Symphony at Sunset


The  Symphony at Sunset  Annual D-Day Commemoration Concert will be held Saturday, June 2, on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kan. This patriotic event is the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to all veterans.

The WWII pop-up museum opens at 1 p.m. Additional activities will begin at 4 p.m., and include the Fort Riley  Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard , Civil War encampment and a variety of activities for kids of all ages. Food and beverage vendors will be open, allowing concert enthusiasts to picnic on the grounds. The music begins at 5:30 p.m. with a local band favorite, Everyday Lights. The 1st Infantry Division Band performs at 7 p.m. with the Salina Symphony headlining the event at 8:30 p.m. just as the sun sets.

This year's concert will feature guest artists Tatiana Tessman on piano and Trevor Duell on trumpet.

Admission is by donation. Rain location will be Abilene High School Gymnasium.  This event is generously sponsored by Marshall Motors and the Eisenhower Foundation.

The museum building is undergoing a complete redesign and access to the library building exhibits will be restricted for event setup. However, boyhood home tours will be provided from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a reduced admission of $3.

Pop-Up Museum
Show and Tell for Adults starts at 1p.m.! It's like a potluck of artifacts and memorabilia. People can sign up in advance by calling 785.263.6700. Just register with our Learning and Engagement Director. Bring your cool photos, artifacts, memorabilia related to WWII and share your stories with others. Note: weapons are not permitted on federal property.

Bus Available to Symphony at Sunset
The Symphony Office has arranged for a charter bus to and from Salina for the  Symphony at Sunset   event . Cost is $40 per person and reservations are required.  Please call the Symphony Office at 785-823-8309 by Wed., May 30, to reserve your seat.

Sons of the American Revolution Compatriot Grave Marking Ceremony
The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) will commemorate the membership of Dwight Eisenhower with a grave marking ceremony at 2 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the Place of Meditation.

Click to view video

Admission by Donation

Rain Location: 
Abilene High School Gymnasium

Generously Sponsored by: 
Marshall Motors & Eisenhower Foundation

Additional sponsors include:
Family Eye Care of Abilene 
Dr. Lawrence Cooper, DDS 
Ameriprise Financial, Diana Miller
Reynolds Real Estate
Kollhoff Pharmacy, Junction City
Central Kansas City Enjoys Boost in Community Investment

Thanks to the League of Kansas Municipalities for highlighting Abilene in its April 2018 edition of the Kansas Government Journal.

The 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, once wrote: "The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene!" It's no wonder why one of America's most admired presidents was proud to grow up in this central Kansas city. Abilene, population 6,400, has a storied past as cattle town and westernmost terminus of the first railroads in Kansas. Abilene sits in the Smoky Hill River Valley and offers an abundance of museums, cultural attractions, historic mansions, and was named one of the "20 Best Small Towns to Visit" by Smithsonian Magazine.


50 Free Summer Activities in Every State

These fun attractions, exhibits and festival will leave your wallet unscathed. Thanks to CountryLiving for including Abilene! 


Abilene Restaurant Featured

This unassuming restaurant in Kansas has so
me of the best food you've ever tasted...


Throwback Thursday

Photo of Sheriff Bill Davis, Deputy Milt Davis, and deputy Dillion.
From the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum:

On April 24, 1949, Abilene Sheriff Bill Davis and his brother and Deputy, Milt Davis were dispatched to a disturbance south of Abilene, near Brown's Park. The Davis brothers rushed to the scene where three people had already been wounded by Rush. There was a shootout between Rush and the Davis brothers resulting in the death of both brothers. It is presumed that Rush had started a fire that engulfed the entire home. Later the bodies of Rush and the Davis brothers were found in the burned ruins. The Davis brothers are buried in the Abilene Cemetery noting their devotion to the community. Their bravery and courage are now a part of the History of Abilene. Their patrol car is now on display at the Heritage Center
5 Star Reviews - Seelye Mansion


Our tour of the mansion was simply amazing. We were led by the owner/resident, Terry. He invited us to join the tour just as it was starting. The mansion is presented the way it existed many years ago, but Terry encourages you to touch, sit, feel everything. ( Including the Steinway in the parlor). Terry is doing a great thing for the future of our children and their children in preserving this treasure.

- lukebabs
Roseville, California

KANSAS! Magazine's Weekend Getaways Finalists

Abilene named one of the 20 finalists for KANSAS! Magazine's Favorite Weekend Getaway contest.

