Ellsworth’s wild past gave way to a quiet and friendly rural lifestyle
In Ellsworth's early days, cowboys and outlaws had the lay of the land, causing saloon fights, conducting robberies and running from the law. Beginning in the 1860s, Ellsworth was called a "wicked cowtown" due to nearby cattle stockyards and unruly and infamous travelers passing through, including Wild Bill Hickok. A group of local vigilantes captured and persecuted outlaws until the cattle pens closed in 1875. Ellsworth has since made a complete turnaround; now, the rural town of about 3,000 residents is quiet, calm and close-knit. Rather than taking to the alleyway for a showdown, residents stop in the streets to chat and catch up with old friends. "Everyone feels like family around here. You build lifelong relationships that you just wouldn't be able to find or maintain in a bigger city," says Mark Cunningham, a Realtor with Ideal Real Estate who was born and raised in Ellsworth. "It's a clean and peaceful town. I met my wife in preschool, and we both had the same dream of moving back home after college to raise a family as we were."
New buyers renovate older homes as modern styles are unavailable
Without new construction in Ellsworth, demand is high, and inventory is low. "We rarely have people who move here and then move away," Cunningham says. "They usually come, get ingrained in the community, then don't want to leave." Bungalows, Cape Cods and cottages from the early 1900s are along gridded blocks close to downtown, ranging between $75,000 and $160,000. Homes from the 1950s and later are in neighborhoods farther out, near the local parks, warehouses and golf course. Split-level homes, Colonial Revivals and American Foursquares sell for $180,000 to $400,000. "Some of those newer homes haven't changed hands since they were built in the 1980s or '90s," Cunningham says. "So, there's been a lot of younger people and new blood renovating and moving into the older homes that become available."
Ellsworth has rural jobs and easy highway access to regional cities
Ellsworth has a few significant employers, like manufacturing plants, agriculture distributors and machinery dealerships. Ellsworth Correctional Facility has two locations in the area, and Ellsworth County Medical Center is the local general hospital. Smoky Hills Wind Farm and The Post Rock Wind Farm have turbines in Ellsworth County, and there are more than 100 wind turbines around the county, both on public and private land. Kansas state highways 14, 140 and 156 go through the area, and Interstate 70 is about 9 miles north. Great Bend is 40 miles southwest, and Salina is about 35 miles east. "It's easy to go out and get to the bigger cities and then come home to our quiet little town," Cunningham says. Salina Municipal Airport has domestic flights, and the nearest airport with international flights is about 225 miles away, in Kansas City .
Recreation includes golf, tennis and summer swimming
Residents enjoy their quiet surroundings by visiting local parks and community amenities. "The mentality around here is a bit slower paced, relaxed and laid-back," Cunningham says. Ellsworth Recreation Complex has soccer fields and diamonds for baseball, softball and T-ball. Krizek Park has tennis courts, walking trails, a pavilion and a playground, while Preisker Park has a splashpad and a bandstand. Ellsworth Golf Course is a public nine-hole course, and Ellsworth Swimming Pool is open from late May to the end of August.
Frontier-era buildings are preserved in a recreated Western downtown
Visitors take a step back in time at Hodgen House Museum Complex. The 1873 house, 1912 school building and historic jail are preserved and stuffed with artifacts that exhibit Old West Ellsworth. The newest addition is a railroad depot and a wooden train caboose from 1909.
Schools offer laid-back but competitive athletic teams
Ellsworth Elementary School teaches kindergarten through third grade and is rated B by Niche. Kanopolis Middle School for fourth through sixth grade is also rated B. Ellsworth Junior/Senior High School earns a B-minus. Cunningham explains that the district has low-pressure, but high-quality sports programs. "You're going to have a chance to play because there are no cuts or anything like that, but we also have kids who get recognized and continue playing in college or beyond," he says.
Essentials are nearby, but retail shopping is limited
Locally owned restaurants downtown include The Smoking Barrel and Hattie Jo's Coffee House. Clothing boutiques, supply stores, banks and offices fill the other small storefronts that once held saloons, gambling halls and inns. Sugar Shack serves ice cream from a walk-up window, and patrons enjoy rotating special creations with fresh fruit, cookies and jam on the picnic tables out front. Gene's Heartland Foods, Dollar General and fast-food chains are along Kansas State Highway 156. Big-brand shopping and national retailers are in Great Bend and Salina.
Written By
Heather Haggerty
