Independence, KS

The Little House on the Prairie Museum preserves the history of the Ingalls family and the historic site on which they lived from 1869 to 1871. The museum features a replica of the family’s 1870 cabin, located on their cabin’s original site, offering a glimpse into pioneer life at a reconstructed log cabin that was made famous by Laura Ingals Wilder’s books. The Little House on the Prairie historic site also consists of an original turn-of-the-century post office and an authentic 1870’s one-room schoolhouse. The museum is open daily April through August and Wednesday to Sunday during September and October.

2507 County Rd 3000, Independence, KS 67301, Phone: 620-289-4238

The Elk City State Park is a place where rolling meadows meet dense hickory and oak woodlands to create a beautiful park encompassing more than 850 acres by the eastern shore of the Elk City Reservoir. Offering a family-oriented, quiet destination for escape, the state park provides easy access to hiking trails, playgrounds, a campground with a variety of shaded sites, a swimming beach, and boat ramps. The lake area at Elk City State Park offers visitors picturesque views of the limestone bluffs, wooded hills, and open prairie, however, the are is perhaps best known for the diverse trail systems.

4825 Squaw Creek Rd, Independence, KS 67301, Phone: 620-331-6295

Recommended Attractions

Neewollah, which is Halloween spelled backwards, is an annual fall celebration that takes place in the city of Independence, Kansas. Originally started back in 1919 as a way to provide kids with an alternative to the typical Halloween activities, the event has transformed from a one-day Halloween celebration into a 10-day festival. Neewollah began with a day full of parades primarily consisting of decorated carriages and cars. Today, the event is the state’s largest annual celebration and includes three different parades, nightly entertainment, a large carnival, food vendors, a chili cook-off, the queen’s pageant, an arts and craft show, and more.

220 N. Penn, Independence, KS 67301, Phone: 877-633-9655

Magnolia Scents by Design claims it is the best smelling scent shop in the world, artisanally handcrafting natural soaps and candles in the city of Independence, Kansas. The company’s Master Chandlers are expertly trained to create amazingly scented products for customers’ body, bath, and home using the most nourishing, robust, and natural ingredients they can find and incorporating precise recipes and complex techniques. The candle and soap business also aims to be good stewards of the planet and its natural resources. The Magnolia Scents by Design shop is generally open from 9:00am until 7:00pm, Monday through Saturday.

106 N Pennsylvania Ave, Independence, KS 67301, Phone: 620-331-8900