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Things to do in Wathena, Kansas

The town of Wathena, Kansas, was founded in 1857 and is a historic Doniphan County city named after a Kickapoo chief whose name translates to “Sun Shining on Moose Horns”. Originally a Native American village site, it grew as a trading post, rail stop, and agricultural hub near St. Joseph, Missouri. It is known for its role in early Kansas history, education, and fruit cultivation, particularly fruit orchards and berry patches, with boxcars of apples, peaches, strawberries, and grapes shipped via train car. Wathena consists of rolling hills along with bluffs and showcases a beautiful view of the Missouri River in the river bottom between the Kansas and Missouri borders.