Sometimes you just have to get away. Maybe as a couple, family or just some friends needing to unplug and reconnect. What's your favorite destination in Kansas to take a weekend getaway?

Voting has begun, you can vote daily through March 16 and May 31. Winning "Weekend Getaways" will be announced in the winter 2018 issue.
Readers' Choice Guidelines
  • Vote daily between now and May 31st.
  • Winners will be determined by the total number of votes received.
  • Winners will be revealed in the winter 2018 edition of the KANSAS!.
Please vote daily for Abilene using:


"The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
June 22, 1945

Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad

From ASVRR volunteer and K-State professor, Steve Smethers:

SANTA FE 3415 MAKES ITS DEBUT THIS WEEKEND

train
The Abilene and Smokey Valley's Santa Fe 3415 will make its 2018 debut this coming Memorial Day weekend. The 99 year-old engine will make its first run on Saturday morning at 10:00, riding the rails that once belonged to the Rock Island, one of Kansas' legacy railroads.
This engine has a great story. Built in 1919 for the Santa Fe, this engine originally hauled passengers and freight between Chicago and Kansas City. In the late 194 0s, the Santa Fe used the engine on its southwest routes and in 1953, its last year in active service for the ATSF, the engine ran between Kansas City and Oklahoma City. As the Santa Fe converted to diesel power and phased out its fleet of steam engines in the mid 1950s, most were sold for scrap. But five of the 3415's class were saved, and one of them was given to the City of Abilene, where it sat in Eisenhower Park for over 40 years.

After local train enthusiasts established the Abilene and Smokey Valley excursion railroad in 1993, organizers wondered if the 3415 could be restored. Consulting engineers inspected the engine and affirmed that it could indeed be repaired and made to run again, but there was one problem: the parts for a steam locomotive couldn't be purchased anymore.
 
Essentially, all parts would have to be custom made. So, in 1996, the community raised $283,368--a combination of private donations and a Kansas Department of Commerce grant--to make the engine operational. That financial assistance, along with 12,000 volunteer hours, made it happen, and in 2010, the monolithic engine made its first A&SV run.

Today, the 3415 runs on holiday weekends and other special occasions and proudly graces the tranquil Smokey Hill River Valley with powerful blasts of steam and smoke and the staccato-like toots of its steam whistle, an almost melodic sound when compared to the loud blasts of air horns on diesel engines today.

The engine stands as an historic relic of Abilene's longtime association with the Santa Fe, a railroad that helped build the state of Kansas. But more than that, the steamer serves as a powerful symbol of cooperation, volunteerism and community pride that has become Abilene's trademark.

Trains run at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday and again at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Memorial Day. Tickets can be purchased at the Rock Island Depot in Old Abilene Town, located on the south side of the Eisenhower Presidential Complex, or in advance at  www.asvrr.org.
Great Plains Theatre -  Camelot 



Dickinson County Heritage Center

The Dickinson County Heritage Center is a unique collection of two in-door museums, that continues out-the-back-door where you will find actual buildings from around the county, all depicting life on the Great Plains.

Don't miss the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel - the oldest operational C.W. Parker Carousel.

Summer Hours:

Monday-Friday 
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Saturday
10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
 

Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum

Ginger, resident Greyhound at the  Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum , loves greeting visitors of all ages! 

Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum
Open daily 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Free admission
 

Old Abilene Town

Wild Bill's Gunfighters

Saturdays 
Noon, 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Sundays 
1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. 


 
Seelye Mansion

Abilene's Historic  Seelye Mansion  is a must-see! Furnished with items from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright and home to a wooden  bowling alley that's more than 120 years old, it's no "wonder" this beautiful mansion was named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas - Architecture winners by the Kansas Sampler Foundation

Tours Daily!
Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m
 


Upcoming events:
  • Symphony & Sunset @ Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home - Eisenhower Presidential Library lawn - June 2
  • Camelot @ Great Plains Theatre - June 8-10, 12-17
  • Independence Day Celebration - July 4
  • The Lion in Winter @ Great Plains Theatre - July 13-15, 17-22
  • Central Kansas Free Fair - August 1-6
  • Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo - August 2-4
  • National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo - August 2-4
  • Shrek the Musical @ Great Plains Theatre - August 10-12, 14-19
  • Not Another Christmas Letter @ Great Plains Theatre - November 30-December 2, 4-9
Share your news!
Have an upcoming event? Help us, help you. We do our best to stay up-to-date, but please make sure to include us in your event and special promotions. Please send announcements to  director@abilenecityhall.com.