Things to Explore in Kansas
with our
interactive map
Guidebook is love letter to Kansas
By Denise Neil
Almost every day for two years, Marci Penner would wake up and decide which direction to drive.
She'd head west if she was in a wide-open-spaces mood.
She'd go north when she felt like hills and trees.
She'd try to be spontaneous, but she had a definite goal in mind -- to visit all 627 of Kansas' incorporated towns and cities and detail her adventures in a comprehensive guidebook.
The result is "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers," a recently released 432-page spiral-bound book that Penner calls her love letter to her home state.
The book, released in late October, is now being sold -- and praised -- statewide.
"It's a treasure," said Debbie Divine, the director of Kansas Scenic Byways, a Kansas Department of Transportation program. "I think it's the best Kansas guidebook out there."
The book, which divides the state into six geographical areas, gives a county-by-county, town-by-town description of Kansas attractions, museums, restaurants, stores and more.
Filled with more than 400 color photographs, it details sites as famous as the Garden of Eden in Lucas and as obscure as the concrete roosters in Burns.
"One of the reasons I'm so pleased with the book is that it helps dispel the myth that there's nothing to see and do in this state," Penner said. "To me, that I was able to produce 432 pages of a quality guidebook makes a statement."
Penner, 49, still lives on the Inman family farm where she was raised, and she's a lifelong student of Kansas.
In 1994, she and her father, Milferd, founded the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to sustaining rural Kansas culture through education.
It's a topic Penner is passionate about, and a not-so-subtle message in her book, where she encourages readers to pick up stamps in small-town post offices and buy groceries at mom-and-pop stores.
"It wasn't just, 'Let's write a fun book about what there is to see and do in Kansas,' " Penner said. "It was, 'Let's write a book in a way that will make a difference in the viability of these communities.' "
Halstead business owner Margaret Kraisinger, whose Old Hardware Store is pictured on page 349 of the book, is selling the book in her store.
She's already had one customer stop in just because they saw the store listed in the book.
"It's easy to use, and I think it's something that anyone who travels Kansas would want to keep in their car," Kraisinger said.
Although Penner made it to all 627 communities, she had space to write about only 500.
Today, as she travels the state promoting her book, she's still recovering, both physically and emotionally.
During her two years of research, she'd be on the road three or four days a week.
She'd always go alone, and she'd never make an appointment.
"I didn't want towns to dress up for me," she said.
By journey's end, she'd put 40,124 miles on her old blue Honda CRV, which she promptly chucked.
"It was dead," she said with a laugh.
But Penner's passion for small-town Kansas is now more alive than ever.
"When you go to every town and you see what's happening, all the struggles, you also see the spirit and the will and the incredible efforts," she said.
"There's not money or power or population in small towns, so they get ignored, and that's one of the reasons I want this guidebook to make a difference."
THE BEST OF KANSAS
Marci Penner says she visited every town and city in Kansas while researching her new guidebook. Several stops along the way stand out in her memory. Among them:
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers," which sells for $24.95, is available in bookstores around the state. A list of stores can be found at www.kansasguidebook.com. It can also be ordered from the Web site.
It's available at the following places in Wichita:
Originally published in The Wichita Eagle, November 24, 2005.
Almost every day for two years, Marci Penner would wake up and decide which direction to drive.
She'd head west if she was in a wide-open-spaces mood.
She'd go north when she felt like hills and trees.
She'd try to be spontaneous, but she had a definite goal in mind -- to visit all 627 of Kansas' incorporated towns and cities and detail her adventures in a comprehensive guidebook.
The result is "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers," a recently released 432-page spiral-bound book that Penner calls her love letter to her home state.
The book, released in late October, is now being sold -- and praised -- statewide.
"It's a treasure," said Debbie Divine, the director of Kansas Scenic Byways, a Kansas Department of Transportation program. "I think it's the best Kansas guidebook out there."
The book, which divides the state into six geographical areas, gives a county-by-county, town-by-town description of Kansas attractions, museums, restaurants, stores and more.
Filled with more than 400 color photographs, it details sites as famous as the Garden of Eden in Lucas and as obscure as the concrete roosters in Burns.
"One of the reasons I'm so pleased with the book is that it helps dispel the myth that there's nothing to see and do in this state," Penner said. "To me, that I was able to produce 432 pages of a quality guidebook makes a statement."
