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Category: Amusement & Water Parks

Swimming Beach on Farlington Lake

by Chris Wilson

1 W Lake Rd
Farlington, KS 66734
(620) 362-3671
ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Crawford

An ADA compliant playground overlooks a 170 foot lakefront sandy swimming beach. Within waking distance are bathroom facilities, a shelter house, marina & cafe. The playground was installed in 2006 and consists of numerous swings, three slides, two sets of climbing stuctures, and a playhouse.

Kansas state parks pass is required to access.

Pittsburg Aquatic Center

by Chris Wilson

708 W 9th St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7667

Usually opens the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend and closes prior to the new school year. Dog Swim is scheduled one week after closing to the public on the following Monday.

Diving boards, tube slides, toddler pool, a lazy river, and sand volleyball courts are all available.

The Aquatic Center features a 0 depth entry large pool with two diving boards, and 2 small tube slides. The toddler pool features fountains, a frog slide, playground and grassy play area.

On Bicknell Island you will find the mammoth slide and the flume slide. Around Bicknell Island is the lazy river, which will take you on a relaxing 300′ voyage on a tube.

There are also two sand volleyball courts for that pickup game with all your friends. For your convenience there is a bathhouse, lockers and a concession shack. Throughout the park there are plenty of lounge chairs and grassy areas for tanning and relaxing.

Miners Athletics

by Chris Wilson

306 W 11th St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 875-2791
minersathletics.com

Originally known as Cheer Pitt, Miner’s Athletics is Pittsburg’s premier location for youth athletics since 2009 – sports readiness, cheerleading, tumbling, ninja, birthday parties & more – competitive or just for fun.

Miner’s Athletics isn’t just for competitive tumbling, gymnastics and cheering. Kids can jump, climb, play dodgeball, run the obstacle courses, and more, during scheduled open Daytime Playtimes, Nerf War Nights, or Fun Fridays.

Full size competition floors, two rectangle trampolines, 30+ mats and skill shapes, 30 foot long running trampoline, cargo net, large mirrors for motions, dances, stunts and jump, a climbing rope, and a large parent viewing area.

Lincoln Park

by Chris Wilson

813 Memorial Drive
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-8310

Lincoln Park complex contains an Aquatic Center, two Bocce courts, two lighted half basketball courts, seven horseshoe pits, Don Gutteridge Sports Complex, nine hole disc golf course, fishing, Four Oaks Golf Course, Jaycee Ball Diamond, Kiddieland amusement park, miniature golf, Band Dome, two playgrounds, RV Park, four tennis courts, and three shelter houses. For more information contact Pittsburg Parks and Rec at (620) 231-8310.

Brief History of Lincoln Park

Originally a gathering place for Union veterans of the Civil War to host annual meetings and events. Named for President Abraham Lincoln, those veterans sold the park to the City of Pittsburg in 1906.

Additional acreage was added over the decades; and, a plan for the park was designed in 1908 by renowned Kansas City architect, George E. Kessler, who had designed Hyde Park and the park and boulevard system in Kansas City, and had been the chief architect and designer of the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Kessler laid out Lincoln Park’s roads, trails, playgrounds and locations for various structures including the park auditorium, now Lincoln Center, and the bandstand, now the J.J. Richards Band Dome.

The auditorium was started on Aug 18, 1910 and dedicated the weekend of Aug 13-15, 1911. It had a large porch with columns wrapped around the outside, which were removed during a remodel of the auditorium in the 1970’s.

In 1936 improvements to the park were made, many using Kessler’s designs, including the addition of a Rose Garden, Lily Pond, Greenhouses and off street parking.

In the 1950’s a swimming pool and wading pool were added on the south side of the park. These were removed and replaced with a much larger water park style swimming pool in the late 1990’s.

Kiddie-Land a small amusement park was added in the 1960’s and is still there.

Four Oaks Golf Course was added to the northwest end of the park in the 1970’s.

Kelce Planetarium

by Chris Wilson

1702 S Joplin St
Pittsburg, KS 66762

For information on scheduling a private program, contact Sally Nixon at (620) 235-4391.

The planning of Yates Hall, a Math and Physics building occurred from 1962-1963. The President of the university, Dr. Leonard H. Axe, insisted that the building include a planetarium. There were, however, no funds available to pay for a star projector for the planetarium. In the fall of 1963, Mrs. Gladys Kelce provided funds to pay for the planetarium as a memorial to her husband, L. Russell Kelce. The planetarium opened in July of 1964, and saw 10,000 visitors the first year. Most of these visitors were from schools.

Today, the planetarium still provides programs for schools (elementary, secondary, and university), churches, and other groups, as well as public programs. Schools, churches, groups, etc. can schedule private programs to fit their needs. Each program features a tour of the current night sky and a topical program.

The planetarium has a seating capacity of around 50 individuals and is wheelchair accessible. The projector, a Digitarium Zeta, is capable of projecting stars, constellations, planets, the sun, the moon (and phases), daily motion of the sky, yearly motion of the sky, and motion to view the sky from any latitude on Earth. The planetarium also uses slides and music during shows.

Kansas Crossing Casino

by Chris Wilson

1275 S. Highway 69
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 240-4400
kansascrossingcasino.com

Featuring the newest and hottest slot machines, 16 gaming tables, a 123-room Hampton Inn and Suites®, restaurant, and an entertainment complex, Kansas Crossing has everything you need and want. Just a short trip from Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, located at the junction of U.S. Highways 69 and 400 in Southeast Kansas outside of Pittsburg.

Hepler Public Library

by Chris Wilson

105 N Prairie Ave
Hepler, KS 66746
620-368-4379

Located on the site of the old Hepler Rural High School, the Hepler Community Center features two meeting rooms with a capacity of 20 in the smaller meeting room and a capacity of 120 in the larger meeting room. The center features a kitchen, tables and chairs, high-speed wireless internet and is ADA accessible.

Girard Public Library

by Chris Wilson

128 W Prairie Ave
Girard, KS 66743
(620) 724-4317
girardpubliclibrary.net

Listed on the National Historic Register as a Carnegie library. The library was established in 1899, and the current Carnegie library building was built in 1906. With a population of 2,500 at the time, it’s believed Girard was the smallest city in the world to have a Carnegie Library at the time.

This is a full service library with Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, and a genealogy/history department.

The library features 2,500 square feet of meeting space and a capacity of 125 people. The library has three separate meeting rooms, two of which can be combined for a larger meeting room. The library has a kitchen, tables and chairs, limited audio-visual equipment, free high-speed wireless internet and is ADA accessible.