https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/429/Stage_Routes_and_Trails.pdf 58073161ad732d6c7daaa326497c1d74 PDF Text Text such environment would be classed as a StnoKey Hfrl .l4Bice Salmans Vona, Colo. tenderfoot. rral-r Besides that, he had been in a run-away. Let's let his companion, Albert Richardson, tell us about it: "Descending an abrupt hill, our mules, terrified by meeting three savages, broke a line, ran down a precipitous bank, upsetting the coach, which was hurled upon the ground with a tremendous crash and galloped away with the fore-wheels. I sprang I I Krt Carson Serbert Fort 8.1 HauLhorne SPrlngs out in time to escape being overturned. From a mass ofcushions, carpet sacks and blankets soon emerged my companion (Greeley), his head rising above the side of the vehicle like that of an advertising boy from his frame of pasteboard. Blood was flowing profusely from cuts in his cheek, arm and leg, but his face was serene and benignant as a May Morning. "He was soon released from his cage and taken to'Station 17', a few yards beyond, where the good woman dressed his wounds. "Spent the night at'Station 17'. As usual we slept in the coach which vibrated in the strong prairie wind, rocked like a cradle." LosL SPrinqs Now anyone in a run-away with mules as motive power would not be held accountable o for some time to come afterwards-what he K1t carson Hill said, did, or wrote. So perhaps we should take these statements he made at this time with a couple of grains of salt. We have given you an over-all picture of this trail. Now, let's get down to the local scene and trace it more specifically. ttl .,\,cfrl qnrindc Zce 'r I ) a I Smokey Hill Trail a - I SouLh Fork RepubJ ican Rrver When the route left Beaver Creek near Ludell, Kansas, it went over a high divide in a northwesterly direction, entering Nebraska at a point 76.26 chains (305 rods) west from the southwest corner of Section 35, Township L North, Range 34 West, thence going down a long draw or creek, 8 or 10 miles, coming to the Republican River in Section 28, Township 2 North, Range 35 West, then up the river about a mile where Station 18 was located in Hitchcock County about one mile from its west border, a short distance from where Indian Creek comes down from the northwest on the north side ofthe river. This was about twelve miles below The Forks. Then it followed the river up past The Forks and re-entered Kansas at a point 9.65 LEAVENWORTH AND PIKES PEAK EXPRESS ROUTE Tt34 "On this route there is no poisonous or alkaline water, nor sagebrush, two peculiarities and disadvantages of the Santa Fe route. There is no sand except in one body of 40 miles in extent and this is along the Republican with plenty of water, timber and grass at hand. Now we wish to present some of the merits ,f this route and later on the reason for its ,bandonment. "They further say that the region which they have just traveled is the best grass country in the West, that there is an abun- The Leauenworth Tirnes of April 3, 1859, dance of water and timber for emigrants and that in these respects it is far superior to the rublished the following account of two nembers of the surveying party: i'hursday afternoon Messers. Ewbank and )owning, two experienced mountaineers and ,ld Californians, returned from the reconraissance upon which they with others, had reen dispatched by Jones and Russell of the )verland Express. Their statements are clear nd explicit and most effectively put an end o all outside caviling as to the wisdom and oresight of the company in adopting a route rhich they pronounced unequalled for the equirements of travel, and of which the oaximum distance is not to exceed much ,ver 500 miles from Leavenworth to Denver )ity. Platte route." This does not exactly coincide with Horace Greeley's statement that we mentioned in our previous article, where we quoted him as saying: "For more than a hundred miles back, the soil has been steadily degenerated until here, where we strike the Republican River, we seem to have reached the acme ofbareness chains (39 rods) west from the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 1 North, Range 37 West, and continuing up the South Fork to Section 34-1-39 where Station 19 was Iocated. The above information about the trail from Station 17 to Station 18 and on to Station 19 we have obtained from our good friend, E.S. Sutton of Benkelman, Nebr. Mr. Sutton and Mr. Carmody found the site of Station 19, there being part of a sod enclogure 100 by 103 steps and trenches that were still visible in 1940 when they made their investigation. The survey on the Kansas-Nebraska line was made in 1859 shortly after the trail was established and the surveyors made mention of it, both where it entered and left Nebraska as the "Jones and Russell Wagon Road to Denver City." As to the exact location