We visited this place today and actually I thought it deserved four stars, but more about that…read morelater. Lucas is a tiny town, but it's become a center of grassroots art (for example, self-taught artists and folk art/etc.). The Grassroots Art Center has a permanent exhibit for which the charge is $6.50 (it's not a real large exhibit, but there's some neat stuff) and it also has some colorful items for sale in the main room. In addition, there's a good-sized room where lectures are given. The woman working there today was very enthusiastic (also a little pushy, but we ended up really benefiting from our visit and therefore I don't begrudge her). We wanted to visit the infamous Florence Deeble House, and someone from the Grassroots Art Center needs to take people there (it's free of charge). It just so happened that a festival was held in Lucas today, and the artist who made all of the items on the walls of the house was in town. The woman at the Grassroots Arts Center had the artist take us and another couple on a tour of the house - and that house is FASCINATING! The artist (Pilar) has - during the past 11 (I think) years - made *thousands* of colorful, unusual and fascinating objects that are hanging all over each wall in the house. It's truly indescribable and she told us many interesting anecdotes. If you're within a few hours of Lucas, I highly recommend a visit (there's little else to see, with the exception of Eric Abraham's Flying Pig Studio and Gallery [see my separate review] - and admittedly Pilar isn't often available to give tours of the Deeble House - but we were enthralled). The reason why I gave five stars is because the Grassroots Art Center enables a visit to the extraordinary Florence Deeble House. HOURS: May-September: 10-5 on Monday-Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday. October-April: 10-4 on Thursday-Saturday & Monday, and 1-4 on Sunday.

What a fun place to explore! It's a good sized museum exhibiting midwestern grassroots artists. If…read moreyou go outside there is a nice display of local limestone. Be sure to ask about the Diebel house down the street - it's a great companion to the main museum.

Definitely the weirdest and quirkiest place I have been to in all my travels. Certainly very unique…read moreand I was not expecting to see The Main Dude in a state of decomposition in the backyard mausoleum. Yes, the embalmed body of the guy who built the Garden of Eden is on display in a glass-topped coffin. The entire place is bizarre and is built out of concrete. And the construction did not begin till the artist - an eccentric civil war vet with WILD political and religious ideas - was well into his 60s. The guided tour is nice and gives a good history about the place and the artist. Recommend visiting if you are in the Lucas/Wilson area. Weird. Delightfully weird.

My wife and I decided to take a different route home from Colorado to Texas and ended up cutting…read morethrough Kansas. On the way, we saw a sign for Garden of Eden as we travelled on I-70. We are so happy we took the time to go off the beaten path to see this place! Unfortunately, it had closed an hour or so prior by the time we arrived, so we could only read the signs outside and observe the exterior art. We really would have loved to see the inside. This is definitely a hidden gem and something out of the norm!

A great place to visit while in Lindsborg! The artwork of Lester is very interesting and he has a…read morewide variety of mediums. In addition, the guide explains things very well and is knowledgeable. Would recommend coming here.

My family visited Lindsborg on the 30th and 31st of December. We stayed at the Swedish Country Inn,…read moreso we walked to the Red Barn Museum. It is a really, really neat building! It has an amazing history about it. The art throughout it is very impressive! Lester Raymer did almost every medium of art. My favorite "thing" about the museum though was the artist working in the back room, Shin-hee Chin. Shin is an amazing artist! She uses large thread on things like blankets, to create murals. It takes a lot of time and patience! She was very nice and spent a lot of time talking with us. Check out her website!

What an incredible hotel. We ate at the hotel restaurant for dinner, and it was delicious!!! I…read morehighly, highly recommend stopping in for dinner here-- and the creme brulee is a perfect way to finish off the meal. The hotel was beautiful and well cared-for. If you need a place to stay in the area, this spot is a perfect choice. My friend could even see the World's Largest Hand-Painted Czech Egg from her hotel room window!

