Robert and I were itching for a little road trip, so one day, we buzzed over to Ft. Scott, KS. Growing up in El Dorado Springs, MO, I took for granted all the wonderful little attractions that were just a hop, skip and jump away. I guess we do that when we’re young. Now that I’m older, I look at everything around me in a new light, with the excitement of a kid.
Plenty of times over the past 25 years, I had driven through Ft. Scott, but hadn’t really stopped or veered off course from the main highway. I had no idea what I was missing!
Our destination, of course, was to check out the Fort. In my mind I thought it wouldn’t amount to much, but I was wrong. As we rounded the corner off the main road, I was surprised at of how many buildings were on the NHS grounds. I was impressed with the amount of displays and the beauty of the site. The site has 20 historic structures, eleven are original buildings, while the others are reconstructed on original foundations.
The site is fully restored to the way it was in the 1840s to tell the story of the Westward Expansion, Bleeding Kansas, and the Civil War. It’s always a delight to talk to National Park Rangers. We went on a Sunday, so it was not busy at all, and the Rangers had time to chat with us for a while.
We practically had the park to ourselves, so we took our time on the self-tour and Robert took his time in taking pictures. He likes it when he can get shots without people, especially historic sites like this.
Just off the Fort’s grounds is downtown. I love small towns’ downtown areas. The old brick buildings make me imagine how it was in its prime. I especially love it when historic downtowns are restored, clean, and have thriving businesses. It brings the past and present together.
Downtown Ft. Scott is one of the prettiest little area’s to walk around. There are some great antique shops, restaurants, and other little stores to peek in. Going on a Sunday, without any hustle and bustle, we were able to slow down life for a bit and simply enjoy.
With Fort Scott NHS free of charge to tour and open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, it a perfect destination to go back just to get a break from the office.
