#1 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Lebold Mansion
106 N Vine St Abilene KS - 785-263-4356
~0.44 miles from Abilene city center
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Lebold Mansion is a Victorian-era house in Abilene, Kansas, USA. The mansion was built in 1880 by banker Conrad Lebold. Constructed of native Kansas limestone, it is considered to be one of the finest Victorian decorative art museums in the midwest. Lebold Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The museum has been featured in Victorian Homes Magazine and Victorian Decorating Magazine. The Lebold Mansion has recently undergone an extensive restoration by the company Victorian Interiors of San Francisco, Ca. Owners Gary Yuschalk and Larkin Mayo have returned it to the decorative style's popular in the 1880s. Its 23 rooms have been redecorated with period furniture, wallpaper, drapes, etc.
In 1857 Tim and Eliza Hersey, the founders and first inhabitants of Abilene, built a stone dugout in the location where the Lebold Mansion stands today. The Hersey dugout was incorporated into the construction of the mansion's tower and is preserved as part of the foundation located at the tower's base. Tour patrons still can view the dugout when touring the home.
The Mansion has served many purposes in its existence. In 1920 it was used by the local phone company as a boarding house for telephone operators. In 1930 it became an orphanage and finally an apartment building from 1940-1970. It has survived amazingly intact and has been under constant upkeep and restoration as a historic house museum since 1973. Public tours are available Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am - 4pm.
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#2 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Fashion Museum
212 N Broadway St Abilene KS - 785-263-7997
~0.47 miles from Abilene city center
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Enjoy a trip through time by looking at the clothing that people have worn over the past 100 years. The clothing that men and women have worn has been directly influenced by the social and cultural changes of each era. Since early settlement in Kansas in the 1850s, fashion has undergone numerous and radical changes - each one reflecting our changing social structure and changes in the world in which we live. Just think of the radical changes that have transpired from the long dresses with corsets of the 1800’s to the bell bottom pants of the 1960’s to the mini skirt.
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#3 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
Po Box 35 Abilene KS - 785-263-7403
~0.47 miles from Abilene city center
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The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is a museum located in Wichita, Kansas, dedicated to preserving the history of sports in the state of Kansas. The museum provides exhibits, archives, facilities, services, and activities to honor those individuals and teams whose achievements in sports brought distinction to themselves, to their communities and to the entire state of Kansas.
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#4 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Seelye Mansion
1105 N Buckeye Ave Abilene KS - 785-263-1084
~0.52 miles from Abilene city center
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Terry Tietjens who owns the house, conducts most of the tours and served as my guide the day I visited the Seelye Mansion. Terry has lead several historic preservation projects including the Kirby House Mansion which is a restaurant, a 100 year old stone church which is now Tietjens Center for the Performing Arts, and a current project to restore the Old Abilene Town theme park.
But visiting the Seelye Mansion isn't like looking at fragile relics in a museum, Terry insists that visitors sit on the chairs and touch the furnishings. He even had me try my luck on the 1905 bowling alley (I was terrible), operated many of the old Edison music machines and phonographs, and played the pianos and pump organs.
You may wish to schedule your visit to the Seelye Mansion for the Christmas season, Terry Tietjens maintains the Seelye family tradition of filling the mansion with poinsettias and dozens of Christmas Trees. New for the 2007 Christmas season was a collection of 700 nutcrackers from all 50 states and 46 countries. A few of the nutcrackers remain on display year around.
The Seelye Mansion is a popular location for weddings and other special events.
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#5 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
American Indian Art Center
206 S Buckeye Ave Abilene KS - 785-263-0090
~0.69 miles from Abilene city center
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Kansas' only totally Native American fine art center and gallery showcasing over 100 Native American artisans from 30 tribes in this region. Featuring wood carvings, paintings, bead work, pottery, music, books, jewelry.
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#6 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Greyhound Hall of Fame
407 S Buckeye Ave Abilene KS - 785-263-3000
~0.81 miles from Abilene city center
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The Greyhound Hall of Fame is located in Abilene, Kansas, the Greyhound Capital of the United States. The greyhoud museum is devoted to greyhound breeding, racing, and the history of the sport.
The Greyhound Hall of Fame includes a theater, meeting rooms, museum and the Greyhound Hall of Fame display where the dogs and industry pioneers are immortalized. There are also retired greyhounds present to greet visitors. A large portion of the building is devoted to the "hall of fame" displays of inductees - displays that probably only interest people that are devoted to greyhound racing.
Touring the Greyhound Hall of Fame and museum may take most visitors only 15-30 minutes, but it is interesting, just across the street from the Eisenhower complex and free, so why not stop in?
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#7 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Fox Theatres
Po Box 1871 Salina KS - 785-827-4766
~21.61 miles from Abilene city center
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#8 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Smoky Hill Museum
211 W Iron Ave Salina KS - 785-309-5776
~21.67 miles from Abilene city center
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The Smoky Hill Museum is housed in an Art Deco structure in Salina which was built in 1938. The building originally housed Salina's US Post Office. The museum presents permanent and rotating exhibits of regional history.
