VERY DESOLATE! // Continuing to explore the LEAST POPULATED county in Kansas // Greeley County Pt 2

Part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJ2QfH1rd7ehbMk
Part 2 of my Greeley County exploration picks up leaving the town of Horace and heading towards what used to be Greeley Center. Spoiler alert - this episode has zero current towns and zero other people in it! But I do find a few interesting places and tell some fascinating stories about what used to be. Sorry this episode is a lot of me talking, but I felt that was the best way to show the history of these desolate areas. Often I would find myself totally alone, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by vast areas of beauty. I really enjoyed this 2-part series - hope you did too!
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0:00 Greeley Center
1:30 Reid/Astor
4:04 Colokan
7:19 Rogers Cemetery
11:12 White Woman Creek
12:54 Hector
15:26 Final Thoughts on Greeley County
Music
Eagle Rock - Wes Hutchinson
Castleshire - Chris Haugen

[@pigoff123]

Glorious. I can visit but can't live without my trees.😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@bglrj]

It's amazing to me that the flat dry desolation of Western Kansas is the same state as the green wet forested Eastern Kansas where I lived. Contrast the desolate plains with the dramatic topography of the Flint Hills. But it's all beautiful!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I agree - both are very beautiful to me - I’ve loved exploring both sides of the state!

[@midwestghosttown]

Got back to the college - wanted to leave you a few notes. 1. Excellent work on the stories and the footage. I back you 100% in what you are doing - sometimes the unglamorous part about Ghosttowning is getting to the destination to find it plowed under - or in your case a massive dirt field! It's just the reality of it - these abandoned places will not stand forever - but the STORIES - hopefully won't be forgotten. 2. You did a fantastic job telling the STORY of these towns - from a connection to the Titanic to some rascals stealing the WRONG BUILDING LOL!, a town named after a dog, - and one of my personal favorites - stumbling upon the cemetery. Tragic when we learn about how hard it was for a lot of the homesteaders in the 1800s - death by blizzards was a common thing between 1870-1890 (which you already knew) but I love the fact that you took time to go to each location REGARDLESS if there was a building - it's just a reality with Ghost Towns. I STILL found your video fascinating with the richness of your stories - Thank you for the work you did!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much! I'm not a fan of myself talking (I'd rather just show the cool stuff), but I had to in this episode. Fortunately there were some great stories to tell about these desolate parts of Greeley County! Always fun to stumble upon those stories for the first time. Every time I go to somewhere like that I have more and more respect for those pioneers and homesteaders! Thanks for your support and continued success with your travels as well!

[@kristinakahila8914]

I like the way you talk. Your candor. Your brutal honesty is wonderful.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks, it's probably from a lifetime of being a coach haha :)

[@brendacejda7069]

The White Woman Creek runs through Scott County as well, and years ago, it used to have water flowing frequently. In fact, the museum has photos of flooding from the White Woman (years ago) that covered KS83 and made it impassable. I agree, the area is beautiful and we have wonderful sunsets! Thank you for your respectful comments, Kansas and especially western Kansas get a bad rap. That's OK though, as we know the value of living in the peaceful heartland. Enjoyable video. Thank you....very much! 🌻

[@brendacejda7069]

Forgot to ask, the old wood structure that has collapsed, any signs of what that might have been?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for watching! It was a fascinating county to explore. I don’t know about the abandoned structure. Might have been a small house or barn. Hard to tell. It was literally the only thing for miles!

[@papabear562]

I finally got a chance to rewatch both Greeley County videos. I agree with others, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Kansas is such a beautiful state, and even counties such as this one, even though it is kind of desolate and wide open, still have a beauty to it, and a very rich history. When I worked for a local development agency back in the 1990's, I discovered some county maps that predated 1959, and it fascinated me how much roads and towns changed over time. Since these maps were as old as they were I ensured they got into the hands of the various historical societies in the counties in central Indiana; Miami, Howard, Cass, Fulton, Tippecanoe, Clinton, Grant and about a half dozen others. Why the military had those drawings baffled me at the time, but the folks I gave them to were extremely grateful for them, and it felt good to know that I contributed in my small way to providing another piece of historical information that they lacked. I hope, one of these days, to visit Kansas. I am a veteran and there is a large VA medical center in Wichita. If I could find a veteran/senior community out there, I would very seriously consider moving there. Great video as always!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I really loved exploring Greeley County. Glad others can find beauty in it too! Thanks so much for the post!

