Well they also have feed yards, and packing plants in Western Kansas. I used to work an 8 county area around Ford County. People used to say there was nothing between us and the North pole but a barb wire fence.
We used to run that area during the mid to late 1950’s. I’m sure what you are describing were added after that. We used to drive from Kansas City to Osborne on Highway 24, just a two lane road, and would spend the night in Clay Center because my folks thought it was too long a drive to make without stopping.
Certainly if you headed north out of Kansas there never used to be anything between you and the North Pole. Always enjoyed driving west though and catching a view of the first snow capped mountain view as you approached Colorado.
Beautiful country - all of it - and each special for the contributions it makes.