Spaniards and Swedes on the Midwestern Plains

Coronado Heights, located about 45 minutes to the southwest of Salina, Kansas, is a tourist site and picnic area. The fort sits on a hill and Coronado was actually said to have come this far north in 1541 in search of a city of gold. Though the Heights are charming and well worth visiting, it's not an all-day activity for most. So, after stuffing yourself on the joys of a picnic lunch, pack up your stuff and head over to nearby Lindsborg -- the Little Sweden of Kansas. Lindsborg is a charming town with a myriad of specialty shops meant for browsing and spending. Both places can be accessed from Interstate 135 by taking exit 78 south

Quick Tips:

Bring a picnic lunch and sit back and enjoy the view.

Best Way To Get Around:

The Courtyard Gallery provides both an Art Studio/Store as well as a small bistro. It is a welcome place to rest and reflect on the many specialty and antique stores located on Main Street while indulging in a little refreshment.

There is no end to the browsing you can do in Lindsborg. The stores are charming and fascinating, offering the flavor of Sweden in the midst of the Kansas prairie. 'The Angel Store' is one of my favorites. I always arrive wishing I had thousands of dollars in my pockets to leave with the friendly storekeepers in exchange for their unique merchandise.

My husband's sister first introduced us to Coronado Heights back in the 80s. My husband and I were visiting her and her family so we packed up a picnic lunch and set off for this 'really neat place' they had found. And neat it was. There, in the middle of the flat plain, sitting up on a lone hill, was a Spanish-type stone fort. It appears quite out of place and draws you to it from miles out.

People have a myriad of interests and if one of your interests happens to be grafitti carved in rock, Coronado Heights is a great place to visit. Like Chimney Rock in Nebraska and other locations on the plains, people have been leaving their mark in the stone for a very long time. The rock here is relatively soft and hundreds of people have taken the time to carve their name or message into both the fort and the rocks of the picnic alcoves. I found it interesting to take the time to really look at this age-old practice left here in the rocks.

Once we arrived at the top of the hill I was surprised to see what an elaborate construction of rock stairways and picnic alcoves were arranged around the fort. The entire project was built by the WPA to commemorate Coronado's visit to this central location in North America and to provide Americans work in a time of trouble.

The fort, made of stone and cement, is the lone building on the hill. In front of the fort sits a large stone fireplace with picnic tables and benches. Out of sight, just off the flat top of the hill, are scattered private picnic alcoves. This is a great place to spend leisurely day having a picnic lunch and looking out over the countryside.

The fort at Coronado Heights serves as a picnic shelter and lookout point. Inside the ground floor of the fort is a single large and dark room. There is a very large stone table and stone benches. I'm not sure I would enjoy picnicking inside of the fort building as it is rather dark and dank.

Just inside the entrance to the fort is a very, very steep stone stairway leading to an upper deck that serves as an observation area. The stairs themselves are a bit nasty to climb, but if you enjoy looking out on the world, well worth the effort. The last time we visited the fort we got a terrible scare because of the stairway. Our Siberian Husky went with us up to the top of the fort and for some reason decided to jump up on the stone barricade cordoning off the stairwell. He went up and over the barricade and down the entire height of the stairwell to the stone floor below. He let out a horrific yelp, we ran down the stairs after him, he got up, shook himself off and then acted as if nothing had happened. Anyway, the stairs at the fort are something to be careful of -- especially if you are a Siberian Husky dreaming that you are an acrobat.