The wide, open plains stretch as far as you can see, fading into grey mist and the light of the sky. The flint hills are always majestic, but did you know there's something hidden in these hills? As gorgeous as we know the flint hills to be, there's plenty of structures within it's grasses that just aren't used anymore. Old schoolhouses dot the landscape, but there's also abandoned ruins made of stone that were left behind from long ago. Let's explore!
Early Germans and other European immigrants who migrated here during the Homestead Act picked up the land and cultivated it, securing its ownership for themselves. Once they had land, they needed a place to stay.
There is still mystery surrounding the use of these structures, however. We aren't sure, but we've got some solid ideas. One idea is that they made these little shelters as storage (like a refrigerator), which might have doubled as homes at first while they took the time to build larger structures like houses and barns. Later on, they could be used for both storage and as storm shelters, which makes sense, because they're sturdy enough to still be here today!
These cellars are usually on private property, though, so you'll have to take a tour of them through someone else, or ask the landowner if they would mind your presence for a while. Trespassing doesn't make a good day trip!
The Volland Store, a venue in Alma, is running very popular tours, and you can find dates on those tours at their website here.. They sell out fast, so make sure to keep checking their website for new tour dates, or their Facebook page. There, you can check out a few of the cellars that have stood the test of time, and think back to our early history as settlers.
You can learn much, much more about these structures from Tom Parish at his website here. If you know of any cellars that aren't on private property, and open to the public, let us know in the comments! Otherwise, make sure your touring of these cellars doesn't get you in trouble. Always ask first!
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