Drive the 13 Mile Scenic Byway in Southern Kansas

Kansas has a good number of byways. Out of the eleven byways, eight are scenic, two of these have the distinction of being National Scenic Byways and three are historic byways. Kansas has the distinction of being the first state to completely pave their segment of old Route 66. Hosting only thirteen miles of this historic highway gave the state a bit of an advantage to achieve that goal. 

The 13 Miles in the Southeastern Corner of Kansas

When you drive the route which runs through Galena, Riverton and Baxter Springs in Cherokee County Kansas you're driving a Kansas Scenic Byway which runs along a thirteen mile stretch of US Hwy 66, better known perhaps as the famous and historic Route 66. The Kansas segment of this highway runs along the Ozark Plateau in the southeastern corner of the state and passes through the towns of Galena, Riverton and Baxter Springs. .

Although Kansas has the shortest stretch of the popular old route between Chicago, Illinois and Santa Monica, California, the 13 miles of Route 66 in Kansas are among the best preserved.
The three towns mentioned above all offer interesting trip stops  All three towns give you a glimpse of the history of Kansas.

Galena, KS

Galena Museum inside old train station

The old buildings found in Galena, KS are among the top Route 66 Kansas attractions. Some of these structures have been restored or are in a stage of restoration. Several of the older Galena buildings found along Kansas Route 66 helped to inspire the "Radiator Springs" town in the Disney Pixar film, Cars.

 Among these you'll want to make note of is the 1920s KanOtex Station. Today, the old service station is named "Cars on the Route and sells sandwiches, snacks, antiques, Route 66 and Car's items, including several made by local craftspeople and artists.

Before you get to Galena proper, you'll drive past an old smelting plant that was in operation between 1912 and the late 1970s.When in Galena also make it a point to drop by the Galena Mining and Historical Museum.

Riverton, KS

Driving into Riverton, you'll pass the Empire District Electric Company which was built over the years 1890-1910. This is one of the oldest apportioning power plants in the nation.

Also, look for the waterfall that's over the Empire District Electric Company's Power Dam. You can get a good view of it from the Highway 107 bridge.

Another popular attraction is the Rainbow Bridge. The Rainbow Bridge is located about two miles west of Riverton along the former US Hwy 66. The bridge is a concrete single lane structure and is noted for being the last surviving bridge of this type along the entire length of old Route 66. Today the road going over the bridge is a county road.

Baxter Springs, KS 

As you travel in a southwesterly direction from Riverton on Kansas Route 66 you'll come to the last Kansas town before entering Oklahoma. The town is Baxter Springs.

KS Route 66 Visitors Center, Courtesy NPS

If you're looking for an historic building in Baxter Springs once operated as a bank that in 1876 was robbed by Jesse James and Cole Younger, look no further. Today you can actually stay there as it's now a café and a small bed and breakfast inn. The B & B is  named The Little Brick Inn located at 1101 Military Ave. The cafe and inn are owned by the same people. The inn is on the second floor and offered are both standard and parlor rooms.

Also in Baxter Springs is a Phillips 66 Gas Station that was constructed in the 1930s. The station operated first as Independent Oil and Gas and later Phillips Petroleum.  In 2003, the National Park Service listed the service station in the National Register of Historic Places, and the heritage society purchased the building. Today, the building operates as the Kansas Route 66 Visitor Center located on the north end of the commercial district.

Below are links to additional Western Trips article you may enjoy..... 

Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway

Idaho's Sawtooth Scenic Byway 

Visit Fort Sill Oklahoma


Kansas Route 66 Events 

If you're going to promote this historic highway you need an association. Kansas has such an association called the  Kansas Historic Route 66 Association located in Riverton. This association is a non-profit

dedicated to the preservation and promotion of "Route 66" in Kansas.

Among annual events is the Route 66 Festival, an Art and Craft Show in Galena. The 66-Mile Cruise  beginning at the Phillips 66 Station in Baxter Springs and ending at Cars on the Route in Galena.  Both of these events are held during the summer.

For up to date information about KS Route 66 events and festivals, you may ant to see website.....http://kshistoricroute66.com/  When dates are announced for events you should be able to see them on this site. 

