Independence (Kansas)

Independence is a small city in Southeastern Kansas with rustic rural charm, a delightfully small downtown, a large WalMart Supercenter and pretty much nothing else.

Take either US75N from Tulsa or Bartlesville or US169N from Tulsa/Coffeyville and then US160W.

Walk or drive - there are a few public cab services. Distances are usually small.

• Downtown. Many small shops with rural American charm 
• Ralph Mitchell Zoo, ☏ +1 620-332-2512. Free entrance, small collection but well kept. (updated Feb 2021)
• Riverside Park. Adjacent to the Zoo with a waterpark, toy train (tickets are just a quarter), mini-golf and excellent gardens, swings, children play areas and walking areas. 

• Neewollah. In October this tiny town hosts what they claim to be the largest annual celebration in Kansas: Neewollah. This 10 day festival includes no less than three parades, a carnival, live music, pumpkin contests, a local Queen Pageant, and a production of a musical. Much of downtown is only accessible by foot during Neewollah. 
• Inge Festival. Also of note to the theatrically minded is the William Inge Theatre Festival, held in late April, which annually selects and honors a playwright whose "body of work has had a profound impact on American Theatre." 
• 🌍 Elk City State Park, 4825 Squaw Creek Rd, ☏ +1 620 331-6295. Offers boating, fishing, bird watching, and swimming as well as a system of hiking trails. (updated Aug 2019)

Chains include Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Orschlins Farm & Home. There's a little strip mall by the Wal-Mart with a dollar store, shoe store, and Cato.

Downtown includes plenty of local shops, including Ace Hardware (with nick-nack section), Messengers Furniture, Twigs Floral & Gifts, and Radio Shack as well as many other shops.

Also downtown is an AT&T, US Cellular, and Verizon store - just in case you need to stop by to get your phone serviced while you're on the road traveling!

Chains restaurants include Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, Arby's and Taco Bell.

• Eggberts. 
• Down Home Country Cooking. 
• Braum's. 
• El Pueblito. Great Mexican food, has been in Independence for many years with a well established reputation for good food and good service. 
• Taco Inn. Home to the choco taco! 

• Turbos Bar & Grill (Downtown). 
• Uncle Jack's Bar and Grill (Downtown). 

There are better lodging facilities in Bartlesville which is across the state line in Oklahoma and around 50 mins drive down US75.

• Apple Tree Inn (Downtown). 
• Microtel (next to WalMart). 

• 🌍 Independence Public Library. Historic public library. (updated Oct 2021)

• Elk Lake has camping facilities and excellent trekking trails.

Topeka ← Junction N S ←

N  S

→ Dewey → Tulsa