Parking at Phillipsburg, Kansas

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Like most county seats, Phillipsburg was a thriving town in the middle of the twentieth century then began a slow demise which accelerated during the last decade of the century. Two unique features of Phillipsburg is it has the only stop light in a several county area; therefore, driver education vehicles would often be seen going around and around the square as the students gained experience in stoplight etiquette. The other unique feature is parking is not only on the edge of business street like most towns, but it is also allowed in the center of the road.

Wonder who drove the van with the Labrador license plate on it? Gary's first time to park in center street parking and he managed to arrange it perfectly within the lines. I imagine the pick-up parked outside the lines in front of our van was in a rush to get to Debbie's friend's business, Heartland Marketing and Associates.

Being raised in Kansas, Debbie use to watch "Gunsmoke" with Marshall Dillon, Miss Kitty, Doc and the gang from Dodge City, Kansas. We've always wondered how they imported majestic purple mountains into the scenes of Western Kansas. In the late 1960s and early 1970's Mr. Ken Curtis, who played Festus, was often a favorite guest at Kansas's biggest rodeo at Phillipsburg. While he was there he'd visit the rest homes, hospitals, shut-ins and bring smiles and laughter to many. Doc's character was taken after Dr. Thomas L. McCarty, Dodge City’s first physician and the proprietor of a drug store. Milburn Stone, who portrayed Doc, was from Burrton, Kansas.