Morris County: Culture, Nature and History

If you’re looking for a hotel in Morris County, first decide what you want your trip to focus on: historic sites, nature trails, or activities on the water. Historic sites in Council Grove, trails at Council Grove Lake, and nature in the area around Morris County offer different reasons to plan a trip. When choosing a hotel, it helps to consider these interests separately at first.

History and Architecture in Council Grove

At the base of the Post Office Oak, travelers on the Santa Fe Trail left messages about trail conditions between 1825 and 1847. The tree died in 1990, but its stump remains. The Council Oak is a different tree from the Post Office Oak; its stump is protected by a shelter east of the bridge over the Neosho River. The names refer to different historical landmarks in the town’s history.

Council Grove’s historic downtown district is a National Historic Landmark. Its commercial buildings include structures in the Italianate and Romanesque styles, as well as simple commercial architecture from the 1920s. The buildings document commercial development from the early days as a supply stop on the Santa Fe Trail through World War II. The Last Chance Store adds another point in time: built in 1857, it is the oldest surviving commercial building in town.

Individual houses also tell the story of Council Grove’s role on the route west. Until at least 1863, the Rawlinson-Terwilliger Home was the last house travelers and freighters passed as they left town heading west; coming from the opposite direction, it was the first house they saw. The Kaw Mission was completed in 1851 as a manual training school for Kanza boys on the Santa Fe Trail. These sites highlight different aspects of the area: trail history, town development, and education.

Museums and Cultural Sites

The stone house next to the Post Office Oak was built in 1864 and is now a museum operated by the Morris County Historical Society. At the Post Office Oak Museum, you can see medical equipment, school furniture, cameras, railroad memorabilia, and wood carvings. For planning purposes, a typical visit probably takes 30 minutes or less.

The Trail Days Arts & History Center occupies a former grocery store dating from 1947. It hosts cultural, historical, and arts education presentations about the Flint Hills. The Trail Days Historic Sites also include a restored 1902 Field School House, where children and adults can learn about one-room schools. If you’re interested in art alongside regional history, Kanvas has a black-box theater, a lounge, studio spaces, and a gallery.

Trails, Prairie, and Activities on the Water

Council Grove Lake is in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, where the predominant ecosystem is tallgrass prairie. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is in the area around Morris County, about 16 miles south of Council Grove Lake; there are additional hiking trails there. Also in the area around Morris County, a walking trail in Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park passes stabilized ruins.

More than 3,000 acres of water surface at Council Grove Lake are available for motorboating, water skiing, tubing, personal watercraft, and sailing. Eight single-lane boat ramps are located at the campgrounds operated by the Corps of Engineers; two more single-lane ramps are maintained by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The lake’s only designated swimming area is at Richey Cove Campground. If you plan to swim there, check current conditions before your visit. The lake is also known for fishing for Channel Catfish and Crappie.

For a nature walk, the 1.25-mile Pioneer Nature Trail is a specific option: you can observe wildflowers, butterflies, birds, mammals, and reptiles there. The Neosho Riverwalk is different: it is a paved, scenic walking and biking trail along both riverbanks around the Santa Fe Trail’s best-documented river crossing. Flint Hills Trail State Park is open to non-motorized use, including hiking, biking, and horseback riding; no permits are required.

Art and Event Dates

In Council Grove, Washunga Days brings together past and present aspects of local culture in an annual festival, with activities and entertainment for all ages. Second Saturdays takes place year-round on the second Saturday of each month. The main difference between the two events is their frequency: an annual festival versus a monthly event day. If an event is important to your travel plans, check the specific dates in advance.

Then check the location and amenities of a specific hotel offer using the information provided by the hotel.

Discover more destinations: Council Grove, Norton County, Allen, Lane County, Geary County, Clark County, Stanton County, Kiowa County

For the main travel overview: Kansas.