Simply blinking your eyes could cause you to miss tiny Garfield, Kansas. The town is just a few blocks wide, and I didn’t expect there would be any reason to stop (I had even made a cell phone call, thinking I would be safe for a few moments from the need to jump out and take a picture). There is, however, one interesting thing in Garfield, Kansas: a tiny chapel on the east side of town, right next to US 56.
The Garfield Memorial Wayside Chapel is small enough to be a child’s playhouse. The door is locked, so you’ll have to say your prayers outside. But you can notice a couple of things from the outside.
The chapel’s wall holds the cornerstone of Garfield’s original Congregational Church, built in 1875. You can also look through the glass above the front door, to see the old church’s original bell. The bell was a gift from President-to-be James Garfield, who was saying thanks to the town, for naming it in his honor.
Note: This trip was first published in 2008.
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