Penner, 49, still lives on the Inman family farm where she was raised, and she's a lifelong student of Kansas.
In 1994, she and her father, Milferd, founded the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to sustaining rural Kansas culture through education.
It's a topic Penner is passionate about, and a not-so-subtle message in her book, where she encourages readers to pick up stamps in small-town post offices and buy groceries at mom-and-pop stores.
"It wasn't just, 'Let's write a fun book about what there is to see and do in Kansas,' " Penner said. "It was, 'Let's write a book in a way that will make a difference in the viability of these communities.' "
Halstead business owner Margaret Kraisinger, whose Old Hardware Store is pictured on page 349 of the book, is selling the book in her store.
She's already had one customer stop in just because they saw the store listed in the book.
"It's easy to use, and I think it's something that anyone who travels Kansas would want to keep in their car," Kraisinger said.
Although Penner made it to all 627 communities, she had space to write about only 500.
Today, as she travels the state promoting her book, she's still recovering, both physically and emotionally.
During her two years of research, she'd be on the road three or four days a week.
She'd always go alone, and she'd never make an appointment.
"I didn't want towns to dress up for me," she said.
By journey's end, she'd put 40,124 miles on her old blue Honda CRV, which she promptly chucked.
"It was dead," she said with a laugh.
But Penner's passion for small-town Kansas is now more alive than ever.
"When you go to every town and you see what's happening, all the struggles, you also see the spirit and the will and the incredible efforts," she said.
"There's not money or power or population in small towns, so they get ignored, and that's one of the reasons I want this guidebook to make a difference."
THE BEST OF KANSAS
Marci Penner says she visited every town and city in Kansas while researching her new guidebook. Several stops along the way stand out in her memory. Among them:
- Fort Dodge in Ford County: "It's really a home for veterans," Penner said. "You'll see scooters everywhere instead of cars. The town is built perfectly for this population."
- Hunter's Drug in Greensburg, Kiowa County: In business since 1917, Penner says this store's soda fountain is a Kansas highlight.
- Brunin's Family Cafe in Andale, Sedgwick County: This restaurant more than met Penner's criteria for chicken-fried steak.
- Lumberyard Steak House in Zenda, Kingman County: This unique restaurant is set up in an old lumberyard and serves delicious steaks, Penner said.
- St. Jacob's Well in Clark County: This stop features a funnel-shaped, spring-fed pond that's never been known to go dry. Penner describes its ambience as "spiritual."
- Neighbor's Cafe in McPherson, McPherson County: Penner recommends a dish called Neighbor's Fancy Browns, made with golden hash browns, diced ham, green peppers, onions and cheddar cheese.
- Trails End Junke Shoppe in Belvidere, Kiowa County: Penner loved this antique store/flea market in unincorporated Belvidere. "It's the perfect explorer's stop."
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers," which sells for $24.95, is available in bookstores around the state. A list of stores can be found at www.kansasguidebook.com. It can also be ordered from the Web site.
It's available at the following places in Wichita:
- Borders, 2441 N. Maize Road and 1715 N. Rock Road
- Sunflower Shoppe, 607 W. Douglas
- Watermark Books, 4701 E. Douglas
- Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main.
Originally published in The Wichita Eagle, November 24, 2005.
Kansas guide
Editorial by John D. Montgomery
A person might not be able to imagine that a guidebook for Kansas attractions could be an inch thick.
But, then, this guidebook was compiled by a woman who is rural Kansas' biggest cheerleader. And she has explored every nook and cranny, seemingly every little one-horse town, eaten at every little cafe and browsed all the mom-and-pop shops.
And they are all attractions to Marci Penner of Inman, who just authored the 2005 edition of "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers." It is a full-color, 432-page masterpiece, as comprehensive a reference book on Kansas sightseeing as one could imagine.
Penner is the director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a non-profit on a mission to preserve Kansas' rural culture - and publisher of the guidebook. Penner also coordinates a club for Kansas "explorers" - like-minded folks who "dare to do dirt," know a quality chicken-fried steak when they eat it and appreciate the value of doing business with a truly local merchant.
