A Charming College Town In Kansas Is Beloved For Architecture, Museums, And Nostalgic Eateries
College towns are often vibrant places with youthful energy, downtown areas to explore, fun restaurants and cafés, museums, and notable architecture. Fort Scott, Kansas, is a pocket-sized gem with everything you could hope for in a college town, as it is smaller than the artsy college town of Columbia, deemed the "Athens of Missouri." Fort Scott's charming, 9-block downtown historic district is lined with a mix of well-preserved buildings in a variety of architectural styles, including Beaux-Arts, Queen Anne, and Victorian. Here, you'll find eateries, shops, a historic hotel, and a museum that's part of Fort Scott Community College (FSCC).
In a town of around 7,500 people, FSCC was founded in 1919 and has 1,617 students. While there are other museums in town, the Gordon Parks Museum at FSCC chronicles the work and life of the pioneering African-American photographer, filmmaker, author, and composer born in Fort Scott. Parks is perhaps best known for his photojournalism coverage of the Civil Rights movement for Time, as well as being the first Black director of a major U.S. film ("The Learning Tree," 1969) and also the director of the popular 1971 movie, "Shaft."
About five hours south of Ames, Iowa, the underrated city that's home to Iowa State University, Fort Scott is in the southeastern part of the state. Fort Scott has a municipal airport, but the best hub to fly into is about 95 miles north in Kansas City.
About Fort Scott
Fort Scott is named for an actual fort from America's frontier days, with tours run by the National Park Service. Before Kansas was a state or even a territory, the U.S. Army built a fort and stationed soldiers here from 1842 to 1853 to oversee the relocation of Native Americans from the Eastern U.S. The fort served numerous other purposes over the years and played a role in the contentious struggle between pro- and anti-slavery forces.
You can explore the town itself on a walking, driving, or trolley tour (from March to December). In addition to charming architecture, notice the bricks in the historic buildings and paving many streets in town — they were made in Fort Scott's brick factories, which also supplied the Indianapolis Speedway and the Panama Canal. Get your camera ready to take photos of the town's colorful murals depicting the state animal (bison) and the state flower (sunflower).
If you're looking for inspiration or want to learn about ordinary people who did extraordinary things, stop by the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, which tells the stories of people who have changed society for the better. Peruse Fort Scott's boutiques and galleries, making sure to stop in The Artificers, an artists' collective where you'll find one-of-a-kind paintings, pottery, and sculptures. Anglers will want to leave time to fish for walleye at the 352-acre Fort Scott Lake.
Where to eat and stay at Fort Scott
In a place so connected to its past, it's not surprising that there are restaurants that come with a heavy dose of nostalgia. Be transported to the 1950s at Penny's Diner in the Fort Scott Travelodge. Open 24/7, it serves homemade burgers, banana splits, and breakfast all day and night. Another spot fitting the bill is the Nu Grille Café, which opened in 1946. Burgers and onion rings get praise at this diner-like spot where you can also indulge in a Frito chili pie or try Suzy Q potatoes — better known in other parts of the country as curly fries. If you want to try some famous Midwestern barbeque, order burnt ends or ribs at Brickstreet Barbecue, which smokes all meat in-house.
There are a number of places to stay in Fort Scott under $200 and many under $100. In the Downtown Historic District, the Courtland Hotel and Spa first opened its doors as a hotel in 1906. Preserving architectural details and decorated with antiques, the hotel is nevertheless fully modernized, offering massages, manicures, and haircuts in its spa. In addition to Penny's Diner, the aforementioned Travelodge has an outdoor pool. One block from the Fort Scott Historic Site, the Sleep Inn and Suites includes breakfast and an indoor pool. Extend your trip by visiting one of these best American college towns for a weekend full of fun.