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Abilene Tourism Advocate
September 29, 2022
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Favorite & Friendliest Small Town in the U.S. - TravelAwaits Readers (2022) |
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10 Reasons Why Abilene Feels Like The Wild West |
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Named #1 True Western Town of the Year by True West Magazine, Abilene's Americana reputation has a wild and wooly side. From cowboy art to nationally-acclaimed rodeos and saloon artifacts to commemorative markers, Abilene is the best place in the country to experience the authentic Wild West. So grab a pair of cowboy boots and prepare to celebrate the Wild West in a town like no other! |
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Last Chance to Ride Abilene's Steam Engine |
Railroad fans who enjoy steam engines have one last opportunity this weekend to ride in a train powered by Abilene’s Santa Fe 3415 locomotive before it is taken out of service for required maintenance.
Officials of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad announced that the 103-year-old engine will undergo a special overhaul mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration every 15 years. Although the FRA only requires a complete safety check of the engine’s boiler, the railroad plans to make other improvements to the engine that will further extend the antique locomotive’s life.
A&SV President and General Manager Ross Boelling said that while the railroad’s volunteer crew does regular day-to-day maintenance work on the iconic locomotive, the upcoming task requires actually taking the engine apart and examining the condition of each component in order to determine the extent of needed repairs before actual work on the engine can be done.
“Steam locomotives are just like your automobile. These big engines are subject to normal wear and tear,” said Boelling. “But unlike your car, steam engine parts cannot simply be purchased and installed. They must be made from scratch, and that takes time.”
Boelling said the procedure may take up to 18 months, meaning that the engine will be out of service during that time.
The Santa Fe 3415 logged over 1.8 million miles from the time it was built in 1919 until it was retired in 1953. The engine initially ran regular routes between Kansas City and Chicago, and later, the Santa Fe used the engine on its southwestern routes between Kansas City and Forth Worth.
The engine was donated to the City of Abilene in 1955, where it sat in Eisenhower Park for nearly 40 years. When the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad was founded in 1993, the city agreed to donate the engine to the new railroad organization, where enthusiasts had the goal of making the engine run again. In 1996, the engine was moved from the park to the former Rock Island track now used by the A&SV. The railroad used a combination of grants from the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Department of Transportation plus an estimated 12,000 hours of volunteer labor to complete the project. Since its introduction to the A&SV engine lineup in 2009, the locomotive has only been used on holiday weekends and other special occasions.
The estimated the cost of the renovation is about $350,000. The work will be done by A&SV volunteers and specialists from the Durango and Silverton, a popular steam railroad in Colorado. Boelling said the railroad is working on a series of grants to help fund the renovation project. The A&SV is also accepting contributions from the general public.
The steam engine will power the A&SV’s normal Abilene to Enterprise excursion runs on Friday and Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., while Sunday’s trains will run at 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. The engine will also power dinner trains on Friday and Saturday evenings at 6:00 p.m. The Friday train will be catered by Lucinda’s Katering of Abilene and will feature a brisket dinner. The Saturday train will be catered by Legacy Kansas of Abilene, featuring the Bookville Hotel’s famed fried chicken dinner. All excursion and dinner trains will leave from Abilene’s historic Rock Island Depot.
Boelling said steam excursion tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for children ages 3 to 11. Dinner train tickets are still available for $85. All tickets can be purchased from the railroad’s website, www.asvrr.org.
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Boelling added that on Saturday, as part of the Dickinson County Historical Society and Museum's Heritage Days celebration, the A&SV will run short rides from the Heritage Center to Jeep Road between 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. featuring the railroad’s vintage 1945 diesel locomotive pulling the railroad’s prized 1902 MKT wooden passenger car. Passengers can purchase lower-cost tickets on the Heritage Center grounds for $10 for adults and $5 for children 3 to 11.
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Thanks to Midwest Meats, Abilene has a new mural! The new mural is located at 610 S Buckeye Ave, just west of Old Abilene Town, and celebrates longhorn cattle.
The mural is Abilene's 14th mural since its first "Ditized Ike Mural" in 2007.
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Sunflower Fields in Abilene |
The sunflower fields at The Farmhouse, 407 S Van Buren, are blooming! Stop by to enjoy the beautiful fields and take photos. |
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Seelye Mansion - A Living Time Capsule |
Who’s up for a little time traveling? A visit to Abilene, Kansas can take you back to the early 1900s just by touring the Seelye Mansion. This turn-of-the-century home has 25 rooms and more than a few fascinating features. One fact that surprised us was that the furnishings cost more than the home, which was built in 1905. In 2022, it’s unusual to find a place that still has the original appliances and electrical components. As we toured this massive house, we felt like we were in a living time capsule. |
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Vintage Bling & Antique Things |
Vintage Bling & Antique Things is now open! Located at 300 N. Broadway (formerly Tracine’s building) and next to Amanda's Bakery & Bistro.
They will be open Monday-Saturday from 10am - 5pm and Sunday from noon - 5pm.
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Heritage Days
The annual Heritage Day Festival features living history with blacksmith and antique agriculture demonstrations, steam engine carousel rides, an antique tractor show, a classic car show, model trains, and much more. Learn more
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Impact the Cure
The 12th annual Impact the Cure event is Saturday, October 1st, and this year will have some changes from past events. For 2022, the event will be solely the 2MileFunWalk (no 5k run) and it will be held in Old Abilene Town as the kick-off to the community celebration of the 100th birthday for Memorial Hospital. Learn more
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Wild West Gravel Fest
In its third year, this premier gravel ride attracts riders from across the country! The Wild West Gravel Fest is a gravel bike race in Dickinson County, KS. With races ranging from 200k to 5k, Wild West Gravel Fest appeals to racers who are new to gravel and those who dare to push themselves to the extreme. And make sure to stick around for the after-party at Old Abilene Town. Learn more
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National Greyhound Association Fall Nationals
See Greyhounds in action during the Fall Nationals! Learn more
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Haunted Cowtown
The ghosts of Old Abilene Town have returned. Take a walk, if you dare, through your worst nightmare, the cursed schoolhouse, the possessed cabin, the haunted cemetery, the spooky saloon, and much more.
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Pink Friday
We've all heard of Black Friday, American Express Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, but what about Pink Friday?
Pink Friday is a small business spin on the traditional Black Friday shopping experience, reminding people to #ShopSmallFirst.
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The Christmas Schooner - A New Musical at Great Plains Theatre
This Holiday treat will have you leaving the theatre with warm fuzzies about a story of the Great Lakes voyages of Christmas Tree ships and a family’s positive spirit to share the power of classic inspiration and Christmas miracles. The heartbeat of life is in our stories and our songs! Learn more
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Cowtown Christmas
Visit Abilene December 3-4, 2022 for the Heritage Homes Association’s Homes for the Holidays Tour, enjoy an Old Fashioned Christmas at the Dickinson County Heritage Center and Old Abilene Town, tour the historic Seelye Mansion and see more than 60 beautifully decorated Christmas Trees, ride the rails with Santa and the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, see the live production of The Christmas Schooner - A New Musical at Great Plains Theatre, take an evening cruise and see Griswold-style decorations, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see Santa, and remember to shop small all season long at Abilene’s small businesses.
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Have an Abilene tourist-related event that isn't listed? Submit it here!
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Experience Art & Culture
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Journey to the Old West
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Live the American Story
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Explore Ike's Life & Legacy
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Enjoy Family Fun and Learning
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201 NW Second St.
Abilene, Kansas 67410
785-263-2231
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Office Hours:
Monday - Friday:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday : Closed
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