Serenity in the Flint Hills

I discovered a lovely little nugget in the Flint Hills of Kansas this week... Cottonwood Falls.
It's a serene setting, perfect for quiet reflection and full of treasures waiting to be framed in your lens and captured for future stories.

The Courthouse is perched high upon the hill as if to be the sentenal standing watch down the main street. The Chase County Courthouse is the oldest operating courthouse in Kansas. To the credit of that county and community they show their great pride in the building as you will clearly see upon entering. Aligning the great historic presence with the needs of a modern day functioning courthouse would certainly be a trick, but one they have meshed well.

The beautiful staircase you see in the entrance climbs with an irregular curve and I would imagine a carpenters nightmare. The modern day elevator is nicely accessible but not obvious.

The jail area is uncomfortable as it should be and almost gives you the chills with the thoughts of criminals past. Their hashmarks scratched into the cell gates, bars and walls start the imagination. 

As you meander down the street still paved of brick you can stop in at Jim Bell and Son to don your cowboy gear before walking to the now footbridge, at the end of the street to see the beautiful falls lined with fallen timbers that seem to have been preserved to enhance your viewing pleasure.

As you turn back south you can enjoy a fantastic meal and retire to your room in the Grand Central Hotel. The authenticity of the decor (but not over the top) and the treat for your tastebuds the cuisine provides will round out  your experience.

The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is nearby and could requires a days worth of attention with your camera.