Pratt offers a variety experiences to enjoy Kansas nature. As the home of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), Pratt has about 200 acres of parks and many other opportunities to learn about nature.
The largest park is Lemon Park with 117 acres of nature trails, wood sculptures, ponds, 80 varieties of trees and several sports facilities.
“Lemon Park is a very nice park that is very well utilized,” Brian Hoffman, Pratt Chamber of Commerce executive director, said. “On summer evenings there is always people walking, picnics, biking and I could go on and on.”
KDWP Wildlife Museum and Fish Hatchery offer a look into Kansas wildlife. The hatchery consists of 87 culture ponds, where fish (such as walleye, bass, catfish and wiper) are raised, according to KDWP.
The Wildlife Museum and Pratt Education Center lets visitors discover the wildlife of Kansas.
There are numerous displays, dioramas and exhibits that provide encounters with Kansas birds, fish, mammals and reptiles.
The museum shows six aspects of Kansas wildlife including winter, grasslands, raptors, wetlands, aquariums and birds. The best part about the KDWP museum and hatchery is the free admission.
“If you are at all interested in wildlife, KDWP’s Wildlife Museum is very interesting,” Hoffman said.
For a look into the history of the area visit the Pratt County Historical Museum. The museum takes visitors back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the area, when Indians hunted along Turkey Creek and Ninnescah River, to the first settlers who started to farm and develop towns, to the 19th century and how Pratt helped with the war effort during WWII.
For the airplane enthusiast, there is the Pratt Army Air Field and the B-29 Veterans Memorial at the Pratt Industrial Airport. The memorial honors all veterans from all conflicts.
Another attraction is the hot and cold water towers. According to Pratt Chamber of Commerce, the towers began as a practical joke and is now one of the town’s most unique features.
Downtown Pratt features many shopping opportunities and restaurants. This weekend it will feature a sidewalk sale with hamburgers provided by the City of Pratt and Pratt Fire Department, gift certificate drawings, free train rides and summer specials from area merchants and vendors.
“Downtown has always been appealing to me,” Hoffman said. “Its very active. Its says a lot for the town when its hard to find a parking spot.”
Pratt also offers a variety of good food at restaurants like Uptown Cafe and Club D’Est (steak dinner), Legends (American classics) and Woody’s Sports Bar (hamburgers).
