Introduction and Foreword

The trail signing of the Historic Trails in Prairie Village started out in the summer of 2018 as a small neighborhood project in Corinth Hills, located just southwest of Harmon Park. For years, myself and others in Corinth Hills had known that the historic frontier Santa Fe/Oregon/California trail route went through Harmon Park where the old wagon train ‘swale’ is still visible today…..That  same trail route also went through our Corinth Hills neighborhood, but we just weren't sure where! The initial concept was to identify where the Westport route of the Santa Fe/Oregon/California (SF/ORE/CAL) trails crossed our neighborhood, and develop appropriate marking/signing for its residents to learn of the historical significance of the historic trails routing through their neighborhood.

Contact was made with the Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association (KCAHTA) President Gary L. Hicks, asking for any information, guidance and potential assistance he and KCAHTA could provide.  

KCAHTA is a nationally recognized organization and has been in place for over 25 years, dating back to the early 1990’s, and before. They are known for their expertise and research on all three trails in the Kansas City area and beyond. The founders of KCAHTA had over 40 years of experience of tracking every part of the Santa Fe Trail from Franklin, MO, all the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico (almost 900 miles!), including our area of Prairie Village!

An initial exploratory meeting was conducted in August, 2018, at the picnic shelter in Harmon Park (Santa Fe Trail Park) adjoining the routing of the historic trail through the park. Attending were myself Mark Morgan, KCAHTA President Hicks; Co-chair of its ‘Signmasters Program Diane Cook, and renowned trails historian and KCAHTA Secretary Ross Marshall.

At the exploratory meeting, the concept of the historic trail signage project within the Corinth Hills subdivision was presented and discussed. It was discussed that

KCAHTA’s type brown signs are designated for only ‘hard point’ signage locations (where the historic trails cross section lines). Thus, it was proposed that the new signage tracing the route of the historic trail(s) through the Corinth Hill subdivision could be termed ‘soft-point’ signage. This was concurred by all.

KCAHTA and its Executive Committee fully embraced the neighborhood trail signing concept as a “first” in the metro area. They offered to help supply mapping information and updated trail research to identify these “soft” point trail crossings in Corinth Hills.

Further communications with Hicks were conducted as the project evolved. Information and data was exchanged, including the preparation of a detailed graphic map assessing where the trail alignment likely occurred across the Corinth Hills subdivision. This assessment evaluated NPS proposed alignment; KCAHTAs Historic Frontier Trails Map; Mr. Lee Kroh’s (KCAHTA co-founder) mapping effort of the historic trail through Corinth Hills; with all evaluations and assessments made in comparison to the general grade contouring of the area. A consensus with Hicks was concurred as to the probable detailed alignment of the trail through the Corinth Hills Subdivision.

KCAHTA’s "brown signs" where the trail crossed at "hard points" (based on original General Land Office (GLO) surveys conducted by Federal surveyors in 1854 -1856 of the newly created Kansas Territory) have been in place since the mid-1990’s. These over 360 brown signs mark exact locations for trail crossings all over Johnson County; Wyandotte County and Leavenworth County in Kansas, plus a few in Kansas City, Missouri. KCAHTA brown signs in Leavenworth County are associated with the historic Ft. Leavenworth-to-Ft. Scott Military Road of the mid-1800s which traversed southeasterly through today’s Johnson County, including the region of what became Prairie Village, Kansas! There are ‘brown signs’ at (2) section line locations where the historic frontier Military Road crossed through today’s Prairie Village … on Nall near 87^th St. and on 95^th St, west of Mission Road.

For more information on the KCAHTA organization, go to www.kcahta.org

Johnson County has the most miles of the historic trails, with more than 114 miles, including branches of the trail(s). The Westport Route of the Santa Fe Trail, which includes both a Northern and Southern Branch, makes up more than 38 miles of these historic trails in Johnson County. There are five places in Prairie Village where KCAHTA brown signs are located: (71st St. east of Belinder and near Booth; Mission Road at 76^th Terr; 79th St and just west of Roe Avenue; Nall at 82nd Terrace; and 83^rd Street between Outlook and Dearborn where the trail route traverses into today’s Overland Park, KS).

By early 2019, Corinth Hills Neighborhood Association had formed a small committee to explore the potential trail crossings with field research and mapping information, and to develop appropriate marking/signing of the Westport Route – Southern Branch of the three Historic Trails. The committee would correlate the ‘soft point’ routing of the trail with the ‘hard-point’ signage locations established from the 1850’s GLO survey data by KCAHTA co-founder Lee Kroh. The purpose of the trail signs would be both informative and educational, allowing residents to connect directly with the history of where they live. This committee also engaged a graphic designer to develop signing concepts.