[@juliogonzales5441]

You weren't alone we were there with you.......😊 thanks

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Aww thanks man 😊

[@SylveonGamerJake]

I noticed the dust in the beginning and remembered that about that time we were in a very bad drought unfortunately, so blowing dust became common that winter unfortunately. It’s interesting to see that even out here where there doesn’t seem to be much (coming from someone who lived out there) that there is a lot of hidden things too!

[@randyhoneycutt8153]

When you look around this area, it makes you wonder why settlers stopped there and decided “here is where we’ll live.” You have to admire their guts. Anyway, I’m really enjoying your travelogues. So glad I found your channel.

[@jerrysullivan8424]

I once read a book by a Swedish woman written around 100 years ago, {I wish that I still had that book, I loan it out} That a lot of Swedish people settled in that area to grow wheat fields. they made dug-out homes to live in. She had come from Sweden in the late 1800s with her husband, they had a hard life out there, and since I read that book almost 25 years ago, I have forgotten much of her story. If I remember correctly she died an old woman in the early 1950s, I hope to find her book to read it again.

[@jerrysullivan8424]

I just went on the net to do a little research " Swedish settlers in Kansas mainly followed the Kansas, Big Blue, and Republican River valleys west. Today, persons of Swedish ancestry are in nearly all Kansas counties, with the greatest concentrations in McPherson, Saline, Wyandotte, Shawnee, Osage, Republic, and Riley Counties." just write in "Swedish settlers in western Kansas"

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Randy! I appreciate you watching!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Very interesting Jerry! I’ve heard some of these stories too. I don’t think the land was what they expected but they made the most of it!

[@gregcromer8406]

@@jerrysullivan8424 You might be recalling "Lindsborg." A city in McPherson County, Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,776. Lindsborg is known for its large Swedish, other Scandinavian, and German heritages. It is home of the biennial Svensk Hyllningsfest.

[@jmurry6695]

Sir, your history, yellow highlighting the map, showing us the Army cemetary... are all much appreciated and enjoyed. You traveled a lot of dirt roads. Your teeth are beautiful, and u have a great voice. Thank u so much.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much 😬😁

[@SveninColorado]

If you follow Highway 96 West into Colorado, you will pass through Sheridan Lakes and the little town of Chivington. It was named for Colonel John Chivington. He worked for the railroads and is remembered for leading the infamous Sand Creek Massacre. As for wildlife; we hunt Pronghorn and Plains Deer, pheasant, dove, wild turkey and waterfowl in this high lonesome country. Not everyone understands the harsh beauty of these high plains....Which is fine with me.

[@CindyinArizona]

I think it's amazing the vastness of that country; flat, barren, no civilization for miles. The story of the two brothers who died in a blizzard is so sad, the loyal dog going miles in a blizzard for help and coming back to find both brothers deceased. It seems that those early pioneer years were brutal times.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah that’s such a sad and amazing story. What a time 😞

[@estelleadamski308]

A side note on Amy, KS. My ancestor was James Richard Bruner and the little town or settlement was named after my grandmother Gertrude's sister Amy. It is still on the map on Rd 96. Makes me kind of proud, as my family has a history on the Atlas in a tiny speck of KS., better than nothing! For some reason one day I googled his name and got a hit! He has a nice write up from the KS Historical Society. As desolate that part of KS is, it's hard to imagine someone actually proving up a claim, and that makes me proud also, as he beat the odds.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome story - thanks for sharing! I'd like to visit Amy someday as well!

[@pamlaenger6870]

I like wide open spaces! Thank you!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Me too 😊

[@susieqb9327]

When you were showing the dust storm I think I saw a tumbleweed. It’s amazing how different west Kansas is from East Kansas

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

For sure! And yes it was a tumbleweed 😊

[@zackfalin7266]

Another great couple of videos. My 2000 4Runner gets about 18 miles to the gallon if the wind isn't blowing (and it's always blowing out there), so when I'm tootling around in far western Kansas/far eastern Colorado I'm constantly calculating the distance to the next gas station. I imagine driving something with longer range must be a lot more care free!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Yeah I get a little bit better mileage than that :)

[@onrycodger]

Having grown up in the Appalachian mountains. Having forests, mountain top views, streams/rivers throughout. Kansas is the loneliest place I've driven through. I couldn't cope with it day after day.....but hey, that's how I feel.👍

