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Baldwin City, Kansas

The Midland Historic Railroad began operation August 8, 1987 with a restored diesel engine, a 1923 Rock Island commuter coach and a 1950 caboose. It has since been expanded to include additional historic railroad equipment, including a railway post office car, additional locomotives, coaches, wooden caboose, a steam engine, and more.

The Midland Railway operates an authentic re-creation of an American local passenger excursion train on a line originally constructed in 1867 running southward from Baldwin City to Norwood, Kansas. Using early 1900s vintage coaches, the train makes an 11-mile round trip to "Nowhere," traveling through scenic Eastern Kansas rolling farmland and woods and across a 200-foot trestle 24 feet above a meandering stream. The Railway is an intrastate, common-carrier railroad, operating to preserve and display transportation history as an educational demonstration railroad.

The Midland tourist season begins Memorial Day weekend and continues through the end of October. http://www.midland-ry.org/midland.html

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Collins Library

Collins Library is the Baker University Library but also houses the Methodist Historical Library and two of the nation's top collections - The Quayle Rare Bible Collection and Rev. Coole's Ancient Chinese Coin Collection.

The library also houses an authentic 18

Baldwin City, KS Historic Libraries

Santa Fe Trail Well

Located three blocks north of Highway 56 on Washington Street in Baldwin (the only Palmyra street to still carry its original name), the Santa Fe Trail Well provided the first fresh water for travelers on the Trail.

Hand dug to 40 feet, it was later deepened to 70

Baldwin City, KS Pioneer Life


Parmenter Hall

Parmenter Hall with its distinguishing tower, is the first building actually built on the Baker University campus and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The cornerstone was laid in June, 1866, but lack of financing delayed completion until 1881

Baldwin City, KS National Register

Women's Bridge

The native stone and brick bridge over Tauy Creek was erected in 1890 at the request of Baldwin's first female mayor, Lucy Sullivan. Mrs. Sullivan, one of the nation's earliest woman mayors, and her all-female council distinguished themselves with community improvements such as this bridge "

Baldwin City, KS Pioneer Life

Things to do near Baldwin City, KS