Hobbies & Activities category: Art Nouveau or Deco - architecture & art; Historical museum; National Register of Buildings
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#9 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Geary County Historical Scty
530 N Adams St Junction City KS - 785-238-1666
~22.10 miles from Abilene city center
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A "Main Street" gallery was completed in 1993 and contains six businesses typical of the early 1900's. This display contains artifacts that were used in early Junction City stores.
After the renovation of the top floor was completed, a full scale country school room and Union Pacific depot ticket office and waiting room were opened.
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#10 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Kansas Wesleyan University
100 E Claflin Ave # 1 Salina KS - 800-874-1154
~22.13 miles from Abilene city center
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Kansas Wesleyan University is a private four-year Methodist college founded in Salina, Kansas in 1886. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. About 800 students attend the 28-acre (110,000 m2) campus, mostly from Kansas and the nearby Midwest. Half live on campus, and 99% receive financial aid.
The university is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the National League for Nursing, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Kansas State Department of Education.
http://www.kwu.edu
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#11 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Geary County Convention Bureau
425 N Washington St Junction City KS - 785-238-2885
~22.27 miles from Abilene city center
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The Geary County Convention and Visitor's Bureau (GCCVB) has become the first CVB in Kansas to win two Telly Awards using in-house production work. The Telly Awards honor outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs. The awards receive more than 14,000 entries annually from all 50 states and many foreign countries.
http://www.junctioncity.org/cvb/openmain.htm
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#12 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Kansas Army National Guard Rec
1127 Armory Rd Salina KS - 785-823-8613
~22.46 miles from Abilene city center
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The Kansas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Kansas Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Kansas.
The Kansas National Guard consists of both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The Commander-in-Chief of the Kansas National Guard while it is performing state missions is the Governor of the State of Kansas. The highest ranking military officer in the Kansas National Guard is the Kansas Adjutant General.
The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the Kansas Constitution and Kansas statutes. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Kansas National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The SDF comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state.
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#13 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Brown Mackie College
2106 S 9th St Salina KS - 785-825-5422
~22.49 miles from Abilene city center
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The Brown Mackie College system of schools is dedicated to helping our students successfully pursue a college education.
http://www.bmcaec.com
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#14 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Us Civil Air Patrol
1932 Scanlan Ave Salina KS - 785-825-0009
~23.64 miles from Abilene city center
Hotels Close to Us Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and occupations. It performs three congressionally assigned key missions: emergency services, which includes search and rescue (by air and ground) and disaster relief operations; aerospace education for youth and the general public; and cadet programs for teenage youth. In addition, CAP has recently been tasked with homeland security and courier service missions. CAP also performs non-auxiliary missions for various governmental and private agencies, such as local law enforcement and the American Red Cross. The program is established as an organization by Title 10 of the United States Code and its purposes defined by Title 36. While CAP is sponsored by the USAF, it is not an operating reserve component under the Air Force or the federal government. Since CAP is not a reserve component of a uniformed service of the military and its membership is made up of volunteer civilians, CAP members are not subject to the laws governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Membership in the organization consists of cadets ranging from 12 to 20 years of age, and senior members 18 years of age and up. These two groups each have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of pursuits; the Cadet program contributes to the development of the former group with a structured syllabus and an organization based upon United States Air Force ranks and pay grades, while the older members serve as instructors, supervisors, and operators. All members wear uniforms while performing their duties.
Nationwide, CAP is a major operator of single-engine general aviation aircraft, used in the execution of its various missions, including orientation flights for cadets and the provision of significant emergency services capabilities. Because of these extensive flying opportunities, many CAP members become licensed pilots.
The hierarchical and military auxiliary organization is headed by the National Headquarters (with authority over the national organization) followed by eight regional commands and 52 wings (each of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico). Each wing supervises the individual groups and squadrons that comprise the basic operational unit of the organization.
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#15 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Kansas State University
2310 Centennial Rd Salina KS - 785-826-2640
~23.80 miles from Abilene city center
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Kansas State University, officially named Kansas State University of Agriculture and Applied Science but commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States. The university has an official fall enrollment of 23,581 students for the 2009–2010 school year.
A branch campus is located in Salina, Kansas, housing the College of Technology and Aviation. Another branch campus, known as the Olathe Innovation Campus, is presently under construction in Olathe, Kansas. When completed, the Olathe facility will be the academic research presence within the Kansas Bioscience Park, and will research bioenergy, animal health, plant science and food safety and security.
The university is classified as a research university with very high research (RU/VH) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
http://www.sal.ksu.edu
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#16 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Salina Area Technical School
2562 Scanlan Ave Salina KS - 785-825-2261
~24.01 miles from Abilene city center
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Mission
Salina Area Technical College will meet employment needs of the region by providing a diverse community of learners with the technical and general education skills necessary for employment, personal growth and lifelong learning.