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I understand. I grew up in southern Ohio so I know what that’s like near Appalachia. But I’ve grown to love it in Kansas as well. 😊

[@stevehilliard1495]

I grew up in Southwest Kansas and wondered how many people just got tired of trudging across the plains and just stopped and put down roots.😂

[@randallleonard1249]

I too grew up in the Appalachians at the southern end in North Georgia. The Army sent me to Ft. Riley, KS after graduating from UGA in 1979. I have lived here since. It took me 20 years to learn to appreciate the state. I live in the eastern part of Kansas which is much greener, has some trees, and a little more elevation relief than western Kansas, but my first wife and mother of my kids was from Tribune so i have spent a lot of time in Western Kansas and it grows on you too. After 45 years here though I still miss the forests, mountain tops, and streams of North Georgia.

[@SandraWetzel-c5d]

I'm from Ohio and in 2018 my husband and I went through this very area. LOVE those prairies.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I grew up in southern Ohio :)

[@SandraWetzel-c5d]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy Northcentral Ohio.

[@kaymerry369]

What beautiful areas showing prairies of Kansas. The history of pioneers & towns is fascinating. Cemetery is certainly unique. Some of land has look of cropland. Great video. 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Kay! I agree about the fascinating history! The cemetery was very odd out there all alone 😞

[@kerrybender7793]

Very interesting! Born and raised in Tribune for over 50 years and learned a lot about my home county. Thanks!!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

Just like the last video Ill give some context for you, as well as for anyone watching. I am a resident of Greeley County who spends a fair amount of time researching the counties history. 1:30 - Reid was not changed to Astor til a while later, I believe it was the 1930's or so. Astor is also the only ghost town that has any of the original foundations still, tho its all one single property owned by a family farm. Also, it was Whitelaw that was thought to be to be the county seat before Tribune won, not Reid. 4:09 - ColoKan was never a really large town to begin with, Towner was always larger. As for the rivalry, I cant verify that as all my records I have access to barely mention the town. 7:19 - Rogers Cemetery, or the G.A.R cemetery as its also called is a sad place. Of the 15 cemeteries in Greeley County it's the only place that has civil war soldiers buried in the county outside of the main cemetery but its basically delerelect which is a shame, but Greeley County will not allocate funds to its revival being its so far out. The barn just east of the cemetery is part of the rogers farm but was built much later. 9:10 Much like Ellinwood, the area was settled by mostly germans, and one of the things that is unique about these towns is that there are old tunnels that run about the town centers. They connect key points allowing people to escape the cold of winter. My old store which used to be an hardware store at the time had a tunnel that connected it to the neighboring buildings through wat was the leather shop in the basement. Its now my woodshop, sadly that has long since been filled in. 11:12 - Tribune actually used to be next to the creek, it then moved closer to the railroad about two years after being established. The legend has many itterations but the oldest account of it tells she was married to the chief of the tribe, and had a child. One day a kid of the women captured who didn't want to stay ran to Ft. Wallace and said that there were many prisoners wanting to escape. The battle wiped out the tribe and the woman was killed. She is said to roam the creek looking for her husband and child, it is said that you can hear her singing at night if you camp out in the creek bed. I have heard things at night there,but nothing I could call singing. As for Validity, no one can verify it as no soldiers from the fort wrote anything down about it from what I could find. None of the farmers are willing to allow use of their land to do architectural studies either so its just a myth for now. 14:40 - The county abstract office has a map that shows where all the major landmarks and stuff in Greeley county is. Including the original townships, most of which were mostly just family farms that had a number of people in them enough to justify a post office. You also missed the indian cave that is in the northeast of the county that (reportedly) has native American pictographs in it. Also you missed the poor farm that is a mile east of tribune. Now tribune has always been rather dry, but it used to be a lot wetter, having a couple lakes in the area even, tho as people started using ground water and Colorado started daming up the streams and rivers the water dried up. If you ever do a part 3, I would love to talk and give you some context and show you around the town. I am rather versed in the railroad history but also county history too. Could also help you get in contact with some if the county historians.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for much for the detailed info! If I do part 3 I’ll definitely hit you up! I appreciate it a lot!

[@larryclark4791]

I can't imagine how harsh the winters were and and are, nothing at all to break the wind. But to me there is a beauty in the the flat open country.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Agreed!

[@estelleadamski308]

You are close to where my ancestor's land was in Lane County. East from where you are at. My dad knows all about the wind as he remembers the Depression & Black Sunday. After the Civil War my great-grandpa homesteaded in Amy, KS. He was very successful and proved-up his claim, only 40% did so. I enjoyed the stories., thanks!