By mid 2019, positive feedback from PV residents and city members on the “neighborhood” concept of signing the trails, leads to expand the trail signing project from the Corinth Hills neighborhood to all of the City of Prairie Village. A total of nine PV neighborhoods are identified where the route of the trails went through, at a distance of almost 3 miles. With this expanded opportunity, KCAHTA provides old U.S. Geographical Survey Topographic Quadrangle Maps (“QUADS”), along with detailed notes from KCAHTA’s co-founder, Lee Kroh. This detailed information is the key to identifying all the historical trail crossings in Prairie Village.

By early to mid 2020, the historic trails and crossing locations in Prairie Village had been researched and mapped out. The result was over 30 “soft” point trail crossing locations in Prairie Village neighborhoods that directly connects to the National Historic “Swale” and National Park Service (NPS) wayside exhibits in Santa Fe Trail (Harmon) Park, as well as reference to ‘Nine Mile Point’ NPS exhibits at Weltner Park. These “soft” point trail crossings also connect to the five existing KCAHTA “hard” point trail crossings in Prairie Village. The SF/ORE/CAL trails enter Prairie Village in the 2400 block of West 71^st Street east of Belinder, and approx. 3 miles further to the southwest, the trail route traverses from today’s Prairie Village … crossing West 83^rd Street between Outlook and Dearborn.

In the Fall of 2020, the Prairie Village City Council unanimously approved and adopted the concept of signing the SF/ORE/CAL Historic Trails in Prairie Village neighborhoods. Funding for the project is provided by the City of Prairie Village.

Note:Following is the sign concept that is being installed during autumn 2021, the 200^th Anniversary of the start of the Santa Fe Trail (1821) is September 1, 2021! This concept has been vetted through the ‘soft-point’ signage committee, KCAHTA President Gary Hicks, and officials with the City of Prairie Village.

Following are “chapters” to further tell the story and to give you more information on the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails; the south branch of the Westport Route in Prairie Village neighborhoods; detailed maps; information on historical trail exhibits in neighboring communities; links to other organizations and more.

Explore and learn more and enjoy “walking the historic trails” in Prairie Village!

Mark C. Morgan
Prairie Village, Kansas
August, 2021

Acknowledgements

The trail signing of the Historic Trails in Prairie Village happened with the support of a lot of people and organizations. As the idea caught on and more people heard about it, many volunteered their time, ideas, and inspiration to make it a reality!

Thanks certainly go to the Kansas City Area Historic Trail Association (KCAHTA), and specifically their President, Gary L. Hicks and the entire KCAHTA Executive Committee. They supported this project from the onset and continued with their ongoing consulting and guidance. They provided research information, mapping documents, and links to reference material. KCAHTA’s founder, Lee Kroh was aware of the Prairie Village trail signing initiative and supported it as well. Mr. Kroh passed away in early 2019, and left behind hundreds of old U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Quadrangle Maps with detailed information and his notes of the Santa Fe Trail. KCAHTA gave us copies of these maps for NE Johnson County and parts of KCMO, including Westport. This information was the key to identifying the historic trail crossings in Prairie Village.

Mark Morgan, Mike Sill and Kevin Murphy, residents of the Corinth Hills neighborhood, all volunteered for the initial Corinth Hills Historic Trails Signing Committee. They gave countless hours to meetings; field research; and signing concepts. Thanks to Kevin, we found Nigel Morley, a Graphic Artist in Overland Park. Nigel took our signing ideas and designed multiple versions of signing concepts over several months … ending in the trail sign being used today in Prairie Village.

And thanks to members of the City of Prairie Village staff and council members who embraced the concept of taking the trail’s signing concept to go throughout the city. Keith Bredehoeft and PVPW’s assistance were key factors with finding a sign vendor, confirming trail crossing sign locations, installing the signs, and general overall support of the trails signing concept and direction. Sheila Myers and Piper Reimer (City Council members for Ward 4) are commended for their overall support, guidance and recommendations throughout this project. And finally, thanks to all of the City Council and Mayor Eric Mikkelson for listening and approving the trail signing concept and the opportunity it brings to residents of Prairie Village.

