By Brendan Ulmer
I recently graduated from the University of Kansas. What happens when you graduate from college is that there’s about a month-long window, right at the end, where you’re scrambling to get as much college life into your schedule as you can before having to finally shuffle off into the real world.
A conversation you find yourself having over and over again is “where are you going?” and “what are you doing?”. When I would tell people I was moving here to Hutchinson, a common refrain was “where is that?” (eastern Kansans are ignorant of any geography west of Topeka) and when you pull up a map and point, they will often then ask you “is there anything to do out there?”.
The answer to this question is absolutely, yes.
Now, I must inform you, I am not from Hutchinson. I have family here, I have spent a lot of time here, and I went to college here — but the sum total of my life spent residing here has been around ten months.
That is to say I’ve always been in the right position to find this town quite novel.
However, I don’t think that makes me ignorant of this city — on the contrary — I think it has given me a very useful lens through which to view my surroundings here.
For instance, you guys have two honest-to-God rocket ships smack-dab in the middle of town.
Now, you know this. You’re likely even used to this, but when I tell this fact to people who have never been here it literally doesn’t make sense to them. I have to pull up pictures for them to even be able to process it.
This town is definitionally exceptional. Those rocket ships are attached to one of the greatest space museums in the world, which is not at all a spin or an exaggeration. It is one of the greatest museums of its kind in the world, and it’s free to people in Reno County.
So, if you live in Reno County, go. I just moved here, so I shouldn’t be so bossy, but for no cost how can you not go at least once a year just ‘cause.
Between the Strataca and the Cosmosphere, Hutchinson is a town that’s 650 feet above a Superman suit, and 109 feet below the nose of a Gemini Titan II rocket. I think it’s pretty safe to say this is the only city that can say that about itself.
I have yet to even mention the Fair! We all know that in a few weeks people will make their pilgrimage here from all over the state, and some even beyond. They will pack into their vans and RVs to eat the food, see the sights and enjoy the rides for a few days or so.
As for us, we can take a short drive — and in some cases, a walk — right to the fairgrounds and have dinner there for 10 nights in a row.
Should you consult with your doctor before doing something like that? Yes, for sure, but the point is we have the option.
In this job, I have found myself interviewing many executive directors and marketing directors who want to get the word out about upcoming events, the vast majority of which are open to the general public and very often free. I think it’s so important to keep spreading the word about these events so that people know this isn’t a one-horse-town built on some sand dunes — it is a vibrant, important, and exciting place to be.
This is a remarkable city, one that I am already proud to call home. If you can, please don’t miss out on the neat things this place has to offer.