Mullinville Travel Guide

No-one is sacred in Mr Ligget's eyes and everyone from local politicians to world leaders are represented with his wicked welding work.

His commentary proves thought-provoking and few works are simple. For instance, is he depicting Princess Diana as an innocent, stripped of her dignity by the media and put on display for all to see? Looking at it this way, the fig leaves are like those you see in paintings, carefully placed by the artist to preserve modesty.

Or is he saying Princess Diana was a willing participant in her own downfall, that she wanted no secrets hidden from the world? In this way she can be seen as an Eve figure, innocent at first but led astray and ultimately responsible for being shamed.

Mullinville's round barn has an array of gifts and souvenirs, from postcards for 50 cents to hand-painted wooden shingles featuring the handsome barn for 15 dollars.

What to buy: There are also some original aluminium roof ridge caps with a sunflower pattern pressed into each which can be bought plain for 5 dollars or painted for 10 dollars.

Pick out what you like and put the money in the trust box!

You can also find round barn mugs and T-shirts sold at the Sunflower Plaza shop in Mullinville.

This old round barn belongs to the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public. You can step in to admire the unique roof structure, climb up to the hayloft (now used as a dancefloor for the occasional weekend concert), see farm tools, look at old photos of the barn and read about its construction and renovation. There are no staff to greet you, just mooch around at your leisure and turn off the lights on your way out!

The barn was built in 1913 to shelter 28 draught horses, including a registered Percheron stallion imported direct from France. It is 70 feet across and 50 feet high. By 1994 the structure was on the verge of collapse when it was saved by the locals and named as a building of national importance.

A photo of the barn received an 'honorable mention' in the Kansas State Board of Agriculture Barn Picture Contest of 1919.

Follow the signs off Highway 54. It's 3 miles south of Mullinville, then just over 1 mile west, with the last bit on a firm gravel road.