Disclosure: Explore Crawford Kansas sponsored my trip. All opinions and photographs are my own. Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.
Arma, located off Highway 69 and 11 miles north of Pittsburg, is not just another Southeast Kansas one-time coal-mining town.
Its identity is rooted in Belgian heritage and patriotism, kept alive by a community of welcoming residents who have proudly celebrated it. Since 1946, the town has hosted a V-J Homecoming, an annual celebration that draws hundreds of participants.
The town’s shops and city park make it a worthy day-trip destination year-round.
More than 1,100 residents call Arma home. I discovered that the town is just as charming as the locals are nice.
Small-Town Surprises: Best Things To Do in Arma, Kansas
Originally named Rust, the town of Arma lies along the Frontier Military Historic Byway.
Stop for the military history, stay the afternoon to shop its retail stores.
MILITARY HISTORY
VICTORY OVER JAPAN AMRA HOMECOMING
On August 14, 1945, Americans celebrated Japan’s surrender, signaling the end of World War II. The residents of Crawford County welcomed returning veterans two years later at the first Arma VJ Homecoming, which included a parade, dance, and contests.
The annual Arma VJ Homecoming continues for three days in August as a tribute to veterans and their families.
VJ Arma Homecoming attracts hundreds. Events like sports tournaments, Cruise Car Night, 50-50 Bingo, and a Spaghetti Feed. The Annual VJ Homecoming Parade is a spectacle with floats designed with the festival’s annual theme.
I felt the town’s pride of place as I walked through Arma City Park, watching locals set up arts-and-crafts booths and the hamburger stand for the weekend’s festivities. Food truck owners plugged in generators, and the band set up their equipment for the all-ages street dance.
Consider planning your visit to Arma around the next VJ Arma Homecoming.
MUST-VISIT LOCAL SHOPS
THE WELL TRAVELED CHEF
The Well Traveled Chef (401 E. Washington) is the newest addition to Arma’s downtown thoroughfare, and locals are lucky to have it.
A specialty foods store with imported oils, vinegars, and kitchen supplies, The Well Traveled Chef also hosts cooking classes.
Every once in a while, I stumble upon a locally owned business that is a jewel. The kind of store I want to tell everyone about as soon as possible.
The owner, who is also a lawyer, was inspired by her global travels and wanted to bring international products to her hometown community.
Rows of quality olive oils and vinegars line shelves, and customers are encouraged to sample them. Home cooks will find inspiration from cookbooks, Italian dried pasta, syrups, and honey hand-curated by the store’s owner.
After chatting with the owner, Angela, and her father, who was present on the store’s opening day, it was apparent that this locally owned store was the dream of a hard-working woman who wanted to provide her community with the quality pantry products she loved.
Kansas needs more stores like The Well Traveled Chef.
PRO TIP: Follow the store’s Facebook Events page to learn of upcoming classes and festive in-store celebrations.
KENNY’S HARDWARE & BUILDING SUPPLY
If you haven’t shopped at a small-town hardware store, you’re missing out
Kenny’s Hardware & Building Supply (507 E. Washington St.) may be small, but it has everything you could need under one roof, plus lumber in the back.
And Kenny is one of the best in the business.
The store smells of newly cut timber. Peg walls are organized by usage. Wooden bins filled with nuts, bolts, and gadgets remind shoppers that Kenny’s Hardware is the real deal. Established in 1973, the store maintains a loyal customer base.
But one item consistently flies off the shelves at Kenny’s Hardware.
The Electric Belgium Cookie Iron by Palmer.
A staple in Belgian households, the store sells 50-70 of them from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Maybe you need to prepare thin, crispy waffle-like cookies, too?
SCHROEDER’S BUTCHERING
I never miss an opportunity to stop into a local meat shop.
Some of the best-tasting meat I’ve eaten in Kansas came from a small-town butchery.
Schroeder’s Butchering (418 E. Washington) welcomes shoppers to walk in and order quality sausage products to go.
On any given day, you’ll likely see handmade salami, hillbilly bacon, smoked sausage, ground sausage, snack sticks, and beef jerky available for sale inside the refrigerator case.
Employees paused their cleanup work to ensure my questions were answered. They are helpful and eager to educate shoppers about their products.
PRO TIP: Shop at Schroeder’s Butchering outside of the lunch hour, 12 pm-1 pm, when they are closed.
WORTHWHILE STOPS NEARBY
Bonus places to check near Arma include Chicken Annie’s in Girard and nearby Pittsburg, Kansas, which I recommend for a weekend getaway.
Arma, Kansas, is not a town you want to skip. It offers visitors the chance to pause and experience the calm, genuine charm of life in Southeast Kansas.
The quaint deserves to be discovered, whether visiting for the day or the Victory Over Japan Armada Homecoming.
