Kansas Flint Hills - Matfield Green Service Center - I-35

Retuning to Emporia from a meeting in Wichita, I finally took the time to read and photograph the signs at the Matfield Green Service Center on I-35, in the heart of the Kansas Flint Hills.

This shows the vastness of the nearby prairie, entering the winter dormant season.


The Historical Marker is most descriptive of the ranching impact in the area:

[Double click the photo for a larger image]

Also of interest is an "earth, wind, water, fire" sign (the prairie burning is a distinctive characteristic of this part of America!):


Some say this is the "real cowboy country" - there are certainly still many cowboys doing the same tasks they did one hundred and fifty years ago, on the very same ranch lands.


Some unexpected recognitions are also interesting to see - The Purple Heart Train in Kansas:


This rest stop sits on the 38th Parallel! The same one that separates North and South Korea!!


And, finally, the Knute Rockne memorial inside the Service Center, not unexpected.
His plane crashed nearby, and many folks from around the country pilgrimage here each year!


Kansas, and especially the Flint Hills, are filled with fascinating things to see and hear. Check out the links, on the right, below, if you haven't already. Enjoy!