be seen from quite a distance. It’s a lovely capstone on a lovely building. You can also tell that she needs some maintenance, and, … Continue reading 726. Hutchinson, Reno County (KS104)
725. McPherson, McPherson County (KS103)
More rough stone and square towers. As I find myself descending towards the end of Kansas, I feel like I’m getting a lot of the courthouse types that I liked in the first place. There was a cache in the park behind the courthouse, but I didn’t feel like looking for a nano in forty-degree … Continue reading 725. McPherson, McPherson County (KS103)
724. Lyons, Rice County (KS102)
Now, this is the kind of courthouse that Kansas has gotten me used to seeing. As I stepped out of the car, the sound of low music piping from speakers situated around the grounds slipped into my ears. It began dawning on me that I needed to be a little more careful around courthouses from … Continue reading 724. Lyons, Rice County (KS102)
723. Ellsworth, Ellsworth County (KS101)
I wasn’t quite sure what era this one was built in. I didn’t think it was the 1930s or 1940s because it didn’t look like the WPA or some retro deco. I didn’t think it was the 1950s because it seemed to be missing a certain garishness. I didn’t think it was the 1960s or … Continue reading 723. Ellsworth, Ellsworth County (KS101)
722. Lincoln Center, Lincoln County (KS100)
The courthouse was alright and all, but I have to admit that I was getting to the point in the trip where I had less to say about courthouses. When I’m running and gunning so much in a relatively short period of time (at this point I had driven about two thousand miles and been … Continue reading 722. Lincoln Center, Lincoln County (KS100)
721. Minneapolis, Ottawa County (KS099)
Not that Minneapolis. The other one! I wish I could say I was unenthused by the courthouse because I was tired. I was tired, but I could also tell this was objectively not a great courthouse. Or even a good courthouse. I guess it’s not bad per se, but I could be wrong on that point. I opted for … Continue reading 721. Minneapolis, Ottawa County (KS099)
720. Salina, Saline County (KS098)
All right, Salina! You’re killing me here! So, this is the building I can best identify as the equivalent of the county courthouse. The District Court and County Clerk are both based out of here. I guess this is what I’m looking for. Of course, across the street is the Saline County senior center… Really, … Continue reading 720. Salina, Saline County (KS098)
719. Abilene, Dickinson County (KS097)
Finally! The other Abilene! Somehow, I never expected to make it here. That said, though, I felt disappointed with the courthouse. With its long history of cattle and rail, I expected that Abilene would have built a more impressive structure to demonstrate its dominance in the region. I know the original courthouse was two stories … Continue reading 719. Abilene, Dickinson County (KS097)