A short drive from Kansas City, 
Set aside time to appreciate Dunbar School, a one-room schoolhouse with authentic artifacts. Appreciate the entrepreneurial achievements of business owners at Garrett Grocery Store, City Ice, and Fisher Chevrolet Dealership.
PRO TIP: To guarantee a tour, call (785) 294-6655 to schedule an appointment.
Since it was the eve of the anniversary of Quantrill’s Raid, I chose the John Brown made from whiskey, rum, demerara sugar, and bitters. It was spirit-forward but smooth.
If you appreciate rye whiskey, order Prom Night prepared with blackberry and sage syrup. It pairs well with one of their shareable appetizers, such as the Lunch Lady Favorite, a toasted baguette served with herb olive oil and fig balsamic.
The speakeasy’s television shows silent black-and-white movies while jazz music plays from the speakers.
It’s ranked as a Guest Favorite on Airbnb for a good reason. The stylish property, beautifully renovated in a historic building, offers guests the comforts of home.
After a good night’s sleep, I awoke to make a steaming cup of coffee and watch the sun rise through the downstairs window with plants. The loft’s welcome book provided a list of things to do in the area, and a basket supplied on-the-go snacks for the day’s adventures.
Overall, my stay at
The baker arrives at 3 a.m., well before guests arrive, to make cinnamon rolls, chocolate-filled croissants, pies, and freshly baked bread. The short-order cook ringing the bell is audible from the kitchen. Servers pour coffee refills into diner-style mugs.
I listened to the news on a nearby television while enjoying a vegetable omelet and perfectly cooked hashbrowns. Full from my breakfast, I eagerly requested a to-go box for baked goods.
I stopped by for lunch and, after seeing the daily specials board, I chose the Mushroom Swiss Burger with a side of curly fries. As soon as my order was called back to the kitchen, I heard the sizzle of a flat-top grill and the bubbling of a hot fryer.
After eating my tasty lunch, I paid for my meal and headed out to explore Girard. In the parking lot, locals gathered around cars to chat about the day’s events and local news.
The coffeehouse also serves as a gathering spot for locals who want to use the high-speed Wi-Fi while drinking coffee.
Open Wednesday through Saturday, the restaurant is known for its inventive weekly specials and seasonal menus featuring fresh ingredients.
The appetizer exceeded my expectations for quality and flavor, setting the stage for the main course. But first, the server insisted I sample the day’s special: an Asian-inspired orange chicken with broccoli over rice, made fresh to order and delicious.
I listened to lively guests’ chatter and jazz cover songs until my dinner selection arrived. Smoked pork loin, coleslaw, and sautéed mushrooms made for one of the best meals I’ve eaten in Southeast Kansas.
Opened in 1971, the restaurant offers dinner specials that draw locals and out-of-towners to Girard from Wednesday through Sunday.
The chicken is hand-breaded and fried fresh to order, served with side dishes such as fried onion strings, mashed potatoes, green beans, and coleslaw.
Local folklore says the deer sculpture stands on the exact spot where a Pennsylvanian, Dr. Charles H. Strong, shot a deer. Moments later, he added a stake in the ground, declaring possession of the land.
Established in 1867, the courthouse makes the town the official county seat. The grounds feature a 
I’ve always told people that the best way to immerse oneself in a town is to start their visit at a historical museum. Museum exhibits showcase the town’s history using artifacts from 1868 to the present.
Girard has a long history of publishing, operating the largest presses west of the Mississippi.
The church alone is a magnificent example of late-19th-century architectural design. Its stained windows, made in Missouri, cascade colorful beams of light onto the church floor on a sunny day.
From the pulpit, one can fully appreciate the windows, which feature Christian symbolism.
PRO TIP: Girard Veterans Memorial Park hosts holiday events honoring military heroes.
I ascended the stairs to the top floor to view the books for adult readers, the same spot where monthly game nights and craft nights are hosted.
Shoppers will be delighted to discover Amish soaps, candles, jams, jellies, and jarred salsa rounding out the inventory.
One shouldn’t leave the store without visiting the bathroom to see its wallpaper, a nod to Girard’s history, told through old photographs and advertisements.
PRO TIP: Inquire about the retro soda pop brands available for purchase, located in the refrigerator near the candy cart.
The rear of the store features women’s clothing, jewelry, purses, body care products, and kitchen essentials.
Developers revitalized a historic building, restoring it to its three-story grandeur. Initially built in 1902, guests feel at home amid modern furnishings in spacious lounges and high-ceiling guest rooms.
You’ll definitely want to grab a drink and dinner at 
I relaxed with a smoked old-fashioned cocktail before savoring braised beef served with a squash-corn salad from the chef’s seasonal menu. The dining room stirred with small groups of local families and friends who dropped by for cocktails and conversation.
