Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance Encouraging Tourism

Most people in rural communities throughout Kansas have not benefited from the booming economy of the 1990s. On the contrary, sagging agricultural and oil markets, decreasing populations, and a technology gap have taken their toll on the economic health of these small towns.

Rather than wringing hands and waiting for impending doom, some communities have risen to the challenge. The tenacity of their pioneer ancestors who braved drought, dust, flood and fire has resurged in this generation of prairie dwellers. Communities with common threats arc banding together to seek common solutions.

One such effort has evolved into the Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance. Twenty four communities, all with a common agricultural heritage, yet each with a unique personality, are collaborating to interpret, preserve and promote their heritage. Stretching from the high plains of western Kansas, from whim the Solomon River gets its start, the Solomon Valley slopes gently down as it travels east along Highway 24.

The common threads that weave these communities together are the Solomon River- along which the first settlers in this area made their homes, Highway 24 - which provides the vital transportation link between the communities, and an agricultural heritage - from which all of these communities have sprung.

While each town's original settlers' ancestry may have been different, whether German, French, English or African, they all had to find ways to survive, thrive and celebrate life in the Solomon Valley, Each community along the valley has its own story to tell.... and there are lots of heritage tourists who can't wait to hear the stories and experience the "real" rural Kansas.

Tourism is a broad-based industry that encompasses motels, B&Bs, restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations, gift shops, artisans, theatre, and other attractions.
Tourism brings outside dollars into a community. Because of this, it is of great interest to chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and local governments to develop tourism opportunities.

The Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance offers a tremendous opportunity to develop the tourism industry in our region of Kansas. This organization's progress toward that goal has already caught the attention of the Kansas Travel & Tourism Division, the Kansas State Historical Society and the Kansas Sampler Foundation. We hope it has caught your attention, as well.

If you are interested in helping make our communities not only survive, but thrive, join the Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance. Help us tell the......................            Stories  Of   Land  Of   Man Of  Nature.

If you would like more information about the Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance, please call 785-738-2717 or e-mail belcham@informatics.com.