In Baldwin City, Kansas, 'there's always something going on.' That didn't use to be true

Most folks in the Kansas City region know Baldwin City for its famous fall festival. But the quaint city is also a college town with connections to Margaret Thatcher, a stop along the Santa Fe Trail, claim to the first armed conflicts of the Civil War and now, home to a charming and vibrant downtown.
Downtown Baldwin City was “sleepy” when the town’s current mayor, Casey Simoneau, moved there about 20 years ago.

“I maybe went downtown once a month, maybe twice a month,” Simoneau said.

Then local folks stepped up. They renovated buildings, which new businesses happily occupied. Local leaders built a micro-park, hosted community events and downtown Baldwin City — just 20 minutes south of Lawrence, Kansas, — was transformed.

“Now it’s kind of the central focus of our community,” Simoneau said.

Most folks in the region know Baldwin City for its famous fall festival. But the quaint city is also a college town with connections to Margaret Thatcher, a stop along the Santa Fe Trail, claim to the first armed conflicts of the Civil War and now, home to a charming and vibrant downtown.