Take a walk on Manhattan’s wild-yet-wonderful side. Although these semi-obscure sites aren’t in the city’s official tourism brochure, they’re still worth a visit.
Who’s Johnny Kaw? He’s our local version of Paul Bunyan, but without the giant blue ox. This tall-tale character, invented by K-State prof George Filinger in the 1950s, gets credit for inventing sunflowers and digging the Kansas River valley. You can see him in the flesh in City Park, where his statue has stood since 1966.
Where: At the intersection of 11th and Poyntz.
Visit the school that gave birth to America’s favorite super-nerd! “Napoleon Dynamite” director Jared Hess attended Manhattan High in the 1990s, so this may be the place that inspired liger drawings, “Vote for Pedro” T-shirts, and those sizzling-hot dance moves.
Where: 2100 Poyntz Avenue.
His short stories about wiseguys and lowlifes inspired the musical Guys and Dolls and set the literary style for gangster tales from The Godfather to “The Sopranos.” Look for a plaque that marks the location of his boyhood home. (The plaque is usually located by the curb, but during street construction it’s now on the front porch of a house!)
Where: 400 Osage Street.
You’ll see giant tarantulas, a massive ant colony, and loads of other creepy critters. The cockroach exhibit will inspire even the sloppiest slobs to keep their college apartments spic and span.
Where: In the university gardens, just north of the intersection of Claflin Road and Denison Avenue.
Learn more about the insect zoo
Built in 1925 by Harry Wareham, a Manhattan entrepreneur who also built a skating rink and the city’s original phone system, this six-story hotel was the city’s first “skyscraper.” Among its famous guests: Truman Capote, who stayed there when he was researching “In Cold Blood.” Capote’s fame wasn‘t the only reason he turned local heads: he wore a pink Dior jacket to dinner at the K-State Student Union!
Where: 418 Poyntz Avenue.
Students swear that Nick, the ghost of a football player killed in a gruesome tackle, haunts K-State’s old football stadium. Reports of Nick clanging pipes and moving chairs have circulated since 1964, and he’s been featured in several TV documentaries. University experts claim there is no ghost, but if you’ve ever been in the stadium late at night, you’ll believe.
Where: West side of campus, next to the Alumni Center.
Don’t be like the hundreds of students who drive past this museum every day but never stop in. If you want to learn more Manhattan lore, this is the place to start.
Where: 2309 Claflin Road.
Among the famous people buried here are Earl Woods, a K-State alum and father of golf god Tiger, and Nehemiah Green, governor of Kansas from 1868 to 1869. Interesting fact: Manhattan’s cemeteries are named Sunset and Sunrise.
Where: Sunset Avenue near Manhattan High.
The world’s oldest Pizza Hut isn’t in Italy—it’s in the heart of Aggieville. After exploring Manhattan’s quirkiest spots, treat yourself to a slice of local history.
Where: 1121 Moro Street.
You can’t miss the giant K and S letters overlooking Manhattan, but you might miss Manhattan’s mini letters landmark. The waist-high Fiji letters—spelling out the nickname for the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity—are located in the frathouse parking lot. For years pranksters painted the white letters crazy colors, but nowadays the fraternity plays along and repaints the letters. You might see candy canes in December or a Hawaiian print in the spring.
Where: 1919 Hunting Avenue.
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