Welcome to Frontenac!

Welcome to Frontenac! 

Our community was built by miners, mobsters, and immigrant families with grit, who brought their traditions with them and made Frontenac home. More than a century later, you can still find that history in our food, our neighborhoods, our festivals and the fierce pride generations of families have carried for this little corner of Southeast Kansas. Whether you're here for an event, passing through on Highway 69, visiting friends and family, or simply wondering what there is to discover in Frontenac, this guide is for you. We're so very glad you're here.

Frontenac, Kansas - Where Legends Are Made.

 A Taste of SEK

Where should we eat?

Food is part of Frontenac's story. The families who settled this old mining community brought their recipes and traditions with them, and generations later, some of those traditions are still sitting on our tables. Add Southeast Kansas's famous fried-chicken culture, hometown burgers, coffee and a few good places to gather with friends, and you won't have to go far to find something worth eating.

Palluccas

If you want to understand Frontenac, Palluccas is a pretty good place to start. Part Italian market, part deli and part living piece of local history, Palluccas has been part of the community since 1909. Stop in for a made-to-order sandwich, browse the market, pick up Italian sausage and other specialties, or watch for the rotating homemade lunch specials. They also offer catering for everything from family gatherings to community events. 

 207 E. McKay Street

Barto's Idle Hour

Fried chicken isn't simply dinner in Southeast Kansas it's a regional institution, and Barto's has been serving it in Frontenac since 1951. Come hungry for crispy fried chicken and the traditional sides that have made places like Barto's destinations for generations. If you're visiting in the evening, don't overlook the back bar: its tucked-away entrance and old-school atmosphere give it a bit of a speakeasy feel, and live music is often part of the experience.

 201 S. Santa Fe Street

Shooters Neighborhood Grill & Bar

Sometimes you just want a really good burger, and Shooters has earned a reputation for exactly that.

This hometown neighborhood grill serves burgers, wings, sandwiches, wraps and plenty of familiar comfort-food favorites in a casual setting. It's an easy choice when everyone in the group wants something different although we'd suggest giving the burger serious consideration.

 311 E. McKay Street

McKay Street Coffeehouse

Tucked inside the Frontenac Public Library, McKay Street Coffeehouse makes an excellent starting point for a morning in town. Grab coffee, espresso, tea or a bite to eat, then explore Heritage Hall, see the library's historic Frontenac mural and wander over to Miners Park. You'll also find a small selection of coffee-related items if you're looking for something to take home.

200 E. McKay Street

Raider Express

Don't let the gas pumps fool you — Raider Express is much more than a place to fill the tank. Along with convenience-store basics, you'll find quick breakfast options and rotating lunch specials that range from comfort food to sandwiches and other grab-and-go favorites. It's also one of the places to pick up Frontenac Bakery products and student-made Raider Ink merchandise. And yes, there's a Sinclair dinosaur outside begging for a road-trip photo.

325 E. McKay Street

Pickled Pete's Bar & Grill

For an evening out, Pickled Pete's combines traditional bar-and-grill food, cold drinks and live music. The venue regularly brings musicians to Frontenac and offers a casual nightlife option after the daytime shops and attractions have closed.

303 E. McKay Street

Granny's Chip Chocolate Ice Cream

When the only reasonable answer is ice cream, stop by Granny's for a sweet treat. You'll find hand-dipped ice cream, shakes, sundaes, candy and other goodies for an easy dessert stop while you're exploring McKay Street.

214 E. McKay Street

A Frontenac Tradition: Frontenac Bakery

You won't find a public storefront for Frontenac Bakery, but that doesn't mean you have to leave town without trying it. The longtime Frontenac bakery supplies its bread and baked goods to stores and restaurants throughout the region. In Frontenac, bakery products can be purchased at Palluccas and Raider Express, and you'll also find Frontenac Bakery products served at Barto's Idle Hour. Outside town, bakery products are available through locations including:

Pitt Express, Ron's, G&W — Girard, G&W — Fort Scott, Horton's Pittsburg, Real Deal Italian Joplin, Jo's 1 Stop, & the The Meat Shed. You'll also find Frontenac Bakery products served at area restaurants including: Chicken Mary's, Chicken Annie's Original, Chicken Annie's Pichler's, Chicken Annie's Girard, Bowler's Boulevard, Columbus

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Fuel & Convenience

Where can I gas up or grab supplies?

