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Kansas City - Jumping off the River Exhibit Audio Description
Transcript
Jumping Off the River – Description
In front of you, is a panel 3-and-a-half feet wide by 2 feet tall, and about 3 feet off the ground. This panel sits on a concrete pad under a large tree, facing West Jones Street running left to right. A paved pathway runs along the left side of the concrete pad before making an “S” curve in front of the panel, and crossing W Jones St. to the right as it continues to McCoy Park. The path behind you continues to Mill Creek Park. A second wayside panel sits immediately to the left and is also audio described.
In the top left corner of this panel, is dark text on a light blue background:
Jumping off the River. Two miles north of here, the riverbank once bustled with activity. It was the Independence Landing, a popular “jumping off” point for travelers on the overland trails. By the late 1840s, those bound for all 3 trails docked there. Traders unloaded commercial goods to sell in Santa Fe. Trappers calculated what price they might get for their furs. Prospectors dreamed of striking gold in California. Emigrants prayed their cows and children would survive the trip to Oregon.
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To the right of the text, is a quotation in brown text from Francis Parkman at the Independence Landing in 1846:
Parties of emigrants, with their tents and wagons, were encamped on open spots near the bank…1 or 2 French hunters from the mountains, with their long hair and buckskin dresses, were looking at the boat.
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A color illustration fills this panel and has an overall bluish tint. In the lower right corner, is a campsite with 3 off-white canvas tents. The campsite is on the banks of the river, which is to the left. In the foreground, 5 travelers gather around a glowing fire. Around the campsite, are stacks of barrels, uncovered wagons, oxen, and 2 other travelers. In the distance, near the center of the panel, are more campsites, wagons, and a dozen or more travelers. At the center right of the panel, about 10 travelers gather near a 1-story log building. Behind the building, to the left, another campfire casts a glow on the nearby wagons. Along the right side of the panel, is a steep, tree-covered hill. 2 wagons travel along a switchback trail on this hillside. In the river, at the left side of the panel, a steamship named Martha is docked while another steamship approaches from the right. People carry items to load and unload the docked boat. The other side of the river is hazy and fades into the horizon. A partly cloudy light blue sky fills the top half of the panel.
In the bottom right corner, is white text on a dark background:
“Independence. ‘Start of the Santa Fe Trail.’” by John Stobart. Image courtesy of The Stobart Foundation, 10 Colonial Road, Suite 23, Salem, Massachusetts 01970.
Across the top of the panel is a black bar. At the left end text reads "Upper Independence Landing." At the right end is the logo and text for the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe national historic trails. Other text lists partner associations.
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Description
Listen to the Kansas City, Jumping off the River Exhibit audio description.
Date Created
06/28/2021
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