Oswego, Kansas

 

 

click photo to enlarge		 While visiting southeast Kansas, we based ourselves in Oswego. One of our first stops was Big Brutus, the world’s largest electric shovel. In the photo of Big Brutus, I circled Karen in yellow to give some perspective on its massive size. This region has a rich history of coal mining, which played a major role in shaping the area.

Karen had read all the Little House on the Prairie books as a child, so visiting the Little House on the Prairie Museum—located on the site of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s childhood home—was especially meaningful for her. I enjoyed sitting on the porch and watching the prairie grasses blowing in the breeze.


click photo to enlarge		 We also visited the Dalton Defenders Museum in Coffeyville, where we learned about the Dalton Gang and the day local townspeople took up arms to stop their attempted robbery of two banks.

From there, we made our way to Baxter Springs along historic Route 66. While there, we saw the tow truck that inspired Tow Mater from Disney’s Cars movies. The bridge is Rainbow Bridge in Baxter Springs.

click photo to enlarge