ofthe trail up the South Fork was somewhat uncertain we and desolation. I could match this station and its surroundings against any other scene on decided to see if by checking the surveyors' field notes we could obtain some definite our continent for desolation." But we must remember that Horace Greeley had been brought up in the East where there were lots of trees and timber, that he was a city dude, and coming out West from information. The results were very gratifying. Cheyenne County was surveyed in 1873, the township lines in 1872. The surveyors made note of crossing this trail 50 times in laying out the �section lines up and down the river and only four times did they fail to make mention of it. from South Benkelman, Highway 61 crosses the old trail, a little over one half mile (184 rods) south of the state line. In the Asa Clapp and John Ramsey neighborhood, it entered Section 30-1-38 102 rods east from 4 the northwest corner of said section and left it 80 rods south from said corner. By the E.S. Carman place it crossed the section line between Sections 17 and 20-2-39, east 215 rods from the northwest corner of Section 20, 56 rods east of the river where it was then. By St. Francis, the road that crosses the railroad tracks going north past the old stockyards, crosses the trail 8 rods south of the corner where the road turns west. The trail went in a southwesterly course from there and was west from the power plant beyond the old railroad grade. It went where the old railroad grade was made or very close to it on up to the old Benkelman Ranch and passed just a jew rods north of the old building site in Section Ll-4-41and where the present buildings are. The so-called Burnham bridge further up the river is where the trail once went. The river was further west at the time of the t survey. ,q -al -J^ g a E !r ,+ I $g ?r, at :6 'd, It crossed Battle Creek about 40 rods north + of Section 29-4-4L, crossed a dry creek or I : z 0,) ? q Io a )q' B o ?/ z ' : ! s.' , 3 C z Iq o +o! \r+ , r t J o z z E I o c u I .{ z o went up to higher ground, continuing sou- thwesterly and westerly for six to eight miles before getting back to the river. One day in January, through the courtesy and guidance of George Homm, an old-time rancher in that locality, we were able to locate the view the old wagon track of said trail. In Section 25, Township 5 South, Range 44 West, they can be seen dimly, but in Section 35-5-44 they can be seen as plain as day; in t ! draw 30 rods northeast of the stone house on the Sheldon place, went midway between the old Jacqua store and the section line corner south, crossed the Kansas-Colorado line at a point 66 rods south of the northwest corner of Section 4-5-42 a few rods south of the remains of the old lra Whipple place on the state line and thence on up the river valley pastHale and BonnyDam in southeastYuma County, Colorado, continuing on up the river from there. It continued up the river in much the same manner until it reached Landsman Creek, or as some called it Launchman. It followed this creek upstrerm about a mile or more then I r'l o i I fact, they can be seen a half mile away. It's quite interesting to view some of the old markings left by those early travelers who o I : t 3 o <l t 2l o o{ I I .*"t; Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express Route 1859 4 blazed trails through what was then a wilderness. Installment 4 One can't help but stop and think ofThe hopes and aspirations that caused them to press forward to an unknown goal. The hardships and suffering they encountered along the way. The heartaches and disappointments that overtook so many ofthem before reaching the journey's end, some falling by the wayside, caused by hunger and thirst, some overtaken by the wintry blasts that swept the plains and freezing to death by the lack of shelter, and others slain by some foe they could not defend themselves against. One cannot help but think of these things when one beholds the markings of the old �trails. Contrast that with the comfort we have today in going from place to place. May we verify the above statement by quoting from some writings of men who were participants in this trail blazing drama of crossing the plains, almost a century ago. But first let us get the setting where some of this took place, and the reason for the suffering and privation that overtook these travelers, who had set out to cross the plains, in their quest for gold, or for a more comfortable living than they had 'back home' in some of the eastern states. Many of whom never reached their destination, but perished along the way. First, let us quote from the field notes of E.D. Boyd, chief engineer for the L. and P.P. Express Company: "Station 22, (supposed to have been \Vz miles northwest of Seibert, Colo.) on the south bank of the Republican; large