(Article copyright Western Trips. Rainbow Bridge photo courtesy Abe Ezekowitz,  CC License 3.0. Galena Museum photo courtesy waymarking.com)

Visit the Shawnee Mission State Historic Site / Kansas

The Shawnee natives were living in the Ohio Valley as early as the late 1600s. The Shawnees were considered fierce warriors. They were the more feared and respected of Ohio's natives. In fact, the Shawnees battled from the 1600’s until their forced departure from Ohio in 1832.

Shawnee Methodist Mission, East Building

As American westward migration spread from the eastern seaboard settlement the Native Americans were uprooted, a relocation program that would last until at least 1890. Regarding the Shawnees, between the years 1831 and 1833, the U. S. forced the Shawnees to give up their land in Ohio. The U.S. government sent the natives to reservations in Oklahoma and Kansas, a destination for many Native American tribes.

When the Shawnees gave up their eastern lands they received about 1.6 million acres west of Missouri. This was of course west of the frontier line at the time and the area was generally referred to as the Great American Desert.

The Shawnees Request a Missionary

In July 1830 Chief Fish, leader of the Missouri Shawnees, requested a missionary through their Indian agent George Vashon.

The missionary society began in 1830. Reverend Thomas Johnson, a Methodist minister, was appointed missionary to the Missouri Shawnees and his brother William, missionary to the Kansas tribe.

Shawnee Mission North Bldg.

The Reverend Johnson, who was originally from Virginia, suggested to the missionary society that one central school be built to serve many tribes. A site was chosen was were a branch of the Santa Fe Trail passed through the Shawnee lands. Shawnee Mission was established as a manual training school attended by boys and girls from Shawnee, Delaware, and other Indian nations from 1839 to 1862.

Classes were held six hours each day except Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday teaching was limited to three hours. The boys worked in the shop or on the farm, usually for five hours a day. The girls helped with the sewing, washing, and cooking. The students, as a rule, went to bed at 8 p.m. and rose at 4 a.m.

Mission School Construction

When construction began, about forty hands were employed, and the buildings were soon under way. Brick-kilns were put up for the burning of brick, while some were shipped from St. Louis. Lumber was produced at their own local sawmill.

The manual training portion of the school ceased in 1854. In 1858 Reverend Thomas Johnson turned the school over to his oldest son, Alexander, who ran the mission until it closed in 1862. Shawnee Mission was one of the earliest, largest, and most successful mission schools in pre-Territorial Kansas and the West.

Thomas Johnson was murdered at his home in Missouri on January 2, 1865. The murderers were believed to have been Southern sympathizers who apparently were angered when Johnson, a pro slavery man for many years, had sworn an oath of allegiance to the Union at the start of the Civil War. Johnson County is named for Thomas Johnson and was one of the first counties established in the Kansas Territory in 1855. Both  the old Oregon-California Trail and the Santa Fe Trail passed through the county.

See the Western Trips articles on the links below...

Remembering the Shawnee Trail

The Minnesota Massacre / Start of the Indian Wars

Visiting Shawnee Indian Mission State  Historic Site / Fairway Kansas

The State of Kansas took over the mission property in 1927. Since that time it has been administered by the Kansas Historical Society. Today it is operated as Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Park. The location is 3403 West 53rd, Fairway, KS. This is just in the southern edge of Kansas City.

This is a site you will want to add to your western vacation planner. This historic park is quite interesting and makes a great family trip stop. It's a must see when you're in this area of Kansas.

Rev. Thomas Johnson

Exhibits in the East Building and North Building

Begin your tour in the East Building, which includes the Visitor Center, store, and several exhibits. Discover the story of the Johnson family, Indian agents and missionaries, Kansas settlement, Bleeding Kansas, Overland trails, and the Civil War.

Exhibits in the North Building tell the story of the emigrant Indians in Kansas-—such as the Iowa, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, and Sac and Fox. Objects include woven baskets, beadwork, drums, and other folk art made from techniques passed down through generations of Kansans with American Indian ancestry.

Tours

Site tours are provided by site administrator. For groups of more than 10, two weeks notice is requested. School groups can also schedule guided site tours with two weeks notice.

