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The Setting
What Happened Next
Making the Most of Opportunities
Results
Timeline
Additional Kansas Sampler Photos
Kansas Sampler: Homegrown "Explorer" Tourism Bolsters Rural Kansas
The Setting
In the 1980s, as the rural communities of Kansas struggled with the loss of jobs and population and faced the threat of losing their cultural identity, long-time farmer Mil Penner recognized their fragile uniqueness. He set about photographing and documenting these special places and eventually produced two books.
Perhaps even more important, Mil’s devotion to his state came to be shared by his daughter, Marci, with results that would help renew community pride in Kansas’ small towns, instill devotion to preserving cultural traditions and attract visitors to explore and discover Kansas.
As with most success stories, timing is everything. After living in Philadelphia for several years where she was an elementary school guidance counselor, Marci returned home and was living just across the creek from her parents’ farm. Marci recalls how curious readers were beginning to ask her father about places featured in his books that they were now inspired to visit.
At the same time, the economic climate of these small towns was becoming dire. By the early 1990s, there were some 6,000 ghost towns in Kansas, according to historian Daniel Fitzgerald. Especially in the drier, less sustainable areas of western Kansas, the economics of agriculture was driving the consolidation of family farms by corporations, leading to the shutdown of local businesses, followed by schools, churches and post offices. Young adults were abandoning agriculture and were likely to leave their hometown forever when it was too far from a city to function as a bedroom community.
Summarizing these trends, Marci noted: “It seemed that Kansans didn’t know their own state very well and that, furthermore, there wasn’t a way to share grassroots successes or common needs from one small town to the next.”
Marci also saw that challenges often bring opportunity – and she was about to create that opportunity.
What Happened Next
Having grown up in the small town of Inman, Marci could appreciate these idyllic communities, and she saw a potential niche market for cultural heritage tourism that was overlooked by large-scale promoters who were luring out-of-state dollars with commercialized attractions. Marci envisioned a homegrown approach that would encourage Kansans to travel within their own state while instilling local pride and preserving rural culture.
Developing a system to network communities and attract visitors was made difficult by the remoteness of many of the hamlets. After all, the state is sparsely populated with only about one-third living in towns of at least 15,000 with half of these confined to the two largest cities of Topeka and Wichita. Out of Kansas’ 627 incorporated towns, about 75% have fewer than 1,500 residents, and, even more amazingly, approximately 50% of the 627 towns have fewer than 400 persons.
The process began as the father and daughter traveled the state to research their first guidebook, Kansas Weekend Guide, published in 1990. At a book-signing held on the family farm, Marci and Mil invited representatives from the towns highlighted in the book to come and visit with book buyers. What became known as the Kansas Sampler Festival was held at the Penner farm for several years before moving to towns around the state, each hosting the event for two years.
Assessing the success of the guidebook and the festival, Marci decided it was time to make a bold step. The nonprofit Kansas Sampler Foundation was founded in 1993 with the goals of educating the public about Kansas while networking and supporting rural communities. The step was taken on faith, as Marci notes:
“I hadn’t heard the term cultural heritage tourism until we were years into our program and concept of using the rural culture elements. We realized that concept when we formed the Foundation, and that’s why we had the two objectives that fed each other. We just followed our instinct, and were pretty much devoid of knowledge of the tourism industry.”
The Foundation’s work began by helping residents realize that they lived in special places that could appeal to tourists. Marci observes:
“Many rural communities squirmed when asked, ‘What does your community have that a visitor would want to see?’ The answer given too often was, ‘We don't have anything in this town.’ The truth is every town has a story to tell and offer visitors but it is sometimes hard to see what is right under your nose.”
To help communities identify their resources, Marci and her father Mil developed eight Rural Cultural Elements - architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people.
Within each category, Marci outlined a series of questions and categories to help residents assess their community. Examples include: “What significant events surround the founding of your town?” “What ethnic groups contributed to the formation of the town and still have an influence?” “Do you have sculptures, murals or grassroots art?” “What retail shops are located in historic buildings?” Marci also collected examples from around the state of how the elements are used in cultural heritage tourism to help local planners understand how they could develop their own communities.
Turning from the community to the tourist, Marci dubbed the type of visitor she was looking for as an Explorer: “Common characteristics would be people who are innately curious, are able to strike up a conversation with locals, are usually educated, are loyal Kansans, are people tired of the usual tourism commercial attractions, and they want something different.
 “Explorer tourism is an interactive experience. In it, one is urged to visit with the locals to get the inside scoop, to listen to stories, to find out about things to see and do – and to make friends. This kind of tourism also has a civic activism component in that this audience is concerned about the sustainability of our communities and feels good about spending money in locally-owned shops or donating to a local cause. Explorers prefer locally-owned businesses, restaurants and lodging over national franchise brands. Explorers are interested in things off the beaten path and seeing odd evidence of history – like the only remaining cemetery hitching rail.”