spring in bed of river which sinks immediately below. "Since first striking the Republican our course has been nearly parallel with it and our which we descended, seeming no more than two miles away. At last we struck the old trail from Santa Fe to Salt Lake, rode a mile along the dry bed of Cherry Creek, and at eight this eleventh morning, reached Denver City." Horace Greeley wrote the following in his diary: "Here is 'Station 22,' and here are a so called spring, and one or two considerable pools, not visibly connected with the sinking river, but doubtless sustained by it. "And here the thirsty men and teams which have been 25 miles without water on the road, are met by those who have come up the longer and more southerly route by the Smoky, who have been traveling 60 miles since they last had water and shade. "The Pike's Peakers from the Smoky whom I have met here, have driven 60 miles at one stretch, the time required being two days and the intervening night. From this point westward, the original road nearly level. Smoky Hill route is abandoned for the one we have been traveling, which follows the Republican some 25 miles further." "For the last 23 miles there has been no wood or water, but grass is good. "The Smoky Hill routc comes in from the southeast. Then beyond there"A ride over the rolling divide of some 20 miles brought us to the'Big Sandy,'running southeast to become a tributary to the "The South Fork of the Republican comes in from the southwest." Now quoting Albert D. Richardson, writer for the Boston Journal, and traveling companion of Horace Greeley, on their trip over the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Trail, from his book, Beyond the Mississippi: "June 3, 1859, met several Indian villagers, their ponies drawing lodge poles on their backs. "Passed hundreds ofemigrants. Spent the night at Station 21 (a few miles above Bonny Dam). June 4th. We still follow the Republican which at one point sinks abruptly into the earth, running underground for twenty miles and then gushing up again. "After riding twenty-five miles without seeing a drop of water, at Station 22, we crossed the Smoky Hill route which, from a point far south of ours, abruptly turns northward across the Republican to the (South) Platte. "Emigrants who have come by the Smoky Hill tell us they have suffered intensely, one traveling seventy five miles without water. "Some burned their wagons, killing their famished cattle and continued on afoot. "We are still on the dessert with it soil white with alkali, its stunted shrubs, withered grass, and brackish water. End of day's journey." "June 5th. At daybreak, Pike's Peak, more than a hundred miles away, appeared dim and hazy on the horizon and we began to feel the inspiring breath of the mountains. "Our dining station was Station 25. Towards evening Pike's Peak loomed up grandly in the south west, wrapped in its ghostly mantle of snow. In the northwest Long's Peak was sharply defined against a mass of ominous black clouds. "Supped at Station 26, we made a comfortable bed in the coach, and rolled on at the rate of seven miles an hour, slept quietly through the night. "June 6. Woke at five, still in motion, and obtained a glorious view of the mountains, their hoary peaks covered with snow and their base, thirty miles across the vallev into Arkansas. "Like the Republican it is sometimes a running stream, sometimes a succession of shallow pools, sometimes awaste of scorching sand. In the course of the 20 miles or so that we followed up its northern bank, I do not remember of any willow or paltry cottonwoods. I recollect only that the grass at intervals along its narrow bottoms seems a little better than on the upper course of the Republican." Unquote. Installment 5 This portion of the Smoky Hill route and on west was called the 'Starvation Trail.' More people died on the Smoky Hill from hunger and thirst than Indian attacks. The following is taken from the Rocky Mountain Neus, as of May 7, 1859, explaining how the 'Starvation Trail' got its name: "Two footmen have just arrived via the Smoky route. They appear to have suffered severely from hunger and thirst. They report having passed some 10 or 15 bodies unburied and many graves. These men say the lived for nine days on prickly pears and a hawk." A pioneer train arriving in Denver about the same time reported: "We picked up three men who had given out and laid down to die ofhunger and thirst, having eaten nothing for four days, and brought them with us. "We traveled 150 miles without water, except for melting snow, which fortunately for us, fell twice during that time." Now quoting from another source: "The emigrants came in covered wagons, and on foot, even with push-carts and wheel barrows. "Poorly equipped and scantily fed, they braved the chilling winds, and the snow and mud of early