State’s 8 architectural wonders named, county courthouse not among them

INMAN — The votes are in, but Franklin County’s Courthouse came up short as one of the eight architectural wonders of Kansas.

More than 8,000 votes were cast over seven weeks to decide the eight best from a slate of 24 finalists in the Kansas Sampler Foundation’s 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture contest.

“It’s too bad. It would have been fun,” Deb Barker, Franklin County Historical Society director, said. “We were up against pretty steep competition.”

Architecture winners include: Chase County Courthouse, Cottonwood Falls; Cooper Barn, Colby; Fromme-Birney Round Barn, Mullinville; Holy Cross Church, Pfeifer; Kansas State Capitol, Topeka; Lebold Mansion, Abilene; Ness County Bank Building, Ness City; Seelye Mansion, Abilene.

The contests feature eight rural culture elements and is designed to get the public involved in knowing and exploring Kansas.

“The whole program has been wonderful,” Barker said. “It’s made a lot of people aware of our state sites.”

Barker said some people even traveled to all the sites before casting their votes.

“It’s had all kinds of great impact,” she said.

Nominations started Tuesday for the art category, which will be followed later by commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people.

Each category will be featured during a four-month span.

Nominations for the art category can be made this month online at 8wonders.org or by sending information to 978 Arapaho Road, Inman, KS 67546.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.