Lane County, Kansas ||| Only 1,574 people live in this entire county!

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Here's part 1 of my travels around Lane County, Kansas! With a population of 1,574, it's the 3rd least populated county in Kansas. There is only one incorporated town (the county seat of Dighton). In this video I explore the northern half of the county, finding some really great ghost towns and unincorporated places. There is a rugged beauty to this land, but I imagine was very difficult to settle in the early days.
T-shirt: Oklahoma's High Point - Black Mesa
Part 107 certified drone operator
0:00 Intro
2:17 Not finding much
4:07 Healy
9:00 Shields
12:16 Northern Lane County
13:40 Pendennis
16:11 Ghost towns and Lane County State Lake
18:40 Outtro and Outtakes
Music
Moonshine Town - JR Tundra
Swamp Stomp - Silent Partner
Hickory Hollow - Dan Lebowitz

[@brendacejda7069]

This county is right next door to me. Healy has suffered some losses, but is a fine community. You missed a wonderful antique store, LuZelda's, which is across the street, west of the United Methodist Church. It's worth a drive if you like humting for antiques. Healy Oil has some of the best mechanics in the area, honest and knowledgeable, they can fix anything from lawn mowers to vehicles to school buses and farm implements! And again, worth the drive. Thanks for coming through the area. Come back any time!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! I think I saw the antique store while walking around. Healy definitely had some things going on - I’m sure a lot more on a weekday!

[@BrotherKyler]

I spent a LOT of time at the bar in Healy when I worked out that way a couple of summers ago.

[@faithgibbs4913]

So sad that the school will be closing. I loved the video. Pretty cool that they were trying to create a lake out in the middle of nowhere. Great job. Take care.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! I really learned a lot in this one!

[@driften2003]

You take a lot of time and research to bring theses stories of the past ! Thank you!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you like them! Thanks!

[@earlettahoffman]

My great grand and grandparents are from Shields and Dighton. Our family homestead was in Shields right off of 4 hiway. They are buried in Shields and Dighton cemetery. I played a lot there at the school playground. I went to school for a semester at Dighton. It is sad to see Healy school closing. My other grandparents were from Utica in Ness county. Thanks for sharing your videos. I didn't know how bad Shields had deteriorated. We used to have family reunions at great grandparents at Shields and at the fire station there.

[@taylorkesl2694]

Always enjoy exploring the backroads of Lane County. One time when I was passing through there on my way back home, I stopped to get gas in Healy and there was another person getting gas, I looked over and realized it was my cousin that lives in Eastern Kansas. He was on his way back from somewhere. I hadn't seen him in years. One fun fact about Lane County is that all the north and south county roads are named after different varieties of Wheat. Great video as always. Looking forward to the southern part of the county video!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Nice! Such a small world sometimes 😊 the southern part is so desolate!

[@johnfun3394]

I always loved driving the backroads of western Kansas, so much I needed two spares. Gravel is tough on Goodyears. Thanks

[@ronfullerton3162]

I had one person tell me that those tires are "Good for a Year"! Those gravel roads require a tougher tire to survive that environment. Every now and then I think the Wiseguy has found us the most desolate area possible . But then he finds us another. It does have a way to go to catch up with John's "Highway 50" trip though! Alaska has some very desolate areas also, so I think he will have more "quiet" areas to show us soon.

[@sarahmoller9716]

You might be having a hard time finding these towns but at least you are documenting what you do find. So glad you aren't giving up on your searches. These you found are treasures. Thank you Wiseguy.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

The southern half is even more desolate but I still enjoyed the visit 😊

[@johndreker1613]

I tried looking for the info before posting this, but couldn't find exact details, so I apologize for being a bit vague. My grandmother's cousin (he's the youngest of the cousins, around 65 years old) has property in 13 states. He only lives in northwest Montana on a property that is something like 120 acres. He inherited family properties in Minnesota and Oklahoma at a young age, with both having family burial plots on them, so he won't sell them. He said he goes to them about once a year. He bought property ranging in size from an acre to five acres in all of the states in between, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Missouri, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri and Utah. He told me the town names a few years ago and I wiki'd the populations. The combined total was under 4,000 (I think it was around 3,250). Anyway, I said if I ever just went on a road trip for fun, I'd love to hit all 13 properties. Not that they would be exciting, some are nothing but land, while the others have just a shed/barn. Only Montana and Minnesota have houses. It just seems like a cool trip. He stops at all 13 whenever he makes his yearly trek, though he just went to Oklahoma around a month ago to see what happened from a tornado going across his property (spoiler alert, just a big tree branch fell and did nothing). This video reminded me of it. I really wanted to share the Kansas town name before posting.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Really interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@UMtiger311]

Not many landmarks but the wide open prairie sky is astonishingly beautiful to me.. love the treeless plains like in Lane co.

