 Logo Indicates
Certified Santa Fe National Historic Trail Sites
Sites on the National Register of Historic Places are noted (NRHP)
National Historic Landmarks are noted (NHL)
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| Santa Fe Trail Site
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Description
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Durham "Blowout" Ruts
30K
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An outstanding set of ruts extends from southwest to northeast across
unbroken prairie land on the Scully property southwest of Durham, Kansas. They
are called "blowout" ruts, because the vegetation and topsoil was disturbed by
the passage of thousands of wheels, resulting in the loss of vegetation. The
wind subsequently "blew out" the soil. |
| Ed Miller's Grave
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In 1864, 18-year old Ed Miller was killed by the Cheyenne
Indians as he rode to warn residents, at a trading ranch, that Indians were
raiding in the area. He was buried near the site of his death, and the site
became a cemetery after the area was settled. |
| 1825 Kaw Treaty Site
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The site of the 1825 treaty with the Kansa Indians
is 1 mile south of Elyria, Kansas, just north of a gravel road (FAS445)
and east of Dry Turkey Creek. In 1825, the Santa Fe Trail survey commissioners
met at this site with members of the Kansa, or Kaw Indian, tribe to negotiate
permission for the Trail to pass through their lands. The Kansa were sent
for the day after the Osage tribe signed their treaty.
The Indians caught up with the commissioners
at Dry Turkey Creek, where the treaty was signed. |
| Little Arkansas River Crossing
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The two crossings of the Little Arkansas River are
5 miles south of US Highway 56 on County Road 443, on the McPherson-Rice County line.
The upper crossing is marked by a cottonwood (the "Marker Cottonwood")
which still stands and is surrounded by wagon ruts from the Santa Fe Trail
caravans. The lower crossing is no longer visible. Stones were placed in
the river bottom of the upper crossing to provide a firm surface for the
wagons and these stones are reportedly visible when the stream is dry. |
Camp Grierson site
23K
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This military camp was south of the lower river crossing of the
Little Arkansas River, Rice County, Kansas. It was established in the summer of 1865 to protect the
crossings and the trading ranch at that location during a period of Indian
unrest. It was manned once more in 1867 by one company from the black regiment
of the 10th Cavalry. After several months, the troops were withdrawn. Several
soldiers were killed by Indians in the vicinity and buried near the camp, but
the larger number of dead buried there were black soldiers who died of cholera
while stationed at Camp Grierson. The bodies were later removed to Fort
Leavenworth National Cemetery, Kansas, but the burial pits may still be seen
south of the military campsite, in a private picnic ground. Some of the
earthworks of the camp are still visible south of the county road on the east
side of the river. The depressions immediately south of the road, shown above,
are probably gunnery mounds from the camp. |
| Stone Corral site
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The Stone Corral site is on the south side of the lower crossing of the Little
Arkansas River, just north of the existing county road. The corral was probably
the most famous structure at the crossings and was built in connection with
the trading ranch and the stage station there. Stone for the corral was quarried
2 miles away. The corral was used from the early 1860s until after the
Santa Fe Trail was abandoned, and then the stone from the corral was used for construction at
other locations. Today, no trace remains of the corral.
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