Kansas explorers look for out-of-the-way places. And it is in that spirit that Penner can flesh out such a heavy guidebook for exploring Kansas.
It is not just about the Sternberg Museum or the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. It is not even so much about the quirky sights, such as the world's largest ball of twine or the Garden of Eden in Lucas.
It is about more than tourism. It is about noteworthy art, architecture, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people. And Kansas has it. You just might have to go find it as it might not be sitting right next to the interstate highway.
In all, the guidebook lists 3,597 entries for 500 towns, many of them unincorporated and a few ghost towns.
Kansas' rural places and Kansas in general, which often seems to suffer from a severe inferiority complex, is fortunate to have someone such as Penner.
The guidebook is a wonderful reference. And buying a copy also supports Kansas Sampler Foundation.
The book sells for $24.95, and copies can be ordered online at www.kansasguidebook.com.
Originally published in the Hays Daily News, The (KS), November 10, 2005.
A person might not be able to imagine that a guidebook for Kansas attractions could be an inch thick.
But, then, this guidebook was compiled by a woman who is rural Kansas' biggest cheerleader. And she has explored every nook and cranny, seemingly every little one-horse town, eaten at every little cafe and browsed all the mom-and-pop shops.
And they are all attractions to Marci Penner of Inman, who just authored the 2005 edition of "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers." It is a full-color, 432-page masterpiece, as comprehensive a reference book on Kansas sightseeing as one could imagine.
Penner is the director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a non-profit on a mission to preserve Kansas' rural culture - and publisher of the guidebook. Penner also coordinates a club for Kansas "explorers" - like-minded folks who "dare to do dirt," know a quality chicken-fried steak when they eat it and appreciate the value of doing business with a truly local merchant.
Kansas explorers look for out-of-the-way places. And it is in that spirit that Penner can flesh out such a heavy guidebook for exploring Kansas.
It is not just about the Sternberg Museum or the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. It is not even so much about the quirky sights, such as the world's largest ball of twine or the Garden of Eden in Lucas.
It is about more than tourism. It is about noteworthy art, architecture, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people. And Kansas has it. You just might have to go find it as it might not be sitting right next to the interstate highway.
In all, the guidebook lists 3,597 entries for 500 towns, many of them unincorporated and a few ghost towns.
Kansas' rural places and Kansas in general, which often seems to suffer from a severe inferiority complex, is fortunate to have someone such as Penner.
The guidebook is a wonderful reference. And buying a copy also supports Kansas Sampler Foundation.
The book sells for $24.95, and copies can be ordered online at www.kansasguidebook.com.
Originally published in the Hays Daily News, The (KS), November 10, 2005.
On the road again: Guidebook aimed at state's hot spots
By Stacie R. Sandall
INMAN - She's traveled over 40,100 miles in two years and visited every incorporated town in the state. Marci Penner, Inman, wasn't trying to break any records or gain some sort of recognition - she was on a mission.
The result of that mission? Publication of the 2005 edition of "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers."
"People kept asking for our old guidebook, which was long out of print and dated back to 1993. So many people would ask me about places and I kept wishing I had a book to give them. A comprehensive guidebook was needed in the state," Penner said. "Also, there are so many treasures in these small towns, but people won't visit them if they don't know about them."
Penner said she also wanted to see all the towns, see how they fit together and learn what was and wasn't working in rural communities.
"Rural communities are struggling and we all need to work together to keep them viable," the author said.
The process was fun, yet time-consuming. For two years Penner traveled to each incorporated town, a journey she calls one of the highlights of her life.
"I never made an appointment. I'd just slip into a town. Sometime people knew me, sometime not. Sometimes I told them who I was and what I was doing, sometime not. I'd look around, ask questions and review what I knew. I'd take notes that night. Later, when I started writing the book, I would call every place again, ask more questions and do fact-checking. Sometimes it took innumerable phone calls to find a date, exact directions or get a name right," Penner said.
Penner was on the lookout for art, architecture, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people. She followed her nose and never knew what kind of adventure she would have.
"It was a very spontaneous experience," she said.
It took more than a year to write the book and for the Kansas Sampler Foundation to publish it.
Penner and her father co-authored three guidebooks in the early 1990s and in 1993 they founded the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The foundation is a public non-profit organization with the mission of preserving and sustaining rural culture by educating Kansans about Kansas, and by networking and supporting rural communities.
