Discover Coats: Find hotels for your trip

Coats combines local history with a distinct cultural focus. In the area around Coats, the Pratt County Historical Museum and the Pratt Education Center offer insights into the history of Pratt County and Kansas wildlife.

The Petrified Wood Rock Garden

At the Petrified Wood Rock Garden, sandstone and petrified wood are arranged into arches, sculptures, and various shapes. Frank Lockert developed the Petrified Wood Rock Garden area in Coats in the 1930s. If you are planning a visit, check current visiting information in advance.

Local history across several years

William A. Coats founded the town in 1887 and gave it his name. The Coats State Bank was established in 1902 with capital of $25,000. A publication from 1903 is titled “Short History of Coats, Kansas, and Cash Talks.” The Coats Courant newspaper began publication in 1905 and ceased in 1925. One year separates the bank’s founding from the publication’s appearance; the newspaper began two years later. These dates can thus be associated with the different topics of founding, banking, publication, and press.

Railroads, transportation, and municipal development

In 1909, Coats was incorporated as a city within the now-dissolved Grant Township. In 1910, Coats had a railroad station on the Wichita & Englewood Division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. The two years are close together but relate to different aspects: municipal incorporation and railroads. Another historical trace of transportation is a livery, feed, and sales stable in Coats that advertised transporting travelers to all parts of the county.

The history of the schools adds another point of reference. In 1968, Coats’ schools were consolidated; afterward, students from the surrounding area attended Skyline USD 438, a public school district west of Pratt. Alongside earlier dates relating to the town’s founding, press, and railroads, this marks another aspect of local history.

Nearby attractions

The Pratt County Historical Museum is located nearby. It preserves the history of Pratt County and the surrounding region in a 24,000-square-foot building. Also nearby, the Pratt Education Center features exhibits about native Kansas birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles. If you are planning a visit, check current operating information in advance.

Coats and the surrounding area when planning your trip

For trip planning, it helps to distinguish between the attractions in Coats itself and those in the surrounding area: the garden and historical sites relate to Coats, while the Pratt County Historical Museum and the Pratt Education Center are nearby and broaden the perspective on Pratt County and Kansas wildlife. This can help you decide which highlights to focus on during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Pratt

For the broader travel overview: Pratt County.