Whether you're passing through town, headed to an event or just need to grab something on the way, Frontenac has convenient options for fuel and the basics.

Pete's

Located along the Highway 69 corridor, Pete's is an easy stop for travelers who need fuel, drinks, snacks or other road-trip necessities before getting back on the highway.

5005 Parkview Drive

Raider Express

Right on McKay Street, Raider Express combines fuel and convenience-store essentials with a little more local flavor. Stop in for coffee, quick breakfast options or one of their rotating hot lunch specials, and look for Frontenac Bakery products and Raider Ink merchandise while you're there.

Don't forget to say hello to the Sinclair dinosaur outside.

 325 E. McKay Street

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Experience Frontenac

What should we see? Frontenac isn't a town of enormous tourist attractions, and that's really not the point.This is a place best explored slowly, walk a few blocks. Look at the old buildings. Follow the pieces of mining history scattered through town. Get coffee, find a mural, wander through the woods or sit beside the water for a while. Much of what makes Frontenac worth seeing is simply Frontenac itself. This is a modern “Mayberry” and there are so few of those left anymore.

Step Into Our History & Meet The Mobsters

Heritage Hall Museum

If you only have time for one history stop, make it Heritage Hall. It’s completely free and something very special. Located inside the Frontenac Public Library, Heritage Hall takes visitors into Frontenac's past through a recreated early Frontenac streetscape, historic artifacts, photographs, interactive displays and exhibits exploring the mining and immigrant communities that built the town. The experience goes beyond dates and names. You'll encounter the realities of deep-shaft coal mining, the devastating 1888 mine disaster, the Amazon Army, and the stories of the people and cultures that transformed a mining settlement into Frontenac. 

200 E. McKay Street (inside the library) 

Frontenac Public Library

Don't make the mistake of thinking this is just a library, or even a super quiet place. We don't do much quiet here in Frontenac. The Frontenac Public Library brings the library, Heritage Hall Museum, McKay Street Coffeehouse and community gathering space together under one roof. Grab a coffee, browse the books, explore the museum and take some time to look around. The complex makes a natural home base for exploring downtown Frontenac.

 200 E. McKay Street

Miners Park

Near the library is a small park with a very big connection to Frontenac's story. Miners Park honors the coal miners and immigrant families whose work and traditions shaped this community. Look for the miner memorial, memorial plaque and coal car, then stay awhile to enjoy the fountain. It's a lovely little place to sit in the middle of downtown while exploring Frontenac's history.

Located beside the Frontenac Public Library.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

At the corner of McKay and Cherokee, Sacred Heart Catholic Church is part of the historic landscape created by the immigrant families who settled Frontenac. Its location along McKay makes it an easy addition to a walking tour through the older heart of town.

Corner of McKay and Cherokee

Find a Little Art - We love art here in Frontenac. A quick walk down McKay will let you see some of our public artwork!

The Library Mural

While you're at the library, take a look at the large mural depicting Frontenac from another era.

It's a glimpse of the community as it looked roughly a century ago and another piece of history you don't have to step inside a museum to enjoy.

200 E. McKay Street

The Hagerty Workshop Mural

At the east corner of McKay and Cayuga, the side of Mike Hagerty's workshop, the old Oberto's Texaco building, has become something of a Frontenac scavenger hunt. Created by artist Jenna Spencer, the mural mixes town history with personal details and a little mischief. Look closely for references to Frontenac businesses and families, including Palluccas carts and the Karlinger band, along with changing magnetic elements and hidden details.

Corner of McKay and Cayuga

Find the Dinosaur

Not every landmark needs to be historically significant to be a favorite. The big green Sinclair dinosaur at Raider Express is an easy roadside photo stop, particularly if you've got kids — or adults who are willing to admit they still want their picture with a giant dinosaur.

325 E. McKay Street

Get Outside - Need to get a breath of fresh air? We’ve got you covered!

