Wamego, Kansas

A few miles outside of Wamego, Kansas sits a little church called the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church.  I've been wanting to go there ever since I heard about it.  This is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

"Beecher Bible and Rifle Church is a historic church at the southeastern corner of Chapel and Elm Streets in Wabaunsee, Kansas. The church is named after Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, a financial backer for the town who helped smuggle rifles past pro-slavery forces in crates marked Beecher's Bibles.

The town of Wabaunsee was founded in 1855 by a group of about 70 New England emigrants from New Haven, Connecticut who established the Connecticut Kansas Colony, alternatively called the New Haven Colony or the Beecher Rifle Colony. The settlers were inspired by a sermon given by well-known abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher and Beecher gave money to help supply rifles for the men to defend themselves. The rifles were smuggled through pro-slavery areas in crates marked "Beecher's Bibles," and consequently the rifles themselves became known as Beecher's Bibles. Wabaunsee was staunchly anti-slavery and became part of the Underground Railroad in late 1856 and helped Lawrence after Quantrill's Raid.^[2]

In 1862 the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church was completed after four years of construction. The church was built of local limestone by church member Robert Banks, with contrasting stone accents. The overall style is described as Plains Vernacular. The structure is crowned by a gable roof and a wood bell tower. A central brick chimney vents wood stoves on the perimeter of the church, connecting to the chimney via metal stovepipes. The church is entered through a vestibule that provides access to the choir loft stairs. The main space was divided down the center into men's and women's sides.^[2][3]

The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971."  Wikipedia

Of course, I took pictures.  I mean, if you don't have a picture, it didn't really happen, right?

Flowers along the "new" addition of the church. 
The church is still in use, and from the looks of it, the congregation takes great pride in their historic church.

For such a small town, Wamego, Kansas has a lot of interesting things to see.  One of the main attractions is the Oz Museum.  We really enjoyed our visit there.  The Wizard of Oz has always fascinated me, although, as a child, the flying monkeys scared me silly!  I still don't like them.  But for some reason, this sign on a locked closet, made me laugh!

Keep Out
Witches Only
If opened we will release our flying monkeys.

I took a lot of pictures, and I can't decide which ones to post, so here's all of them. You're welcome.

The green building is the Oz Museum.

I loved this quilt so much I took individual pictures of each square.

This stained glass window was inside the little theater where they play the movie all day.
It's really all about those ruby slippers.
It's always about the shoes!

 This sign was on the exit.  I like it.

This restaurant gave us a laugh.  It's in the same block as the museum.

The "Yellow Brick Burrito"
This doesn/t sound like TexMex
Tim wanted to try it, but I just wasn't that brave.
Besides, they were closed.

 One of our favorite places in Wamego is the Wamego City Park.  It is beautiful!  The Wamego Historical Society and Museum is also in the park.  I'm sad that we never got to go inside, because it was always closed when we were there.  But, of course I took pictures.

The windmill is over 100 years old, and was once used to grind corn. 

                                                                  

There's even a free train ride for the kids!

After we left Wamego, we stopped at York, SD for a couple of nights, then Pipestone, MN, and now we are in Garden City, MN.  And I have so much more to tell you!! But it's just going to have to wait, because I'm tired and sleepy, and I guess my computer is, too, because I'm having a lot of trouble trying to format this post.  So, good night for now.  

And to all my friends and family...remember, we're just a phone call away.  And we sure do miss you all!