Glen Elder, KS

Glen Elder started out in the 1870s as a small settlement along the Solomon River, originally founded around a local gristmill before the railroad arrived and prompted the town to incorporate. Today, it remains a quiet, tight-knit community where daily life revolves around a classic downtown square. The local library, city offices, and neighborhood businesses are all within an easy walk of one another, giving the town a grounded, welcoming feel from the moment you drive in.

ATTRThe Library of Congress from Washington, DC, United States / No restrictions

The biggest presence in the area sits just south of town at Waconda Lake and Glen Elder Dam. Built in the late 1960s to control flooding along the Solomon River, the massive reservoir completely transformed the surrounding landscape. U.S. Highway 24 skirts the northern edge of the water, connecting Glen Elder to neighboring communities like Cawker City and Downs while offering sweeping views across the lake and rolling prairie.

Life here is closely tied to the water. Glen Elder State Park draws boaters, campers, and anglers from across the region for some of the best crappie and walleye fishing in Kansas. The area also carries a unique history, from the memory of sacred Waconda Springs resting beneath the reservoir to the historic Hopewell Church, which was moved directly onto the park grounds. In town, agriculture remains the bedrock of the community, and local kids attend the nearby Lakeside schools. It makes for a peaceful rural lifestyle with fantastic outdoor recreation right in your backyard.