[@thoward4051]

Although the population decline in these towns is apparent, the farming industry remains at full throttle. My guess is the business has evolved to the point where automation has replaced the need for “boots on the ground”, except for seasonal demands. Great video Coach! Thanks for sharing.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Very good points! Thank you!

[@robchit1]

I see what appears to be oil tanks dotting the county so hope they're active too

[@williammatzek4660]

I've found research is good ! I'm surprised the balance beam to the scale is intact. I have heard when people come to Kansas the grass was shoulder high to a horse. A lighting strike from a thunder storm would start a wild fire. It would burn until it got to a stream , that stopped it. That killed the saplings growing in the grass. NO TREES!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah I can imagine lightning could set off huge fires out there - wide open!

[@southloupriverhomestead4696]

We live in Custer County Ne. We are bordered by the 5th least populous county in Nebraska which is Loup County population of 599.

[@user-gc2op6mc7y]

@@southloupriverhomestead4696 your right but it's called Slope County

[@roberteshaw9520]

Hey Coach. I like those gravel roads. The nightmare church is looking nice. That playground ride has got to be one of the most efficient, smooth running of all thus considered The machine's patina is weather and shoe bottom result earned.A crown to that yard. Keep on keeping on.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Can’t disagree at all 😊

[@salty__kansan]

It's amazing how many videos you have out. I love your kansas videos but been watching your videos from other states. You are good at what you do!!!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I appreciate that - thank you!

[@earlettahoffman]

I remember when the Shields store was open. The post office was in it. The Union Pacific railroad used to go right by there. Did you mention all the oil wells out there and the big feed lot? My brother used to run and think he would catch the train when it went by so funny! My grandpa used to deliver propane to those oil wells.

[@stevehilliard1495]

Loved seeing the mares tail clouds, usually an indicator that a weather change was blowing in. Very interesting video, I have been to a few of those places. Be safe, looking forward to part 2

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I definitely enjoyed it - interesting areas and history for sure!

[@robertodebeers2551]

Really like the music during your sky view of Pendennis. We could use more of that.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!

[@andrewt.6633]

just found your channel man as KZbin recommended it to me somehow because it knew I was exploring Cimarron County this weekend somehow haha. Now I'm hooked and love your stuff. cheers!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome thanks so much!

[@mikeberos183]

One of my very favorite channels keep up the great work!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Spicoli, will do!

[@bertholini2810]

The real reason.... a Merry-go-round, imagine that. Very nice drone work ! Argh, mowing again, be good, be safe (sorry, knocked over a LARGE glass of water).

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊 thanks! Have a good one!

[@pamelacrowe4971]

Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. Be safe.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Will do!

[@JamesLorimor]

Did a LOT of fishing at the State Lake when I was younger. It did lose a lot of water through the ground, but the biggest issue was it wasn't deep enough and the whole lake was one giant hole of moss with some water in it. It was stocked with bluegill and perch. Mom would drop us off before work with a can of corn (bait) and a balogna sandwich (lunch). She'd come out and pick us up after work. Had a GREAT time there in my youth. Looking forward to part 2!!!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for the info!

[@takemeback70s]

I'm a bird watcher and listening to those birds is making me want to travel there and take some pictures. Thanks so much for sharing .

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Lots of birds on those backroads!

[@sewmaggi]

I grew up in Lane County and still have family there including my mom, a brother and several cousins. My father started Shull Oil in the early 60’s and my brother and his son still own and run it. Lane Co will always be home to me and my husband who also grew up there.

[@chris1960]

Gee, that would be hard to be doing maintenance for a school you know is closing. Actually, it would be hard to maintenance for school with only 10 students. Really tough don’t you think? I could not imagine….

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

She seemed to really have a love for the community!

[@mikebritton8798]

You might have hit on something there. Maybe you could predict the potential a town by how well the merry-go-round works. Thanks for the ride. I never get tired of seeing these places and imagining what took place there.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha good idea 😂😂 thank you 😊

[@WonkoSane-jf4qm]

Love small town America through the Wiseguy's eyes!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

👀

[@RonaldDailey-z8b]

I liked the town of healy the best of this week places

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Good choice!