Summary

1) Long before Kansas became a state (1861); the County of Johnson was formed (1855); the City of Kansas City, Mo. was incorporated (1853 being founded as The Town of Kansas in 1838); the Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails (1830’s to 1870’s) took settlers West through our area. Long before the City of Prairie Village, Kansas was incorporated (1951) Native American people lived here. They established villages, hunted, farmed, reared families, and took care of the land.

Three tribes are notable with their presence in the area we live today: The Kanza (Kansa, Konza; or Kaws); The Osage; and The Shawnee.

The Kanza and Osage were here first. The Kanza lived along and or near the Kansas River, and would have also lived and hunted in N.E. Johnson County. Both our state and river are named in tribute to them. The Osage lived farther south, but this area was part of their hunting grounds.

In 1825, the Federal Government relocated 1400 S.E. Missouri based Shawnee to lands in Kansas. The Shawnee were given 1,600,000 acres that stretched from the Missouri border (East) to present day Junction City, KS (West) to the Kansas River (North) to present day Johnson/Miami County line (South). Included in this was all of present day Johnson County, including Prairie Village. This land was all previously occupied by the Kanza, as well as other tribes.

(For more information on Native Americans in NE Kansas, Go To Chapter 1). 

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2) The Santa Fe Trail was the most important route between the United States and new Country of Mexico. It traversed between Independence, Mo. (and later Westport Landing/Kansas City, MO.) and Santa Fe, Mexico. The famous trail was established in 1821 when William Becknell, now known as the Father of the Santa Fe Trail, led a small group of men on horseback from Franklin, MO. (north of present day Boonville, MO.) on September 1, 1821 to Santa Fe on a trading expedition. The length of the original trail from Franklin, MO. to Santa Fe was about 850 miles (100 miles shorter from Independence and Westport) along the more popular Cimarron Route. A 2^nd route west of Dodge City was called the Mountain Route and was about 100 miles longer, but had more reliable water sources. Approximately 2/3^rd’s of the Santa Fe Trail was in present day Kansas. The Santa Fe Trail became a National Historic Trail in 1987.

The Oregon Trail had hundreds of thousands of people that emigrated to the western frontiers, laying claim to much of the West from the late 1830’s to 1880’s. It was a 2,000 mile route that initially started in Independence, Missouri and shifted to Westport Landing and Westport by early 1840’s. The trail continued west and north to the Columbia River Valley in Oregon. The Oregon Trail became a National Historic Trail in 1978.

The California Trail is best known for the discovery of gold in California in 1848, and the Gold Rush to the Pacific that followed and changed everything. The California Trail used the same route as the Oregon Trail until they branched off from each other further west. As such, traffic was heavy on the California Trail from the late 1840’s up until the mid1860’s. From Westport to Sacramento, California was 1,950 miles. The California Trail became a National Historic Trail in 1992.

All Three National Historic Trails used the same trail that came through Prairie Village from Westport, MO. on the “Westport Southern Branch” Route. The 3 trails split off from each other just southwest of present day Gardner, Kansas.

(For more information on History of the 3 Historic Trails, Go To Chapter 2).

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3) In what is today the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Santa Fe Trail (as well as the Oregon and California Trails) evolved through three eras …

1821-1827: Started with the blazing of the Santa Fe Trail by William Becknell in 1821 with five men on horseback from Franklin, MO, and transitioned from ‘New Franklin’ to Ft. Osage then Independence, MO. (founded in 1827) by the early 1830s. (Note: the town of New Franklin was established nearby following the destructive Missouri River flood of 1827-28 in Franklin, MO.) . The town of New Franklin continued its role as the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail until the early 1830s during such period Independence became the primary outfitting locations for travelers connecting with the route to Santa Fe.

1828-1839: Independence, Mo. becomes the main start of the trail, with boats unloading at Independence Landing on the Missouri River.

1840-1880: By 1840, Westport (founded in 1834) was replacing Independence as the main starting point for the trails to Santa Fe, Oregon, California, and all points to the western frontier. Boat traffic from St. Louis could now go farther upstream and offload at Westport Landing. 

From Westport, there were two trail routes for the three historic trails.

Northern Branch – Crossed into Kansas Territory a block south of today’s Westport Road at State line Road; then traversed  just north of 47^th St. and  Rainbow Blvd - today’s Westwood; passed on the north edge property of the Shawnee Methodist Mission and Indian Manual Labor School ( today’s Shawnee Indian Mission); it traversed parts of Roeland Park and Mission, and then southwest through today’s Overland Park

Southern Branch – Crossed into Kansas Territory near 69^th Terrace and State Line Road in Mission Hills, then through a ~3 mile section of Prairie Village (including the “Swale” of old wagon ruts in Santa Fe Trail Park, then into Overland Park.

