Discover Fort Scott

Fort Scott brings together historic sites, art offerings, and outdoor recreation. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether you are particularly interested in history, a specific museum, or outdoor activities. The destinations vary considerably: options include touring historic rooms, taking a short walk through the prairie, mountain biking trails, and art-related activities. With a focus in mind, you can then look for hotels for your stay.

History in Buildings and at Historic Sites

Fort Scott National Historic Site offers tours of 33 historically furnished rooms in the site’s historic buildings. The site also includes five acres of restored tallgrass prairie and a short trail through part of it. This destination thus brings together historic buildings and a landscape area with a walking trail.

Fort Scott National Cemetery represents a different aspect of history: it was designated on November 15, 1862, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. The two dates refer to different events—the cemetery’s designation and its later addition to the register. The Liberty Theatre also has a clearly dated history: it originally opened as a single-screen movie theater on July 1, 1919, and featured two hand-painted murals.

Museums, Art, and Architecture

At the Gordon Parks Museum, you can learn about the history of a donation: after Gordon Parks attended the first Gordon Parks Celebration in 2004, he gave 30 of his photographs to the Gordon Parks Center. The museum holds annual programs, including The Learning Tree Celebration, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities, and the Gordon Parks Celebration. If a particular event is important to your trip, check the date in advance.

The Artificers is located in a historic 1890 Queen Anne house in downtown Fort Scott. The house contains a gallery, a teaching studio, and a studio for resident artists. Art classes and workshops are offered for children and adults. Another example of the city’s architecture is the Milrose Block, considered a representative example of early 20th-century commercial architecture in Fort Scott. The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes is headquartered in Fort Scott; its exhibition offers visitors a learning experience about unsung heroes of history.

Prairie, Trails, and Outdoor Activities

Those looking to spend time outdoors will find activities and options of different scales. The short trail through part of the five acres of restored tallgrass prairie at Fort Scott National Historic Site is quite different from the approximately 6.5 miles of singletrack mountain bike trails through the woods and along the Marmaton River in Gunn Park. The park also has two lakes suitable for fishing and a nine-hole disc golf course established in 1999.

Lake Fort Scott is near Fort Scott. The 352-acre lake is set in a wooded, rural area with diverse wildlife. Public boat ramps serve anglers and water skiers; use and restrictions at public facilities may change, so it is worth checking current conditions before visiting. The Lavender Patch is a lavender agritourism business surrounded by wildflowers and prairie. Visitors can walk through the fields and pick lavender themselves.

Tours, Market, and Current Programs

Fort Scott Trolley Tours offers a 50-minute narrated tour of Fort Scott. If you plan to take the tour, check the schedule in advance, as operations and times may change. Fort Cinema shows current Hollywood movies; its program changes regularly. The offerings at the Farmers’ Market in Fort Scott may also vary by date. It features homegrown and freshly picked fruit, vegetables, and herbs, as well as baked goods and some handcrafted products. These time-sensitive offerings are best taken into account if they are relevant to your travel dates.

For the broader travel overview: Kansas.