(Article copyright 2014 Western Trips. Photos and images in the public domain)

U.S. Cavalry Museum / Fort Riley Kansas

First Kansas Territorial Capital Bldg at Fort Riley Kansas

Western Trips highlights the unique U.S. Cavalry Museum at Fort Riley Kansas. The museum is part of the  Army Museum System and is housed in a building built in 1855 that once was the headquarters of the famous U.S. Army Cavalry School. The building served as the Cavalry School Administration Building until 1957. In 1962 the building was turned into the Fort Riley Historical Museum. What you'll experience at the U.S. Cavalry Museum is the history of the American Mounted Horse Soldier from the Revolutionary War to 1950.The U.S. Cavalry Museum features exhibits and artifacts that cover it's history during this entire 150 year period.

Historic Fort Riley

Fort Riley Kansas, established in 1853, has the distinction of being one of three frontier army forts that still exist today as an active army base.The other two forts are Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Bliss Texas. The area of Fort Bliss also extends into New Mexico.

The history of Fort Riley as well as the history of most frontier military forts was all about "Manifest Destiny" and the westward migration along both the Oregon and the Santa Fe Trails. Interestingly enough, Fort Riley was deemed by it's surveyors as being generally near the center of the North American continent. For this very reason it was initially named Camp Center.

Drawing of Custer's 1868 march to the Cheyenne village

In addition to the U.S. Cavalry Museum, Fort Riley is the site of historical markers, historical buildings along with monuments and statues.

One of these historical structures is the home of George Armstrong Custer while he served at Fort Riley. The restored house, it's rooms and furniture are made to look like they would have back when Custer lived there for a few years in the late 1860's. During this period Custer was involved in actions against the Cheyenne Native Americans in Kansas, Oklahoma and eastern Colorado. The most historically significant action that Custer was involved in during this time was the Battle of Washita River or also referred to as the controversial Washita Massacre which occurred in present day Oklahoma in 1868.

The Custer House was constructed in 1855 and is made of native limestone. It is the only double set of surviving officer's quarters from the fort's early history. The Custer House is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Saturdays from 10A to 4P and on Sundays from 1P to 4P.

Yet another good visit at Fort Riley is Custer Hill. This is the main troop area on Fort Riley. It's the area where Fort Riley's soldiers live and work. The site includes barracks, the motor pools and various military offices. 

Buffalo Soldier,  Magee painting

The Buffalo Soldiers

The Ninth and Tenth Cavalry, "buffalo soldiers", who were so active in the western frontier after the Civil War were also stationed at Fort Riley several times during their long history. The fact also is that the buffalo soldiers, established in 1866, served at many army posts during the latter 1800's from Montana to New Mexico and throughout Texas. Often they would pass through Fort Riley on their journey further west.



Links to five additional Western Trips articles you'll enjoy are below...

 Historic Fort Reno

 Frontier America

A Little Known Old Wild West Show 

The Man-Made Wonder in Sedona Arizona

Drive the 13 Mile Route 66 in Kansas 

U.S. Cavalry field uniforms 1876

The U.S. Cavalry School

Western historians are aware that many army forts along the western frontier were closed when the Indian Wars concluded during the late 1880's and particularly in 1890. Fort Riley was saved from these closures when Lt. Gen. Philip Sheridan requested within his 1884 report to Congress that the government make the fort "Cavalry Headquarters of the Army." It was this action in 1884 and it's approval that solidified Ft. Riley as a major army post. This museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9A to 4:30P and on Sundays from noon to 4::30 P.

The U. S. Cavalry Museum

The 10,000 square foot U.S. Cavalry Museum. Along with a plentiful exhibit of artifacts include uniforms and weapons equipment. Exhibits also include excellent oil paintings from well known military artists. Also included is the museum's Old Glory Antiques & Crafts Gift Shop.

Mountain Howitzer replica

Fort Riley, being an active military base, requires all visitors to obtain a pass to enter the base. A photo ID is required to receive a pass. Cell Phone usage is not permitted while driving a vehicle on Fort Riley. There is no fee to visit the museum however donations are greatly appreciated.

Another good stop to make while visiting Fort Riley is the Fort Riley 1st Infantry Division Museum. This museum  tells the story of the First Infantry from its establishment in 1917 through the present day. The museum is open Monday through Saturday. from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Visiting Fort Riley 

Fort Riley is located about a one hour drive west of the Topeka in northeastern Kansas. Fort Riley is about a three hour drive from Kansas City.

