1 Best Sight in Council Grove, Kansas

Kaw Mission State Historic Site

In 1851 Methodist Episcopal missionaries built a school for Kaw children, now known as the Kaw Mission State Historic Site. You can learn about the converging of the two cultures through exhibits featuring leather handicrafts, beadwork, textiles, weapons, and furniture, which also showcase the heritage of the Kaw Indians, the Santa Fe Trail, and early Council Grove. Its oak floors, rosewood features, porches, and light fixtures—added during a 1926 remodel—are in immaculate condition. An eight-minute video, "The Original Kansans," is a great prelude to the self-guided tour.