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Strong City
Strong City is located in Chase County in the heart of the Flint Hills on the Scenic Byway, Hwy 177, and originated in 1871 when the Santa Fe Railroad was completed to the point known as Cottonwood Station. In 1881, it was renamed Strong in honor of William Barstow Strong, president of the Santa Fe Railway System. In 1945, "City" was added to the name.
The 1881 Z-Bar Ranch (also known as the Spring Hill Ranch) is located two miles from Strong City one of the nation's newest National Park, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The ranch has 11,000 never-ploughed acres of prairie that form the heart of the prairie park. When Stephens Jones built his home in the early 1880s, it was a crowning achievement in his career as a cattleman. Built with hand-cut native limestone, the 11-room house is characteristic of the Second Empire style of 19th-century architecture. The massive three-story barn is impressive in its own right. Visitors also enjoy seeing the Lower Fox Creek School, a one-room schoolhouse located on a nearby hilltop. A spring on the hillside provided water to the house. Thus the name, the Spring Hill Ranch.
The city itself is famous for its rodeo each summer. The rodeo is one of the first and largest PRCA approved rodeos in the nation. It draws contestants from all over the world.
For more information contact the Chase County Chamber of Commerce, (620)273-8469, (800)431-6344, e-mail chasechamber@sbcglobal.net or visit www.chasecountykansas.org.
Click on the Trip Planner for more listings of attractions, events, shopping, dining and lodging in Strong City or other Kansas communities.
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