Is Lucas Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

I actually tossed and turned last night thinking of the right words to describe Lucas, Kansas.

Sure, it’s more formally known as the “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas.”

You could also say they “go big” in this small town of barely 300 people.

Here’s the best I came up with – if a circus troupe bedazzled a city and you could only view it through a kaleidoscope, that’s what Lucas looks like.

I also thought it might look like if Tim Burton and Walt Disney had a metaphorical baby.

If you think that sounds crazy, then you haven’t heard of The World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions or the World’s Largest Things.

That’s the kind of novelty you’ll find in this central Kansas city.

In fact, it’s so “central” that the center point of North America is just a couple dozen miles up the road.

Every “Roadside America” book will have some of the Lucas attractions in it.

Quite frankly, if one doesn’t, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on.

Where else can you roam through a wood and stone version of the Garden of Eden or use a bathroom so elaborate that road trippers will “hold it” for miles just to use it.

When you’re looking for a place to stay here, the maps aren’t going to show you any hotels.

You won’t find chain hotels for at least 30 miles or so.

However, there are cabins, RV lots, and lodges here.

You can also rent most of the places for a week or month.

There’s a slight “Alice in Wonderland” feeling here and that’s just the way it was designed.

Warnings & Dangers in Lucas

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk here but you won't find a local police department. The Russell County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement. That means I can only use data from the entire county. The good news is - the whole country is pretty darn safe too.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

You aren't going to find any traditional public transportation and there's a low chance you'll even find a taxi or rideshare. You'll need a car to get in and out of Lucas and explore the region, although the town is walkable or bicyclable.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

No pickpockets or purse snatching happened here in 2020 and it's a rare year that one is even reported. There's a low risk.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

You face the same risks as any Kansas town - flooding, thunderstorms, tornadoes, dust storms, winter storms, and lightning. There's a medium risk because the weather can be extreme here, but there is no event that the city or state isn't used to.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

There have been two robberies since 2010 in Russell County, so you can feel safe there's a low risk. While you should never let your guard down, it's nice to know you are in a safe city surrounded by a safe county.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

There's a low risk here. Even as I researched the things to do around the area, I lost the city on the map. It's too small and too remote to resonate with any terror group. NOTE: There is a Garden of Isis here, but it's not ISIS. This garden is dedicated to the Goddess Isis, not the terror group named the Islamic State of Iraq.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

I'll admit, some of the attractions sound like scams. However, there is a low risk you'll be scammed here. Many of the attractions are free and the town is small enough that if there was a scammer going around, the townsfolk would know it.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women should feel safe traveling freely through Lucas and Russell County. You do want to limit your time in public to daylight hours because there's little light (or things to do) at night.

TAP WATER RISK: MEDIUM

I actually wrote this section and had to come back and re-write it to give this a medium risk. This shows the importance of monitoring local websites and social media accounts before you visit a location. In addition to two violations in 2021 from the Water Quality Report, there was a nitrate warning that required all citizens to drink bottled water. Even boiling the water didn't make it safer from the nitrate levels. The violations involved coliform and chlorine and only occurred in September of 2021. Please check with the city before you consume or use any tap water here.

Safest Places to Visit in Lucas

Lucas is Home of the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things.

For the sake of sanity and my word count, they shorten it to World’s Largest Things Museum.

This is where the largest things in the world have been scaled down dramatically to be shown in and around the museum.

Because I love humor and candor, one example is the world’s largest plow in Nebraska, and there’s a small replica of it in the museum.

The description?

“It’s a plow.”

There’s a mini Mount Rushmore, a spinach can, a dinosaur, and so much more.

Every state’s “Largest Thing” is solidly represented here.

On the flip side, you can also see the “World’s Largest Travel Plate”, which is 14′ in diameter.

Heads up – there is a painting of a topless woman, representing the Garden of Eden, on the plate in case anyone finds that offensive.

Another place you really need to “go” is Bowl Plaza.

This is where an elaborate and ornate mosaic bathroom was built, with a mosaic garden leading you to the “throne.”

The Garden of Eden really does feel like walking into a Tim Burton movie, but it’s designed by sculptor S.P. Dinsmoor.

He lived in the house that is in the “garden.”

There is a mix of biblical and societal cultures here.