Although the Foundation was formed with the thought that funding would come easily for such a worthy cause, Marci says “We never did get the grants, but we sure became instantly busy with projects to educate Kansans and other ones to support rural communities.”
Key accomplishments over the years include publishing several editions of the guide book, establishing an “Explorers” membership and hosting popular events and programs.
The 2005 edition of The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers drew from 40,124 miles of travel across all 11 geographic zones over a two-year period. Marci visited every one of Kansas’ 627 incorporated towns, plus dozens of unincorporated towns and a handful of ghost towns!
The breathtaking result was an invaluable collection of 3,597 entries, 400 color photographs and information and commentary in a glossy, spiral-bound publication. Town attractions fell into one of the eight categories of rural culture elements: architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history or people. The guide was sectioned by region, each with its own introduction and map. The table of contents and index were handy, to say the least.
Making the Most of Opportunities
 Collaborate: The Kansas Explorers Club is the Foundation’s membership network for travelers. Minimal annual dues entitle members to the bimonthly newsletter. Explorers enjoy group adventures and an annual meeting. Building upon the guidebook’s popularity, Marci has maintained interest and networking among communities and travelers through a website.
 Find the Fit between the Community and Tourism: The We Kan! membership division caters to grassroots leaders who receive the bimonthly We Kan! newsletter. The newsletter offers advice on topics such as preservation, directional signs, walking trails, beautification and publicity.
Kansas communities also offer special events to Foundation Explorer members. The annual Kansas Sampler Festival continues to be a popular venue to highlight the state’s cultural offerings. For example, Kansan musicians showcase their talent for bookings and Kansas products are introduced to the public.
“Bring Your Own Lawn Chair,” billed as a rural community awareness series, gives Explorers a close-up view of opportunities and issues in small towns by focusing on aspects of the eight rural culture elements. The event is held in selected Kansas communities. While in town to enjoy the discussions, Explorers can sample local culture and patronize businesses.
 Make Sites and Programs Come Alive: Started in 2007, a popular contest called The Eight Wonders of Kansas educates the public and encourages travel to unique attractions in Kansas’ rural communities. The public nominated attractions, and a committee chose 24 finalists. From this list, the public determined the top eight. In 2008, contests began in the eight rural cultural element categories. The contest has been so popular that some Kansas communities are now starting their own 8 Wonders contests.
Another fun-filled way of learning about Kansas is the traveling Go Kansas! game show, developed and hosted live by Marci. (A fee is charged to support the Foundation’s work). Buzzers and flashing lights have been fitted onto an improvised PVC pipe frame that holds a quilt with five-question pockets for each of the eight rural culture elements.
Traveling Kansas’ back roads, Explorers find sites that come alive – often in unusual and amusing ways. Mount Sunflower, though notably Kansas’ highest point of elevation at 4,039 feet, is not lofty in its presentation: a visitor finds here a picnic table, a sunflower sculpture made from railroad spikes and a plaque that self-effacingly states "nothing happened.”
Explorers find that Kansas-style whimsy abounds in the hamlet called Lucas. This is the home of the Grassroots Art Center, which displays objects ranging from wood carvings to imaginative machines. Executive director Rosslyn Schultz proclaims Kansas as ranking third, behind only Wisconsin and California, in the number of “grassroots art” sites.
 The most famous of Lucas’ grassroots art is found at the Garden of Eden. Nothing is quite what it first seems: the “garden” and exterior of a “log” cabin are made of limestone, and the garden juxtaposes figures of biblical and political significance. Presiding over this jumble is the deceased creator, Samuel Perry Dinsmoor, now lying mummified like Egyptian royalty, in a glass-topped coffin that he built. He is at peace after a hectic life spent in a variety of occupations, including soldier/nurse, teacher, farmer, insurance salesman, governmental official (postmaster, mayor, city council member), and architect/ artist. The garden’s name is a commentary on the myth of an agricultural paradise existing in Kansas. Dinsmoor was earnest about making money in his retirement from this tourist attraction, but he had as much fun showing it as he had had building it for 22 years (starting at age 64!).
 Focus on Quality and Authenticity: The work of the Foundation could be described as an intangible process with tangible results. Marci observes: “It’s really hard to describe what we do. We provide opportunities. We help communities see themselves differently. We share great efforts from one town to another. We put together workshops when necessary and have our conference. We train communities to help themselves by sharing what works elsewhere, by giving them hope and belief, by being their voice – by loving them!”
Whatever the mix of ingredients, the Foundation’s approach works: Explorers relish the authenticity of local culture that has not been altered for purposes of tourism. They value the up close and personal encounters with townspeople found in their natural setting -- no reenactments, no sales pitches, generally no appointments necessary (except for special circumstances, such as a tour by a local historian).
Marci shares an example:
“A couple went to a town with a population of 120, found the pottery shop and got to chatting. Before long the pottery shop owners took the Explorers down the road to show them their house with the secret garden that they were uncovering and restoring.”
