Since the Permian Wellington Formation was first tapped into in 1887, the salt industry in Hutchinson, or “Salt City” as it has come to be known, has shaped the town. For nearly 95 years the salt has been mined for commercial uses, but the mines have also proven to be valuable as storage for important documents, records, and maybe the original tapes of some of your favorite movies and television shows. Today a portion of the mine has been preserved for tours and portions of the mine serve as a gallery, museum, and even an event space. Take the mine shaft lift 650 feet below Kansas’s surface to begin your Salt City adventure.

Housed underneath an old bank building on 7th Street, sits John Brown’s Underground. Like any true speakeasy, the establishment is not marked by a sign, but don’t let that prevent you from coming in. Named after Kansas’s very own infamous abolitionist, a parodied version of John Steuart Curry’s A Tragic Prelude bearing the figure’s likeness is displayed on a wall next to the bar. Sit at the bar or one of the many tables supported by large whiskey barrels, or sink into one of the two armchairs located by the door. Seasonal craft cocktails and a unique array of bar food only add to the “Underground” experience. A stop to the establishment is sure not to disappoint, but as stated on the John Brown’s Underground webpage “Please do not speak of the Underground to Untrusted Acquaintances.”

When the town of Ellinwood was being laid out, the German immigrants settling in the area decided to put underground walkways and businesses just below the two-block business district they had mapped. At one time this underground town bolstered 11 saloons. In the 1920s and 30s, the town’s population began to decline and become more modern. The underground businesses began to serve as basements for the businesses above. In 1982 the Ellinwood replaced its sidewalks and filled all but three sections of this underground city with sand. Two of these sections are open for tours. One is located under the Dick building, which housed a harness maker, barber, and bathhouse. The other is a row of storefronts located under the Wolf Hotel. Tours are offered of both these tunnels and the Wolf Hotel for $10, but make sure to call ahead.

Originally built in 1888 to serve as the town’s water supply, The Big Well was and remains the biggest hand-dug well in the world. A visit to The Big Well Museum and Visitors Center allows visitors to descend the spiral staircase and admire the pioneer ingenuity. While there, view exhibits that showcase the town of Greensburg and its effort to rebuild as a sustainable community after a devastating tornado in 2007. Another attraction found in The Big Well Museum is the ‘Space Wanderer’ Pallasite Meteorite. Weighing 1000 pounds, it is the largest pallasite found to date. If you are interested in traveling 106 feet below land to see something out of this world, visit The Big Well!

In the late 1920s, Edgar Walters passed away, leaving his business, Walter’s Plumbing, to his wife Dora “Auntie” Mae. At the height of both the Great Depression and prohibition Dora, as the Auntie Mae’s Parlor website so eloquently put it knew “This dust-blown, down-on-its-luck, little town needed a drink.” And they did in the basement under Walter’s Plumbing for four years until Prohibition was abolished. Auntie Mae’s Parlor was reopened in 1974 and has been continuing to protest prohibition since. The bar offers craft beer and cocktails, and on any given night you can participate in events like Trivia SmackDown or Bad Movie Night. Located in the Aggieville shopping district, Auntie Mae’s is a must-visit when in Manhattan.

On the corner of 5th and Kansas in Topeka, you will find a set of stairs that leads you into a well with narrow brick archways. It is in this well that you will find a door to Luis’ Place, a restaurant and a private club. Though the restaurant is private it is Luis’ Place is open to the public on Fridays for lunch and sells tickets for events such as wine tastings. Luis Guillen, the restaurant’s owner, chef and from whom the business is named, uses the restaurant as the headquarters for his catering business. Though Luis’ Place only opens once a week and the menu varies, the restaurant continues to receive rave reviews from its patrons. Often being called “Topeka’s best-kept restaurant.” To find out what’s cooking at Luis’ Place this week or to find out information on their upcoming events check out the restaurants Facebook Page.