[@roberthenry9319]

Marvelous, as always. Thank you.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much!

[@jljordan1]

That locomotive is a K&O locomotive that was originally “dedicated” as a tribute back in 2014 after WSU’s men’s basketball undefeated regular season. They have other universities in their roundup I believe. Virtual Railfan has a camera set up at the Railroad museum in Wichita on their KZbin channel if you’re curious and have daily roundups of interesting clips from their other cams daily. And honestly as a Wichita native, I’ve never really explored this part of the state. Just driven through on I-70 to get to Colorado. Now I did drive up through St Francis and jog over a little into Nebraska to get to Wray, but that’s the extent of my journey! Thanks for the video.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome info about the locomotive - thank you!

[@diannabrown7754]

I guess this is how Kansas got known as being flat with nothing to see. I personally try to see beauty in all places. It makes one realize how difficult it must have been trying to make a living back in the day.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

For sure - same!

[@travis303]

While standing in an empty field "This place once held the hopes and dreams of a lot of people." poignant

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Sometimes it’s amazing to think of what went on back in the day 😊

[@BostonsF1nest]

Bust out a metal detector and I bet you’d find some really cool shit in some of those fields

[@pamelaherriford1940]

Very interesting….as usual! Thank you for making these videos!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! They’re interesting for me to make as well! 😊

[@sueelliott3206]

Talk about ghost towns and desolation! I'm not surprised that lives were lost in a blizzard in that county with absolutely nothing to slow down the snow. Also looks like numerous dirt roads to get stuck in if it's raining, lol. Tfs

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Oh yeah I’m sure have been a lot stuck. I was worried about the wind/drifts that day 😂

[@ryanwashere]

Someone needs to check your trunk for a "Welcome to Colorful Colorado!" sign 😂

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂 Would be a good one to have!

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

Its actually being restored, being replaced with new versions that are reported to be more colorful.

[@terriquotskuyva4594]

That was a lot of information today. Really enjoyed it!! Too bad you didn’t hear the cry! 😅

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks! Yeah a little too much of me talking but there wasn’t much to show haha

[@ronald9279]

Great video, can't wait to see what's happening next.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Back to Oklahoma (I think) 😊

[@higgs923]

Another excellent video. Never been to Kansas so I appreciate seeing just what it's like. Until this video I thought that Kingsville, Texas, was the capitol of flat!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha 😂 Thanks for watching - Texas has a lot of areas that feel similar!

[@russellseilhamer4552]

Great video. The flatness reminds me of western Palm Beach County Florida when you travel west of the suburbs about 25 miles inland and there is nothing but sugarcane fields on SR 80 ( Southern Blvd). The flatness of the land is something that envelops you

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Interesting! Not sure I've been to that area, but I'm intrigued!

[@kcinks]

I am just so entertained by your videos, most are from places I've been or near.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you like them! Much appreciated 😊

[@bigjimslade6250]

Enjoyed the trip by video. It’s desolate out by the state line. K-96 there is much different from K-96 in Wichita. It looks like you have to drive 25 miles in Greeley County just to find some shade.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Hard to believe it’s the same K-96!

[@naturelvr123]

Interesting segment of Greeley, Co, Kansas :)

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I thought so too!

[@cheryla.wright5348]

Interesting video, enjoyed it. Thank you.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you Cheryl!

[@stevenbonnesen5988]

I once lived near Leoti, Kansas (Wichita county)worked at a feedlot north of town...I hope you stopped by Scott county lake...Scott county State Park...one thing about western Kansas..on a clear day you can see Canada...

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I didn’t on this trip but I have previously. I also released another video exploring areas just east of Greeley near Scott City.

[@sandysue202]

Great video! That cemetery was very desolate, just like most of the county, but those folks all had lives and stories, and I am glad you found it.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks! It was definitely an educational trip for me!

[@AnthonyKowalewski-k1c]

Love your channel , I never knew there were so many abandoned towns !

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Kansas has a lot of them!

[@billcummins9579]

well thank you for the videos . I found it so very interesting. I'll be spending the night in Tribune with a bunch of fellow bicyclist in June. They are starting the 50th BAK (Bike Ride Across Kansas) from there technicly at the CO and KS border. But we will spend our first night in Tribune, KS the population will almost double that day. Now I know the whole story of Tribune before I arrive thank you.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I hope you have a great ride! Tribune will be a nice place to stop and I’m sure they’ll be awesome hosts!

