Kansas Day Trip

It's been great to spend some time with my mom and sister this week!  Just the three of us.  Yesterday, we took a day trip to Cottonwood Falls, a small community primarily known as the home of the historic landmark Chase County Courthouse, but also the subject area of New York Times bestseller PrairyErth, a book my brother highly recommends that I read.  The courthouse, built from 1871 to 1873, was constructed with native limestone, some stones weighing from five to seven tons.  It is the oldest courthouse in Kansas and the Midwest still in daily use. 

Built in the French Renaissance Chateau style of the Louis XII period.  The clock is 6 feet tall.

On the spiral staircase.  The bannister was hand-cut from native walnut trees.

A view of the three-story staircase with no center support.

The courtroom - trying to look judicial.  ; )

The old jail is situated directly behind the courtroom.  The ceiling and floor were constructed with two by eight inch oak planks covered in sheet metal.  This door opened to two small austere prisoner cells.  This jail was used until the mid-1970s.