Goodland in Sherman County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Land and Sky Scenic Byway
⎯⎯⎯
Beginning Your Byway Tour

Land and Sky Scenic Byway side of marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 4, 2025

1. Land and Sky Scenic Byway side of marker

Inscription.

Land and Sky Scenic Byway, also, Beginning Your Byway Tour. . Welcome to Land and Sky Scenic Byway, a land of expansive sky and agricultural abundance.. The expanse of land and sky extending in all directions provides an excellent opportunity to see the agricultural abundance of Kansas in addition to viewing wildlife sunrises and sunsets, The Land and Sky Scenic Byway, an 88-mile route through northwest Kansas, offers an ideal getaway from the pressures of urban life. In addition to beautiful vistas and unique landforms, visitors will find a rich history of agriculture starting with the earliest Native American settlers. The agriculture of the Byways is defined by its environment. The Rocky Mountains to the west form a rain shadow over the land, and higher elevation produce cooler temperatures. Because of these semi-arid conditions, the Byway either draw from the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation or practice dryland farming to conserve precious water resources. Technologies such as center-pivot irrigation, visible from the sky and ground, have allowed the region to thrive as an agricultural center. , Supplementing crop production, open range grazing and the Great Western Cattle Trail broadened the region's economy. The Byway's more sparsely developed areas are often ideal for recreation activities like hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation. Furthermore, a visitor can have an up-close view of what the region looked the over 150 years ago with a visit to natural phenomenon such as the Arikaree Breaks, where human impact on the land has been limited. This beauty, in addition to the distinct communities along the route, each with vibrant histories and rich traditions, truly enhances the experience of rural Kansas life along the Land and Sky Scenic Byway. (Photo captions) Wheat field. A country road in the Arikaree Breaks. A cow grazes on the open range. , Beginning Your Byway Tour Sharon Springs Nestled among wheat fields and cattle ranches you will discover the Smoky Hill Trail, and a wealth of Wallace County history. Sharon Springs, seat of Wallace County, contains everything visitors need including recreational activity. Sharon Springs also connects the Land and Sky Scenic Byway with the Western Vistas Historic Byway., Goodland Goodland, Sherman County seat, is an agricultural community with a vibrant arts community. Public art abounds, from one of the world's largest easels holding the giant Van Gogh Painting, to the Opera House mural, and the Carnegie Arts Center's regular exhibits and events, in addition to the High Plains Museum. Halfway along the Byway, Goodland makes a great stopping place to grab a bite to eat, relax, and shop., St. Francis Whether sight-seeing or hunting, St. Francis, with its sunny, dry climate, unique shops, and abundant wildlife, is a peaceful city with a thriving downtown. Nestled along the Republican River, "Sainty" has a diverse topography with productive farmland and grassy canyons reminiscent of an old Western movie. In addition, the seat of Cheyenne County has great stops like the Cheyenne County Museum, the Quincy Gallery, and the St. Francis Motorcycle Museum., Arikaree Breaks The Arikaree Breaks are a series of cliffs, deep gullies, and ravines in northern Cheyenne County which extend into Nebraska and Colorado along the Arikaree River. Covered by short-grass prairie, excellent for cattle and wildlife, rhe Breaks form 36 miles of rough terrain with destinations like Horse Thief Cave and Devil's Gap, Public roads offer several viewing sites of this rugged wonder., (Sidebars) Immigrants All Storylines of the Kansas Byways Easterners looking to support the Free State Kansas were the first settlers following the Native Americans. Through land grants for service, Union soldiers came next, followed by Germans from Russia who brought wheat better adapted to the drier climate. Farmers, cattle drivers, and Native Americans, Immigrants All competed for the land, but even as homesteaders won, the Dust Bowl showed that nature was still always the one in charge., Past Forward Storylines of the Kansas Byways This Byway has built from the Past Forward, improving technology through innovation. Barbed wire let settlers claim land, tractors led to precision agriculture, and conservation practices and windmills resulted in more efficient irrigation techniques. Technology continues evolving as residents find innovative ways to protect important resources like the Ogallala Aquifer., (Captions) Mt. Sunflower, Highest Point in Kansas St. Francis This 80-foot tall reproduction of Van Gogh's Three Sunflowers in a Vase can be seen in Goodland. Kuhrt Ranch is a working farm and ranch resort in Edison. Tractor Parts Grasshopper, Goodland Goodland High Plains Museum, Goodland. Downtown Goodland. Smoky Gardens and Sherman Wildlife Area, Goodland

Welcome to Land and Sky Scenic Byway, a land of expansive sky and agricultural abundance.
The expanse of land and sky extending in all directions provides an excellent opportunity to see the agricultural abundance of Kansas in addition to viewing wildlife sunrises and sunsets

The Land and Sky Scenic Byway, an 88-mile route through northwest Kansas, offers an ideal getaway from the pressures of urban life. In addition to beautiful vistas and unique landforms, visitors will find a rich history of agriculture starting with the earliest Native American settlers. The agriculture of the Byways is defined by its environment. The Rocky Mountains to the west form a rain shadow over the land, and higher elevation produce cooler temperatures. Because of these semi-arid conditions, the Byway either draw from the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation or practice dryland farming to conserve precious water resources. Technologies such as center-pivot irrigation, visible from the sky and ground, have allowed the region to thrive as an agricultural center.

