Atchison’s beloved Soul Tree falls in LFM Park windstorm
High winds uprooted Atchison’s Soul Tree at LFM Park, a cherished Siberian elm on the west side of the park.
Atchison lost more than a tree Tuesday night when high winds uprooted the Soul Tree on the west side of LFM Park. The cherished Siberian elm had long been a familiar landmark for people who visited and spent time in the park, and its fall left one of the city’s most recognizable gathering spots changed overnight.
LFM Park carries a deep piece of Atchison history in its own name. The park traces back to the Locomotive Finished Materials Company, now Bradken, which originally created the grounds for employees before they became a community park with a shelter house, playgrounds, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, a baseball field and seasonal restrooms. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
That public role is one reason the loss landed so hard. LFM Park has become the site of Atchison’s Juneteenth celebration, which marked its 20th year in 2026 and included the soft opening of the Black Business District Museum at the park. City material describes the Juneteenth event there as the largest free Juneteenth celebration in the country, a reminder that the grounds are not just a park but a centerpiece of civic and cultural life in Atchison.
The City of Atchison confirmed that the Soul Tree fell during the June 16 windstorm and posted the news on June 17. For residents, the best remaining chance to stop by the west side of LFM Park is during the park’s regular daily hours, before the tree’s absence becomes just another part of the landscape. In a city known for its railroad roots, tree-lined brick streets and historic character, the loss of the Soul Tree reads as a community loss as much as a weather story.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