[@shakeysis]

When will we see the part 2 of Lane county?

[@edinop4205]

I'm just an old Ag Chem Rep, but I was amazed to see a stainless steel "Accubin" sitting by the scales in Pendennis. Most carried product for Corn/Soybean country. Really interesting to see a stray one out in a Kansas ghost town.

[@bglrj]

This is an absolute treasure.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@DebraRogers-w7l]

My great grandfather (Tyner) was a cattle rancher in the Pendennis area during the 1920's. It was fascinating to see the old school in that area that I suspect my Grandfather could have attended.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! That’s probably the only school that was there!

[@juliogonzales5441]

COOL 😎 VIDEO COACH...THANKS 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

You're welcome! ☺️

[@papabear562]

Very sad to see that the school in Healy is closing. No one ever wants to see that happen. I hope that someone can maintain the building, perhaps as a historical site/museum. It''s good to see that the "wheel of death" still works though. Looking forward to Part 2 on Thursday. Thanks for the video Coach!

[@reignofbastet]

Another GenXer remembering our childhoods? Those and lawn darts. Haha

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

She said they were hoping to turn it in to a community building 😊

[@TheHrhdjc]

I went to Shields school and the Methodist Church in Shields. Sad to see it referred to as a ghost town now. Also own land just to the south of that ‘lake’. Have lived in California since 1976, but this land is still home. Thanks so much for the video.

[@earlettahoffman]

I bet you know my great grandparents the Graeffs. My great aunt Suzie and Betty.

[@jmurry6695]

Thank u do much fir doing the research for us and traveling the nonpaved roads. Really appreciate it. You do an awesome job. So enjoyable for us. Delighted places still close on Sundays.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

So nice of you - thanks!!

[@wonkika]

Family is from Dighton going back to the 1900s, love to see more about the southern half of the county, thanks for the video!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

More to come! Thanks!

[@SusanHL]

Wow, the drone footage with all the wide-open space was gorgeous - I feel like a broken record saying that, but it's always true. Thank you too for capturing the "quiet" out there - so peaceful. I love your videos whether you find anything or not, everything is still so pretty. What a great-looking little school in Shields - I"m sure anyone who went there knew who all their classmates were....same for the kids at Healy. Thank you for another interesting trip!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I don’t get tired of hearing it 😂😂 thanks as always - great comment!

[@rosseganjr9402]

Thank you for another great adventures in small towns it made my day 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@johncukjati427]

Absolutely love your videos, especially the ones in Kansas. My job with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) takes me to every small town and county in Kansas and I have been on every state, US, and county road in Kansas. Very informative videos and well done photography (including drone video). Keep up the good work and hope you can make a video series all about Kansas. The Sunflower State is very beautiful!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow you have seen a lot more than me!!

[@user-gc2op6mc7y]

Great video brother! Cool Ghost Towns! I'll check them out

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks!

[@clane1700]

Healy looks so pretty and clean!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

It is!

[@larryclark4791]

Another good one

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks!

[@robchit1]

Healy looks like a sweet community in spite of the problems they're facing. How sad for Shields. I counted only 6 livable residences on Google Earth, a true ghost town. The east mill was identical to the one on the west side of the street. Wabaunsee County still has a few of the old signs at the intersections with farmers' names and where they live lol. There was a building next to the Pendennis school, but it appears to have been destroyed? It also shows up badly on Google Earth like a garage or store. Ludwig appears on a 1920 atlas and it was on your DeLorme (east of Pendennis, called Laness on your map) but just a farm field on GE, no PO, RR stop, nothing. Looking forward to Part 2!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Healy was nice I thought! Thanks for the info - interesting!

[@tinman7130]

Kansas rocks was one of my early exposures to traveling with a wise guy. Speaking of rocks, I see there was a forlorn two story cut rock house in Pen Dennis. I believe the grave stone of WM Baird's wives is associated with one of great great grand fathers brothers. Immigrated from Ireland in 1850. He homesteaded in that area and eventually joined his brothers in the sand hills of Nebraska

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Oh wow very cool! 😎

[@krazmokramer]

Interesting patterns cut into the grass in the Lane County Lake, when viewed from your drone. Motorcycle trails? Or maybe RC car trails? Thanks for this video! Enjoy Alaska, John!!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Not sure 🤔 thank you very much!