Her apparent pasion for Kansas was probably sparked by her parents, Milferd and Verna Lee Penner, at an early age. Penner said her family went on trips that stirred the explorer in her.
Milferd Penner always said, "The more you know something, the more you'll love it." And his daughter knows that's true for her and Kansas.
"The more I know and understand rural communities, the more I love them," she said.
Penner grew up on the family farm near Inman. It has been in the family since 1874. Though she lived in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania area for 10 years, she always "longed for the dirt of the farm."
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers" is a full-color 432-page book with photographs, an index and guidebook tips. It is divided into six regions and broken down by county, then community.
The book retails for $24.95 and can be ordered online at www.kansasguidebook.com. Penner is working at getting the book in stores statewide.
Full-color cover art features locations in Oberlin, Paradise, Lucas, Hays, St. Francis, Pfeifer, Lebanon, WaKeeney, Russell and others.
Reporter Stacie R. Sandall can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 136, or by e-mail at ssandall@dailynews.net.
This story was originally published in the Hays Daily News, The (KS), November 7, 2005.
INMAN - She's traveled over 40,100 miles in two years and visited every incorporated town in the state. Marci Penner, Inman, wasn't trying to break any records or gain some sort of recognition - she was on a mission.
The result of that mission? Publication of the 2005 edition of "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers."
"People kept asking for our old guidebook, which was long out of print and dated back to 1993. So many people would ask me about places and I kept wishing I had a book to give them. A comprehensive guidebook was needed in the state," Penner said. "Also, there are so many treasures in these small towns, but people won't visit them if they don't know about them."
Penner said she also wanted to see all the towns, see how they fit together and learn what was and wasn't working in rural communities.
"Rural communities are struggling and we all need to work together to keep them viable," the author said.
The process was fun, yet time-consuming. For two years Penner traveled to each incorporated town, a journey she calls one of the highlights of her life.
"I never made an appointment. I'd just slip into a town. Sometime people knew me, sometime not. Sometimes I told them who I was and what I was doing, sometime not. I'd look around, ask questions and review what I knew. I'd take notes that night. Later, when I started writing the book, I would call every place again, ask more questions and do fact-checking. Sometimes it took innumerable phone calls to find a date, exact directions or get a name right," Penner said.
Penner was on the lookout for art, architecture, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people. She followed her nose and never knew what kind of adventure she would have.
"It was a very spontaneous experience," she said.
It took more than a year to write the book and for the Kansas Sampler Foundation to publish it.
Penner and her father co-authored three guidebooks in the early 1990s and in 1993 they founded the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The foundation is a public non-profit organization with the mission of preserving and sustaining rural culture by educating Kansans about Kansas, and by networking and supporting rural communities.
Her apparent pasion for Kansas was probably sparked by her parents, Milferd and Verna Lee Penner, at an early age. Penner said her family went on trips that stirred the explorer in her.
Milferd Penner always said, "The more you know something, the more you'll love it." And his daughter knows that's true for her and Kansas.
"The more I know and understand rural communities, the more I love them," she said.
Penner grew up on the family farm near Inman. It has been in the family since 1874. Though she lived in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania area for 10 years, she always "longed for the dirt of the farm."
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers" is a full-color 432-page book with photographs, an index and guidebook tips. It is divided into six regions and broken down by county, then community.
The book retails for $24.95 and can be ordered online at www.kansasguidebook.com. Penner is working at getting the book in stores statewide.
Full-color cover art features locations in Oberlin, Paradise, Lucas, Hays, St. Francis, Pfeifer, Lebanon, WaKeeney, Russell and others.
Reporter Stacie R. Sandall can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 136, or by e-mail at ssandall@dailynews.net.
This story was originally published in the Hays Daily News, The (KS), November 7, 2005.
Author took roads less traveled
By Phil Anderson,
Topeka Capital-Journal
Marci Penner, one of Kansas' leading promoters, has really done it this time, publishing a book that presents the Sunflower State in all its color and glory.
For "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers," a 432-page book released in late October, Penner traveled 40,124 miles to visit each of the 627 incorporated towns and cities in the state's 105 counties.
The result is a user-friendly, full-color, spiral-bound book that feels like it weighs a ton because of its glossy paper.