spring in their eagerness to reach their goal, the desolate city oftents and cabins which were to become the'Queen City of the Plains.' "The Smoky, like the Oregon Trail, was lined with abandoned property, broken wagons, dead horses and oxen, and many unmarked graves." Here below is a story more gruesome yet than anv of the rest. as quoted from the Colorado Magazine, Volume 7: "Daniel Blue was rescued by the Arapahoe Indians and brought into'Station 25'in the early spring of 1859. "Statement of David Blue, late of Clyde Township, Whiteside County, Illinois, made this 13th day of May 1859, at the office of the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Company, in the City of Denver" "We arrived in Kansas City on the 6th of March, taking the Smoky Hill route. Myself and eight others then continued on our journey, while the rest remained behind for the purpose of hunting buffalo. "Three or four days elapsed after the separation, when we lost our pack horse. Our stock of provisions was then very much reduced, and we packed whatever we had left and pushed onward. "After having traveled eight more days, two other members of the company left us. "Upon their leaving, our provisions became exhausted, and for ten days we lay still, endeavoring to kill a sufficient amount of game for our subsistence. "A few hares, ravens and other small game was, however, all that came within our reach. Our only firearm was a shot gun, all other arms having been thrown away in consequence of the weakness of their owners. "At the same time three others parted from us, with the intention of making for the nearest settlement for the purpose of securing relief to the remaining one-leaving but the three brothers, Blue, and a man by the name of Soleg, from Cleveland, Ohio-all of the part being very weak and nearly exhausted. "After a short effort to continue our journey we were again compelled to lay up, and the next day Soleg died from exhaustion and want of food. "Before he breathed his last he authorized and requested us to make use of his mortal remains in the way of nourishment. "We were then, I later learned, on Beaver Creek (should be East Bijou), one of the tributaries to the South Platte, and about 75 miles east of Denver. "After the consumption of Soleg's body, Alexander, my brother died, and at his request, we used a portion ofhis body for food on the spot, and with the balance resumed our journey towards the gold region. "We succeeded in traveling ten miles, when my younger brother, Charles gave out, and we were obliged to stop. For ten days we subsided on what remained of our brother's body, when Charles expired from the same causes as the others. "I also consumed the greater portion of his remains, when I was found by an Arapahoe Indian, and carried to his lodge, treated with great kindness, and a day and a half thereafter (that is on Wednesday, the fourth day of May) brought to the encampment of the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Company's train, enroute to Denver City, under the charge of superintendent B.D. Williams, where I was received and taken care of, and left at Station 25, to recover sufficient strength for the continuance of my journey. "By direction of Mr. Williams, the second coaches that came along took up and brought me safely to this point free of charge." End of statement. In reviewing the statements made by the above mentioned persons-and comparing it with our lot in life as of todav-we certainlv �;1il"ffi ;:itrffi#il;'ru;ffi il'l,"Jl;iJil and our surroundings miserable. Nor to cuss and damn at the least provocation when everything is not coming our way. After all, most of us are not too bad off. Installment 6 If the detailed field notes of surveyor E.D. Boyd and his mileage chart and his descrip- tion of the terrain up the river is correct, 'Station 20'should have been in Section 304-4L on the old Charley Frodin place, about 4 miles from the Colorado line. Boyd's notes read: "Station 20, on bank of river. No trees. 1 mile west of dry run (dry creek) going northwest." The old wagon tracks can be seen on each side of the place, the south bank is 20 feet high or more and no trees ever were here. In section 25-4-42, they are very plainly visible, in some places, several tracks are to be seen side by side a foot or more deep. 