Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

Cottonwood Falls is on Route 177 in east central Kansas, about 20 miles west of Emporia. Because of the relative seclusion and very slow pace of life offered by this small town, Cottonwood Falls is a weekend rest-and-recuperation spot for stressed-out Kansas City workers. The showcase of this small town is the 1873 French Renaissance style courthouse. The quaintness of this small town is enhanced by the falls of the Cottonwood River on the other end of the commercial district from the courthouse. In 1931, Transcontinental & Western Air Flight 599 crashed near Cottonwood Falls, killing all eight on board, including Notre Dame University football coach Knute Rockne. A monument to the crash is located on private property ten miles south of the town. Three miles West of Cottonwood Falls on Main Street (also known as Elmdale Road) is Chase State Fishing Lake. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is 5 miles North of Cottonwood Falls on K-177. Visitors can take a ranger-guided bus tour of the Prairie, hike the 1 3/4 mile Southwind Nature Trail or browse the bookstore. Panoramic vistas of the tallgrass prairie can be seen for 47 miles on the Flint Hills Scenic Byway (K-177) between Council Grove and Cassoday.