If you ever find yourself traveling on Interstate 70 through Kansas, you probably have said to yourself, “this has got to be the longest stretch of highway in the world”. Miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.
Let me offer you a suggestion.
Between Salina and Kansas City, there is a sleepy little town called Abilene. Some of you may recognize the name from western movies when Abilene was once a booming town on the western prairie. Or some may remember that Dwight D. Eisenhower came from there.
Not much happens in Abilene on a day to day basis. The occasional tour or school bus to the Eisenhower Center and Library. It's an interesting place to visit. Like most small towns in the central U.S. it's surrounded by farm ground.
Abilene has antique shops, the local hardware store, a couple of fast food places, a car dealer or two, and some local owned businesses. The downtown buildings date back a hundred years or more. Old Victorian homes are scattered along streets with huge trees that are at least as old. Restaurants that serve home cooked meals and fried chicken that melts in your mouth. This is small town living at its best. Life moves at a little slower pace in Abilene. A person can get lost in its charm.
But Abilene has a secret that most folks don’t know. The farms that surround the town are not stocked with cattle or horses.
This is Greyhound country. This is where some of the finest greyhounds in the world are born and bred.
Take the exit off I-70 south to town and go to 1st street and then west to Old Highway 40 and turn south. As you pass a few farms you will come to the NGA. This is the National Greyhound Association headquarters. The grounds have kennels and a track. It’s a beautiful facility. The NGA is the national registry for all racing greyhounds in the U.S. A little further down the road is the Abilene Greyhound track. This the training track where all the greyhounds go to learn to “Run With the Big Dogs”. Stop in and watch and say hi to the good folks there. This is one of the few tracks where you can go and see how the lure is operated.
Back in town you can go to the Greyhound Hall of Fame. This is also a wonderful place that you can spend several hours looking at the memorabilia from the present back to the earliest days of racing. They also have a nice gift shop. You can spend a few minutes petting Talentedmrripley the local retired superstar, and watch some of his racing videos.
Every year Abilene is host to several greyhound events including the Spring Nationals, and an adoption group that holds their annual get- together and fun run.
So if you are ever passing through, stop for a day or two and check it out.
If you’re a greyhound fanatic, I think you'll be glad you did.

I would love to go there sometime.

Have you heard anything about Camptown recently? I might go out there if they ever do straighten out their problems with the Kansas lottery.

Abilene sounds like the kind of town I want to live in. It sounds wonderful. I would love to visit the NGA and the Hall of Fame. Maybe someday I'll get there. Thanks for such a nice story.

It really is nice!! Lots of history! a great movie to start your trip through the hall of fame! Here's a pic of me with TalentedMrRipley!!

That is really Hannah!!!!!!

I can second that Abilene is a wonderful town. I just got back from there about an hour ago. Saw new 3 week old greyhound puppies 11 of them !! The Hall of Fame is a neat place to visit, the history is cool and Mr. Ripley was doing well this visit. Got lots of kissess from him. Abilene has a great gathering coming up June 5-8, one of the niceest ones I have been to. It is a nice little town to spend the weekend in or live in !!!

I like to go there one day. Sounds great.

Thanks!

I too would love to go there some day. Thanks for the story.

Yes, I would like to go there one day. Sounds very cool.