'Station 21' was located 29.5 miles above 'Station 20,'and should be on or near the old Tuttle Ranch, somewhere around ten miles above Bonny Dam. A very dependable mail service was inaugurated by the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express in 1859 to Denver and points west. They charged a 25 cent fee above the regular postage charges for every letter delivered. Now we will let a mail clerk tell something about the mail service: "The post office was usually the first place emigrants inquired for. Then they could distinguish between mail and express. There wasl no mail opened on the road, of course. "The average time consumed in traveling across the plains was about thirty days; the stage made it in six and this naturally led the travelers to expect to hear from home immediately on arrival. "Our office was often the place of amusing incidents. Our patrons were continually trying to play smart tricks on us. Frequently they would return letters and demand the return of the money. At first we could not see through the trick. A letter that was not worth 25 cents to them after they had learned its contents, was almost sure to be brought back with the claim it was not their letter but was for someone elee of the same name. "We at first assumed everybody to be honest and conscientiously desiring that the right person should have his mail, we would . refund the money. But it was not long before we were paying out almost as much money as we were taking in and were loaded down with letters marked,'Opened by Mistake.' "We saw the necessity of changing our method ofdoing business, so, in case ofdoubt, when mail was called for, after questioning whence the expected mail, we satisfied ourselves (in case as a last resort a letter had to be opened to prove its identity) by opening it ourselves at the supposed owner'g request. "I remember, on one occasion, of opening a letter, that the applicant requested me to read a little of it and in that way he could tell if it was his. I did so. It commenced by saying: 'Dear Bill: Your wife has been raising hell ever since you left!" The man said,'Hold on, don't read no more-I think that's my letter.' He took it and paid for it and disappeared in the crowd which was constantly hanging around the window. "Another case of about the same character was a letter from some point in Iowa. It commenced by saying: 'My dear beloved #;'il-: Hi "::r"iT Ji:' *frXil1''iil,"l!,Ti the quarter and read the rest myself.'He took the letter and paid for it without any further public reading." The Marysuille Sentinel published this early-day item: "Traveling the hard way-two men passed through our town last Monday evening enroute to Colorado. They had their'grub' and effects packed in a wheel barrow and seemed determined to make the trip in good order. Both are stout, hale fellows and every mile or so they'change posish'-one walking along leisurely and the other giving motive power to the wheel banow. If they don't succeed and make their 'pile,' there is no virtue to perseverance." From the same paper we glean this com- ment about the styles ofthat day as expressed by a red man: orawn Dy rour mures or norses," These terms no doubt obligated Jones and Russell to adopt the road by way of the Platte regardless of their earlier preference for the shorter route by way of the Solomon and branches of the Republican. E.D. Boyd, surveyor and describer of the earlier route, had this to say: "If it had not been for Jones and Russell's connection with the Salt Lake City mail, the change would never have been made." A writer in the Leauenworth Herald of February 18, 1860, had this to say: "In the spring of 1859, Jones and Russell sent a corps of experienced men to view and mark out a route from Leavenworth to Denver City. To avoid crossing large streams, it was thought best to keep the divide between the Smoky Hill and Solomon Rivers on the south and the Republican on the north, and I doubt very hoop skirts on, he exclaimed: 'Ugh! Heap big much whether a better natural track for a road the same distance can be found in the United States than there was found to the head of the Solomon River. From that point wigwamt." the viewers had no guide other than their own "The other day, while a big Indian was calmly surveying a "white squaw'with large Some crossing the plains in the early days met up with such things they did not seem to appreciate too much. Here is the way one gave vent to his feelings about the'eats': "I loathe! Abhore! Detest! Despise! Abominated dried-apple pies. I like good bread; I like good meat, Or anything that's good to eat. But of all poor grub beneath the skies, The poorest is-dried-apple pies. Give me a toothache or sore eyes In preference to such kind of pies." Installment 7 The question may be asked, and rightly so, what caused the abandonment of the route up the Republican Valley? The gold rush to California and the Mormon migration to the valley of the Great Salt Lake increased the demand for improved mail service to those western communities. The first government contract for a regular overland mail service was made in 1850 with Sa-uel H. Woodson of Independence, Mo., who was engaged to serve the route between that frontier outpost and Salt Lake City by way of the Oregon Trail. This service was none too good, partly because of poor equipment, Indian raids, rough terrain