Wonders overlooks northwest Kansas
Published on -2/26/2010, 1:09 PM
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By MIKE CORN
Northwest Kansas might have been the belle of the ball in the latest 8 Wonders of Kansas campaign, but voters treated the area as an ugly stepsister.
Of the six nominations -- out of 24 -- to the geography portion of the 8 Wonders campaign, none of them were among the final eight.
The six nominees were the Arikaree Breaks in Cheyenne County; geographic center of the contiguous United States in Lebanon; Lake Scott State Park; Mount Sunflower; Post Rock Scenic Byway, which passes through Russell County; and Sternberg Museum of Natural History.
The eight selected were: Alcove Spring, Blue Rapids; Coronado Heights, Lindsborg; Four-State Lookout, White Cloud; Gyp Hills Scenic Drive and Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway, Barber and Comanche counties; Konza Prairie, Manhattan; Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, Canton; Mushroom Rock State Park, Ellsworth County, and Rock City, Minneapolis; and Pillsbury Crossing near Manhattan. More than 12,400 votes were cast from across the state, as well as other states and countries.
Only the cuisine contest generated more votes, and northwest Kansas was snubbed in that contest as well. Crazy R's Bar and Grill was among the 24 finalists but did not make it to the final eight.
"To understand the state's geographic diversity, each of the 24 entries should be visited," said Marci Penner, director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the Inman-based group sponsoring the campaign. "Though some are less familiar to the general public, each should be seen and appreciated for what they bring to the Kansas landscape and story. Our geography is one of our best assets."
History is the next contest, with public nominations accepted in March at www.8wonders.org. The People contest starts in July, wrapping up the campaign.
