"Its Elegance Has Earned a Listing on the Atlas" Victoria by mrclay2000

Victoria Travel Guide: 15 reviews and 44 photos

Cathedral of the Plains (1907)

Our French Friars Slept Here

For those of you out there who love and pride themselves in Americana, you'll of course consider that little towns ought to have water towers. It is almost a litmus test these days, that to qualify for a village the place must have a water tower, to qualify for a town a McDonald's and to qualify for a city a Wal-mart (or some equivalent).

European look and feel, just not as polished

Typical stained glass inside

In rural Kansas, several towns along I-70 have the requisite water towers and other ornamentation besides. Some have grain silos to prove their agrarian heritage, but several villages/towns (such as Victoria, Park and Collyer) have a dominating church steeple almost as majestic as the silos. These structures prove that the religious aspect was no farther from village life than sewing and the scythe.

Pros and Cons

Pros:You'll be surprised by this European-style structure in rural Kansas
Cons:An impressive but pretentious interior
In a nutshell:Worth ten times the twenty minutes you'll lose off the interstate

Last visit to Victoria: Sep 2002
Intro Updated Dec 26, 2002
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Reviews (3)

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Park, Kansas - Victoria

Watch for Steeples Rather Than Silos Off The Beaten Path (1)

If you're traveling on I-70 in western Kansas, stop by the villages of Collyer or Park or any of the other spots that... more travel advice

See the Stained Glass and Exterior Things to Do (2)

In rural Kansas, several towns along I-70 have the requisite water towers and other ornamentation besides. Some have... more travel advice

One of many stained glass windows inside - Victoria

Stained Glass in Rural Kansas Things to Do (2)

In rural Kansas, several towns along I-70 have the requisite water towers and other ornamentation besides. Some have... more travel advice

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Comments (6)

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jayhawk2000 Sep 3, 2003 at 12:56 PM

the stone cathedrals clustered around Hays are incredible--the stained glass in Victoria is the finest I've seen outside Europe. The ruins of Emmeram are evocative as any old English abbey...
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basstbn Mar 10, 2003 at 2:22 PM

Thanks for including this page for Victoria. I have stopped here on several occasions to look at the church and to stretch my legs from the long drive on Interstate 70. Nice photos and comments.
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herzog63 Feb 24, 2003 at 7:02 PM

Cool churches! I was expecting more Prairies! Nice surprise!
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annk Feb 7, 2003 at 9:35 PM

What a nice discovery in a rural area.
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yooperprof Jan 3, 2003 at 12:20 PM

Is that in Hays? It's a Kansas version of Chartres!
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keeweechic Dec 27, 2002 at 9:56 PM

Wonderful architecture - not quite I expected in Kansas