Wilderness Park

Need a break from people for a while? Head west. Wilderness Park offers more than four miles of trails through woods, wetlands, grasslands and terrain shaped by the area's mining past. A major portion of the trail system is ADA accessible, while other trails rise along ridges created by open-pit mining. It's surprisingly easy to disappear into the trees for a quiet moment without ever really leaving town. 

907 W. McKay Street

Frontenac City Park

For something with open spaces head to City Park on the north side of town.Its fishing pond is seasonally open and stocked, and a shelter provides a place for a picnic or an afternoon outside.

800 N. Cherokee Street

Rotary Park

Traveling with kids who need to burn off some energy? This is the stop. Rotary Park has playground equipment, a shelter house, basketball and pickleball courts. It's also near Frontenac's pool and sports facilities, making this area especially useful for families.

529 E. McKay Street

Frontenac Swimming Pool

During the summer, Frontenac's municipal pool provides a place for families to cool off during a hot Kansas afternoon.

 519 E. McKay Street

Go Fishing at the State Lake

Near US-69 and US-160 on Frontenac's edge sits Crawford State Fishing Lake No. 1, part of the surrounding mined-land recreation area. It isn't technically a Frontenac city park, but it's close enough and used enough by people here that leaving it out would be silly. It's an uncomplicated place to fish, picnic and spend some time outdoors before getting back on the road.

Catch a Raiders Game

If you've never experienced small-town high school sports, here's your excuse. Depending on the season, you might find the Frontenac Raiders playing football under the lights, packing the gym for basketball or volleyball, wrestling, running track or cross-country, or taking the field for baseball and softball. Frontenac takes its athletic facilities seriously, too. The Raider Sports Complex serves as a hub for school and community athletics and larger events. You don't necessarily have to know anyone playing. Grab something to eat, find a seat and enjoy one of those pieces of small-town life that hasn't disappeared yet.

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Stay Out a Little Later - We may be a quiet town, but know how to have fun.

Barto's Idle Hour

Dinner doesn't necessarily mean the evening is over at Barto's. Check what's happening in the back bar, where the tucked-away entrance and intimate atmosphere give the place an almost speakeasy feel and live music is often on the calendar.

201 S. Santa Fe Street

Pickled Pete's

Pickled Pete's is another Frontenac live-music stop, pairing bands and performers with drinks and traditional bar-and-grill food.

303 E. McKay Street

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Festivals & Events

When should we visit? Frontenac knows how to party. Throughout the year, our festivals and community events celebrate the things that made this town what it is mafia and mining history, immigrant traditions, food, schools, neighbors and a healthy amount of Raider pride. Dates can change from year to year, so always check current event information before making the drive.

Coal Miner's Gravel — Late April

Spring brings cyclists to Frontenac for Coal Miner's Gravel, a cycling event that sends riders onto the gravel roads surrounding the community. With Frontenac serving as the hub, it's an especially good way to experience the Southeast Kansas landscape and the old mining country beyond the city limits.

Typically held in mid April.

Frontenac Mining Days — June

If you want to see Frontenac being Frontenac, come for Mining Days. Held each June, Mining Days is our hometown celebration and a nod to the coal-mining families who built the community. The celebration fills town with activities, entertainment, food, reunions and one of Frontenac's favorite traditions: the Mining Days parade. The parade is the definition of small town amazing. This is the weekend when people come home, old friends find one another on McKay Street and a town of a few thousand feels considerably bigger for a few days.

Festa Italiana — September

You can't tell Frontenac's story without talking about the Italian families who helped build it and Festa Italiana celebrates that heritage our favorite way. With lots and lots of homemade food! Buy a book of tickets and get taster sizes of so many amazing dishes! Held each September and hosted by the Frontenac Education Foundation, Festa brings the community together at the Raider Sports Complex for food, entertainment and activities while raising money to support Frontenac students and schools by raising money for scholarships. 

Frontenac Christmas Tree Lighting - November 

Want to feel like you’re in a Hallmark movie? We do that too. Frontenac gets a little extra charming during the holidays. The annual Christmas Tree Lighting brings the community together for holiday festivities and the simple pleasure of gathering with neighbors. The high school choir perform and there are free photos with Santa!

Check current community announcements for each year's date and activities.