[@sueelliott3206]

Great video even if you didn't find much, the countryside is beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

[@BigElCat]

Oh man. You are so close to Colby. I'm telling you, in the 1980s, there was a large underground airplane hanger that had been converted to a 'honky tonk'. More later as I jog my memory. I was south bound, coming out of Colby on the only highway. The hanger is on the right, meaning west. I'll try to fact check this. It was many years and beers ago. I went looking for it, then, because other people were talking about it.

[@BigElCat]

The hanger was designed to house a single B-29 bomber during WW2. The bar was called 'The Dug Out' in 1986.

[@aliceevans3357]

Im thinking if you ever own a house you Will have a death go round in the back yard😅 That's the way it is, sometimes you find more unexpectedly than when you're hunting for things and places of interest. You can't go wrong enjoying Kansas landscapes, always something around the bend or over the next hill. You sure put some miles on those rentals to find us interesting places and things. I truly appreciate it. Safe travels dear, GOD bless

[@JasonGregor]

I went to Healy all my life for school. Grew up in Pendennis.

[@rossbryan6102]

AS TO THE LITTLE LAKE DEVELOPMENT IT MAY BE IN AN AREA IN OR NEAR THE OGALLAH AQUIFER. THIS WATER SOURCE HAS BEEN HEAVILY USED DUE TO IRRIGATION! IF THERE IS WATER AVAILABLE, IT MAY BE TOO DEEP TO BE ECONOMICALLY USED.

[@robertbenson9797]

Excellent episode. Your videos show the harshness of the west. The fact that there are so many ghost towns is proof of a rugged way of life. Water is the “gold” of the western US. Good point about having to use sod as a building material for houses and other structures. The picture shown of the sod house, I believe is actually in Nebraska. Both Kansas and Nebraska were in the same situation as far as lack of wood as framing and building material. The picture appears to be one taken by Solomon Butcher, a photographer that took lots of pictures in and around Custer County, Nebraska. A good episode would be doing a “then and now” comparison of some of Mr. Butcher’s photographs. Most of his negatives are housed at the Nebraska History Museum in Lincoln. Not many “sodies” are still standing. Dugouts, another name for a man-made cave dug into a side hill, was used in the west for temporary shelter.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for the info! They actually have a sod house in Dighton that was reconstructed I believe. It’ll be in the next video.

[@DavidRoot-jp9gb]

Even smaller is McPherson County in neighboring Nebraska: population is around 600.

[@deborahross9974]

Once again a great video. Seems like a lot of Kansas is empty. Too bad that the towns started out great but then something or other happened and the people left them. That school sure was a good looking building. Maybe the town's residents could use it for something else and not let go to waste. Thanks for the trip, can't wait till the next half of Lane County. Happy trails and God bless.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Hopefully they can keep some of the population there!

[@CraigGerdes]

Just a few miles east of Scott City was a place the cathouse recreation area. It can be found on Google maps. Another place with some different geology. Might be a good drone shot.

[@JamesLorimor]

Cathouse Outdoor Recreation sold and is now Fossil Rock Ranch.

[@dennisdemoro3519]

Love that area. You get out and it's so peaceful. So many of those towns you can turn off and see so much. Have you been to Scott City El Quartelejo Museum? I typed it in but didn't show anything.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I agree! And no I haven’t been to that museum 🤔

[@Jake-jm7fb]

I love your passion for kansas

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@allenantonio4389]

Sweet spot...Great job

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks 👍

[@JenniferAlexander-yd6kj]

Just watched part one of Lane County, KS. It was really interesting and looking forward to part 2. Lots of open area out there.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! 😊

[@billhendricks5375]

Really nice school in Healy, sad to see it closed.

[@brbertram]

My ex-wife was from there. I jogged miles on those dirt roads in the 80s and 90s.

[@CindyinArizona]

I can see why Kansas gets some bad tornadoes, that's some flat land there. I love your videos, so interesting and I love to see the countryside.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah the weather just rolls right through 💨

[@joanndirks8024]

Birth place of both of my parents and...me. Both of my grandparents settled here from back east.

[@janetleeadams7287]

In the photo at 9:23 there are several men wearing baseball uniforms ! And at 16:03: Mr. Baird buried three females in the same grave ?

[@elizabethmurray3221]

Margaret E. lived to 1018 years according to the tombstone.