It is what is on the pages that makes this the best book of its kind on Kansas.
Penner, who leads the Kansas Sampler Foundation, which published her book, captures the essence of each community, checking each nook and cranny to let readers in on some of the most unusual and unique aspects of the state.
Readers will find out about the "Rock in the Road" in McLouth, the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City and more than 400 of the state's home-owned eateries that are a story in themselves.
This book will make even those Interstate 70 speed demons want to slow down and pull off to a side road so they can check out the surprises that Kansas has to offer.
Penner's passion is to keep small-town Kansas alive, and one way of doing that is to encourage the state's own residents to visit towns in other counties and spend money at locally owned stores and restaurants. You won't find mention of a single chain-owned business in Penner's book.
The best part of this endeavor, which took about three years to complete, was getting to sample some of the small-town cafes that offer made-from-scratch food to locals and visitors alike, Penner said.
"I had the wonderful job of getting to go to all these different restaurants," Penner said. "I couldn't have eaten at all of them, and not all of the ones I did go to ended up in the book. But I feel really good about the ones I put in the book, and I tried to be discriminating. There's not one franchise in the book."
Penner, 49, didn't make a single appointment, choosing instead to experience Kansas just as it is. From grocery stores to beauty shops, she visited with people who are keeping cities and towns alive -- and in many cases making them thrive.
Many small towns, she said, are becoming more aware of their places in history and are doing all they can to preserve the important parts of their past.
Penner, a 1974 graduate of Inman High School, grew up on a farm that has been in her family since 1874. She received an undergraduate degree in radio/TV/film from The University of Kansas and a master's degree in counseling from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
She and her father, Mil Penner, wrote three Kansas guidebooks from 1990 to 1993 -- "Kansas Weekend Guide," "Kansas Event Guide" and " Kansas Weekend Guide 2."
For her most recent project, Penner and her father took all of the photos, save for a picture of the author inside the back cover.
While Kansas is the butt of jokes to some who don't know it well, it has a fascinating history and story to tell to anyone who will take the time to explore the state, she said.
"I feel when people say there's nothing to see or do, they're not being very creative or imaginative," Penner said. "That's what Kansas is a mecca for. It's just a great place to explore. Take any backroad and you're off to adventure."
EXPLORERS' GUIDEBOOK
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers" features 432 full-color pages, 3,597 entries, 672 restaurants and more than 400 photos. The wire-bound book is published by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, based in the south-central Kansas town of Inman. It was printed by Mennonite Press in Newton.
Where to buy: The books are $24.95 each and are available at the Great Overland Station and Kansas History Museum bookstore in Topeka. Online orders can be made at www.kansasguidebook.com.
Information: (620) 585-2374
Phil Anderson can be reached at (785) 295-1195 or phil.anderson@cjonline.com.
Marci Penner, one of Kansas' leading promoters, has really done it this time, publishing a book that presents the Sunflower State in all its color and glory.
For "The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers," a 432-page book released in late October, Penner traveled 40,124 miles to visit each of the 627 incorporated towns and cities in the state's 105 counties.
The result is a user-friendly, full-color, spiral-bound book that feels like it weighs a ton because of its glossy paper.
It is what is on the pages that makes this the best book of its kind on Kansas.
Penner, who leads the Kansas Sampler Foundation, which published her book, captures the essence of each community, checking each nook and cranny to let readers in on some of the most unusual and unique aspects of the state.
Readers will find out about the "Rock in the Road" in McLouth, the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City and more than 400 of the state's home-owned eateries that are a story in themselves.
This book will make even those Interstate 70 speed demons want to slow down and pull off to a side road so they can check out the surprises that Kansas has to offer.
Penner's passion is to keep small-town Kansas alive, and one way of doing that is to encourage the state's own residents to visit towns in other counties and spend money at locally owned stores and restaurants. You won't find mention of a single chain-owned business in Penner's book.
The best part of this endeavor, which took about three years to complete, was getting to sample some of the small-town cafes that offer made-from-scratch food to locals and visitors alike, Penner said.
"I had the wonderful job of getting to go to all these different restaurants," Penner said. "I couldn't have eaten at all of them, and not all of the ones I did go to ended up in the book. But I feel really good about the ones I put in the book, and I tried to be discriminating. There's not one franchise in the book."
