Colony

As we drove into Colony, I was struck to see how many wild lilies dotted the hills around the town.

One of the first things we noticed was the trail head for Prairie Spirit Trail, which is in the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Hall of Fame. Hiking (or maybe biking, or, even running) this 51-mile trail from Ottowa all the way down to Iola seems like it would be a really fun exercise. Literally. Of course, the downside is that you can't use the restrooms unless you've paid for a pass, as Magen demonstrates in this picture.

Colony also contains some older silos, a saloon, a high school, a little league ball diamond, and, of course, homes. Many of the buildings are older, but none seemed neglected or worn down. At one home, an old farmhouse, we saw some antique farm implements decorating the yard while some of their much more modern cousins lined the drive. Looks like that family is serious about their farming!

Though Colony is a historic town, it definitely didn't feel like one where people were giving up or living in the past.