Editor’s Note: The shoe tree was an unfortunate casualty of a storm and is no more. 

Have you heard of Kansas’s very own shoe tree before? Well, we won’t blame you if this oddity has escaped your attention for a while. This attraction is BYOS (bring your own shoes) and we hope you have fun during your visit to the Wetmore shoe tree! It’s certainly a Kansas oddity. Let’s go!

Welcome to the Shoe Tree! Starting out sometime in the 1980s, a man named John Kissel decided that Kansas needed their own shoe tree after reading about one in a newspaper. This tree may have started out the size of a telephone pole back in 1909, but it's much larger now, even without the shoes!
Jake Kaufman/Google
This oddity stands tall over by Wetmore, Kansas, covered with shoes nailed to every surface people can reach or get to. Some people hang shoes here in different ways, and others even sign the soles to let visitors know where the shoes are from.
Cindy Stavropoulos
You can use the provided nails to add your own used and beaten up shoes to the tree, if you want to be part of the oddity. Even if you don't participate, it's definitely a sight you'll remember.
Yolima S/Google

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Visitors of all ages can enjoy adding their own shoes, pointing out different colors, or just remarking on how odd this little wonder is.
Cindy Stavropoulos
If you prefer, have some fun and toss up some shoes with laces instead of nailing your pair to the trunk! I know I'd have a lot of fun tossing an old beaten up pair of gardening shoes up here.
Rich Carstensen/Google
Make sure you add the Wetmore shoe tree to your bucket list and stop by sometime during a future road trip. It'll be a lot of fun
Cindy Stavropoulos
The shoe tree is open to visitors during daylight hours, and is on public ground. Please respect the area and pick up any nails you drop!
Rich Carstensen/Google

You’ll find this shoe tree out at 80th and V road, north of Wetmore, Kansas. If you visit, take some photos and post them to our Kansas Nature Lovers group to share with others! If your town has a cool oddity like Wetmore does, we’d love to hear about it! Tell us using our Nomination Page and we’ll take a look at wherever you suggest.

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V Rd, Wetmore, KS 66550, USA