BoniseA

DH and I recently spent a weekend in southeast Kansas. This part of Kansas used to have a lot of strip coal mining. Because of this, there are ponds everywhere. They are old strip mines that filled with water.

We stayed at Old Miner’s Cabin outside of Pittsburg:
http://tinyurl.com/2ylbql
This is a great place. Inside, you feel like you have stepped back into the1940s or 50s. It’s furnished in shabby chic. For 60$ a night you get a two bedroom house. It has a fully equipped large kitchen. Each bedroom has it’s own sink. There’s a large deck overlooking a water-filled strip pit. The deck has a gas grill. It has excellent central air.

One evening we had family over and had grilled hamburgers on the deck. Afterwards we played cards. It was a fun, old-fashioned evening.

We went to see Big Brutus:
http://tinyurl.com/22vprr
Big Brutus is a gigantic steam shovel. It was used to strip the top layer of ground up to reach the coal underneath. DH and I both remember seeing this steam shovel in operation as children. Now that it no longer operates, you can go inside of it. It is huge. It reminded me of being inside of an engine room of an ocean liner. Kids would love it. You can clamber all over it. It’s kind of hard to find. If you decide to visit be sure to mapquest it first.

Fried chicken:
For some reason, fried chicken is really popular here. There are several famous restaurants that feature fried chicken. And what was strange to me, spaghetti accompanies it. The first evening we ate at Bardo’s. Bardo’s is like an old fashioned supper club. They have a dance floor. But it is a family place. You will find toddlers and people with walkers on the dance floor. The fried chicken is really good.

On the way home we stopped at Chicken Mary’s.
http://tinyurl.com/yrev45
There used to be two sisters (I don’t know if they’re still alive or not), Annie and Mary, that had a fried chicken restaurant. They got into a fight so they both opened their own restaurants across the road from each other. Like Bardo’s, sides include spaghetti, coleslaw with vinegar, oil and garlic dressing and german-style potato salad. One thing that I thought was really funny is that instead of offering pitchers of beer, they sold 40 oz. bottles of Busch. It looked funny to have these big quarts of beer sitting on the table.

Oh, and Busch beer is king down here. You can get Budweiser but all the locals drink Busch (in large quantities too).

People argue over which of these restaurants has the best chicken. After eating both in the same weekend, I think it’s Bardo’s.

Frontenac:
Frontenac is a small town close to Pittsburg. It is largely Italian-American.

There is a grocery that sells many imported Italian foods. You can find excellent sausage, salami and cheeses there. Many Fodorites from the European board would love this place. I can’t remember the name of the store. I think it was something like Palucca’s. It’s on the main street.

Pickled Pete’s is the main bar in Frontenac. Their chili is supposedly really good. The first time I was in there I tried to order a cup of chili. They acted like that was odd. I guess it’s used mostly for smothering hamburgers and fries. If you like grease, this is the place to go. Lots of Busch beer too.

Supposedly, Mafia used to fly into Pittsburg to hunt in this area. There’s a large home that people point out as a place that used to have big meetings.

Golf:
We played golf twice.

Once in Chicopee. For a small town this was a good golf course. The greens were in excellent condition and very difficult. It’s only nine holes, but you can go around twice. They even have golf carts. I think it was $26 for 18 holes for two with cart.

Another time in Pittsburg. A really nice 18-holer with golf carts. I don’t remember the price but I’m sure it was inexpensive also.

Kansas is having a tourism promotion where you can vote on eight wonders of Kansas from a list of 24. Big Brutus, and the Chicken Mary/Annies are on the list.

Kansan

Bonise, what a great trip report. This is my little neck of the woods and it is indeed a colorful area. The coal mines brought immigrants from many European countries and each group has proudly sustained their heritage with local festivals, restaurants and groceries. It's funny that you mentioned the Mafia connection. We here only speak of that with a lowered voice, not something one actually refers to, unless with close friends.

I think perhaps it's Bartos, not Bardos. It's also known as the Idle Hour and you're right about the elderly dancing along with toddlers. Some folks have attended the dances for ages. It's a fun atmosphere for all.

The strip pits are great for fishing. It's hard to pass one on a summer afternoon without seeing a family enjoying a picnic while testing their luck. Many areas are state maintained and kept stocked with fish.

I'm glad you had such a fun time and hope the weather cooperated.

BoniseA

Thanks Kansan,

I wondered if I should have put that Mafia bit in there. I hop the 'net is truly anonymous.

Now I know why when I googled Bardo's, nothing came up. It is indeed Barto's.

I'm glad you asked about the weather. I forgot to put that in. The weather was typical Kansas weather, hot and muggy. When we left the storm clouds were gathering. We saw storm chasers with cameras along the roads. The next morning we saw news reports of the bad flooding the clouds produced.

kureiff

Great trip report!

We were just at a restuarant on Saturday that served fried chicken with a spaghetti side. I was thinking about how weird it was, and then I read your trip report commenting on the same thing. LOL!

BoniseA

Today's KC Star has an article about Big Brutus:

http://tinyurl.com/yrbu7u

Keith

Big Brutus is on the list of nominees for the Eight Wonders of Kansas, But Chicken Annies & Marys is not. The chicken place on the list is the Brookville Hotel in Abeline. http://www.8wonders.org/opening.cfm

Eight wonders used some of my photos to illustrate other attractions on the list.

And since I'm not being that anonymous, I won't mention that I have been told that the organization you mention still owns some businesses in the area

Keith

BoniseA

Thanks for getting me straight on the fried chicken places. At least Brookville has more normal side dishes like mashed potatoes and gravy.

I wonder if I should join the secret witness protection program...