Motoring Monday: Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas

If you’re looking for something a little unique, the town of Lucas along K-18 in Russell County is the place to visit.

Lucas has long been known as the home of the Garden of Eden, a log cabin that S.P. Dinsmoor spent 22 years in the early 1900s decorating with limestone and concrete structures on the outside and handmade items on the inside.

Just up the alley from the Garden of Eden is the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest 

Versions of the World’s Largest Things Traveling Roadside Attraction and Museum. It is a traveling roadside attraction based in Lucas most of the year with a collection of miniature replicas of things such as badgers, otters, bulls, balls of twine, and baseball bats billed as World's Largest.

In addition to these places are:

• Garden of Isis, featuring art made from doll bodies, toys, kitchen utensils and other recycled materials.

• Rock Garden, built by Florence Deeble using garden rocks brought back from her travels for nearly 50 years.

• Grassroots Art Center, three buildings in downtown Lucas filled with art.

• Flying Pig Studio & Gallery, highlighting artwork made from porcelain.

And all these locations are within walking distance in the small community of less than 500 people. No wonder Lucas was designated the “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas” by former Gov. Bill Graves in 1996.