Fort Riley is an excellent addition to any family western road trip planner. The U.S. Cavalry Museum and the surrounding grounds and museums at Fort Riley exhibit a very large amount of American frontier history and army cavalry artifacts.

(Photos of buffalo soldier painting and howitzer cannon are from author's collection. Remaining photos and images are from the public domain) 



US CAVALRY DOCUMENTARY VIDEO

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The History of Fencing

So many stories about the old west, including many of those on this site, talk about the great open ranges of the early west. The history of western ranching has much to do with the availability of millions upon millions of acres of open range land. This of course came to an end when western migration reached the point where land was fenced in. The history of fencing and by default, the history of barbed wire, had about the same impact on western civilization as did the railroad. The impact on the rancher however was largely negative. There was more than one range war over fencing. As an example, the infamous Johnson County War in Wyoming had as much to do with settlers fencing in range land as it had to do with cattle rustling.

In visiting museums and studying the subject, one thing that stands out, and one that perhaps a lot of people don't realize, is that the history of fencing included many different types of barbed wire used. Although there had been experimentation with different types of fencing in the early 1860's, the story of what we know today as barbed wire had it's start in the year 1873. During that year at the county fair in DeKalb, Illinois, a man named Henry M. Rose put together an exhibit regarding a new idea in fencing. Rose's exhibit was a wooden rail with a series of sharp spikes sticking out from the sides of the rail. The fence rail which Rose patented earlier that year was designed to be attached to an existing fence to stick an animal when it came into contact with the rail. The benefit was to keep livestock from breaking through the fence.

A man named Joseph Glidden saw this exhibit and experimented with improving it. Glidden decided to design a wire that had these points sticking out from the wire itself. essentially, this is what we know today as barbed wire.The barbed wire pictures here show you all the various designs.

Before I go any further, I want to tell you about the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum located in LaCrosse Kansas. This museum has some of the most extensive barbed wire exhibits you'll find anywhere in the world. The barbed wire museum is operated by the Kansas Barbed Wire Collectors' Association,  non-profit corporation chartered by the State of Kansas.This is definitely a venue that anyone interested in barbed wires influence on western American settlement wants to visit. The museum is located at 120 W. 1st Street, LaCrosse KS. LaCrosse is located about 10 miles south of Interstate 70 and about 160 miles northwest of Wichita Kansas.

There were a few others in addition to Joseph Glidden who developed barbed wire, filed patents and started small manufacturing companies. In the future there would be buy outs and some consolidation and a few patent fights. Glidden went through a patent battle in 1874 contesting whether he actually invented the wire in the first place. He won that court fight and went on to establish the Barb Fence Company in DeKalb. The value of this new product was recognized early on. The economics of fencing in the massive open ranges leaned toward the use of barbed wire. It was the most economical way to do it as opposed to any other way. The stone and hedge fencing used in many area of the east would be too costly and would take much too long to erect on the western plains. As a result, barbed wire came on the scene in large amount just when it was needed the most, during the large westward settlement after the Civil War.

On way to understand how the early barbed wire was manufactured is to look how Joseph Glidden produced his first barbed wire. According to information from the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, Glidden actually used a coffee mill to make the barbs. Glidden had two pins on one side of the mill, one centered and the other just enough off center to allow a wire to fit in between. He turned the crank and the pins twisted the wire and formed loops.The wire was then clipped off about one inch on each end at an angle to form a sharp point. Barbs were placed on one of two parallel strands of wire. The two strands of wire were attached to a hook on the side of an old grinding wheel. As the barbs were positioned, the wheel was turned twisting the two strands of wire and locking the barbs in place. The end product was very usable fence wire.

Interestingly enough, a German immigrant, William Edenborn, developed a process to manufacture barbed wire that was considered more humane. He patented a process that would also make it cheaper to produce. Edenborn would later end up supplying about seventy-five percent of the barbed wire used in the U.S.

