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Attractions
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Kearny County Museum (shown
at right)
In 1974, the museum property, one-half city block, was given to
the Kearny County Historical Society by Jennie Rose O'Loughlin,
daughter of John and Mary O'Loughlin.
Jennie's father, John, was the county's first permanent white
settler,
who came here in the spring of 1873 to establish a trading post
along
side the Santa Fe Trail. |
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The museum complex consists of the
museum building and annex, the White House, the School House, Santa
Fe Depot, Farm Machinery building and the Round Barn, totaling over
20,000 square feet of historical displays.
The museum also houses a large reference library, with
volumes reaching back as far as 1847. Researchers will
find a wealth of information on the history and people of
Kearny County, including special family files that are
available for those seeking their family's history. Extensive
files are kept in the archives along
with original newspapers and other publications, photographs and
microfilm.
The main building houses a wide variety of displays. Visit
the turn-of-the century parlor, dining
room, and kitchen. Browse through the general store and
millinery shop. Stop by the Hospital, doctor's office or
Barber Shop. Glassware, china, clothing, jewelry, watchmakers'
tools, and a newspaper linotype are also among the displays.
The annex exhibits include musical instruments, military items,
quilts & sewing machines,
photography, government, western, appliances through the years,
tools & blacksmith,
pre-historic, a Santa Fe Trail information display and a Conestoga
Wagon. |
HOURS:
The Museum
Complex is open from 1:00 p.m.
until 4:00
p.m. CST Tuesday - Friday
Closed Monday
and Saturday
TOURS:
Staff is
available for tours at other times by
appointment.
LOCATION:
6
blocks South of US Highway 50
at the
corner of Buffalo and Waterman
ADDRESS:
Kearny County Historical Society
P.O. Box 329
Lakin, Kansas 67860
620-355-7448
Santa Fe Trail
Landmarks
Charlie's Ruts -
Declared a National Historic Trail May 8, 1987
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4 miles east, up and over the bank
of the ditch, one can see the wagon ruts of the Santa Fe Trail.
You will notice a difference in the color and texture of the grass
in the ruts. This is characteristic of the ruts along the
trail. Between Pawnee Rock and Santa Fe, New Mexico, it was
customary for the wagons to travel four abreast. This allowed
for quicker circling in case of attack. In the distance to the
south can be seen trees lining the banks of the Arkansas River.
During the early years of the trail, this was the boundary between
Mexico and the United States. |
Chouteau's Island
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Chouteau's Island has disappeared
because of erosion by the Arkansas River, but it was located due
south of Indian Mound during the Santa Fe Trail days. The official
survey of the Trail went to this point before crossing the Arkansas
River. It was here in 1829 that the first military escort on the
Trail camped while the trader caravan proceeded to Santa Fe. At that
time, the Arkansas River was the international boundary. |
In the spring of 1816, Auguste P.
Chouteau's hunting party traveling east with a winter's catch of
furs was attacked near the Arkansas River by 200 Pawnees.
Retreating to what was once an island five miles southwest of the
marker the hunters beat them off with the loss of only one man.
In 1825, increased travel on the Santa Fe Trail brought a government
survey and Chouteau's Island was listed as a turning off place for
the dangerous "Jornada" to the Cimarron. For a time, the river
here was the Mexican boundary. When Major Bennett Riley and
four companies of infantry, serving as the first military escort on
the trail, arrived in 1829 with a west-bound wagon train the troops
went into camp near the island. They spent the summer fighting
off Indians, losing several men and part of their oxen. The
return from Santa Fe of the caravan with a Mexican escort was
celebrated in a colorful exchange of military inspections.
Indian Mound
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Indian Mound, a prominent point west of Lakin,
Kansas, stands as it did many years ago when Joseph C. Brown, a
government engineer and his surveying expedition made official note
of it in 1825.
Back in the Trail's "Hey day", Indian Mound was much higher and
larger. People digging for relics and such have hastened its
erosion. At one time, it was visible from Lakin.
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Indian Mound is approximately 5
miles southwest of Lakin, Kansas. This is a natural landmark that
was most likely used as a lookout point by Indians and traders. The
view from this mound is still impressive today.
Bluff Station
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Used by state companies as a relay
station in the 1850's & 60's. |
Clear Lake
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This bottomless lake was the
watering point for those traveling south of the Cimarron Cut-off. |
Lakin- Main Street
Circa 1908
LAKIN-BEET DUMP
APPROXIMATELY 1904
WHAT DID YOUR TOWN
LOOK LIKE ACCORDING TO PENNY POSTCARDS?
Check out your old
stomping grounds during the times of the penny postcard.
Click on the state and
then on the county to see old penny postcards from that area.
www.rootsweb.com
For more information on these
attractions and others call 620.355.7448
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