A streetcar once connected Cottonwood Falls with its northern neighbor, Strong City. Today, a walking path follows the same route.
I headed up to Strong City on my way north to Lawrence, wondering what I might find, and I was not disappointed. The old train depot was open and is slowly being turned into a museum, but the most impressive thing was the caboose that sits near the depot that was open.
That open door felt like an invitation, and I had it straight up the stairs to check out what was left of a train car that was once absolutely critical to moving freight across the United States.
After exploring the caboose, I headed to the train depot. It’s not much to look at now, but perhaps in a few years I’ll come back and see what’s changed.
I wandered into the old downtown and found a couple of interesting abandoned cars and snapped some photos.
While there’s not much business left in the town, a sign outside beckoned me to come inside to have a doughnut – my first bacon doughnut. All the staff and a few locals inside were friendly, but I have to admit the donut wasn’t all that great.
I headed back to my Jeep parked near that beautiful red caboose to continue my journey to Lawrence, Kansas, and Clinton State Park, where my love of hiking began.
