25 ton monument marks entrance to Flint Hills prairie

On Monday August 7, in the midst of tall grass and rolling hills and with a summer breeze teasing long blades of grass, a 25 ton marble monument was erected along the Kansas Turnpike, marking the entrance to the Flint Hills prairie.

The monument will greet visitors to the premiere Kansas landscape and will reads “Welcome to the Flint Hills.” The finished monuments will have landscaping around the base and they will be lit at night.

Because of its weight, the monument had to be assembled in three sections. The three sections were hoisted onto a large platform by a front loader and then glued together with an epoxy compound. The monument, about eight miles southwest from the turnpike’s Emporia’s interchange, is one of four that will be placed around the Flint Hills.

The second will be erected at mile post 85 on the turnpike, southwest of Cassoday. The other two will be on Interstate 70 — one west of Topeka and one east of Junction City. Upon close examination, fossils can be seen throughout the marble.

Learn about visiting the Flint Hills and getting up close and personal with the tallgrass prairie by visiting the Web site of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: Nnps.gov/tapr