Top 7 Attractions in Abilene, KS
Looking for something fun to do with your family? If you live in Solomon, Wamego, or Grandview Plaza, why not plan on a road trip to Abilene, KS? There are some great opportunities to build fun memories with your family here, so peek at some of those options below.
Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home
This is a Kansas icon, which brings in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Visitors from all over come to see how one of the most important figures of World War II history once lived.
Seelye Mansion
Named an “8 Wonders of Kansas – Architecture,” Seelye Mansion was built in 1905 at a cost of $55,000 and got its name from inhabitants Dr. Seelye, his wife and family. The mansion allows you to step back in time into a beautiful old home furnished in purchases from the 1904 St. Louis World’s fair. This 11,000 square foot historic mansion features Edison light fixtures, Tiffany-style mantel, and you can bowl on a 1904 Box Ball Alley and experience the nostalgia for yourself.
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Experience the fun and excitement of a fully operational steam locomotive, the 1919 BALDWIN 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive. This 100-year-old steam engine offers a fun ride in an open-air car or enjoy a great meal on the 10-mile round trip through the smoky hill river valley to the community of Enterprise Kansas where you can stop and explore the Hoffman Grist Mill, a working water wheel that still mills flour.
Old Abilene Town
Another time-travelling adventure for you and your family, the cow town of old Abilene features living history displays which include gunfights, can-can dancers and more. You can even experience what it was like to drive cattle on the Chisolm Trail during Labor Day Weekend with reenactors, country music performances and so much more!
Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum
Explore the history of Greyhound racing when you visit the Hall of Fame Museum. Learn more about the sport, some interesting history and interact with resident greyhound greeters when you come to the Greyhound Capital of the World!
Dickinson County Heritage Center
Learn about some of Abilene’s most famous people like C.L. Brown whose telephone company eventually became “Sprint”. Joseph McCoy was known for bringing hundreds of thousands of cattle into Abilene in the 1860s turning Abilene into a booming cow town at the end of the Chisolm Trail. The Famous Abilene Marshal Wild Bill Hickock built a reputation of fighting outlaws. When you are there, be sure to stop by and take a ride on the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel, which is believed to be the oldest operating Parker Carousel still in existence with 24 hand-carved horses and four chariots.
World’s Largest Belt Buckle and the Big Spur
When you visit Abilene, check out these amazing features, a belt buckle at 19 feet 101/2 inches wide, by 13 feet 111/2 inches tall, not including the frame, and the big Spur which was the world’s largest spur up until 2017. The spur is 28-feet high, and it forms an arch weighing a ton.
Check these sites and experiences out when you drive your quality used car from D.E.L. Motors in Junction City, Kansas.