When you look at the barbed wire sample photos on this page, you will notice the large number of patents filed for a large variety of designs. This is truly barbed wire art. The manufacture of barbed wire became an art in many ways. Many different designs of the barbs themselves distinguished one from the other. In most instances, the length and design of the barbs themselves determine how much of a deterrent they are. Some can be much more harmful to cattle or anything else that comes in contact with them depending on the design.  Barbed wire fences continue to be the standard fencing method for enclosing ranch cattle in most areas of the United States.

Two articles we have published that you'll find interesting are the Johnson County War in Wyoming and the famous 3 million plus acre XIT Ranch of Texas.

For those residing in Texas, there is the Devil's Rope Museum located in McLean Texas. Here the visitor will see two large barbed wire balls weighing about 400 pounds each sitting near the museum entrance. You can tell from these pictures of barbed wire that there's a lot to see. McLean Texas is located about 75 miles east of Amarillo just off Interstate 40.

(Photos are from author's private collection)

Peppard's Wind Wagon of the Old West / Trading in Mules and Oxen for Wind

 Something Other Than Horse Power

In the 1860s when a pioneer family headed out west, they usually did so in a covered wagon, often called the "prairie schooner", pulled by mules or oxen. In the settlement of Oskaloosa in Kansas Territory  a millwright by the name of Samuel Peppard got the Colorado gold fever as did many of his friends. On May 9, 1860, Samuel Peppard set out for Colorado. In this case however he did it the unconventional way. Peppard suggested to some of his friends that they build a "wind wagon", a wagon with sails propelled by the wind. At first his friends ridiculed the idea but after some thought they decided it wasn't a bad idea. Actually, there had been other unique ways tried to travel the western trails other than with horse, mule or oxen. The U.S. Army's camel expedition is one example.

Wind Used for Transportation


No one knows for sure where Peppard got his idea from but this wasn't the first time wind was used to move a wagon or carriage. As far back as the 1500's history books tell us that the Chinese under the Ming Dynasty had many carts and carriages propelled by wind. History also tells us that there were experiments using wind to move over land in the 1600's as the illustration left depicts. Also, Lewis and Clark in the early 1800's had a boat with wheels that was wind powered. In 1846 a man from Missouri by the name of Thomas designed as wind wagon for the purpose of sailing down the Santa Fe Trail. Thomas' attempt was not until 1853 when he sailed about 100 miles down the Santa Fe Trail and then returned home. Thomas ended up losing his financial backers and wind wagon idea essentially went nowhere. Wind has always been regarded as a power source as the earliest sailing ships are testimony to. The photo at left shows a small wind wagon in the late 1800's in Brooklyn New York.

The Design of Peppard's Wind Wagon


One thing Peppard had in his favor was that he lived in Kansas Territory and Kansas and the Great Plains were noted for it's winds. Being a creative person, Peppard decided to take advantage of the resources at hand. Horses were in short supply but Samuel Peppard had the time to find another way to travel west. He went ahead and designed the world's first (historians may disagree on this point) wind wagon and built it in 1860. Peppard's creation was about 8 feet long and 3 feet wide. It was equipped with four large wagon wheels you might find on covered wagons of the era. Designed to hold four people it's weight was about 350 pounds. Peppard fastened a ten foot mast to the front axle and on this he placed two sails, a large one and a smaller one. Peppard's theory was that he would use the larger sail if the winds were light and the smaller one if the winds were heavy.

The Test of the Wind Wagon

Old West Wind Wagon

In early May of 1860 after some testing near home ( during the first test the wind blew it over and Peppard made several adjustments), Peppard set out with his crew and went northwest following the Independence Trail and made it to Fort Kearny on the Platte River in Nebraska. So far so good.

At Fort Kearny there happened to be a reporter for Leslie's Illustrated Weekly who observed Peppard and his wind wagon and stated the following.." I timed her going two miles and with the moderate breeze at the time, she made it in little less than 14 minutes". To be sure there were times when there was no wind. On days when there was no wind, Peppard and his three friends sat back, smoked a cigarette, and told stories to each other. Depending on the wind the wagon could attain a speed of up to 30 MPH, a very fast speed for the time.

Late 1800's Brooklyn N.Y.