Penner, 49, didn't make a single appointment, choosing instead to experience Kansas just as it is. From grocery stores to beauty shops, she visited with people who are keeping cities and towns alive -- and in many cases making them thrive.
Many small towns, she said, are becoming more aware of their places in history and are doing all they can to preserve the important parts of their past.
Penner, a 1974 graduate of Inman High School, grew up on a farm that has been in her family since 1874. She received an undergraduate degree in radio/TV/film from The University of Kansas and a master's degree in counseling from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
She and her father, Mil Penner, wrote three Kansas guidebooks from 1990 to 1993 -- "Kansas Weekend Guide," "Kansas Event Guide" and " Kansas Weekend Guide 2."
For her most recent project, Penner and her father took all of the photos, save for a picture of the author inside the back cover.
While Kansas is the butt of jokes to some who don't know it well, it has a fascinating history and story to tell to anyone who will take the time to explore the state, she said.
"I feel when people say there's nothing to see or do, they're not being very creative or imaginative," Penner said. "That's what Kansas is a mecca for. It's just a great place to explore. Take any backroad and you're off to adventure."
EXPLORERS' GUIDEBOOK
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers" features 432 full-color pages, 3,597 entries, 672 restaurants and more than 400 photos. The wire-bound book is published by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, based in the south-central Kansas town of Inman. It was printed by Mennonite Press in Newton.
Where to buy: The books are $24.95 each and are available at the Great Overland Station and Kansas History Museum bookstore in Topeka. Online orders can be made at www.kansasguidebook.com.
Information: (620) 585-2374
Phil Anderson can be reached at (785) 295-1195 or phil.anderson@cjonline.com.
Guide Samples State's Best
By Lou Ann Thomas
If you enjoy exploring dirt roads, supporting small mom-and-pop grocery stores or finding the best slice of cherry pie you've ever eaten at some out-of-the-way diner, you are in for a treat.
After two years of traveling more than 40,000 miles and visiting more than 600 Kansas towns and communities -- then another year, plus change, spent writing -- Marci Penner has completed the Kansas Guidebook for Explorers. The book, which Penner describes as "a travel guide with a heart," will be available at bookstores and online, at www.kansasguidebook.com, in October.
Penner is executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation and author, with her father, Mil Penner, of several Kansas Guidebooks published in the early 1990s. She also is the director of the Kansas Explorers Club, a loosely organized group of people who make it their mission to not only visit Kansas communities but make a difference while being there.
That difference may be spending some money in each town they visit, spreading their excitement about what can be found along the dirt roads and in the state's communities, or by telling the story of the diversity of Kansas.
Penner said that the state has changed since she and her father researched the earlier guide books. "I discovered there is more pride in Kansas towns now and that there is more to see and do than I could fit in a 432-page book," she said.
The new guidebook features 3,597 ideas for road trips and includes towns from as small as Freeport, population six, to the state's largest city, Wichita. The book can help a Kansas explorer find the best home cooking -- 672 restaurants are listed and none of them are franchises -- or guide you to some beautiful scenery, interesting historical sites, unusual architecture and fine art, as well as the warm and unusual that makes Kansas and its people so special.
Now that the book is completed and at the printers, Penner can resume her favorite job as a Kansas Rural Ambassador.
"You might think that after visiting every town in the state and then writing about them, that I would be sick of them. No, no, no! I can't wait to get back out there in the towns and with the people," Penner said. "After my journey, it made me want to wrap my arms around this big ol' state and give it a whole lot of love."
She hopes the book helps others feel the same way, and that those exploring the state will help give the local economies a boost by stopping for a meal, purchasing gas or stamps, or buying that melt-in-your-mouth slice of pie.
Make mine a la mode, please.
Lou Ann Thomas is a freelance writer and public speaker. She may be reached through her Web site at www.louannthomas.com.
This story was originally published in the Topeka Capital_Journal, Sept. 19, 2005.
If you enjoy exploring dirt roads, supporting small mom-and-pop grocery stores or finding the best slice of cherry pie you've ever eaten at some out-of-the-way diner, you are in for a treat.
