About US
ABOUT US…BARRY AND SANDY CLAY
Barry and
Sandy Clay, the owners of Prairie Springs, are teachers (Marine Biology and
Music) who spent 15 years working in Saudi Arabia and Singapore at the
International Schools in those countries.
The Prairie Springs Cottage, built originally in 1867, began as a barn,
with cows milked on the lower level, hay stored above and barn dances held in
the same loft, once the hay was gone.
There are still lots of friendly ghosts who know “Cotton-Eyed Joe” and
the “Virginia Reel.” The native stone
barn has stood the “test of time” these past 143 years, and the spring that
sparkles just below it served as a water source for the soldiers and horses of
the United States Cavalry stationed at Ft. Riley. It has been rumored that Jesse James, General
George Armstrong Custer, and maybe even Tonto and the Lone Ranger have spent a
night or two at Prairie Springs in an earlier time. Nestled right in the heart of the Flint
Hills, the 480 acre working cattle ranch and cottage allow visitors a close-up view
of the rolling hills and hidden springs.
Barry and
Sandy, both musicians and writers of children’s books (available on
Amazon.com), are dual national citizens with one foot in Ireland and the other
in the Flint Hills. Barry is a storyteller
who has entertained audiences in places as far away as Islamabad, Pakistan.
Sandy is a singer, partial to folk songs, who also greatly enjoys community
drumming. The Clays delight in sharing the serenity and
beauty of the tall-grass prairie with guests.
If you are looking for seclusion as well as easy access and proximity to
Ft. Riley , a hunting lodge, a rendezvous for a family reunion, a place to honeymoon or just want to watch deer, wild
turkey, fish, and listen to coyotes, then you have discovered your place!