Peppard's wind wagon continued southwest from North Platte along the South Fork of the Platte headed to the goldfields. All in all they traveled some 500 miles. An amazing feat using only wind power. It traveled to a point about 50 miles north/northeast of Denver when Peppard and his crew sighted a "dust devil", a cyclone type wind, almost a very small tornado. Before they had time to lower their sails the wind picked the wagon up off the ground about 20 feet. The wagon was totally wrecked when it came down and hit the ground. Miraculously, no one on board was injured but the wagon's sailing days were over.

 Peppard and his crew were given a ride to Denver with a wagon train and then made their way back to Kansas. Regardless of the accident near Denver, Peppard's wind wagon made history traveling over 500 miles, mostly over the Oregon Trail, using only wind power.

Wagons on the Great Plains

There are many interesting tales of travel over the Great Plains of the U.S.  and the old west wind wagon was certainly one of those. During the mid 1800's a wagon train might begin a six month journey over the Oregon Trail to the Williamette Valley Oregon or to Sutters Fort in California. It was a long and often dangerous trip and it was probably one of the largest overland migrations the world has seen. Some, like Samuel Peppard, wanted to head west because of the promise of striking it rich in the gold fields. Others, many European immigrants,  just wanted to live the dream of owning their own land and living in freedom. Thousands upon thousands made the trek whether it was by wagon, the railroad or walking.

Jefferson County Historical Society, U.S. Hwy 59, Oskaloosa Kansas is the site of the Samuel Peppard Wind Wagon sculpture.


The Museum of Westward Expansion located in downtown St. Louis Missouri has an excellent collection of old west settlement exhibits and artifacts.


Another great family vacation stop is the Wild West Living Museum in West Yellowstone Montana just outside the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Stage coaches, old chuck wagons, covered and everything pertaining to old west.


Museum of the Old West at Old Trail Town in Cody Wyoming also has a very good display of all things old west.

(Photos and images from the public domain)

 

Dodge City Kansas

 Dodge City Cattle Town

If your road trip takes you through Dodge City Kansas you have arrived at a site which exemplified the rapid growth of western America. Many of us first came upon Dodge City Kansas as the setting for the popular 1950-60's television series Gunsmoke. Here each week we saw U. S. Marshal Matt Dillon protecting Dodge from the outlaws ever present on the western frontier. Many of the episodes of course were pure fiction and pure Hollywood. By the same token some of the episodes gave us a slight glimpse into the kind of characters seen in real life.

Cowboys, ranchers, cattlemen, gamblers, swindlers, frontier merchants, common criminals, settlers from the east, European immigrants...all of these people passed through Dodge. So you ask...where is Dodge City?  Dodge City was at the very center of America's push west, particularly to the southwest. It was on a busy trail of westward moving commerce. This was an amazing town and an amazing time in America with colorful frontier figures like Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. With this kind of frontier activity going on in Dodge it's also no wonder why the town eventually attracted lawmen like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. That's a story you'll see on an upcoming post.

Dodge City Along the Santa Fe Trail

In our post regarding the California Water Wars, we pointed out how Los Angeles seemed to arise in an area that had no apparent geographic benefits at the time, including a good water source. Dodge City Kansas was probably the opposite. Dodge City was right at the crossroads of America's 1870's expansion.

The Santa Fe Trail passed by Dodge City. An interesting side note is that just a few miles north of present day Dodge tourists can view a two mile stretch of wagon wheel ruts dating back to the Santa Fe Trail days. It's supposedly the longest continuous path of wheel ruts still in existence. This is a must see when you visit Dodge City. Please see the Dodge City links at the end of our story. When the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad ( early logo at left) made it a railhead in the early 1870's events really took off. Dodge City was a collecting depot for buffalo hides. Dodge City's southern plains location made it an ideal shipping point for Buffalo hides sent east to St. Louis. The Texas cattlemen drove their herds northward out of Texas' Palo Duro Canyon and below to the Dodge City railhead for shipment to Chicago. This included the famed Texas cattleman Charles Goodnight. The cattlemen in Colorado did the same. Also, being located between Missouri and New Mexico, Dodge saw thousands of travelers pass through via the railroad, some staying. The railroad was basically built along the Santa Fe Trail.

A succession of army forts were built in the central Kansas area during the 1840's and 1850's primarily to provide protection for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. It wasn't until after the Civil War that Fort Dodge was established and the nearby civilian settlement of Dodge City.

