Goodnow House

A visit to the Goodnow House is more than a glimpse into domestic life in the 1800s, it tells the story of freestaters who wanted organized and equal education for the boys and girls of Kansas. Isaac Goodnow, one of Manhattan's founders, and his wife, Ellen, built this unique stone farmhouse, which still holds many original furnishings and documents. Isaac started the Kansas State Teachers Association and established the college that became Kansas State University. Learn more about the Goodnows, the people of the free-state movement, and their stories when you visit this native stone residence and barn. Operated in partnership with the Riley County Historical Museum.