STRONG CITY — The Flint Hills Rodeo isn’t the only event taking place in Strong City this weekend. The old train depot in Strong City is dressed up and ready to welcome visitors and give them the opportunity to see the photographs that gave Kansas’ Flint Hills national attention in the National Geographic magazine.
The photographs, taken by photographer Jim Richardson, were a part of a 22-page spread that ran in the April edition of the National Geographic. The photographs have been blown up and put on poster board and fill the rooms of the Strong City Depot.
“The piece reveals the hidden secrets of the Flint Hills, including their history and their remarkable ecosystem and confirms the region’s reputation among the world’s most breathtaking natural monuments,” a travel brochure stated.
The traveling exhibit, which started in Olathe in early April will travel around Kansas until about the middle of December. It was coordinated by the Travel & Tourism Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The exhibit, which includes more than 30 of Richardson’s prints, will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. There is no charge to see the exhibit.
The exhibit will not only give people an opportunity to see the photographs, but also to see how the restoration of the depot is coming along.
“We’re just excited to give people an opportunity to get in here and see the building,” said Deb Zeiner, of the Chase County Chamber of Commerce.
If you miss the exhibit this weekend, there will be another chance to see it when it comes to Emporia from July 23 to Aug. 5. For more information on the exhibit and other stops, go the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Travel & Tourism Web site at www.TravelKS.com.