Medicine Lodge: Culture, Nature and Hotels

Medicine Lodge is located in south-central Kansas, amid the scenic Gypsum Hills. The city combines a rich treaty history with museums, arts, and outdoor activities. When planning your trip, it helps to distinguish between these themes: historic sites tell the story of the 1867 treaty, while bodies of water and parks offer other activities such as fishing, picnicking, and camping. This lets you tailor your stay around culture, scenery, or outdoor recreation.

Treaty History and Historic Sites

Medicine Lodge is associated with the historic Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867. The treaty was signed by the U.S. government’s Peace Commission and the five Plains tribes: Kiowa, Comanche, Kiowa-Apache, Arapaho, and Cheyenne. The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark. The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Statue commemorates the signing and stands at the intersection of First and Main, near the Wisner Fountain.

The Wisner Fountain was built in the early 1900s as a source of water for people and horses. Today, it stands beside the statue on the grounds of Medicine Lodge Middle School. A historic note about the Grand Hotel also preserves a detail of the city’s history: according to the account, the hotel was built from bricks made in Medicine Lodge.

Museums, Art, and Culture

The Stockade Museum is located in Medicine Lodge on the south side of U.S. Highway 160. Admission to the museum also grants entry to the Carry Nation Home Museum. The Carry Nation Home is next to the Stockade Museum and was designated a National Historic Landmark in May 1976.

The art scene includes the small Sagebrush Gallery of Western Art, which features watercolor works by artist Earl Kuhn. The main floor of Maker Mercantile offers handmade visual art, photography, textiles, ceramics, and jewelry. It also has a working pottery studio, where visitors may be able to watch creative work in progress.

The Heritage Center is located at the corner of U.S. 160 and Isabelle Road. There, the Heritage Players stage musicals and plays several times a year. If you’re planning your trip around a performance, check the current schedule in advance.

Events in the Surrounding Area

The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant, in the area around Medicine Lodge, commemorates the 1867 peace council between the U.S. government and the Indigenous peoples of the Plains. The pageant takes place in a natural amphitheater in Memorial Peace Park, east of Medicine Lodge. Descendants of the original tribal signatories perform in the treaty-signing scene. The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Festival takes place every September; if you’re planning your trip around it, check the specific event dates.

In the surrounding area, the Medicine Lodge Intertribal Powwow gives audiences a glimpse of Indigenous American traditions that date back centuries. Depending on the event, vendor booths offer Indian tacos and fry bread.

Fishing, Camping, and Time Outdoors

Barber State Fishing Lake lies on the northern edge of Medicine Lodge, in northeastern Barber County. Camping, picnicking, and fishing are allowed throughout the area. Two boat ramps provide additional access to the lake; boats may be used there only for fishing. Keep this rule in mind when planning if you’re considering a boat trip.

In the area around Medicine Lodge, the Red Rock Trail in Memorial Peace Park leads to an outcrop of red Flower-pot Shale. The park also offers basic tent campsites among trees and prairie. Within the city, Medicine Lodge City Park has a free campground with drinking water, public restrooms, and picnic tables. Fishing is also available there on Elm Creek.

Another attraction is the Equatorial Sun Dial on the lawn in front of the high school. Visitors can watch the shadow and read the time. Along with fishing on Elm Creek and the amenities at Barber State Fishing Lake, it illustrates how varied a stay can be, combining places in town with outdoor activities.

Discover more destinations: Hardtner, Isabel.

For the broader travel overview: Barber County.