[@duanegraybill9001]

There is a Greeley County Nebraska also with Greeley Center and a town of Horace named after Horace Greeley

[@derekace7471]

Excellent stuff

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks!

[@taylorkesl2694]

Revisiting this video, and I too thought Hector is located where you were, but I was there a week ago and ended up being at Road M and Road 14, and there was a marker for Hector there. So I think that location is actually the location of the town.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Oh wow that would’ve been great to find!

[@travis303]

Hey, look at that, Shocker train in the middle of nowhere Greeley

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

🌾 🌾🌾

[@williammatzek4660]

In my Kansas history class we read about people in western kansas who burned their furniture. Put all their blankets on one bed. The whole family got under those blankets and froze to death. My memory tells it was 1887 but I could be wrong. Maybe it was 1886. In a conversation with my dad he told he had read about the same blizzards in his Kansas history class. I miss those conversations with dad! He would be 100 yrs old if he were still alive. You showed the abandon church in eastern Kansas. I wonder what caused that!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow those are some amazing things to think and talk about, especially with someone who was old enough to hear first-hand conversation about it! Not sure about what caused the church to be abandoned. I was suprised walking up to it, because it didn't look like it had been that way for too long.

[@papabear562]

Hey Coach, wanted to drop another line here. I've been seaching for some of the ghost you mentioned at the 14:49 mark that you couldn't find. I think I found approximate locations for Ainsworth, Belgica, Hurt, Sidney, Thelma, Underwood and Youngville. I'm still looking for Locust, Lombard and Piclwick. The towns are hard to find, and neither Google or Wikipedia has anything I can find. However, I found some really old maps of the county with some of those towns on them. I did a Windows Snip of them, resized them to match the size and resolution of a current county Greeley County map I have, and overlayed them. Granted, that part was difficult. The snips aren't completely accurate I'm sure, my images aren't exactly to scale, and there's no telling if the locations are exact, but I am confident I got close. I have them plotted on Google Maps in my account so I don't know if you can see them, but I'll more than happy to provide the GPS coordinates if you like. I'm still looking for those last three. I'm going to look up your other videos where you list towns you couldn't find to see if I can locate them. Cheers!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! I love your efforts for this research. Thank you so much!

[@aliceevans3357]

Here's some trivia: Tumbleweeds are not native to North America. They arrived in 1870 in a shipment from Russia, to I believe South Dakota. The tumbleweed has become such a part of the old West that I was surprised to read about this. I would have loved to see what Kansas looked like when settlers arrived in the 1800s. Thanks for the adventures, always look forward to more. Stay safe and GOD bless

[@gregcromer8406]

Alice, the prairie grass was as tall as the saddle before pioneers took a plow to the soil. Roots of the plant were very deep (15'). They gave grass the ability to infiltrate the soil for water, reduce runoff, and survive drought conditions. The Bison grazed in massive herds by the thousands, and had few predators. Lightening would start fires and burn off the prairie naturally, which promoted fresh growth. Pioneers relied on Bison "chips" for fuel, as few trees existed. Prior to the railroad, there was no timber, so homes were built from sod (a mixture of prairie grass and dirt). It was harsh and unforgiving. It was said that when plows first cut open the earth, a loud "cracking" sound could be heard as millions of years' worth of compact soil was released.

[@brucesmith9144]

Fascinating. It’s a storm chaser’s paradise there, that’s for sure. Would like to visit there and for the reason stated.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Oh yeah you could see them coming from miles away out there!

[@brucesmith9144]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy being from the east coast, I’m not used to a long horizon. You get that in the western and great plains states. I’m sure you see things for quite some time before it is on top of you there.

[@christopherwalton5445]

Really interesting..just so flat its unbelievable

[@bumper1730]

If you haven't done it, check out Wallace County, and the Ft. Wallace Museum. It is an education, as well as the county seat fight of Logan County.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I’ve been to the museum several years ago - it’s a good one!

[@johncjacobs6175]

Goi to visit my wife's family in Wichita looking forward to checking out some of the places u show great videos

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! Wichita is a great place to visit and explore!

[@lifewithjosef]

I love the desert, and understand how some people don't. I guess some find the prairie boring as well, I sure don't. As always...

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I agree 100%! Thanks!