Miller’s Park is right next door with a rock sculpture garden.

Throughout the city there are several more unique art galleries, gardens, and stores.

Stop by the Grassroots Art Center to get a full list.

By comparison, it’s going to sound pretty boring for me to tell you about Wilson Lake about 10 to 30 minutes south of Lucas (depending on which part of the lake you visit.)

There is part of this lake called Hell Creek, but I cannot find a verified reason why it got that name.

If anyone from the area is reading this, can you comment below about the reason for this name?

There are several hiking trails, park sites, and campgrounds on this wide swath of state land.

You can also drive the Post Rock Scenic Byway, one of many scenic byways in Kansas.

This one is just 20 miles long and starts (or ends) in Lucas.

FUN FACT:

You’ll see many fences, homes, and sculptures made of limestone here because there are hardly any trees to use as a building material.

Places to Avoid in Lucas

The entire city of Lucas is only a half mile long, so you really couldn’t get out of a bad neighborhood if you needed to, but luckily, you don’t need to here.

One thing to avoid is looking for famous artists other than the ones we’ve mentioned.

There are no Van Goghs or Picassos.

All the art here is made by the people of the city and region.

This is where the “Grassroots” moniker comes from.

While it is the Grassroots Capital of Kansas, I doubt there’s a city this artistic in the Midwest.

You are welcome to take pictures all you want, but don’t touch the delicate mosaics or lean against the sculptures.

Don’t joke about or make fun of a piece of artwork as there’s a good chance the artist is nearby or someone who knows the artist is nearby.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Lucas

So... How Safe Is Lucas Really?

Well, I can’t tell you because I don’t have the data.

To make it more challenging, the mayor of Kansas City is named Quinton Lucas, so every variety of search terms I could think of ended up with articles linking back to that area that isn’t near Lucas.

Looking at recent incidents in Russell County, there was a car chase and a head-on collision involving a semi-truck.

After about an hour, I figured it’s not that it’s hard to find crime information, there just isn’t a lot of crime to find.

According to FBI data from 2020, I have the raw data for crimes in Russell County.

It wasn’t even worth doing the math to get the “Per 100,000” as the FBI prefers simple because the crime numbers are so low:

• Murder: 0 (and hasn’t been one going back to at least 2010)
• Rape: 0
• Robbery: 0
• Aggravated Assault: 9 (Four of these assaults were in a jail/prison, and none were against strangers)
• Thefts: 19 (37% of which were car break-ins, so lock up your car when you park)

The weather is the safety point I want to punctuate.

In December of 2021, there were a few weeks of utter weather chaos.

One of those windstorms came through and caused a lot of devastation.

One resident summed it up well.

“I never thought we would go from flood to drought, then taken away by fire, it’s just, it’s devastating.

It’s crazy. It’s sad.

I know God doesn’t give us any more than what we can handle, but it sure feels like a lot right now,” said resident Brynae Thompson.

Prepare for the weather events here as much as you do for personal safety, and you’ll enjoy this eccentric and unique town.

How Does Lucas Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

You'll spend $160 on a travel visa to the U.S. and $190 for a work or school visa. You should start the process several months ahead of time to go through all the steps. Once you get through Customs at the airport, put your visa somewhere safe as you can freely travel through Kansas without having to show it.

Currency

The U.S. Dollar (USD) is the only currency you can use here. There might be places that only take cash, and when you're in a remote area, cash is a good thing to have on hand. You do want to lock it away somewhere safe and don't keep it all in one place. Make sure your bank knows you are traveling because a purchase at The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions or the World's Largest Things might set off some fraud alerts.

Weather

You should bring clothes you don't mind getting dirty here. Between dusty winds, flooding potential, and outdoor activities, you'll get sweaty and dirty. On a windy day, one of the COVID masks might be very helpful here. I live in a windy state and I keep a stash of masks just for this reason. Bring bug spray for the warmer months and winter outerwear for the cold months.

Airports

Wichita's airport is about two hours southeast and Topeka's airport is three hours east. Those are the closest options unless you have your own private plane.

Travel Insurance

You'll definitely want travel insurance for a trip to Lucas. Between flight delays and road condition issues, there's a potential for additional costs along the way.

Lucas Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Kansas - Safety by City