[@janetleeadams7287]

@@elizabethmurray3221 ha ! I am thinking Mr. Baird might have made life seem like a thousand years. In fact, the dates seemed a little skewed. I didn't take time to do the math but there seemed to be some overlap of wives.

[@aliceevans3357]

Margaret was 28, Nancy was 27, daughter was 17. All were young but when you realize how hard was the work, no doctors during childbirth and diseases, even bad cold or flu could be deadly you understand the rigors of frontier life.😢

[@stevehilliard1495]

You wonder if the stone mason offered a discount with the botched date & the stone was just accepted as is

[@elizabethmurray3221]

@@janetleeadams7287 Perhaps they were Mormons?

[@celiawells4095]

When are you posting the Southern Half of Lane County. I grew up there and would love to watch it. I enjoyed this video and it brought back lots of memories.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Sunday

[@lifewithjosef]

I may have mentioned this on one of your other vlogs, but, it's my understanding that each county in Kansas has a state/county fishing lake. But, my memory is oatmeal, so... As always...

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

It sure seems they do so I wouldn’t doubt it!

[@KenBurtner]

You did a good job with you had to work with,. Thank you.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I appreciate that!

[@joshatterberry2887]

You should check out Callaway County Missouri

[@jefftrego8491]

14:42 Just stopped in Healy on Friday at the store to get a Coke but none for sale😢

[@markmorash1682]

Lane, along with Trego, Ness & Gove counties were the four least populated counties in KS back in 2000. How do you provide kids in those counties with a similar public education to what kids get in Johnson County in the KC area? That was the problem that's only gotten worse over the last 24 years.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Definitely tough to do I’m sure

[@castlebravocrypto1615]

what is your link for maps that have old schools and other locations like taverns and general stores? I'd like to try getting a permission to metal detect some of these places

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Can’t remember exactly but I just googled Lane County maps and maybe a date like 1910

[@SamanthaTull]

Those maps… 😂😂😂

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

🗺️ 😊

[@user-wd8mn8sf1j]

Are you looking for runners to recruit on those lonely back roads? It seems like Cross Country is the sport of last resort in those shrinking districts. I was watching the Tour de France and what a (maybe unfair) contrast, with the patchwork of fields, winding roads, manor houses, and the jigsaw-puzzle towns.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Those dirt roads would be good for some long runs!

[@travis303]

do you expect to do a video on every county in the state at some point?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Would love to. Might take me til I’m 100 😂

[@earlettahoffman]

You should check out Ness county.

[@jmayfield9004]

Why don't we go back to the larger counties? No longer a need to worry about people needing to walk or ride to a courthouse.

[@johns7868]

Great vid as usual. Hate to see the school will be closing; I hope the building somehow will be repurposed and not go to seed. Populations dwindle yes but a few years back the governor signed into law something that drastically lowered school taxes that it affected a lot of smaller school districts. It made national news and it also caused him the next election. Not to get political - as an educator and as a traveler of Kansas - what's been your observation?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I’m a little out of that loop so I don’t know how the politics of KS affect places like this. I keep busy with other stuff and hopefully it gets sorted out 😊

[@johns7868]

fair enough

[@sandiewilliams238]

Chef, would it be better to add the garlic later, with the other ingredients, instead of first? Oh wait...that comment was for another channel! Jus playin! You did another great video Coach. Keep following that horizon and be safe! 🙏🏽

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂 thanks!

[@maccamaniac1263]

Dennis, KS is near Parsons near the Labette/Montgomery County lines.

[@jwrees57]

See any pheasants ?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I didn’t

[@chris1960]

Wow that rental vehicle is dusty… reminds me is there a date in America yet when they are no longer allowed to sell petrol vehicles and that you have to buy (I assume also rent) electric vehicle? The idea feels me with terror because I would much rather a petrol vehicle . In Australia, the date is 2035 and 2030. I think in the capital. Cheers, good video

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

There has been political battles about electric vehicles here so who knows what the future holds with that 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@chris1960]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy the picture for EV’s in the US looks very unclear. Here the picture for normal power also looks unclear with debate as to whether we can manage nuclear power and the current parties determined to try green only. Meanwhile our electric bills are (I think) extremely high. Cheers….

[@kevinstreeter6943]

There is not much in western KS. I do not see why we did not leave it for the natives.

[@pacificblue3955]

9:50 the town is so abandoned and deserted, even the front end of the truck said "i'm out."

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