Marysville is in northeastern Kansas, positioned attractively along the Big Blue River valley. To help get your bearings, it's only fifteen minutes away from the Nebraska border, and the closest large city is Manhattan. We came here in June of 2000, working our way home to Minnesota from the Cimarron National Grassland. This was part of our wonderful Santa Fe Trail expedition of that year. Besides the Cimarron, we also visited Comanche National Grassland, and picked up bits and bobs of the Pony Express Trail and Oregon Trail as well.

I really liked Marysville. All of the people we met were very friendly, and there's a wonderful "small town" feel about the place. We were able to avoid seeing ghastly Wal-Marts, soulless strip malls and impersonal shopping centers; instead we found an honest-to-goodness "downtown" with clearly delimited shops and services. The entire burg was tidy and beautiful, with an old-fashioned landscaped city park near the center. Last but not least, when we rolled in we found easy accommodations at a splendid motel managed by very nice people, the Best Western Surf. We'll be back soon!

The Only Home Station in its Original Spot

We put Marysville on the itinerary way back in the winter when originally planning the trip. What caught our attention was Pony Express Home Station #1. (Also, Marysville made a nice overnight stop along the way, helping us to successfully avoid abominations like Manhattan, St. Joseph or Omaha — I mean, come on, this is supposed to be relaxation time, not a visit to an asphalt jungle!)

In 1860 the western limit of the telegraph and railroad was St. Joseph, Missouri. From there, the short-lived Pony Express took over. Following the well established Oregon and California Trails, the riders would exchange horses every 10 miles or so at rustic relay stations. And at home stations, spread out about three times as far as that, the riders themselves would swap off duties and get some well needed rest.

Home Station #1, the very first on the Pony Express Trail, was and is located in downtown Marysville. Construction began on it a year earlier (1859) and it was completed in the nick of time for the very first run in April of 1860. Built of stone with wooden shingles, it is a substantial affair. Inside were rustic accommodations, a blacksmith workshop and other amenities.

What makes this particularly interesting is that it is the only home station along the entire trail that stands exactly where it was originally built. (Others have either been moved, or worse, have disintegrated with age).

Today it houses an excellent museum. Included among the artifacts are Pony Express things, of course. But I was especially enchanted with the many "oddball" collections so typical of county museums— things like rock and fossil collections, tools and implements from the early 1900s, and just in general doodads that document how everyday life was lived a hundred years ago. These are the things that most big museums forget to show, or perhaps don't have space to show.

We spent an enjoyable morning here wandering among the many exhibits. And there's the usual bookstore and gift shop which always drains my wallet mercilessly. I picked up a couple neat mementos including the centennial collector's item bow-tie which I showed you on the Pony Express main page and the wooden nickel displayed to the left here.

I should mention that we left our car by the city park and explored Home Station #1 and the rest of Marysville on foot for the remainder of the day. It's that kind of town — if you're looking for some real relaxation on a vacation, come here and see everything by hoofing it.

Planning a Trip to Marysville

There are many other interesting places to explore in Marysville, for this really is a tourist's extravaganza. Before setting out to explore further, we took a quick detour downtown to grab a quick lunch. We found an excellent old-fashioned eatery several blocks away, the Wagon Wheel Cafe. I will say, on oath, that I ate here the best chicken fried steak I've ever had!

We didn't come into Marysville blind, I want you to know. As per our usual attack, my compatriot and I started planning this trip some five or six months earlier. I've always felt that the best way to maximize a vacation is by spending a little time (when the snow is still flying) gathering info. For one thing, this helps you find historic sites, museums or parks that a casual visitor might miss. And then, of course, a measly two-week trip is multiplied into months thanks to the anticipation brought on by cold weather planning.

Last, but not least, by writing ahead for informative material you have the makings of wonderful scrapbooks. When my knees or back are completely shot and I can no longer prosecute a trip to the West, I rest easy knowing I have some of the coolest photo albums and scrapbooks around; I'd like to think I'll have a more bearable dotage being able to page through the memories in these. And that brings to mind an important maxim of mine:

Go everywhere and see everything you can while you're still mobile and healthy, and while America is still relatively sane. This might not be possible when you're "officially" retired.