Dodge City traces it's beginnings to 1871 when a rancher built a sod hut near Fort Dodge. The cattleman was there to protect his herd. The railroad found it's way to Dodge City shortly after and the sod huts were replaced with buildings. Prior to this time since the 1850's, cattlemen drove their Texas Longhorn's and other cattle to either Witchita, Topeka or Abilene Kansas for shipment east. This process even became a bit complicated during the Civil War. Later there was the Great Western Cattle Trail that branched off from the Chisholm Trail and led right into Dodge. An interesting photo below left shows a pile of Buffalo hides from the early Dodge days getting ready to be shipped east on the rail line.

Dodge City and Deadwood

When you study the history and beginnings of western frontier towns, Dodge City is somewhat different from towns such as Deadwood South Dakota and Virginia City Nevada. The population of Deadwood and Virginia City literally  exploded overnight. When gold and silver were struck in the nearby mountains, prospectors dropped what they were doing elsewhere and rushed there with all urgency. The first housing were tents. There certainly was no time to build permanent structures when the time was better spent hitting a lode of ore.


When looking at the birth of Dodge City Kansas, you have a town that grew from the decades long travel over the Santa Fe Trail. Dodge was actually an expansion from Fort Dodge located just a few miles away. In fact, the Army of the West had a law that prohibited military forts themselves from becoming centers of commerce. Civilians who wanted to settle near the security of an army fort would simply build a settlement one or two miles away from the fort itself. This was common and wasn't the case only with Dodge. Military forts such as Fort Kearney in Nebraska and Fort Laramie in Wyoming had prosperous towns spring up nearby.


Another difference with Dodge was that the Santa Fe Trail was traveled on many years before the Platte Road which runs through Nebraska. The Santa Fe Trail was built for commerce. The Platte Road seems to have served more as an immigrant trail for mid 19th century settlers heading on to the Oregon Trail. While the Santa Fe Trail certainly had it's dangers particularly from the Comanches, the Platte Road and it's Bozeman Trail offshoot were more affected by the Great Sioux Wars.

The Cattle Towns Grew Westward

As in the case of all early rail heads, the western terminus kept moving westward. The map left shows the route of the AT&SF Railroad running southwest from Chicago. In July 1879 the railroad made it's way to Las Vegas New Mexico and with it's arrival Las Vegas also became a major cattle shipping site. With the railroad also came the outlaws, gamblers and swindlers that changed the face of that town as well.


Today of course, Dodge City Kansas is a prosperous modern city. The city has set aside a historic district that takes you back to the days of Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. It might even take you back to the days of U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon. You can still ride the train through Dodge on Amtrak's Southwest Chief that runs daily between Chicago and Los Angeles. Essentially on the same route as the old AT&SF Railroad. If you wish to read more about both Dodge City and it's place in Santa Fe Trail history I would recommend these two books.

(Photos and images from the public domain)

You may find the following related old west story interesting. The Tombstone Epitaph



www.skyways.org/orgs/fordco/dctourism.html

www.travelks.com

Amtrak Southwest Chief

The Buffalo Soldiers

One of the most effective military units ever established in the United States Army was that of the famed "Buffalo Soldiers". Buffalo Soldiers history was an important part of US military history. The 10th Cavalry was formed in 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. At the same time the 9th Cavalry was formed at Greenville, Louisiana. Forming the 10th Cavalry was Colonel Benjamin Grierson, a career army officer. The 9th was formed by Colonel Edward Hatch. Both regiments were comprised of African-Americans led by white officers.

The African American Soldier of the 1800's


It's a well known fact that African-Americans fought alongside the Union Army during the Civil War. There are many records of their valiant service during that war but it was not until the Civil War ended that Congress, while reorganizing the peacetime army, officially acted to establish official African-American regiments.


When the Civil War ended there was a big need for added troops on the western frontier. Settlers were moving west in droves and the transcontinental railroad added even more. The need for a heavier army presence in the west was great and the new African-American regiments helped fill the need.

Involvement All Over The West

For over twenty years these regiments were involved in numerous campaigns in the west before, during and after the Indian Wars. They served all over the west, from Montana in the north to Arizona and new Mexico in the southwest.