After two years of traveling more than 40,000 miles and visiting more than 600 Kansas towns and communities -- then another year, plus change, spent writing -- Marci Penner has completed the Kansas Guidebook for Explorers. The book, which Penner describes as "a travel guide with a heart," will be available at bookstores and online, at www.kansasguidebook.com, in October.
Penner is executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation and author, with her father, Mil Penner, of several Kansas Guidebooks published in the early 1990s. She also is the director of the Kansas Explorers Club, a loosely organized group of people who make it their mission to not only visit Kansas communities but make a difference while being there.
That difference may be spending some money in each town they visit, spreading their excitement about what can be found along the dirt roads and in the state's communities, or by telling the story of the diversity of Kansas.
Penner said that the state has changed since she and her father researched the earlier guide books. "I discovered there is more pride in Kansas towns now and that there is more to see and do than I could fit in a 432-page book," she said.
The new guidebook features 3,597 ideas for road trips and includes towns from as small as Freeport, population six, to the state's largest city, Wichita. The book can help a Kansas explorer find the best home cooking -- 672 restaurants are listed and none of them are franchises -- or guide you to some beautiful scenery, interesting historical sites, unusual architecture and fine art, as well as the warm and unusual that makes Kansas and its people so special.
Now that the book is completed and at the printers, Penner can resume her favorite job as a Kansas Rural Ambassador.
"You might think that after visiting every town in the state and then writing about them, that I would be sick of them. No, no, no! I can't wait to get back out there in the towns and with the people," Penner said. "After my journey, it made me want to wrap my arms around this big ol' state and give it a whole lot of love."
She hopes the book helps others feel the same way, and that those exploring the state will help give the local economies a boost by stopping for a meal, purchasing gas or stamps, or buying that melt-in-your-mouth slice of pie.
Make mine a la mode, please.
-- 30 --
Lou Ann Thomas is a freelance writer and public speaker. She may be reached through her Web site at www.louannthomas.com.
This story was originally published in the Topeka Capital_Journal, Sept. 19, 2005.
New Kansas Guidebook Explores 'Every Corner and Cranny'
By Nancy D. Borst
It took two years and 40,124 miles, but Marci Penner accomplished her goal in researching a new guidebook about Kansas.
"I went to every one of the 627 incorporated cities in Kansas plus many unincorporated towns and ghost towns," she said. "Only 500 towns will be represented in the book, but I did check them all out!"
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers" will be published by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, which Marci directs. The 432-page book includes color photos and graphics and contains 3,597 entries. It will be available in October in bookstores, museum and other gift shops across the state and online at: www.kansasguidebook.com.
Marci said the new book is intended to replace previous guidebooks she wrote with her dad, Milferd Penner: Kansas Weekend Guide 1, Kansas Event Guide and Kansas Weekend Guide 2.
"People tell me they still use the old books and we definitely needed to update the information," she said. "Also I had grown in my knowledge of Kansas and I just had this urge to get out and really see the state for myself, every corner and cranny."
The book was made possible by grants and donations from state and local agencies and individuals. Marci began traveling the state July 15, 2002 and finished her research July 31, 2004. "But once I started writing in the summer of 2004 I literally contacted every one of the entries again to update, check facts and ask questions," she said. "I was on the phone all day, every day or writing from early in the morning to late at night. My brain cells deteriorated during the writing phase and I'm grateful for a very, very good editor, Bobbie Pray."
Here are some of the stories of the journey to write this book, as shared by Marci.
"I went to McCracken and thought I'd be there 20 minutes but had one of my best visits and stayed almost three hours. I got introduced to everyone coming in from a trail ride, toured people's houses, the church - they took me everywhere.
"It was fun to go back into the office behind the meat counter in the Italian grocery store in Frontenac and hear of how the store had been handed down from generation to generation. I felt like I was on a movie set in that store.
"In another town I was taking pictures from the middle of the street and the hairdresser ran out and said to come on in the shop. The ladies under the hair dryers wanted to know what I was doing. You just never knew what would happen.
"On one day on a trip through the Flint Hills and into the Chautauqua Hills, I had three flats!"
There were good days. "It was invigorating to be on the road and get to visit all the towns. Sometimes people were just so darn pleased to have someone notice and be interested in their town or attraction."
