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Southwest Quadrant
Travel Guide:
Printable Map
of Southwest Quadrant
Printable Legend
of Southwest Quadrant
Blue Rapids
Printable Map & Legend
Waterville Printable
Map & Legend
Oregon Trail crossings,
Czech cemeteries, a round town square, the Central Branch
Railroad.
1. Oregon Trail crossing. Wagon and oxen silhouettes show
the route of the Oregon Trail. West of Highway 77 between
Quiver and Quail Roads.
2. Georgia-Pacific gypsum mine and mill. High-quality gypsum
rock, used for wallboard, plaster and many other products,
has been mined in the Blue Rapids area continuously since
the 1870’s. Drive-by only. Highway 77 at Tumbleweed Road.
3. Prospect Hill Cemetery, overlooking the meeting of the
Big and Little Blue Rivers. Burial sites of 48 known Civil
War veterans, city fathers of Blue Rapids and others. On 8th
Road between Tumbleweed and East River Road.
 4.
Alcove Spring. National Register of Historic Places. Has
been called the most significant historic site on the Oregon
Trail in Kansas. Described by members of the Donner party in
1846, this area is now owned by the Alcove Spring Historical
Trust. Self-guided walking tour. From Highway 77 go west on
Tumbleweed Road following signs for about 6 miles.
5. Schroyer. Ghost town, founded 1886. Nothing is left now
except the road sign. From Alcove Spring go north about .7
mile.
6. Drennan-Stump round barn (1911). Private property but
visible from Highway 9 east of 11th Road.
7. Ornate cement bridge at dead-end on 11th Road south of
Highway 9. (NOTE: 11th Road is not passable when wet).
8. Capital Bluff. After crossing the bridge on Highway 77
east of Blue Rapids, look to the southern horizon for the
highest point in this quadrant of the county (1,250 feet).
9. Blue Rapids ‘Round Town Square.’
The only round town square in Kansas, once featured in
Ripley’s “Believe It or Not.”
Library (1874), the oldest library in continuous use in the
same location west of the Mississippi. On National Register
of Historic Places. Northeast corner of the square.
785-363-7709.
Holm log cabin (ca. 1876). Built by a Swedish family,
typical of log cabins used by early settlers. Moved to the
southwest corner of the square in 1996.
1906 jail cells. In center of square.
War memorial (WWI, WWII, Korea and Viet Nam). In center of
square.
Murals on several business buildings are by local artist
Kenny Winkenwader.
10. Fairgrounds and Riverside Park. County Fair held here
since 1916. Octagonal “Floral Hall.” Silhouettes near the
highway at the west end of the fairgrounds commemorate a
1913 Chicago White Sox/New York Giants ball game played
here. Highway 77 between Park and Gypsum Streets.
11. Lower crossing on the Big Blue River. Believed to be an
alternate crossing of the river used by Oregon Trail
emigrants in later years. An interpretive exhibit explains
how emigrants coped with steep river and creek embankments.
From Highway 77, turn north on 7th Road at Fawn Creek School
marker. Go about 2.9 miles. Park and walk through a small
metal gate on your right and across the field to the
exhibit. Private property. Please respect it so that others
may also enjoy this site.
12. Marshall County Railroad Historical Society display
including MoPac caboose, touring cars and old depot. On 11th
Street near co-op elevator.
To reach the site of Irving, from the Blue Rapids depot go
about 1 block, take the right fork and continue on the
gravel road to the southeast for 3.5 miles. When the road
divides take the curve to the left and continue east 1 mile
to the Irving town marker.
13. Irving, a ghost town. Founded 1859, struck by two
tornados on the same day in 1879. The town was leveled in
1960 to make way for the reservoir of the Tuttle Creek Dam
located 40 miles south. The town site has rarely been under
water. Leave a message in the mailbox notebook if you like.
Marker and mailbox are at Zenith and 12th Roads.
14. Greenwood Cemetery. Graves from the cemeteries at Irving
were moved here in 1959. On 8th Road at Yonder Road.
15. Borck barn, part of True/Borck family homestead (1870),
called Hedge Lawn Farms. Private property. On 8th Road south
of Greenwood Cemetery.
16. Site of Czech Presbyterian Church (1893-1973). Northwest
corner of 8th Road and Cyclone Lane.
17. St. Wenceslas Catholic Cemetery, founded in the 1850's. Many
tombstone inscriptions in Czech. East on Parallel Road from
8th Road about ½ mile.
18. Czech Moravian Cemetery (1890), founded by Czech
settlers. Many tombstone inscriptions in Czech. Turn
southwest off 8th Road onto Toburen and Swede Creek Road. Go
southwest to cemetery.
19. Beautiful stone arched bridge over Swede Creek. Go back
to Cyclone Lane, west to 5th Road, then 1.8 miles south.
20. Swedish Lutheran Gloria Dei Cemetery and site of church
(1887-1950). East ¼ mile from Highway 77 on Bobcat Lane.
21. Harbaugh School (1879). Former students meet here every
fall for a celebration. Just north is the Harbaugh-Greenwood
Cemetery. At Zenith and 3rd Roads, 1 mile west of Highway
77.
Waterville Local contact: Fancy T’s & More, for free tours,
785-363-2515
22. Weaver Hotel (1905). National Register of Historic
Places. The outside has been restored and renovation is
proceeding on the interior. The building will be used for a
bed and breakfast and tourism center.
23. Opera House (1903). Recently restored and used often for
community gatherings and performances.
24. Depot Museum. The depot is now a museum of Waterville
memorabilia and railroad collections.
25. Caboose Museum. This 1925 wooden caboose has been
renovated into a railroad museum.
26. Ride on the Central Branch Railroad, one of Kansas’
oldest tracks. Contact: Ann Walter, 785-363-2343, Annlwalter@bluevalley.net
27. “Banker’s Row.” 200 block East Hazelwood. Three
beautiful Victorian homes built by early-day bankers. Drive
by only.
28. Samuel Powell house. Queen Anne style, restored in
1990’s. National Register of Historic Places. Local contact:
Ward Alan Minge, 785-363-2498.
Waterville has many other fine Victorian homes which
can be viewed on a driving tour around town.
 29. Game Fork School. Rural school, closed in 1952 and later
moved to northwest corner of the Waterville City Park. Now a
designated Scouthouse headquarters. Local schoolchildren
recreate activities of a one-room school here one day a
year.
30. Keefover/Mount Pleasant School and cemetery. In 1893 a
woman who had died after the birth of her eighth child was
buried here where her older children attended school. The
grave is in the northwest part of the schoolyard and is
marked by rocks. Private property. On Sunflower Road ½ mile
west of 2nd Road.
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