During one of our previous trips from Columbus to Denver, we did one of the SENCIC BYWAYS in Kansas…read more- running from the town of Wilson on the south to Lucas on the north. While in Wilson, we spotted the Midland Railroad Hotel and Restaurant and decided to arrange the itinerary for our next trip so we could spend the night in WIlson. So, we arrived late afternoon and got checked in. The hotel has been restored to what it was like around the 1920's but with full upgrades including fire sprinklers, air conditioning, etc. Our room was a bit on the small side (1920'ish) but was quite comfortable. The bed was very comfortable and we got a great night's sleep. The was a complimentary breakfast in the morning that consisted mostly of local bakery projects, meats and cheeses. If you looking for modern amenities or a full HOT breakfast, you should stick with the major hotel chains. BUT, if you're into history and histrorical restorations, this place can't be beat. We thoroughly enjoyed our night in Wilson at the Midland Railroad Hotel and Restaurant.

I discovered this little gem of a store in Lindsborg KS. The owners are Jim and Kathy Richardson…read more Jim is a native Kansan who developed into a long time National Geographic photographer. He has produced many wonderful stories and layouts over the years. The gallery exhibits prints from his travels all over the world. They make fine wall art for your home. Kathy is a talented craftsman who makes lovely jewelry. Stop in during open hours and one or both of them may be there to help you.

This is a beautiful space with beautiful art in it. Jim Richardson's photography is incredible -…read morefeatured in National Geographic (I'm not name-dropping, just describing), and Kathy's jewelry is super fun and elegant. This is a must-do in Lindsborg. www.smallworldgallery.net

Old school gem! Worth the drive from wherever you are! The…read moresmall town charm and the friendly, well organized management make this a must do summer activity for us. The snack bar is well staffed by local teenagers and stocked with all the movie theater goodies. We often bring a takeout dinner and have a picnic while we wait in line to get in (get there early for a good spot!), then get dessert of popcorn and candy. The drive from Salina is about 40 minutes, and even though it's a two lane highway we always feel like we're just part of the late night parade of people coming home from the drive-in. We love that this is a part of our summer, and we're so grateful for some GenX nostalgia in the middle of Kansas!

What a fun little piece of Americana right here in the Heart of the Heartland! Playing first-run…read moremovies at an affordable price -- just $8 each for adults -- you won't want to miss out on this little adventure. We saw Mission Impossible 6 (will Tom Cruise ever look his age?) and enjoyed popcorn from the concession stand. The sound plays through your radio, but we just left our windows open and could hear the radios of fellow movie goers. Cows in the pasture next door get a sweet treat of seeing these movies. You can even pay with your debit card! Enjoy!

Are you're interested in ghosts? Do you think a demon has attached itself to you and won't let go?…read more(Hello, to my family.) Do you see things out of the corner of your eye and think, "That must have been a spirit?" Are you at all curious about the afterlife? Then you need to stay at The Historic Wolf Hotel in Ellinswood, Kansas. This hotel is haunted, according to the locals. They've seen things. Stuff happens in the rooms. I visited this hotel with a couple who had stayed here once, and they refused to stay a second time because they had experienced paranormal activity. Fair enough. I was booked for an overnight stay, and I admit, I was a little scared. My room looked like a Victorian dollhouse. There were mirrors in the room, and every time I looked in the mirrors, I expected to see a spirit. I don't believe in this kind of stuff, but I also don't not believe in it. Who am I to say these ghosts at The Historic Wolf Hotel don't exist? Maybe they do. But, it turns out, if they do exist, they didn't want to visit me. No, no ghosts visited me during my stay at the hotel. Whew. If you want a restful night's stay, I suggest packing a sleeping mask and ear plugs, because the only thing keeping you up at night will most likely be the trains that pass by every few hours that honk their horns. This hotel is located directly in front of an active train track, so you will be treated to train horns galore. The hotel, as a place to stay, is really neat. It has a common kitchen and dining room, with snacks and breakfast foods available to guests (think cereal, muffins, granola bars, etc.) You also have access to the Keurig coffee pot, which makes a nice cup of coffee. You can enjoy your little breakfast in your room, or in the shared dining room / sitting room. It's a pleasant place to relax. One thing to mention: The only way up to the rooms is via a steep series of stairs. So if you have a hard time climbing stairs or are in a wheelchair, this hotel might not be for you. The hotel also hosts lunches and dinners, and I happened to be here to sit for a dinner. We got a salad, main course and dessert, as it was lovely. I mentioned this in a different review, but across the street is the underground tunnel tour, which is definitely worth doing.

What can I say .... It's historic and beautiful, extremely clean and unique. Great food and stories…read morein the restaurant. This is a great way to connect with your roots in this area of Kansas. Their services are very punctual and helpful. Wonderful staff and owners.