Cowley
County's Stone Bridge Tour
Cowley
County's Stone Bridge Tour
Location: Cowley County is located on the Oklahoma border in south central Kansas.
Nearest Cities: Winfield, Arkansas City, Floral
Contact: Tours are by appointment only. Two regular tours are conducted each year; one in the Spring and one in Autumn. For more information Email-- gackstatter@cowley.cc.ks.us
Admission: Yes. Proceeds help the Denton Art Center, Cowley County Community College.
All photos, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright H. Schuster. Please do not use without permission.
California
has its sandy beaches, Colorado has its mountains, New York has
its skyscrapers, and Kansas...... Kansas has her beautiful stone bridges.
Located on quiet country lanes, and just waiting to be discovered and
appreciated.
Gary Gackstatter (photo at left), music instructor at Cowley County Community College, discovered these slumbering stone giants in his backyard by accident, you might say. Several years ago, Gary and his son were broadsided at an intersection in Wichita. While recovering from the accident, the pair began driving the peaceful back roads of Cowley County. Besides the healing quiet, one after another they also discovered the beautiful and graceful stone bridges there. Cowley County is blessed with the largest concentration of stone bridges remaining in Kansas. Eventually the idea was born to take other folks on tours of the county's stone bridges as a benefit for the Denton Art Center at the college. Word has spread of this unique experience, and the tours have become an annual event. Visitors from as far away as Australia have taken the stone bridge tour.
The Flatlander has been to the four corners of this state. There are many, many things you should see in Kansas, the stone bridges of Cowley County you must see.
To continue your virtual tour of Cowley County's bridges, follow these links:
The Stone Bridges of Cowley County....
A Bridge Builder, Walter Sharp...