Kansas doesn’t make a lot of Top 10 lists, but we’re proud to say we’ve found another winner! Kansas was lucky enough to make USA Today’s 10Best list of Best Historic Small Towns, and we couldn’t be prouder of that. There’s plenty of things about Abilene that helped us reach the #2 spot in America. Come see why we’re on the Top 10 Historic Towns list and how cool this spot in Kansas really is.

Welcome to Abilene! This town has a population of under 7,000 which to many Kansans sounds like plenty, but when you consider other states, is really just a small town the perfect size for both quiet and plenty of good neighbors.
A painted Abilene, Kansas mural similar to a postcard.
Donna Bister/Flickr
It's true that Abilene is full of good neighbors, and ever since it was founded in 1857 as a lonely stage coach shop, it's grown to a community of caring people with a love for local history.
Aerial view of Abilene in the spring or summertime.
Abilene Kansas Facebook
History here is plenty! When the Kansas Pacific Railway pushed west through town, it exploded into a bustling end of the Chisholm Trail.
Photo from 1880, looking south on Cedar street from 3rd.
Abilene Kansas Facebook

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Hundreds of thousands of cattle came through and were shipped out of Abilene, making this town a permanent part of Kansas, unlike many others that disappeared over time as railroads avoided them.
Longhorn cattle walking next to an old train at the railroad.
Abilene Kansas Facebook
Most notable of Abilene's residents is by far Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a resident during childhood and graduated in 1909. The presidential library and museum here is also the burial site of him and his family.
Eisenhower's childhood home.
Jim Bowen/Flickr
While you're here, historic restaurants like the great Brookville Hotel, or something newer like the Hitching Post, we think you'll be well fed. They have food of all kinds, served with a Kansas smile.
A train with a man hanging off the side for a ride.
Lane Pearman/Flickr
We think Abilene well deserves its #2 spot on the list, and is perfect for a day trip. If you'd like to make it a multi-day adventure, they have amazing bed & breakfasts here to keep you comfortable overnight.
An Abilene train station. I am not sure whether it is still in use or just a historical building.
Jim Maurer/Flickr

To learn more about Abilene and what to do here, we think the Visit Abilene website is a great place to start.

If you know of an amazing historic town or a town you think would make Kansas’s top 10 historic towns, we’d love to hear about it! Tell us all about your favorite places here.

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Abilene, KS 67410, USA