Supplementing crop production, open range grazing and the Great Western Cattle Trail broadened the region's economy. The Byway's more sparsely developed areas are often ideal for recreation activities like hunting, fishing, and wildlife

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

observation. Furthermore, a visitor can have an up-close view of what the region looked the over 150 years ago with a visit to natural phenomenon such as the Arikaree Breaks, where human impact on the land has been limited. This beauty, in addition to the distinct communities along the route, each with vibrant histories and rich traditions, truly enhances the experience of rural Kansas life along the Land and Sky Scenic Byway.
(Photo captions)
Wheat field.
A country road in the Arikaree Breaks.
A cow grazes on the open range.

Beginning Your Byway Tour
Sharon Springs
Nestled among wheat fields and cattle ranches you will discover the Smoky Hill Trail, and a wealth of Wallace County history. Sharon Springs, seat of Wallace County, contains everything visitors need including recreational activity. Sharon Springs also connects the Land and Sky Scenic Byway with the Western Vistas Historic Byway.

Goodland
Goodland, Sherman County seat, is an agricultural community with a vibrant arts community. Public art abounds, from one of the world's largest easels holding the giant Van Gogh Painting, to the Opera House mural, and the Carnegie Arts Center's regular exhibits and events, in addition to the High Plains Museum. Halfway along the Byway, Goodland makes a great stopping place to grab a

Beginning Your Byway Tour side of marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 4, 2025

2. Beginning Your Byway Tour side of marker

bite to eat, relax, and shop.

St. Francis
Whether sight-seeing or hunting, St. Francis, with its sunny, dry climate, unique shops, and abundant wildlife, is a peaceful city with a thriving downtown. Nestled along the Republican River, "Sainty" has a diverse topography with productive farmland and grassy canyons reminiscent of an old Western movie. In addition, the seat of Cheyenne County has great stops like the Cheyenne County Museum, the Quincy Gallery, and the St. Francis Motorcycle Museum.

Arikaree Breaks
The Arikaree Breaks are a series of cliffs, deep gullies, and ravines in northern Cheyenne County which extend into Nebraska and Colorado along the Arikaree River. Covered by short-grass prairie, excellent for cattle and wildlife, rhe Breaks form 36 miles of rough terrain with destinations like Horse Thief Cave and Devil's Gap, Public roads offer several viewing sites of this rugged wonder.

(Sidebars)
Immigrants All
Storylines of the Kansas Byways

Easterners looking to support the Free State Kansas were the first settlers following the Native Americans. Through land grants for service, Union soldiers came next, followed by Germans from Russia who brought wheat better adapted to the drier climate. Farmers, cattle drivers, and Native Americans, Immigrants All competed for the land,

Walkway from parking lot leading toLand and Sky Scenic Byway / Beginning Your Byway Tour Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 4, 2025

3. Walkway from parking lot leading toLand and Sky Scenic Byway / Beginning Your Byway Tour Marker

The specific marker is on the left of the three larger markers.

but even as homesteaders won, the Dust Bowl showed that nature was still always the one in charge.

Past Forward
Storylines of the Kansas Byways

This Byway has built from the Past Forward, improving technology through innovation. Barbed wire let settlers claim land, tractors led to precision agriculture, and conservation practices and windmills resulted in more efficient irrigation techniques. Technology continues evolving as residents find innovative ways to protect important resources like the Ogallala Aquifer.

(Captions)
Mt. Sunflower, Highest Point in Kansas
St. Francis
This 80-foot tall reproduction of Van Gogh's Three Sunflowers in a Vase can be seen in Goodland.
Kuhrt Ranch is a working farm and ranch resort in Edison.
Tractor Parts Grasshopper, Goodland
Goodland
High Plains Museum, Goodland.
Downtown Goodland.
Smoky Gardens and Sherman Wildlife Area, Goodland

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Immigration • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 39° 20.15′ N, 101° 43.6′ W. Marker is in Goodland, Kansas, in Sherman County. It is on Commerce Road south of Old U.S. 24, on the right

Paid Advertisement

when traveling south. To access the marker, park near the O'Reilly's Auto Parts store and take the adjacent paved walking trail a short distance north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2158 Commerce Rd, Goodland KS 67735, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

on the Great Plains,

on the Southern Plains,

and specifically on the High Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Land and Sky Scenic Byway / Points of Interest (here, next to this marker); Land and Sky Scenic Byway / Kansas Byways (here, next to this marker); Chambers Fountain (approx. 0.9 miles away); Ennis Handy House / Mary Seaman Ennis House (approx. one mile away); Carnegie Art Center (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Big Easel (approx. 1.2 miles away); United States Post Office (approx. 1.2 miles away); United Telephone Building (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Goodland.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 76 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 21, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

Land and Sky Scenic Byway⎯⎯⎯Beginning Your Byway Tour

Land and Sky Scenic Byway
⎯⎯⎯
Beginning Your Byway Tour