Camptown Events

One of Frontenac's newest event destinations is also dramatically expanding the kinds of events that can happen here. Camptown Event Center, located along Highway 69, has more than 130,000 square feet of indoor space as well as an outdoor arena and amphitheater. That gives it room for everything from concerts and trade shows to agricultural events, weddings and large-scale special events. If you're planning a trip to Frontenac, it's worth checking what's happening at Camptown while you're here. In 2026 Camptown held the Million Dollar Fireworks festival bringing more than 30,000 people to Frontenac! 

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What's Happening While You're Here?

Festivals aren't the only reason something might be happening in town.Depending on the week, you may find a Raiders game, live music, a school event, library program, community fundraiser or something happening at Camptown. Before your visit, check Hello Frontenac's current community coverage for what's happening around town.

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Shop Local

Frontenac isn't a shopping district packed with souvenir stores, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. But if you enjoy antiques, old treasures, books or something that actually says Frontenac on it, there are a few places worth knowing about.

Past Time Antiques & Flea Market

If you're someone who can happily lose an hour digging through antiques, collectibles and things you absolutely did not know you needed until you saw them, start here. Past Time Antiques & Flea Market is an eclectic stop filled with vintage finds, collectibles, regional pieces and merchandise from multiple vendors. Owner Mike Hagerty has also spent years collecting and preserving pieces of Frontenac history, so don't be surprised if something distinctly local turns up among the treasures.

And if you visited the Hagerty workshop mural on McKay Street earlier, you've already encountered a little of Mike's particular brand of Frontenac creativity.

Right on Hwy 69! 4030 Parkview Dr. 

Frontenac Public Library

Yes, we're sending you shopping at the library. The library maintains an ongoing used-book sale, making it a good place to browse for an inexpensive read while you're visiting. You'll also find a small selection of Frontenac-related items an easy option if you'd like a little something from town without buying a traditional souvenir.

200 E. McKay Street

McKay Street Coffeehouse

While you're grabbing coffee inside the library, take a look at the coffeehouse's small selection of coffee-related merchandise and gifts. It's not a giant gift shop.It is, however, considerably easier to justify buying yourself something when you're already holding one of their locally famous pour overs. Tell Brad we sent ya!

 200 E. McKay Street

Raider Ink

If what you really want is Frontenac Raider gear, this is the one to know. Raider Ink is Frontenac USD 249's student-run graphics program, giving students hands-on experience while producing Frontenac and Raider merchandise for the community. Raider Ink products are currently available for purchase at Raider Express. That means your Frontenac gear can support a local student program at the same time. Shop Raider Ink merchandise at Raider Express, 325 E. McKay Street You can also buy them directly from the Raider Express website. 

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Event & Gathering Spaces

Planning something of your own? Maybe you're not coming to Frontenac for an event. Maybe you're bringing one with you! We are so excited to help! From intimate showers and family gatherings to weddings, reunions, trade shows and events that bring thousands of people to town, Frontenac has spaces available for gatherings of very different sizes.

Camptown Event Center

If you need room to go big, start with Camptown. Located along Highway 69, Camptown is a large, flexible event complex with more than 130,000 square feet of indoor space, an outdoor arena, amphitheater and wedding/event area. The facility is designed to accommodate everything from private celebrations and meetings to concerts, trade shows and large public events. Camptown is also home to a growing calendar of public events, so check what's happening there even if you aren't planning one yourself.

 313 US-69

Grace Events at Palluccas

Located inside the historic Palluccas building, Grace Events combines a modern gathering space with more than a century of Frontenac history surrounding it. The venue is available for small weddings, showers, birthday parties, business events and other private gatherings. Its downtown location also puts guests within easy walking distance of several Frontenac restaurants and attractions. Plus Pallucca’s can handle the food for you!

207 E. McKay Street

Tavella Community Room

The Frontenac Public Library complex includes more than books, coffee and a museum. The Tavella Community Room provides a reservable community space for meetings, workshops, parties and other gatherings. Its location inside the library complex also puts Heritage Hall, McKay Street Coffeehouse and downtown Frontenac right outside the door.

200 E. McKay Street

Frontenac Senior Center

The Frontenac Senior Center provides another community gathering option for smaller events and activities. Contact the City of Frontenac for current availability, reservation requirements and rental information.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING FRONTENAC!