 The photo at right is of a Buffalo Soldier circa 1890.

The Buffalo Soldiers guarded stagecoach lines, railroads, telegraph lines and settlers. They engaged the Indians very shortly after they entered the plains and in some instances they were threatened by the very same white settlers they took an oath to protect. This plus the harsh elements of the northern plains made the duty of the Buffalo Soldier a particularly tough one. While the Buffalo Soldiers did not take part in such high profile battles as at the Little Bighorn, they were involved in many lesser, yet equally dangerous, campaigns.

During the years 1870-1890 there were 14 Medals of Honor awarded to Buffalo Soldiers. The Medal of Honor was the military's highest award for bravery. When the 1890's arrived the Buffalo Soldiers pretty much worked themselves out of a job. The Indian Wars were over with most tribes settled on their reservation land. Towns were growing rapidly and law enforcement was mostly relegated to local and state jurisdictions.

The picture below is of the Buffalo Soldiers at the Red Cloud Indian Agency.

There are a few different versions as to how these regiments were given the name Buffalo Soldiers. What is known is that the name originated during the Indian Wars, One story is that the name was given to these soldiers by the Cheyennes in 1867. The Indian name translated as "Wild Buffalo". Another version is that the name was given during a Comanche campaign in 1871. The Comanche translation was "Fierce Fighter". There are other versions but what is known is that the Indians respected the fighting ability of these troops. There is another very interesting story of the Buffalo Soldiers involvement in New Mexico regarding Indian uprisings and the Lincoln County War.

The Buffalo Soldier in the Twentieth Century

The Buffalo Soldiers  went on to play a big part in other historic events. One in particular was during the Great Fires of 1910. This was the total devastation by several connected forest fires in a large area of Montana and northern Wyoming.

Towns were being evacuated, people were being trapped by the flames, some while inside retreating rail cars,, and the Buffalo Soldiers were called from their encampment in Montana to help maintain order. They operated successfully in what was considered the largest forest fire in American history and obviously under very dangerous conditions.

Prior to that the Buffalo Soldiers distinguished themselves during the Spanish-American War. There appears to have been some disagreement at the time regarding their involvement in that war. Some thought that the African-American regiments should not be involved in conflicts off  American soil. Nevertheless, they were involved in the war and were sent to Cuba via Tampa, Florida. These soldiers put up with a lot of abuse from certain whites in their own country and it was certain that it would continue during their deployment in Cuba. It did continue but the Buffalo Soldiers performed exemplary. Even knowing what they were getting into, the soldiers looked at their participation as yet another opportunity to prove themselves. The photo below is a Buffalo Soldier regiment stationed in Cuba.

The 92nd Infantry Division was an African-American unit with soldiers from all states. The division was formed in 1917 and participated in both World Wars. Most action was seen in France during World War I and Italy during World War II. The picture below right is the 92nd Infantry Division marching through Italy in 1945.


Below left are the pictures of two Buffalo Soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997 for their bravery with the 92nd Infantry Division during World War II.

At top is John R. Fox who was killed after deliberately ordering artillery fire on his own position while being overrun by Germans. His actions stalled the enemy advance. The picture below it is of Vernon J. Baker, awarded the Medal of Honor for destroying six enemy machine gun nests, two observation posts and four dugouts.


Another interesting note about the Buffalo Soldiers is that aside from serving their country as military fighting men, parts of the 9th Cavalry and 24th Infantry Regiments served in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains in 1899 as some of the very first national park rangers. The army was involved with our national parks acting similar to forest rangers as far back as 1891 but it was not until 1899 that African-American units were involved. The park ranger hat visitors are accustomed to seeing today dates back to photographs of the Buffalo Soldier Rangers from 1899.

The Buffalo Soldiers were an incredibly brave fighting force. Today there are several monuments across the country honoring their contributions. One is the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston, Texas. It's a great weekend trip or a good educational stop during your extended vacation. There are also monuments located in Kansas City, MO, Junction City, KS. and at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX.



The web sites below will give you more detailed information.

www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com 


www.blackhistoryreview.com/visit/BufSoldierMemKS.php

www.bordersights-tours-of-elpaso.com/photo2.html 

(Article copyright Western Trips. Photos and images from the public domain)