and the Iengthy route. Several concerns had the mail contract for a short time. In April, 1858, a contract was made with John M. Hockaday of Independence for a weekly mail from St. Joseph to Salt Lake City by way of Fort Kearney and Fort Laramie. When Congress, early in 1859 failed to pass the customary appropriation for the support of the Post Office Department, the Postmaster General felt obligated "to review the existing mail service of the country with a view to its curtailment." It put J.M. Hockaday & Co., in a tight squeeze, causing them to sell their line. On May 11, 1859, Jones, Russell & Co., of the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express notion of the direction to Denver City. The course taken from that point was north of westwhich I presume was to strike the waters of the Republican as soon as possible, perhaps a mistake on the part of the viewers instead of going due west." The same writer goes onto say: "It became in the interest of the express company to move their coaches and stock to the Kearney route-not from choice of route as I under- stood from the agent-but they have purchased the contract for carrying the mail to Salt Lake City by Kearney, therefore, the express company changed the passenger route but retained the new route (Republican valley) for their heavier wagon trains in carrying stores, etc." By the above statement we draw the conclusion this route was used for some time. When the Kansas-Colorado state line was surveyed in 1872, the surveyors made this notation: "Cross wagon trail oftroops." So no doubt it was used at times by the troops, by buffalo hunters and others who had reason to follow the river. No doubt those who came up the river to locate a good site for the Benkelman Ranch came up this road and used it going up and down the river. In all probability, John Dunbar, W.W. McKay and John Goodenberger, who came up from Benkelman and located the site of the new town of Wano, traveled this road. The emigrants who were surrounded by Indians on Battle Creek and rescued by troops, undoubtedly traveled this road. The mail route from the Benkelman Ranch and on to the Tuttle Ranch used it, as well as ranchers who lived up and down the valley. Thus we have tried to give you a comprehensive account of the establishment of the Leavenworth Pike's Peak Stage Line Trail, its use, the terrain and condition of the country it traversed as it appeared to those who traveled across this trail almost a century ago, and the hardships and difficulties they encountered. Co., purchased the Hockaday contract which called for the transportation of the mail "from St. Joseph, Mo., by way of Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory and Fort Laramie to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, and back once a week in 22 days each way, at $190,000 per annum, the service to be performed in carriage or covered wagon, by Marsha C. Squires and Simon E. Matson �OLD STAGE COACH LINES tlargler, Nebraska; wray, uolorado; or statlons on tnrs route were dlscontlnued ln Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, an old railroad town. Most supplies came from Cheyenne Wells as that was the closest. 1860. In the early 1800's an old stage coach route angled across Kit Carson county from Haigler, Nebraska to Cheyenne Wells. Later the stage coach ran from Cheyenne Wells to Beloit then up to Columbia, a place east of Stratton, then north to Tuttle Post The price was 25 cents per hundred pounds with 4,000 pounds being the average load. In 1859 there was a stage coach route that passed through the county, following the north fork of the Smokey Hill River, known at that time as Boyds North Fork. At a point south and east of the present town of Flagler it crossed over to the north side of the Republican River and went northeast to one of its stations, known as Boyd's Station #22, which was between Crystal Springs and Flagler. This route to Denver was used only a little over a year, as the government demanded the mail be carried over the more used route that went through Julesburg. The Tr36 office on the Republican River, and came back by way of Burlington to Cheyenne Wells to complete the two-day trip. This trip was made twice a week. The road from Cheyenne Wells to Columbia was made by Tom Reed, with the aid of a spring wagon, and three men. Later a stage route was made from Cheyenne Wells to Burlington. Frank Man drove the Stage- by Janice Salmans Jake Brommier and C.J. Eatinger wete early day freighters making the two day trip. coach. All the supplies were freighted from , Wallot, Colo. i'ang", lb nlUes northenst bt Rurlilrgtoq. t+- J. F. Gray, range, south af liiebsft, S€lbert, (loio. F. W. Buchele, ( o Bulllugtor,, iiolo' faug.e, soutFwesp of Gq I Fgtrelope IJuu', -r futtle' 0q1P' a,nd FT I -T lat:rr,t lailign5 , Colo '1n!t.,,1 arbort