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2010-02-09

2010-01-19

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, September 11, 2009 11:48 PM

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Mersha Vogh, cook and clerk at Allegre Pharmacy, serves a double bacon cheese burger Friday to Shane Steelman, 17, Ottawa, at Allegre Pharmacy, 304 S. Main St., Ottawa. Ordering a soda fountain treat was named one of the “8 Wonders of Kansas Customs.” “Everybody just loves our burgers,” Vogh said.

‘8 wonders’ contest serves Ottawa two more nods

By BRIAN WILLIAMS, Herald Staff Writer

Once is good, but twice is better.

Ottawa landed on the latest “8 Wonders of Kansas” twice.

The Prairie Spirit Trail and Allegre Pharmacy each were included in the 24 categories nominated for the “8 Wonders of Kansas Customs,” which was released Thursday by the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

“We hope that this nomination and publicity benefits every community along the trail, from Ottawa to Iola, and gives all of us a sense of ‘connection,’” Susan Wettstein, City of Garnett administrative assistant, said about the Prairie Spirit Trail’s nomination under the custom “Converting rails to trails.”

The 51-mile Prairie Spirit Trail is the state’s first and the longest rail-trail and connects the communities of Ottawa, Princeton, Richmond, Scipio, Garnett, Welda, Colony, Carlyle and Iola.

The trail is open year-round and designed for hiking and biking. It is about 12 feet wide and inside the city limits of Ottawa, Garnett and Iola the surface is asphalt. Outside the cities, the trail’s surface is made of a hard-packed mixture of limestone and calcium chloride.

“Hiking and biking is a big sport,” Wettstein said.

“The Prairie Spirit is a wonderful place to catch a glimpse of some great Kansas landscapes.”

At the north end of the trail in Ottawa sits Allegre Pharmacy, which has one of the 37 operating soda fountains in Kansas that are nominated in the “Ordering a soda fountain treat” custom.

“We’re really honored to be included on the list,” Bill Allegre, owner of Allegre Pharmacy, said.

In the first half of the 20th century, most Kansas towns had an operating soda fountain, but by 2000 just 48 remained. Now nine years later, 37 are left, according to the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

“I can’t believe there’s only 37 left,” Allegre said.

Receiving nominations in two of the 24 categories is something the community can be proud of, Allegre said.

“Ottawa’s pretty well represented on the list,” he said. “I think a lot of times people forget all we have to offer.”

Other categories nominated include “Cruising Main,” “Commemorating Veterans Day,” “Racing greyhounds” and “Saving twine.”

To see a complete list and to vote, go to www.8wonders.org and click on the “8 Wonders of Kansas Customs” link.

Ballots also can be picked up at the Franklin County Visitor Information Center, 2011 E. Logan St., Ottawa, and at the Santa Fe Depot, Eighth and Main streets, Garnett. For more information, call (785) 242-1411 or (785) 448-5496.

Voting will end at midnight Oct. 20.

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‘8 wonders’ contest serves Ottawa two more nods

By BRIAN WILLIAMS, Herald Staff Writer

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.