[@glorialewis4603]

Wouldn’t want to live there. Good video! Enjoy your shows.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Interesting to learn the history of places like this 😊

[@travis303]

Maybe this could be a new series, the smallest counties in every state

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Absolutely 😉

[@christopherwalton5445]

That graveyard was very interesting..those people had such tough lives

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Absolutely they did. 💪🏼

[@dominysynclair]

Can't really be an urban legend in a place with no buildings. It's just a legend or a myth if not a rural legend.

[@stevehilliard1495]

No dogs? Man that’s desolate when not even a dog lives there 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I know right?!?! 😂😂 Although Hector was a dog haha

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy There was an old saying when I was young about"Back when He got was still a pup!". Wonder if it was the same Hector.

[@jacobmiller9727]

This was awesome! Unfortunately you couldn’t get into our old museum/courthouse. Plenty of historical facts and pictures in there! I’ve grown up and lived here for almost 11 years now!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah unfortunately it was closed but I really learned a lot that weekend!!

[@ashleyschackart85]

Another Great video

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Ashley!

[@tinman7130]

Having been thru the area a time or two it was a pleasant reminder of how beautiful the empty prairie is. Towner is on my side of the border. It is Colorado's most eastern town. Only two miles from the border. They claim to have 18 people there. Last time I was thru there were more dogs then that . A blizzard in 1931 near Towner took the lives of 5 children and the bus driver. The Towner bus tragedy has a monument just out side of town. If you google it it's a good read. Thanks for Greeley county, but as Horace once advised go west. You should do that in eastern Colorado. Arlington like Towner is in Kiowa county. You can see the triangle landing strip from WWII near Arlington. Google earth it. It is a interesting object from satellite height.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I actually went over and drove through Towner since it was right there. It would definitely be a great ghost town subject. I've also read about the bus tragedy. I'm hoping to do some Colorado stuff this summer!

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

I am an E.M.T in Kiowa County, the towns there are all rather run down, but it is also the poorest county in Colorado. So poor we still use ambulances from the 90's as regular drivers. Well most of them are early 2000's actually only one is a 97. Its a nice and active place tho, lots of eventsfor a small county.

[@Purplepinkmom]

I could live here for sure. If it were not for the cold winters

[@brentnearhood8874]

Thanks! Not a tree insight! 🚗

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Very true! 😂

[@ronfullerton3162]

Maybe that is the reason for no dogs!

[@naturelvr123]

Next time we go to Manhattan, Kansas I will want to drive thru Greeley, Co, Kansas, :)

[@randallleonard1249]

It's a 5 hour drive from Manhattan to Tribune if you take I-70 to Oakley. If you have the time I would go south on KS 177 through the Flint Hills towards Council Grove and work your way south and take KS 96. It's a much longer drive but much more interesting than I-70.

[@bengabrielson9381]

something beautiful about desolate places like this, makes you think.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Absolutely 😊

[@clarencecastillo4131]

Very nice video ✌

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you ☮️

[@perry92964]

some of those towns were more like campsites where some people camped out for a few years.

[@SuperMickey57]

I like the guitar piece; it reminds me of "Bron-Yr-Aur" by Led Zeppelin!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😎

[@sookcook8618]

Harlan Campbell, JR was born, raised, and still resides in Greeley County, KS! He has been the All American Captain/#1 Trapshooter in the USA for several years. There is a "Home of..." Sign when you pull in

[@johnd1216]

Twenty-five miles is far, here in Rhode Island.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂

[@randallleonard1249]

In Kansas 25 miles is a very short drive. From east to west it is a bit over 400 miles.

[@glorias8540]

WuShock!! How cool!!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah that was a surprise!

[@travis303]

So even though Colokan had a railroad through town, it didn't help them any? Did I understand that correctly?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Correct. I guess it was too close to Townes and Colokan was probably very small.

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

I found that someone added the graves from Rogers Cemetery to the Find a Grave website. There are 20 graves listed. Must have been an extremely inhospitable environment!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

It sure seemed like it when I was there!

[@kevinburt8301]

The building to the east of the cemetery was a granary most likely for wheat.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks!

