Greensburg: Culture, History and Special Discoveries

Greensburg combines an impressive city history with art, museums and special places for shared discoveries. The Big Well, historic buildings, the Twilight Theatre and public sculptures tell the story of different chapters in the city’s history.

Big Well and the City’s History

The Big Well was completed in 1888. The well is 109 feet deep and 32 feet wide. It opened as an attraction in 1939; at that time, visitors could descend to the bottom of the well. The Big Well also displays the pallasite meteorite Space Wanderer. The Big Well Museum & Visitors Center presents photographs, graphics and objects related to the 2007 tornado.

The Memorial Plaza offers another perspective on this event. The property was donated to the city by the Fleener-Beck family in memory of the 2007 tornado. A gray granite marker there lists the names of ten Greensburg residents who died in the tornado. The Beacon sculpture in Starlight Public Art Park also commemorates the tenth anniversary of the tornado and is illuminated at night. The park includes several sculptures and complements the historical sites with an artistic form of remembrance.

Art, Museums and Historic Buildings

The 5.4.7 Arts Center offers classes, exhibitions and performances. Its program includes workshops with guest artists as well as local classes in watercolor painting, pastel painting and ceramics. The offerings are aimed at all age groups. The building itself is a LEED Platinum building and was the first of its kind in the state of Kansas. For families who enjoy creating art or viewing art together while on vacation, this place can be a focus of the trip in its own right.

The Kiowa County Historical Museum conveys the history of Kiowa County through artifacts, exhibitions and programs. The facility includes the Soda Fountain, which is described as “living history.” The Hunter Drug building was constructed in 1917 and originally housed the Soda Fountain, which is still in operation today. The Kiowa County Historical Museum and Soda Fountain is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is closed on Sundays.

Historic Architecture and Independent Exploration

The Twilight Theatre began as a brick opera house. Its first performance took place on April 16, 1917. The new Twilight Theatre opened in April 2015 as a versatile venue for films, live events and school programs. The Robinett Building also points to Greensburg’s history: it was built as a commercial building in 1915 and was the only building in the city center to survive the tornado. Its sustainable renovation included energy-efficient windows, new insulation, an efficient HVAC system and bamboo flooring.

Greensburg can be explored on a self-guided tour on foot or by bicycle. Maps and free bicycles can be borrowed at the Big Well Museum. This allows you to shape the day around your own interests, for example with historic buildings, works of art or sites commemorating the tornado. The Water Tower Sculpture was created from parts of the city’s former water tower and donated as a memorial to Greensburg.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Trip?

When looking for a holiday apartment in Greensburg, it is worth deciding on the focus of your trip first. Anyone wanting to combine museums, architecture and city history should include the cultural attractions mentioned above in their daily itinerary. For a more active exploration, the self-guided tour with a map or bicycle is a suitable trip component in its own right. Families with different interests can combine a museum visit, art activities and public sculptures at various points throughout the day. The right accommodation serves as a starting point for your personal mix of history, art and shared discovery.

For the higher-level travel overview: Kiowa County.