Opened in December of 2021, the Black Squirrel Bark Park offers fenced areas for small and large dogs to run around and play. Located off just off Highway 77 on Jackson Street and just south of the city park, the 3-acre park is away from the street and accessible by a bridge designed specifically for the park.
106 South 8th, Marysville, KS 66508
Hours
Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 3 p.m.
OPEN YEAR ROUND
History
Marysville’s proud heritage features the Home Station No. 1 on the Pony Express route. Despite running just 18 months, the Pony Express has become a part of American lore.
Between April 1860 and October 1861, riders traveled day and night through all conditions to carry letters from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, and back. This usually took ten days with riders changing horses every 12 to 15 miles. Each rider would ride 75 to 100 miles before turning the mail in a mochila over to a new rider at one of the 40 “home stations” along the route.
The home station in Marysville, a stone barn built by Joseph Cottrell in 1859, was leased to the Pony Express in 1860. Cottrell kept his blacksmith shop in the barn. The barn is still standing and is now a museum. The riders likely slept at the nearby Barrett Hotel, located where Ar-Ex Drug Store is today.
The first westbound rider left St. Joseph, Missouri early in the evening on April 3, 1860, arriving in Marysville the next morning. Historians differ as to his identity, but local tradition says his name was Johnny Fry. The mail was carried in a mochila which fit over the saddle and could not be removed unless the rider dismounted. It had four mail pockets called cantinas, which were always locked during the ride. The rider took the mochila off one mount and quickly put it over the saddle of the next. Two minutes were allowed for changing horses.
Sending mail by Pony Express was very expensive. The original charge was $5.00 an ounce and 5 cents for every additional ounce. Later the charges were reduced to $1.00 per ounce. In 1860 the telegraph was completed across the continent, providing a cheaper and much quicker method of communication than letters carried by fast pony. The Pony Express came to an end, but its legend and legacy live on.
The museum in Marysville’s Home Station No. 1 consists of the original stable, now the oldest building in Marshall County, and an annex added in 1991 which matches its architectural style. The museum’s exhibits have been expanded to include trails and railroads, emphasizing Marysville’s wider historic importance as a transportation hub.
In June of each year, the National Pony Express Association sponsors a Pony Express Re-Ride from Sacramento, CA to St. Joseph, MO. Each year they alternate the direction of the re-ride, traveling East or West. More than 550 riders and horses are posted at intervals to take turns carrying the mail. Each rider takes an oath similar to the riders in 1860-1861 and is issued a Bible in the tradition of Russell, Majors and Waddell, the operators of the Pony Express.
7th & Broadway, Marysville, KS 66508
Send your love from Marysville at this beautiful mural in the 7th Street Corridor, on the west wall of the Wagon Wheel Cafe.
Created by former MHS student, Rachel Frese, the mural features an outline of the state of Kansas with our beautiful state flower and a message of love from our small town. Share your Insta-worthy pics with #nuts4Marysville.
The Marysville Farmers Market runs Saturdays from May through October from 8 am to 11 am at the 7th Street Corridor in Downtown Marysville. It features fresh, home-grown produce, as well as homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, salsas and more. You never know what goodies you might find at the Farmers Market. After you visit the Market, explore our beautiful downtown with unique shopping, delicious dining and interesting attractions!
Enjoy this nine-hole disc golf course located in Marysville’s City Park. The park features beautiful views, shade trees, water and restrooms. Fun for all ages!
Just North of Hwy. 36 on 20th Street, Marysville, KS 66508
(785) 562-6818 (Marysville Sport & Recreation)
Hours
Open from Dawn to Dusk, Year Round
The Lakeview Disc Golf Course is a 9-hole course at Lakeview Sports Complex. Free to play for all ages.
555 Pony Express Hwy, Marysville, KS 66508
Impulse Archery is a full service archery pro shop with indoor range located just 3 miles west of Marysville, on Highway 36. Impulse Archery is the place for you to prepare for success and/or introduce the next generation to the lifelong sport of archery. If you need to purchase archery supplies, have your equipment serviced, put your skills to the test by shooting a round of 3D targets, or just enjoy some family time together, this is the place for you.
Hours
Monday – Closed
11:00 am – 7:00 pm Tuesday – Friday
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Saturday & Sunday
Website
10th & Walnut Streets, Marysville, KS 66508
Enjoy a competitive game of tennis with your friends at the eight courts located in Marysville City Park.
15th & Calhoun St., Marysville, KS 66508
Dargatz Park is located on 15th Street a few blocks north of Highway 36. Enjoy a nice playground for children, two baseball fields, basketball courts, restrooms and a picnic shelter.
16th & North Street, Marysville, KS 66508
Lions Park features a large playground for kids, plenty of shade, two large shelters with electricity, a basketball court, walking trails and a gazebo.
To reserve a shelter at Lions Park, call the City of Marysville at (785) 562-5331.
