Kansas

Alcove Spring was a favorite trail campsite near the Independence Crossing of the Big Blue River. Often, emigrants would spend several days here, waiting for the swollen waters of the river to drop to levels that were safe for fording. They found the area picturesque, with the spring originating in an unusual rock formation and falling over a rock ledge into a pool below. Emigrants carved their names in the rocks.

The Shawnee Mission was one of many missions established as a manual training school attended by boys and girls from Shawnee, Delaware, and other Indian nations from 1839 to 1862.

Dive into Kansas history at the Kansas Museum of History. You can learn more about Native American tribal history, settling the frontier, Bleeding Kansas and the civil war, and the railroad. Some museum highlights include an 1880 steam engine, a Cheyenne style tipi, and a 1950s replica diner.

Oregon Trail Park at Scott Springs was a favorite campsite for emigrants. The natural springs provided good water for westward travelers and an opportunity to rest. The springs still flow today and are commemorated at the park, along with the thousands of early travelers who camped here. Since the springs are on private property, the park is located just south of the site and offers plenty of things to do.

The Santa Fe Trail forked into two routes as it headed south from Westport. Along the routes were campgrounds for trail travelers — to the northeast of the junction was Sapling Grove and to the southwest was a campground called Flat Rock or Indian Creek. Until the 1860s, these two routes out of Westport saw traffic from Santa Fe traders, Oregon- and California-bound emigrants, mountain men, missionaries, gold seekers, and the frontier military.

Prairie Village Ruts marks the location of the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe Trails in the form of rounded depressions in the ground called swales. These swales were once part of a well-defined path, most equivalent to a modern day dirt road, that was created as thousands of oxen, cattle, and wagons traveled across the land. They eroded and compacted the ground, which created ruts. Over time, the ruts were weathered into the more gently sloping swales visible today.

Lone Elm Campground is where many Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trail travelers spent their first night west of the Missouri River. For several decades, starting in 1821, this site served as a campground and rendezvous point for people traveling along these trails. The wagon swales created by the travelers can still be seen in the park, where the overland trails crossed a creek.

The Hollenberg ranch house was built on Cottonwood Creek about 1857 by Gerat H. Hollenberg to capitalize on the Oregon-California emigrant trade that passed his door. In addition to living quarters for the Hollenberg family, the building served as a neighborhood grocery store, a tavern, and an unofficial post-office. Emigrants were able to obtain provisions at the ranch. Three years later, it became a Pony Express home station and later a stage station.

Marshall's Ferry was a major crossing of the Big Blue River near Marysville, Kansas. The Oregon and California trails, along with several others, converged here to cross the river. Seeing a great business opportunity, in 1852 Francis Marshall moved to Marysville from Missouri with the purpose of establishing a ferry on the Big Blue.

At Gardner Junction Park, the Oregon and California Trails split from the Santa Fe Trail. Each spring, west-bound travelers in Kansas would rush towards this junction and then take their "exit." Those heading to Santa Fe would continue southwest, while those heading to Oregon or California would turn and head northwest.