Civil War Theme Day Tour
This tour begins at the Heritage Center and Museum, 8th and East Avenue, Baxter Springs, Kansas for a brief presentation about the Civil War activity in this area. A qualified guide is available for a guided tour at the museum. Baxter Springs was the site of much conflict in the years leading up to the Civil War, with both Indian and Black troops encamped here and moving from this place for various incursions against enemy forces. A frontier fort, called Ft. Blair, was attacked in October of 1863 by the renegade Confederate forces of William Quantrill. The same day, Quantrill attacked a military wagon train approaching Ft. Blair from the north (Ft. Scott). The resulting attack was a massacre of nearly all of the men in the wagon train. Those victims are all interred in the National Cemetery Plot west of town. Beginning at Kiwanis Park east of the city on Spring River, there is a driving tour, with interpretive signage at 12 stops at significant Civil War sites within the city. This includes a stop at Ft. Blair, two blocks north of the museum and the National Cemetery Plot west of town.
For bus tours, an on-board tour guide is available upon request. For further information or to schedule a tour, call the Baxter Springs Heritage Center at 620-856-2385
Historic Baxter Springs Tour
This tour begins at the Heritage Center and Museum, 8th and East Avenue for an overview of exhibits related to the various historic periods in Baxter Springs history—The Civil War attack on Ft. Blair and the Baxter Massacre, The Cowtown Period, which earned Baxter Springs the reputation of being the roughest town on the frontier in the late 1860's. The turn-of-the-century period when Baxter Springs was a nationally advertised site of the mineral springs for which the town was named and which were reputed to have great curative powers, and the mining period when Baxter Springs was the hub of the largest lead and zinc mining operation in the world. The museum exhibits are interpretive in nature. A qualified guide is available upon request. Following a visit to the Heritage Center, the tour involves either a walking or a driving tour to historic sites within a ¼ mile radius of the city center.
This tour includes historic business buildings, historic homes, and may be expanded to include a driving tour of 12 Civil War sites. For further information, or to schedule a tour, call the Heritage Center at 620856-2385
Historic Route 66
This tour originates at the Phillips 66 Tourist Information Center located at 10th and Military. The restored service station is on the National Register of Historic Places. Included is a visit to the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum at 8th and East Avenue where an interpretive exhibit about Route 66 may be seen. The famous route covers 13 miles in southeast Kansas, passing through Galena, Riverton and Baxter Springs. The famous route the main street of both Baxter Springs and Galena.
From the museum, the tour goes north of town to the famous Marsh Rainbow Bridge, the only bridge of this type still found on the original road. The Eisler Brothers store is located in Riverton.
In Galena, a stop at the Pappy Litch Route 66 park, and the Route 66 Kan-O-Tex restored service station and cafe where the tow truck which was the inspiration for the character Towmater in the Cars” movie may be seen. This tour concludes with a possible lunch or dinner stop at Cafe on the Route, famous for having been featured on the Cooking Channel. In Galena, the Four
Women on the Route, serves sandwiches and sides. For lighter fare, Angels on the Route in downtown Baxter Springs features sandwiches, soups and custard desserts. An on-board tour guide is available upon request.
To schedule a tour or get more information, contact the Route 66 Visitor's Center at 620-856-2066 of the Heritage Center and Museum at 620-8556-2385
The Baseball Tour
This tour originated at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum at 8th and East Avenue where an interpretive exhibit featuring the interesting history of Baxter Springs baseball may be seen. The Whiz Kids team, active throughout the late 1940's and early 1950's is legendary. Mickey Mantle played for the Whiz Kids and signed his first major contract in Kiwanis Park after a game. Artifacts related to Mantle's career are on view. The Baxter Springs Little League program and stadium' and field is considered to be one of the best in the nation and has turned out an incredible number of state championship teams. Following the visit to the museum, this tour includes a visit to the Little League complex, a brief tour of the Little League museum, and a tour of the Field of Dreams Baseball complex north of the city. A qualified tour guide is available at each site.
To schedule a guided tour or to get more information, call the Heritage Center at 620-856-2385
The Baxter Springs-Galena Tour
This tour combines any combination of the other tours listed but also includes a visit to the Southeast Kansas Nature Center in Galena. Located on scenic Shoal Creek, the Center is a must-see site. The area around the Center is home to some rare and endangered species of aquatic life and fauna and flora.
Guided tours are available upon request. A stop at the Galena Mining Museum is another option.
For further information, call the Heritage Center at 620-856-2385
Bad Guys and Criminals Tournament
This tour originates at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum and offers something a bit different. Baxter Springs has been the site of many bank robberies and crimes committed by famous and some not-so-famous criminals. These include Bonnie and Clyde, Wilbur Underhill,, The Daltons, William Quantrill Raiders, the Younger Brother, the James Brothers, the Miser Brothers. Even Pretty Boy Floyd made friendly visits here from time to time before he met his demise. Numerous cattle and horse thieves met their fate at the end of a rope hanging from the old hanging tree at 7th and East Avenue. A guided tour is available to take a look at these sites and hear the amusing and not so amusing stories of Crime and Justice in a Frontier Kansas town. For further information call the Heritage Center, 620-856-2385
October Nights-Ghost Tour
This tour originates at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum
This tour must be done after dark, and may be taken as a bus tour, with an on-board guide, or it may be a walking tour for the more hale and hardy people. Baxter Springs is reputed to have many homes and business sites that are believed to be haunted. We make no claims, but tell the stories like we heard them. Small groups may prefer vans for transportation. We have two convincing story tellers to share these tales with your group. Following the tour, groups have the option of coming to the Heritage Center for a dessert and cider conclusion. Price is $8.00 per person.
For further information call the Heritage Center at 620-856-2385 or 620-856-4030
Victorian Tea Party
This tour begins at the Heritage Center with a tour of exhibits related to the Victorian era. An option for this tour is a program of 40 minutes in length on Ladies Hats through the Years. From the Heritage Center, the tour moves to one of our local Historic Homes for an authentic Victorian tea party with a light repast of tea sandwiches, fruit, and tea. The cost for the tea party is $5.00 per person. For further information, call the Heritage Center, 620-856-2385 or 620-856-4030.
