A quick visit to Goodland

On Saturday I stopped by Goodland for the Frog Hop 5K on the way to another destination. I occasionally pass through Goodland but have never really explored the town. The race started and ended at Foster Park, which is along the highway and is fairly large. It has no ball fields, but does have several horse shoe pits. In the picture below you can see a gazebo or band shell in the distance--I did not check it out.

There is one shelter and it is near the playground equipment.

Also near the playground equipment and the shelter is a memorial bench.

There is a memorial for veterans. In the background is the Goodland library.

 The bell from the old Goodland high school has a place of honor in the park.

 Across the street from the park is the Goodland Community Center and Town Hall in a building that was once a school.

I took a stroll through the downtown. It is like most downtowns—its best years are past. A lot of the buildings seem to be empty and at 8:30 on a Saturday morning nothing was happening. The downtown has a bank, First Financial Bank, which is a branch of a larger bank headquartered in Cincinnati. There is also a second financial institution, Newton County Loan and Savings, which the Internet tells me was acquired by the Bank of Wolcott in 2011. There are also some restaurants and bars, a laundromat, and a barber. The Dressing Room was unusual. It is sponsored by the Goodland Baptist Church and a sign in the window says, "A Clothing Shop Where Everything Is Free". The biggest building in the downtown is a factory, 3D Machine.

 There are signs that some of the old buildings have been demolished.

Below is all that remains of the building that is missing in the picture above.

 I do not know much about the history of Goodland, but I did find this interesting little excerpt. And here is the fire insurance map showing what was in the downtown in 1892.