Paired with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, the chef’s creation was scrumptious and well-suited for a fabulous fall evening dinner.
Hotel Garber’s staff exceeded my expectations by ensuring my comfort during my two-night stay, often asking whether I needed anything and offering tourism advice when requested.
At the 
I explored the American Bittersweet: The Life and Writing of Willa Cather exhibit, highlighting the author’s personal and professional life by reading the displays in chronological order, starting with her formative years in Red Cloud.
Situated in a restored 1887 building, the exhibit’s photography brings Cather’s story to life. She worked tirelessly as a magazine editor for years, a job that honed her skills and accelerated her book-writing career.
PRO TIP: Take the elevator upstairs to view another Cather statue and a gallery of historical photographs taken of Red Cloud residents during the 19th Century.
At each stop, from the Burlington Depot to Cather’s childhood home, an expert guide explained the significance of each location in Cather’s upbringing.
The depot is mentioned in Cather’s short story “The Sculpture’s Funeral.”
She also befriended Carrie Miner, the same woman to whom her book “My Ántonia” is dedicated. The family inspired Cather’s characters, the Harling family.
As you tour the home, it’s clear it was considered one of the nicest in the community when it was built in 1878. Large rooms, gold-plated dishware, and oversized windows impress.
The church held a memorial service for Cather in 1947, including two windows that the author had made and dedicated to her parents.
A tour of the National Historic Landmark includes descriptions of original furniture pieces, artwork, and prints.
Cather installed the rose-colored wallpaper in the attic bedroom.
Elaborate teller cages shipped by rail from Chicago anchor the main floor of the 1888 bank building. Downstairs, visitors have access to interpretive panels about Red Cloud’s history.
The Garbers inspired Cather to develop characters in “A Lost Lady.”
Built in the 1890s, the Red Cloud Opera House continues to host 
I wasn’t able to visit the museum during its off-season, but I was able to admire the home’s exterior and grounds, which includes the original water fountain that once sat at the intersection of Webster and US Highway 136.
I arrived in Red Cloud on a Monday, and the owner of On the Brix went above and beyond, preparing a beautiful charcuterie board with an array of cheese, sausage, and fruit for me to enjoy in my guest room at Hotel Garber.
The day’s burger special, a Mushroom & Swiss CheeseBurger with a side salad, was prepared fresh to order from an open kitchen. A lounge bar resembling something you might see in an old-school supper club served locals.
I struck up a conversation with the owners, who are die-hard live-music fans and often travel for concerts. The walls of the restaurant are covered with framed albums and guitars signed by bands like The Eagles and Def Leppard.
The food alone is well worth stopping at The Palace Lounge, and the owner’s collection of music souvenirs makes it a true hidden gem you have to see.
The pharmacy also sells flavored coffee and caffeinated cold tea drinks.
PRO TIP: Also a cinephile, Dahle runs the 
Comfortable couches and sun-drenched tables by the windows invite you to cozy up with a latté or smoothie to read a book or watch downtown traffic go by.
I met the friendliest locals when ordering a coffee, so we sat down and talked about all things Red Cloud, including what makes the town so welcoming. It’s the kind of people who look out for each other and want the best for the community, a real sense of community spirit.
PRO TIP: If the retail location is closed during your visit, you can find their honey for sale at 
The owner has curated a vast selection of seasonal gift items, and the upstairs clothing racks feature women’s and children’s on-trend apparel. You’ll be shocked at the bargain pricing for the new shirts and jackets.
Other tourism-worthy events include the 
View the 
Sure enough, it appeared from the horizon as I traveled along Highway 281, an unmistakable point of interest. A charcoal sketch by Bethany Ugalde, an artist from Mexico, was transferred onto panels to wrap around the galvanized steel structure.
The preserved prairie is considered a National Birding Site, a home to meadowlarks, wild turkeys, and grassland sparrows.
PRO TIP: Wildflower season lasts from April through October, and two miles of trail offers breathtaking views.
Be sure to walk inside the site’s little white chapel, which is always open. It’s the same church used in a JEEP® Super Bowl LV commercial staring rock legend Bruce Springsteen.
My first stop was the Visitor Center (502 Kansas Ave), located inside a restored old gas station that is open but unmanned during daylight hours. I signed the guestbook, and picked up a complimentary Kansas road map.
Across the street, I discovered the 1910 Lebanon City Jail surrounded by green space, which locals tells me is the where the town hosts live music during the community’s Oktoberfest celebration.
PRO TIP: Weigh your buffet plates on the scale after serving yourself, then note its weight/price on the paper. Give the grocery store clerk the tab of paper to pay for your meal before departing.
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