Vision
To create a culture of excellence through innovation, collaboration, responsiveness, and empowerment.
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#17 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Kansas Army National Guard
2910 Arnold Ave Salina KS - 785-827-3850
~24.40 miles from Abilene city center
Hotels Close to Kansas Army National Guard
The Kansas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Kansas Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Kansas.
The Kansas National Guard consists of both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The Commander-in-Chief of the Kansas National Guard while it is performing state missions is the Governor of the State of Kansas. The highest ranking military officer in the Kansas National Guard is the Kansas Adjutant General.
The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the Kansas Constitution and Kansas statutes. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Kansas National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The SDF comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state.
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#18 of 18 Things To Do in Abilene
Rolling Hills Refuge
625 N Hedville Rd Salina KS - 785-827-9488
~29.44 miles from Abilene city center
Hotels Close to Rolling Hills Refuge
From their website:
The zoo’s ten-year anniversary has come and gone and we look forward to what the next ten years holds in store for Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. And on a smaller scale, the things we are looking forward to in 2010.
This is the year we will celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Wildlife Museum. In the five years since opening, 255,000 guests have taken a journey around the world as they visited the seven regions found within the museum. The Earl Bane Gallery has hosted 15 exhibits, the Conference Center has welcomed more than 35,000 guests, and children have spent countless hours playing in the Helen L. Graves Hideaway Hollow. The museum has been a wonderful addition to the park, allowing for expanded educational messages and additional opportunities for our guests.
The zoo is undertaking two significant construction projects in 2010. The first is the renovation of the chimpanzee exhibit. Having housed an all male group for 13 years, we look forward to adding two female chimpanzees to the troop this summer. With the addition of females and the possible addition of infants in the future, modifications must be done to the current space. Funds raised at the 2009 ZooLaLa will be used to modify the exhibit and prepare for the girls’ arrival mid-summer.
The ground-breaking for a new veterinary clinic will also occur in 2010. The Louise C. Averill Veterinary Hospital will include space for treatment, surgery, laboratory, hospital, and necropsy. The new building will also provide much needed quarantine space. All new animal arrivals to the zoo are required to spend a minimum of 30 days in quarantine before being moved into their exhibit. This 3,700 sq. ft. building will provide functional space and will serve the needs of the animal collection for many years to come.
As always, the park has a full calendar of special events and education programs scheduled for the year. The popularity of these activities continues to grow. Check the calendar on our website for a full list. If you would like to receive updates about the zoo and upcoming events by email, contact Vickee Spicer at (785) 827-9488 ext. 131, or email: vickee@rollinghillswildlife.com.
Thank you for visiting our website today. We hope you will be able to visit the zoo and museum in 2010. Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure is your passport to discovery!
Kathy Tolbert
RHWA Park Director
The History of Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure
In the early 1980’s, Salina businessman Charlie Walker purchased a section of ground in western Saline County. A large barn was built to house a number of Belgian horses and Rolling Hills Ranch was born. During the early years, hundreds of schoolchildren visited the “Main Barn” each year to learn about the large draft horses.
In the late 1980’s, Charlie decided to add a few animals to the barn, such as two black bear cubs, a few llamas, and a lioness. The tours were no longer requested only by school groups. Family reunions, class reunions, and other groups were requesting tours of the Main Barn to see these incredible animals. The excitement generated by these animals convinced Charlie that the Salina community and surrounding area would benefit from having a wildlife park.
In 1995, the exotic animal portion of the ranch formally broke its ties with Rolling Hills Ranch and became a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the conservation and propagation of rare and endangered species. The animal collection, land, and equipment were donated into the newly-formed foundation, Rolling Hills Refuge Wildlife Conservation Center, and construction of the zoo began in earnest. After five years of construction, the zoo opened to the public in the fall of 1999. When guests visit the zoo, they see the animals living in naturalistic exhibits within a beautifully landscaped, yet rural setting. Guests are able to view animals living out their lives with the dignity and respect they deserve.
In 2000, the vision was expanded to include a wildlife museum. A 64,000-square-foot building was constructed. A portion of this building was designated as a conference center that could be rented out for business meetings, receptions, or used for the zoo’s own events. The conference center held its first event in April 2002.
Construction began on the interior portion of the wildlife museum in 2003. Keeping respect of the animals firmly in mind, the museum offers guests a journey around the world while visiting seven different regions such as Africa, North America, the rain forest, and much more. The museum also offers a 2,000-square-foot traveling exhibit area, a children’s exploration room, and a domed ADM Theater. The museum opened to the public in March 2005 and has expanded the educational message of the park by exhibiting animals not found in the zoo and offering a year-round, climate controlled experience for guests.
In 2009, the park underwent an official name change to Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure is a public, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of wildlife through participation in conservation programs and by providing fun and interactive educational experiences.
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