Pcrcr'9nt i) A '* yorrrg slocf. L'{'g Cid Sfage Reule Sharr 6, WFtteE, rlqilhgl,oD, Oolo. range, l0 nrlles southeagt of " /i r)gnr Dlp J if:.i t.t i.l $*ure 1a nllca north'e,Ist ot olore'rlont. i::io.r..i,l x/z Ee.r T L, !. pt U,0.,Iolrn8co, l,plrlbol'D, Iaans. r"nge.xoJtlr S]laII - Ranc:l ll !fllo!, Seomau,. h Burllngton, Colo. a r&nge, lortbe&st ot * 3r S' L. Howell di; Cbas. Howell' ltU I r' - voiro,, core. r|)Dge, 2 mlles nortb ol VoDa. E, A, Brddlc, Brirlinqton CcJ or adl Seibcri, Oelo. cilttle oll lett slde or bip, lrorEes on left shoulder. ljredltatthres. F H F Bcthune, C0lo. c&ttle on left sldA, horsis ou left, sho[lder. lRjoge. I mlles north of }lclhune. Fl.. J, Drulbar. Goll, Colo. RaDSe west of GofJ, (l('lo te-L o-i L Cc Ior.rdn 'inr ec i!o I tn& (i. \Y. llro&(iswold E r .{\ ^ HDtc, colo. It&ogc Dedr Ilr,le. spr i nq g !,le rL:.l Le .:r"l',:'.r'lg i.hi: .f.rai-i , p.li.rrli -o,i nvery few:cJ: ';irri,:rt i.; i C llU. BOrqurD, Claremont. Colo. E it Cheyenne hells Coloraiu J6 s l'aDge, Dbrtheg,st of Cler€mDnt, Henry Ha,rtstloe, 2 -H Laftborn. KaDs. raDgs, west trom Stole lrne. w) I, P. E!re, EurllbgtoD. Colo. rango. Dottboe|tJo Burllogtori. C [/) - c' w' smlth' rl., fb$€ir L'Ul'i. taol!, beif li'lrllt. Old Stage Route -{ �SMOKEY HILL TRAIL COUNTY Tr36 rlqers f,nat were rnf,erested m seerng how tast they could run their route of 18 miles. The first rider picked up the mailbag on the state line 5 miles east of Bonny Dam. The pickup was made at L0:35 and they made the transfer 4"n*Ae o a I ? €u b: .f Betty Reimer adding letters to the "mail Bag" from Kit Carson Countv. \\ 't t 'lr I I ,t I i( Making the run, Dave Corliss and Betty Reimer with Betty Corliss in back, through Kit Carson County. store designating it as part of the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak stage line 1859 to 1984. Tuesday morning, May 15, the Kit Carson County riders resumed their responsibility of running the mailbag through the county to the next exchange with Lincoln County. Seven riders and several interested neighbors gathered for coffee and rolls at the Dave Reid ranch north of Seibert. They left about 8:4b and followed the south fork of the Republican River southwest toward Station "22" cafled. Crystal Springs. The seven riders were Dave and Betty Corliss, Dave Reid, George Trail of Death with present day towns shown. by Editors PROJECT MAIL BAG Tr37 to Kit Carson county riders at 12:10. They were a colorful bunch of riders that ranged in age from L6 to 24. They were Julie and Collette May, Dee Kerst,Ron and Kelly Chamberlain and Louie True. Some 25 riders, newsmen, and interested residents met for a sack lunch and a lesson on Dave Corliss ranch, which was near the Bag" was to stimulate the public's awareness of the original Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express route across Kansas and Colorado. The route was the white man's first commercial "wagon road" through the country. The reason for the line was the discovery of gold in the Denver area that began the "Rush to the Rockies". The Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express Route had 27 stations. Four Mile Park was probably is as close a site as can be found. Betty Corliss, Betty Reimer, Elsie Lidle and Tuttle Store and Crystal Springs. The Boy photography and storytelling. The arrival of the mailbag at the Yuma-Kit Carson county line, May L4, L984, was an exciting event for all of those gathered five miles west of Hwy. 385. Jim Mclaughlin and his riders made a colorful entry into the little parkway designated as a spot where we would make the mailbag switch. They had six relay Hubbard, Ernest Cure, Buster Jenkins and Shorty Hostetler. They reached the dam at 11:00 and then rode on to Flagler where the mailbag was turned over to Mary Liz Owens from Lincoln County at the Airport Cafe. The purpose in having a "Project Mail Dave Corliss, Buster Jenkins and Fred Magley rode together with the mailbag to the original station "21". The Tuttle Store Marsha Magley placed a marker at the Tuttle the last stop along the route. Kit Carson County has two of these historic stations; the � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of Kit Carson County Description An account of the resource Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stage Routes and Trails Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1988 Subject The topic of the resource History Description An account of the resource A history of the Stage Routes and Trails in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salmons, Janice Hasart, Marlyn Smith, Dorothy Language A language of the resource English Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. History of Kit Carson County Volume 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Curtis Media Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>