As I was saying, we planned ahead for this trip by writing away for helpful maps, guides and brochures. The Marysville Chamber of Commerce was especially generous, sending me a wealth of useful info. See the photo to the left.

Let me remind you once again, that this is a non-commercial Web site. When I display items, like those pictured above, I'm not trying to jazz things up or take credit for someone else's handiwork. I simply like showing you keepsakes from my own collection. But I do want to make sure you know who deserves the credit for them. So click the [footnote] to get the full publishing details of each brochure displayed.

Exploring Historic Marysville

So what else can one do in Marysville? Well, for starters check out the excellent city park, only a block or two from Pony Express Home Station #1. I remember this as completely shaded by gigantic, ancient trees. This truly is reminiscent of the parks of my boyhood, before Dutch Elm disease slashed open the skylight in my hometown of Ames, Iowa. By the way, the city provides camping facilities here, and I noticed quite a few people taking advantage of it.

As you walk around the grounds, you might observe some jet black squirrels. Marysville likes to call itself the "Black Squirrel City," and apparently they've had a resident colony of these for over 80 years. They've become such an important mascot, that there's a city ordinance making it illegal to harm or molest them in any way. Hmmm...given all the trouble I've had with chewed up bird feeders on my own turf, I can see I wouldn't fit in here. Truthfully, though, I find the black members of this species far more attractive and interesting than the gray "rats with bushy tails" that infest my yard.

Adjoining the park are a couple neat attractions. First, there's an old Union Pacific steam locomotive on display. This was retired in the early 50's when trains finally switched over to diesel. It really is a wonderful item to behold, and takes you back to the days of Casey Jones, his face covered in coal dust and soot. Incidentally, this town has had a long connection with railroading. Nearby is a sod hut and an old one room schoolhouse, again giving you the opportunity to reflect on how life might have been a hundred years ago. Maybe I sound like a sentimentalist, but I had a great time wandering around here. These were all sights very different from my workaday world and so they really helped me unwind from yet another frustrating year of college administrators and bureaucratic red tape.

Wandering downtown again, we passed the historic Koester House, a veritable mansion. This was built back when landscaping was an art; the hideous notion of river rock surrounded by black plastic edging hadn't yet been invented. (It never fails to amaze me that someone would actually want their yard to look like a McDonald's parking lot). Anyway, this classic home, on the National Register of Historic Places, is now a museum.

Still working our way to the town center, we explored the high street, checking out the various quaint shops. Like I mentioned earlier, Marysville has a distinct character not found in many towns nowadays. We eventually arrived at the Chamber of Commerce and spent some time there saying "hi" and picking up more souvenirs.

Marysville is also home to the beautiful bronze Pony Express sculpture that I featured on the main page. And just across the road from this a ways is the Historic Trails Park and its rope ferry. This is a replica of the original rope/pulley affair that was used by pioneers to ferry their belongings across the Big Blue River until 1864 when a bridge was finally built.

We really did have a fantastic time in this interesting part of rural America, I can heartily recommend it as a relaxing vacation stop. Before turning you loose on the links below (which will give more information on some of the things I've mentioned) let me hasten to add that there are a number of other important historic sites in this neighborhood. Only ten miles south of here is the lovely Alcove Spring (of Donner Party fame) on the Oregon Trail. And only 15 miles northeast, or so, is the wonderful Hollenberg Station on the Pony Express Trail, a State of Kansas Historic Site. And then if you continue in this direction, like we did back in 2000, you'll cross the border to Nebraska and find the Rock Creek Station. All in all, there's a ton to explore in this neck of the woods!

• Federal
  • National Register of Historic Places
  
  
• State
  • Kansas State Historical Society
  • State of Kansas Travel and Tourism
  • State of Minnesota Office of Tourism
  • State of Nebraska Travel and Tourism
  
  
• Municipal
  • City of Ames, Iowa
  • City of Manhattan, Kansas
  • City of Omaha, Nebraska
  • City of St. Joseph, Missouri
  
  
• Other Interesting Sites
  • Best Western Surf Motel
  • Big Blue River Valley
  • History of the Union Pacific Railroad
  • Koester House Museum
  • Rope Powered Ferry
  • Wagon Wheel Cafe