[@glorialewis4603]

There was a lot of tall Prairie grass

[@jimmyalamo839]

these early settler towns should live on through history

[@rossbryan6102]

WHEN IN THE AREA, HAVE YOU EVER VISITED MT SUN FLOWER, KANSAS HIGHEST POINT? A GREAT VISIT IF WARM AND NOT WINDY! ( SELDOM HAPPENS!!) ALSO A LITTLE FURTHER WEST ,IN COLORADO DURING THE 1930s A SCHOOL BUS WAS STRANDED IN AN BLIZZARD INVOLVING DEATHS OF SCHOOL KIDS AND THE DRIVER! THIS EVENT LED TO BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS AND SCHOOLS, AND WAS THE BEGINNING OF PAINTING SCHOOL BUSSES BRIGHT YELLOW!!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haven’t been there yet but plan to someday! Interesting story (although tragic) about the bus and blizzard!

[@travis303]

Greeley County's State Line Rd doesn't quite compare to the one in the KC area 😆

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂

[@travis303]

Wow, a Titanic connection. How about that?

[@thatonekansasguy]

How do you find those old maps? Id like to start doing explorations like these.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

They are called Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer. You can purchase them online. My local library has them too.

[@ssphoto66]

There's usually beauty everywhere, but maybe not so much in Greeley.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I actually found much of the desolation to be beautiful - but I’m different haha

[@bertholini2810]

As always, your videos are very good. Kind of odd the lady "kidnapped" (one of them anyway) did not want to go back to the white people, hmmm, who knows. It's was 28 degrees this morning, very odd for almost May. Be good, be safe !

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Interesting story for sure! Thanks - stay warm!

[@Roadtripmik]

Did your car ever fail on you in these isolated places?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Fortunately I’ve been pretty lucky. I’ve had to change a flat tire due to a rocky road, but that’s about the worst that has happened. I always try to make sure I rent a good 4x4 type vehicle if I’m going to a very out of the way location.

[@Roadtripmik]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy So you rent your vehicle for trips? And living in kansas i guess you have your own car too? You rent a jeep or something for offroading… i see

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I usually rent for a longer trip because my car is getting old and could easily break down out there. And for these roads I often need a higher clearance vehicle. Fortunately KZbin has helped me afford it. But I’m probably in line for a new vehicle at some point here haha.

[@tomkrzyt]

15:18 I wonder where these poles go.

[@carltonfogg8319]

ITS TORNADO ALLEY

[@jamesorth6460]

Colokan change the last o to an a it would be called Cola-kan

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂

[@tomkrzyt]

12:15 I guess that woman wanted to stay among Natives because she must have met a native gigachad, she fell in love and she got... you know what 🙂

[@jerrysullivan8424]

How many KU flags did you see out that way? :)

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha surprisingly none 😊 I was “shocked” to see the WSU logo out there. Maybe a Ron Baker fan!

[@jerrysullivan8424]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy :)

[@keithmiller252]

😎😎😎🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲👍👍👍

[@gdroege44]

How many ghosts have you seen in these ghost towns? 😉

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haven’t seen any! I’m not a “ghost” guy per se, but I did have an unusual experience in Oklahoma yesterday 😬

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy Hopefully we will be "brought up to speed" on that happening when the time comes.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Should be in the next few weeks!

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy I will do like the old "Chicken Heart" routine from Bill Cosby. I will turn up the volume, turn down the lights, and get the jello ready just in case!

[@lindafreeman1687]

Kansas has a lot of beautiful places and interesting things. However, Greeley County is not one of them. I've heard comments from people, over the years, about how desolate KS is. I think they are basing that on this area even though they refer it as "all" of KS. Too bad they didn't take the time to see the beauty in KS.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I’m different but I do find the beauty in Greeley County. Having lived in cities for most of my adult life, the peaceful plains of western Kansas is interesting to visit. I can understand people who do like it.

[@larrywilbur7063]

Eastern Kansas much too humid in the summer, I guess if you like to sweat its nice

[@travis303]

First 🤣

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Woohoo 🙌🏼

[@asimplehorseman4648]

Very dishonest how written history excluded the instances of "captured" by natives people did not want to go back to the white man "civilization". That fact has always made me question the moral values of the so called modern society. What would a society be like that did not have money? Obviously some people thought it was better than our own. I could not disagree, just sayin........

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

While I agree with you on the captured part and the atrocity that is the U.S' treatment of the first nations, the natives out here were transient, they never settled the area, why would they? What's sad is they never got a chance to return, a lot of the people out here are rather remorseful of what happened. Then again what can we do? We were born here, don't have anywhere else to go that we would "belong" in, I mean I am welsh, but I don't belong in Wales as much as the people before me belonged and had the right to settle here, so not much can be done to help make things better.