It is surrounded by endless rolling fields of alfalfa, sorghum and scruffy Kansas prairie grass, and little else. Were it not for the jet trails hanging in the sky, one could forget the century here. The streets are unpaved and dusty. Native Kansas sandstone buildings and wooden storefronts are as they were 100 years ago. And so in most ways if the Brookville Hotel, which just may have one of the longest-running restaurants in this part of rural America.
Rooms are no longer available.
Kansans think nothing of driving 90 miles each way from Wichita for a Sunday repast of country fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, cottage cheese, creamed corn, sweet slaw and baking-powder biscuits. The restaurant serves 1,600 dinners a week. The lard never covers the chicken. It just bubbles around it as the chicken is turned. The crusty crumb residue is saved for the cream gravy.