Land of Liberty Explorers

Lucas, Kansas Overview

Lucas is located about 20 miles north of Interstate 70 at the intersection of Kansas Highway 232 and Kansas Highway 18 – northwest of Wilson Lake. From I-70, K-232 skirts Wilson Lake on its way to Lucas. This section of highway is known as “Post Rock Scenic Byway.” Early ranchers quarried local limestone to make fence posts due to the lack of trees in the area. Today, the yellow limestone posts are a symbol of the region. Lucas is about 210 miles west of Kansas City, and 115 miles northwest of Wichita making it is nice place to stop on a road trip to Colorado or just a fun weekend getaway. In 1996, Governor Bill Graves named Lucas the”Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas” because of its unique history of local folk art.

Garden of Eden

In 1905, Populist sculptor Samuel Dinsmoor started Lucas’ grassroots arts tradition when he began building his limestone “log” cabin and crafting his Garden of Eden in the yard around the cabin. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden depicts the Biblical story of Adam and Eve through a Populist political lens. Today, the Garden of Eden offers guided and self-guided tours, and even a special ghost tour in October. Lucas’ annual town festival takes its name from the Garden of Eden. Visit during the last weekend of August, to take part in the Adam’s Apple Festival!

Miller’s Park

During the 1920s, Roy and Clara Miller created a popular road side attraction along K-18 from rocks they collected on their own travels. Miller’s Park consists of miniature houses and stone towers. In addition to their little stone village, the Millers built cabins, a playground, and other amenities for people traveling along K-18. In 1969, the Miller’s property was sold and the miniature stone village was moved to a roadside attraction in Hays. More recently, the Kohler Foundation facilitated the miniature village’s return to Lucas, and now Roy and Clara’s work sits next door to Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden.

Bowl Plaza

Lucas’ newest large scale grassroots installation is Bowl Plaza – a public restroom that won international awards for bathroom design. The outside of the building is shaped like a giant toilet and mosaics decorate the exterior and interior walls. The sidewalk even represents a roll toilet paper. Visitors can complete a scavenger hunt around Bowl Plaza – there are many items in the mosaics that aren’t to be missed!

Even More Grassroots Art to Check Out

In addition to these popular sites, Lucas features the Grassroots Art Museum, where grassroots folk art by area artists is permanently displayed.

The World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things – a collection of tiny version’s of the world’s largest things – like Lucas’s own world’s largest souvenir travel plate created by artist Erika Nelson. Check out the giant plate as you enter town from K-18. Cross the World’s Largest Czech Egg off your list with a visit to nearby Wilson, Kansas.

The Deeble Sculpture Garden was created by Florence Deeble. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden inspired Florence Deeble to create a rock garden of “postcard scenes.”

This crazy lizard/frog man stands in Folk Art Park adjacent to Bowl Plaza.

Brant’s Market

Lucas is also home to Brant’s Market. Named one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Commerce, Brant’s is one of the oldest meat markets in the United States. It opened in 1922. Brant’s is famous for its rings of bologna and smoked sausage. The freshly made jalapeño cheddar bratwursts are hard to beat!