Four State Lookout - White Cloud, Kansas Four State Lookout is one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Geography. It sits on a hilltop next to White Cloud, Kansas, a town of 176 people on the Missouri River, a couple of miles siuth of the Nebraska State Line. White Cloud is also known for its small monument to Wilbur Chapman who inspired the use of piggy banks to raise money for American Leprosy Missions. I not sure that the lookout actually looks out over 4 states. Missouri and Nebraska are just a mile or two away, but Iowa is over 40 miles away. In the 1930s three concrete pillars were placed on this hilltop to anchor cables which crossed the Missouri River. Those cables were removed long ago, but for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, a lookout platform was added to this site.
In 1913, Wilbur Chapman was the 10 year old son of missionaries. Wilbur met William Danner who came to White Cloud to raise money for the American Mission to Lepers. Danner gave Wilbur $3 at the end of his visit, which Wilbur saved until fall, used to purchase a piglet which he named "Pete," raised the pig, sold it and sent the $25 to the American Mission to Lepers. The story of Wilbur and Pete was published in Sunday School Times and inspired children in Sunday schools across the United States to feed Pete the Pig banks. By 1938, they had raised over $1,000,000. The program continues to raise money for American Leprosy Missions to this day.
LS 1/15 copyright 2013-2020 by Keith Stokes |
