The Story About the Guidebook

Being on the road led to everything.

In the Beginning

It started in 1990 when father-daughter duo Mil and Marci Penner began traveling Kansas to research for the first Kansas Weekend Guide. What began as a guidebook project grew into seven guidebooks, a nonprofit organization, statewide programs, and a lifelong mission: preserving and sustaining rural culture.

Along the way, Mil and Marci realized Kansans needed help seeing their own state with new eyes — and rural communities needed stronger connections to one another. That led to the creation of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, which works to support and network Kansas communities, especially the many small towns powered almost entirely by volunteers.

This guidebook is one part of that work. By sharing hidden gems, local stories, and lesser-known places, we help communities thrive through visitation and interest.

What is Rural Culture?

Early on, we discovered many small towns didn’t think they had anything special to offer. To help communities recognize their own value, we developed the eight rural culture elements: architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history, and people.

Every community — no matter its size — has stories to tell in each of these categories. Those eight elements continue to guide everything we do.

See Kansas With New Eyes

As the work grew, so did the programs. The Kansas Explorers Club was created to build a thoughtful audience for Kansas communities. Then came the Kansas Sampler Festival, the Eight Wonders of Kansas contests and guidebook, the Big Kansas Road Trip, and more opportunities for people to experience the state in deeper ways.

Back on the Road

Research for the Kansas Guidebook for Explorers took Marci to all 627 incorporated cities in Kansas in the early 2000s. Because communities constantly change, the work never really stops. In 2017, Marci and co-author WenDee Rowe again visited every Kansas city for Kansas Guidebook for Explorers 2.

In 2023, another statewide journey began. Marci and Sarah Green started the trip, with Karly Frederick, We Kan! Program Manager and Monica Frye, Explore Kansas Program Manager continuing the work of documenting Kansas community by community. Kate Hill was hired to transfer and update all the print guidebook information to kick off this digital version.

Continuing on

Today, the mission continues with new leadership and new energy. As of 2026, Simone Elder serves as executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, working alongside Karly and Monica to move programs forward. Meanwhile, Marci and WenDee worked behind the scenes on the ever-evolving online guidebook — now featuring more than 5,000 entries and 18,000 photos.

The goal remains the same: helping preserve and sustain rural culture by encouraging people to explore and appreciate Kansas communities.

When you visit these places, attend events, or join the Kansas Explorers Club, you become part of that mission too.

In short? We’re still on the road. And we’re still obsessed with Kansas communities — and always will be.