Goodland – Culture, Art and Nature

Goodland brings together regional history, public art and seasonal recreation. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay here, start by asking what you want to focus on during your trip: culture and history, swimming during the stated season, or time outdoors on the Topside Trail. These themes differ not only in subject matter, but also in their timing.

Regional History at the High Plains Museum

The High Plains Museum was founded in 1959 and is located at 1717 Cherry Avenue in Goodland, Kansas. It preserves more than 8,000 objects representing over 100 years of history in northwest Kansas. This gives the collection a clear regional history focus. The two time references serve different purposes: 1959 is the year the museum was founded; the more than 100 years refers to the history represented by the objects.

Art and Historic Buildings

The “World’s Largest Painting on an Easel” was installed in Pioneer Park in Goodland in the spring of 2001. The Big Easel features a 24 × 32-foot reproduction of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Three Sunflowers in a Vase.” The art theme thus combines a named installation location with a specific subject and dimensions.

The Carnegie Arts Center is located in the historic Goodland Public Library. The library building was constructed in 1913 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in September 1985. The construction year and the register date therefore refer to two different points in time: 1913 is the construction year, while September 1985 is the date it was added to the register.

The Sherman Theatre offers another historical perspective: it opened on August 2, 1926, as a movie and vaudeville theater. Its original use therefore differs from both the art at the Big Easel and the history of the library building.

Plan for Seasonal Swimming

Steever Water Park has two large water slides as well as a smaller slide for toddlers. The seasonal swimming season runs from Memorial Day through the end of August. If swimming is a factor in deciding when to travel, check the specific dates before you leave. This lets you account for the seasonal schedule when planning, without mistaking the slides for a year-round amenity.

The Outdoors and Getting Your Bearings

Along Goodland’s Topside Trail, residents and visitors from across the state of Kansas can enjoy the landscape and the outdoors. This focus on scenery complements the city’s cultural and historical themes. Renner Field/Goodland Municipal Airport lies on the north side of Goodland and provides another geographic reference point for the city.

Choose a Focus for Your Trip

If you’re considering Goodland as a destination for a hotel stay, the swimming season is the clearest time-related factor. For your trip’s focus, regional history, art and the Topside Trail offer different points of interest. Consider whether your trip depends mainly on a seasonal offering or is more about culture and nature.

For the broader travel overview: Sherman County.