Off the beaten path, a Kansan Explorer would not be surprised to find tales of townspeople who endearingly remind them of an eccentric relative. Take, for example, Frank Stoeber, who started saving twine in the 1950s out of frugality without intending that upon his death, the ultimately “Biggest Ball of Sisal Twine” would be hauled to Cawker City, destined for fame as a tourist attraction.
 Preserve and Protect Resources: Preservation of resources can come in many forms as one of the Foundation’s projects demonstrates. When Lizard Lips, a well-known locally-owned business, was faced with little revenue during winter season, the Foundation launched a successful one-year campaign to encourage 1,000 Explorers to spend at least five dollars each. At this combination deli, convenience store and bait shop, which offers a heap of sandwich fillings and area information, the extra revenue from Explorers helped the store pay its employees without having to take out a loan. Explorers still make a pilgrimage to Lizard Lips with fond memories of their doubly rewarding experience there.
There are also enchanted places where the voices of pioneers echo from the past. At Alcove Spring, near Blue Rapids, cold water still runs over rocks that bear the dates of arrival and names of pioneers passing through on covered wagons, including members of the ill-fated Donner Party.
Wooden and stone barns, built prior to the 1950s, stand proudly preserved and rehabilitated thanks to the technical assistance of the Kansas Barn Alliance, Inc. New practical uses for the old barns are in plain view, such as raising heritage breeds and specialty produce on small adjacent plots.
Explorers arrive as individuals, families, and small groups and stay a short while, leaving little environmental impact on the scenic wonders of Kansas, which include:
- Over half of the remaining tallgrass prairie of North America
- Over 250 species of grasses across four ecosystems
- The largest marsh (Cheyenne Bottom) in the interior of the country (surrounded on three sides by bluffs as high as 100 feet)
- 456 out of 650 nesting bird species found in North America
- The oldest rocks at the surface found in the world (in the southeast corner of Kansas), deposited 345 million years ago
- Rock fossils along all nine scenic byways
Results
- In its early years, the Kansas Sampler Foundation struggled financially. Finally, a $50,000 grant for the printing and marketing of the 2005 guidebook came from the Travel and Tourism Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce, along with $2,000 from the Kansas Arts Commission. Subsequent revenue from book sales was a lifesaver.
- With all these activities, it is remarkable that the Foundation’s budget has remained modest. The Foundation has hired only one assistant, WenDee LaPlant (in 2006), to work with the website and annual festival. With the additional help of past grants and ongoing contributions, the Foundation survives primarily on membership dues and fees from programs.
- Three printings of the guidebook sold 22,000 copies. The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers (2005) is sold out. (A few remaining copies can be found at stores.) The guidebook will be placed on the website, with listings placed geographically and thematically. Marci plans to begin work on another guidebook in the future.
- The Kansas Sampler Festival attracts 6,000-8,000 attendees annually.
- The Kansas Explorers Club newsletter is now received by 1,750 members.
- The We Kan! Newsletter is mailed to 225 members.
- Marci has written columns for publications like Kansas Heritage (a project of the Kansas Historical Society and Kansas! Magazine (published by the Travel & Tourism Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce).
- Hundreds of newspaper articles have recognized award-winning projects of the Foundation.
- Currently, about 150 communities are represented at the annual Kansas Sampler Festival.
- Financial support has come at critical times from special individuals like Bonnie and Jim Miller of McPherson and Doris and Menno Schmidt of Hutchinson. Major donors have also included the Coffey County Economic Development Department and Lester’s Buffalo Ranch.
- For all of the Foundation’s success, Marci Penner is looking ahead, declaring her resolve to “keep earning supporters’ trust every day.” Marci does not rest on her laurels, as she continues to “get so many, many compliments and well wishes.” She indicates that she does not “dwell on them, but the sentiment stays with me.”
Timeline
- 1980s – Mil Penner publishes two photo essay books on Kansas and the prairie
- 1990 – Marci Penner moves from Philadelphia home to Kansas
- 1990 – Father and daughter Mil and Marci Penner publish first guidebook, Kansas Weekend; book signing party held (event became Kansas Sampler Festival)
- 1991-1997 – Kansas Sampler Festival held on the Penner Farm, rural Inman
- 1992 – Mil Penner and Marci Penner come up with concept of the Rural Culture Elements
- 1993 - We Kan! membership and newsletter started
- 1995 –Kansas Explorers Club and newsletter started
- 1998 - Kansas Sampler Festival begins being held in communities around the state
- 2004 – Marketing grant received from Kansas Travel and Tourism Division to help pay for guidebook printing
- 2005 - Kansas Guidebook for Explorers published
- 2007 – The Eight Wonders of Kansas contests begin
Click here for Story Credits
The Setting
What Happened Next
Making the Most of Opportunities
Results
Timeline
Additional Kansas Sampler Photos
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