GALVA
SANTA FE TRAIL POINTS OF INTEREST
GALVA MUSEUM Come visit the Galva Museum where we are dedicated to preserving and showing the history of our beautiful city.
204 S MAIN
or
FULLERS RANCH SITE Established in 1855 on the Santa Fe Trail, this was the first white settlement in McPherson County.
22nd Rd & Iron Horse Road
MODERN DAY CONVENIENCES
PLAY
The Sunflower Santa Fe Walking Trail is built on the corridor of the ATSF railroad bed. It extends one mile west of Galva. There is a picnic shelter at the trail head. Along the trail, one can observe nature at its best.
Park Henry, Santa Fe St. and 4th St., is Galva's oldest park and includes a picnic shelter, playground equipment, a tennis court and restrooms.
Lynn Baldwin Memorial Park, N Main St. and Northview, includes
regulation sized softball and baseball fields, picnic shelter, modern
playground equipment and a .2 mile walking trail.
Jake Warren Memorial Park, S Main St. and 2nd St., includes a fenced in park with the latest playground equipment as well as a splash park. A basketball goal is located just outside the park.
SHOP
A stop at Woodburry Market, 305 E Hwy 56, one might be surprised to see all that is offered - the Coffee Shed, Tin Roof Pantry (freshly made cinnamon rolls, breads, frozen casseroles, bierocks, pies), Bonnie Jane's (gifts and home decor), Farmgirl Dresses (unique fabrics and gifts), The Winking Owl Bookshop (vintage books), and Gypsy Princess Products (handcrafted organic skin care products and toiletries as well as hand crafted knit and crochet hats, scarves, etc.). Open Monday-Friday 8 AM - 5 PM and
Saturday 8 AM - 2 PM.
EAT
Looking for a place to have a great meal?
HIGHWAY 56 RESTAURANT
220 E Hwy 56 •
Proudly serves the same heritage dishes that have made this restaurant a favorite for many years. Open Monday-Wednesday 6 AM - 2 PM and Thursday-Saturday 6 AM - 8 PM.
THE COFFEE SHED
305 E Hwy 56 •
Serves premium coffee, a light breakfast and lunch, and assorted pastries. Open Monday-Friday 7 AM - 5 PM and Saturday 7 AM - 2 PM.
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
The town of Galva was settled in 1879 and incorporated in 1887. The stone building on Second and Main is the only original building left. At one time, it had two stories and even had a skating rink on top. The buildings on the west side of the 200 block of Main were all replaced after the fire of 1930 destroyed almost the entire block.
Galva is the successor of the town of Empire, which was
located one mile east and 2 miles south of the current site
of Galva. As early as 1823, the junction of the Santa Fe
Trail and the California Road (Cherokee Trail) served as a
regular stop for the wagon trains and travelers heading
west. In 1855, Charles Fuller built a "ranch" just west of
Running Turkey Creek, which was the first white
settlement in McPherson County.
In 1871, Joseph J. Colby constructed the first permanent residence which was the beginning of Empire. Any hope of a prosperous future for Empire was shattered when a branch of the AT&SF railroad was completed September 23, 1879, passing northwest of Empire. It didn't take long for the residents of Empire to move their buildings to the railroad camp called Galva. By 1880, even the post office was closed. The beginning of Galva meant the end of Empire, a town that ran its whole course of history in under ten years.
Today, Galva is a thriving little town with a population of about 900 and is known for its concrete streets and many new homes. There are two churches in town, the Galva United Methodist Church and the Galva Christian Church. The Canton-Galva USD 419 Elementary School is located in Galva, and the Jr/Sr High School is located in Canton.
For more information about the City of Galva, visit their website: .
2021 GALVA EVENTS
April 3rd - Easter Egg Hunt in Park Henry
June 5th - City Wide Garage Sales
July 4th - Firecracker Festival & 5K run
July 23 - 24 - Eastern McPherson County & Marion County Santa Fe Trail Days
Trail Guides are available at the McPherson Museum and staffed locations
along the 9 eastern McPherson & Marion County trail stops. Use the Trail
Guide to see all 9 stops. Acquire stamps at each location and have it verified
at a staffed location when complete to be entered into a drawing for a free
meal at the 56 Family Restaurant in Galva.
July 23 - Speaker Leo Oliva - "What Did They Eat On The Trail?" - 7:00 pm - Free and
open to the public without reservations
Reception: Appetizers, Dinner, & Cash bar - 5:30 - 7:00 pm - Registration
is required & tickets are $25. For more information call the McPherson Museum:
, email:
McPherson Museum, 1111 E. Kansas Ave., McPherson, KS
July 24 - For more information on the Galva events below - Call Linda Anderson,
or email:
July 24 - Galva Museum - 204 S. Main, Galva, KS - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Special display about the Santa Fe Trail
Kid friendly KSHS traveling trunk about trading on the Santa Fe Trail
July 24 - Tom Nestor and his teepee cooking up traditional foods
Starting at 10:00 am - 56 Family Restaurant, 220 E. US Hwy 56, Galva
July 24 - Barb Bland's mural of the trail's relationship to Galva, Inside the 56 Family
Restaurant, 220 E. US Hwy 56, Galva - Open 6:00 am - 8:00 pm.
July 24 - Coffee Shed inside the Woodbury Market - 305 E. US Hwy 56, Galva
Open for Breakfast at 7:00 am
Children's covered wagon rides, root beer floats, fresh squeezed lemonade,
kettle corn - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lunch served from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
July 24 - Events at Running Turkey Creek - a campsite on the Santa Fe Trail - 9:00 am -
4:00 pm - 1 mile east and 2 miles south of Galva, KS on 22nd Avenue, just
before Iron Horse Road. Sponsored by the Galva Museum and made possible
with a grant from the McPherson County Community Foundation.
Cheyenne Encampment - Kevin Hiebert
Military Infantry Escort Camp - Rex and Dustin Abrahams
Woman on the Santa Fe Trail - Emma Perera
Cherokee Trail Connection to the Santa Fe Trail - Brian Stucky
Empire Cemetery - 9:00 am - Noon - 1/2 mile south of other events - Don &
Sandra Unruh - Early day settlers of Empire & Galva, KS
July 24 - For more information on the Canton events below call Kim Witt, or
email:
July 24 - Canton Township Carnegie Library - Tales of the Trail & refreshments -
10:00 am - 3:00 pm - 203 N. Main, Canton, KS
July 24 - Reenactments of Ed Miller at Jones Cemetery - Ed Miller's Grave - from 1:00 pm -
3:00 pm - 2 miles east of Canton, KS on Hwy 56 and approx 1 mile north
July 24 - French Franks' Ranche - Guided Walking Tours at 1:00 pm and again at 2:00 pm -
Marion County on 240th Road, 1/10 mile west of Chisholm Trail Road. Enter at
the green gates and follow the lane north past the containers.
July 24 - See other Photo Stops along the Santa Fe Trail.
DAR marker - .7 miles South of Canton on 27th Ave
Santa Fe & Chisholm Trail marker - 3 miles east of Canton on Hwy 56 and turn
north on 30th/Meridian at the county line
French Franks' Trail segment and markers - 245th Road between Bison and
Chisholm Trail Roads in Marion County.
August 28 - Old Empire Days - Infantry Soldier of the 1860's - Rex Abrahams - 1:00 pm
Galva Fire Station, 300 S. Main, Galva, KS
