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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

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


Baldwin, Historical Marker

Here, and for the next 300 miles west, Highway 56 roughly follows the old Santa Fe Trail, and frequently crosses it. White settlement began in this area in 1854, the year Kansas became a territory, and in 1855

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

Grove and West Parks

Grove Park, Fremont and Third, and West Park, 11th and High, are tree-shaded city-owned parks equipped with children's playground areas with swings, slides, and other equipment.

Baldwin City, KS Parks

Things to do near Baldwin City, KS