And there also were bad days. "More than one grocery store owner broke down and cried when I asked how they were doing. I had some incredible personal conversations with many people."
She found that most communities understood the project's value. "Townspeople seemed more proud of what they had and who they were. The level of pride in Kansas seems to have risen. I learned that if you have an innate curiosity and don't mind engaging in the journey, that Kansas is a truly fantastic state to explore. I've been to every town and written about them and I can't wait to get back out on the road again."
Nancy D. Borst is a freelance writer from Goddard. She met Marci when both were student-athletes at the University of Kansas. Nancy is a life-long Kansan and has been writing about the interesting people and places in Kansas for more than 25 years. She is always interested in a good story and contends that everyone has an interesting story to share. You may reach Nancy at: ndbdesk@cox.net.
This story was originally published in abridged form in Kansas Traveler, Fall 2005.
It took two years and 40,124 miles, but Marci Penner accomplished her goal in researching a new guidebook about Kansas.
"I went to every one of the 627 incorporated cities in Kansas plus many unincorporated towns and ghost towns," she said. "Only 500 towns will be represented in the book, but I did check them all out!"
"The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers" will be published by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, which Marci directs. The 432-page book includes color photos and graphics and contains 3,597 entries. It will be available in October in bookstores, museum and other gift shops across the state and online at: www.kansasguidebook.com.
Marci said the new book is intended to replace previous guidebooks she wrote with her dad, Milferd Penner: Kansas Weekend Guide 1, Kansas Event Guide and Kansas Weekend Guide 2.
"People tell me they still use the old books and we definitely needed to update the information," she said. "Also I had grown in my knowledge of Kansas and I just had this urge to get out and really see the state for myself, every corner and cranny."
The book was made possible by grants and donations from state and local agencies and individuals. Marci began traveling the state July 15, 2002 and finished her research July 31, 2004. "But once I started writing in the summer of 2004 I literally contacted every one of the entries again to update, check facts and ask questions," she said. "I was on the phone all day, every day or writing from early in the morning to late at night. My brain cells deteriorated during the writing phase and I'm grateful for a very, very good editor, Bobbie Pray."
Here are some of the stories of the journey to write this book, as shared by Marci.
"I went to McCracken and thought I'd be there 20 minutes but had one of my best visits and stayed almost three hours. I got introduced to everyone coming in from a trail ride, toured people's houses, the church - they took me everywhere.
"It was fun to go back into the office behind the meat counter in the Italian grocery store in Frontenac and hear of how the store had been handed down from generation to generation. I felt like I was on a movie set in that store.
"In another town I was taking pictures from the middle of the street and the hairdresser ran out and said to come on in the shop. The ladies under the hair dryers wanted to know what I was doing. You just never knew what would happen.
"On one day on a trip through the Flint Hills and into the Chautauqua Hills, I had three flats!"
There were good days. "It was invigorating to be on the road and get to visit all the towns. Sometimes people were just so darn pleased to have someone notice and be interested in their town or attraction."
And there also were bad days. "More than one grocery store owner broke down and cried when I asked how they were doing. I had some incredible personal conversations with many people."
She found that most communities understood the project's value. "Townspeople seemed more proud of what they had and who they were. The level of pride in Kansas seems to have risen. I learned that if you have an innate curiosity and don't mind engaging in the journey, that Kansas is a truly fantastic state to explore. I've been to every town and written about them and I can't wait to get back out on the road again."
-- 30 --
Nancy D. Borst is a freelance writer from Goddard. She met Marci when both were student-athletes at the University of Kansas. Nancy is a life-long Kansan and has been writing about the interesting people and places in Kansas for more than 25 years. She is always interested in a good story and contends that everyone has an interesting story to share. You may reach Nancy at: ndbdesk@cox.net.
This story was originally published in abridged form in Kansas Traveler, Fall 2005.
More Stories in the Media
- Marci Knows Kansas (This link opens a new window.)
By Cheryl Unruh
Originally published in The Emporia Gazette, Nov. 22, 2005 and then on the Flyover People website. - Winona, Clyde, Otis. Mankato, Milford, Minneola. Name any one of the 627 incorporated towns in this state and Marci Penner could respond,...
978 Arapaho Rd
Inman, KS 67546
Phone: 620-585-2374
Phone: 620-585-2374