(For more information on Kansas City and the Westport Route of the 3 Historic Trails, Go To Chapter 3).

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4) Prairie Village has two significant National Park Service exhibits on the Historic Trails: the Harmon Park “Swale” in Santa Fe Trail Park and Nine Mile Point in Weltner Park. In addition, the most recent NPS exhibit is located in Mission Hills, just 2 blocks from Prairie Village.

• The Santa Fe Trail Park/Harmon Park “Swale”, in Prairie Village Kansas, where wagon train ruts (swale) from ~175 years ago are still visible. The swale and pavilion was dedicated on September 13, 1992, along with a KCAHTA/ NPS interpretive exhibit. In the Fall of 2018, the Santa Fe Trail Park/Harmon Park Swale was officially listed in National Register of Historic Places.A new interpretive trail-themed exhibit, developed by NPS (with assistance from KCAHTA) is being installed in the fall of 2021!
• “Nine Mile Point” – In 1822, William Becknell led 3 loaded wagons – the 1^st wagons on the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri to Santa Fe. They crossed into the frontier and Kansas Territory, at Nine Mile Point at what is today Weltner Park located at 79^th St. and State Line Road in Prairie Village.

(For more information on National Park Service Exhibits in Prairie Village and Mission Hills of the 3 Historic Trails, Go To Chapter 4).

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5) The Trail Signing project and identifying the location of the Santa Fe/Oregon/California Trails through Prairie Village, KS involved detailed mapping research. This included old U.S. Geological Survey Quadrangle Topographic Maps with notes on the trail from KCAHTA Co-Founder Mr. Lee Kroh, and the Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association (KCAHTA).

(For more information on the Mapping Research that identified where the 3 Historic Trails went through Prairie Village, Go To Chapter 5A).

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6) Following completion of the mapping research of the Historic Trails, it was discovered that the Westport Route – Southern Branch of the Santa Fe; Oregon; & California Trails went through Prairie Village for approximately 3 miles. The trail enters Prairie Village from Mission Hills, crossing 71^st Street, east of Belinder and near Booth. It leaves Prairie Village ~3 miles later, crossing 83^rd Street (west of Nall) between Outlook and Dearborn, and into Overland Park.

The trail route traverses nine PV neighborhoods; across the grounds of 3 schools, and along the National Historic Site Harmon Park “Swale” at Santa Fe Trail Park. Prairie Village’s trail ‘soft-point’ signage program, that also references the Harmon Park “Swale” and “Nine Mile Point” in Weltner Park, will allow residents and their families to connect with the history of where they live.

(For more information on “Walking the Historic Trails Route in Prairie Village”, Go To Chapter 5B).

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7) As the Historic Trails left Prairie Village at 83^rd Street near Outlook (west of Nall), they crossed over to the south side of 83^rd Street and into present day Overland Park. There are three notable NPS exhibits in Overland Park that are just a short distance west/southwest from Prairie Village …

“A Day on The Trail Wayside Exhibit” - Located at the northeast corner of Santa Fe Drive and West 80^th Street in downtown Overland Park, this exhibit interprets the two trail branches (Northern and Southern) from Westport that passed through Overland Park and also where they converged at today’s Strang Park.

“Sapling Grove Park Exhibits” - Located at 83^rd Street, between Grant and Farley Streets. New exhibits interpret this important historic trail site, and its association to the early Bidwell-Bartleson Party of more than 60 persons which assembled in May 1841 at Sapling Grove, being the first such to organize as a wagon train party for the trek to Oregon!

“Strang Park” - Located just south of the Johnson County Library, and just south of Santa Fe Drive, 9879 W. 88^th Terrace, Strang Park is the area where the two trail branches from Westport joined back together and headed southwest to present day Gardner, KS.

(For more information on National Park Service Exhibits in Overland Park of the 3 Historic Trails, Go To Chapter 7).

8)  And finally, to “Explore and Learn More!,” Go To Chapter 8 for a list of links to more information and organizations, including  … More information on the Historic Santa Fe, Oregon, and California trails; the Westport Route; Native American History in our area; NPS and KCAHTA Historic Trails Exhibits in Prairie Village and surrounding area; and other local organizations and places to visit for more information in the Kansas City area.

Prairie Village Historic Trails 1840-1880

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