KANSAS MEMORIALS
=Significance of Kansas History.= Kansas is a comparatively new State.
Nearly all of its history has been made within little more than a
century, and most of it within the sixty years of its period of
settlement. Few states, however, have had a more eventful history.
From its beginning Kansas has been a place of action. The pages of its
history are filled with wars and battles, with stirring adventure, and
with deeds of courage and daring. Nearly every part of the State has
its places of historic interest, and the names of men and women who
should be honored for good and brave deeds would make a long list.
The people of Kansas are proud of the history of their State and
desire to preserve it. To that end they have taken steps to save a
number of the old landmarks, they have built many monuments, and have
gathered and kept many records of the past.
[Illustration: Bust of Eugene Ware
“Of all the states, but three will live in story;
Old Massachusetts with her Plymouth Rock,
And Old Virginia with her noble stock,
And Sunny Kansas with her woes and glory.”
――EUGENE F. WARE.]
=Pawnee Rock.= One of the early landmarks was Pawnee Rock on the old
Santa Fe Trail, in what is now Barton County. This giant rock standing
on the level plain was a noted spot, for the Trail ran near its base,
and while it provided a place of rest and safety for many a weary
traveler, it also afforded a retreat from which the Indians could dash
down upon the traders. In later years much of the rock was torn away
for building purposes and this historic old landmark was rapidly
disappearing. The Woman’s Kansas Day Club resolved to save this
historic spot, and secured a deed for the Rock and five acres of
ground surrounding it. On Kansas Day, 1909, the women presented this
deed to the State. The transfer was made with the condition that the
State spend $3000 for improvements. This was done and the preservation
of Pawnee Rock is now assured.
[Illustration: PRESENT VIEW OF PAWNEE ROCK.]
=The Pike Memorial.= The exact site of the Pawnee Indian village
visited by Lieutenant Pike in 1806 was not known with certainty for
many years, but was finally found to be in Republic County. It was
located through the discovery of rows of circular ridges supposed to
have been the embankments of the Indian lodges.[21] An iron fence now
incloses about six acres of the ground, on which the rings are still
plainly visible, and a granite shaft stands where the Stars and
Stripes first floated over Kansas. The monument bears the inscription:
“Erected by the State of Kansas, 1901, to mark the site of the Pawnee
Republic where Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike caused the Spanish flag to
be lowered and the flag of the United States to be raised, September
29, 1806.”
[Illustration: WHERE THE STARS AND STRIPES FIRST FLOATED OVER
KANSAS.]
=Marking of the Santa Fe Trail.= The Santa Fe Trail, which was
associated with most of the early history of Kansas, was known
throughout the country, but with the settlement of the State the old
highway was growing dim; the ruts were filling in, grass was covering
the broad track, and with the passing of those who knew it in the old
days the true route was in danger of being forgotten. To prevent this,
the Daughters of the American Revolution began, in the opening years
of the present century, to agitate the question of marking the line of
the Trail through the State. In 1905 the Legislature appropriated
$1000 “for procuring suitable monuments for this purpose.” Kansas Day
of 1906 was designated “Trail Day” in the public schools, and the
children were invited to contribute a penny each toward the fund. They
gave $584.40. Eighty-nine markers were purchased. Various local
organizations added nine more, making a total of ninety-eight markers.
They were placed along the Trail from the eastern to the western end
of the State. They bear the inscription, “Santa Fe Trail 1822-1872.
Marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the State of
Kansas, 1906.” A few of the markers bear special inscriptions in
addition to this. The one at Council Grove has on the other side, “On
this spot, August 10, 1825, the treaty was made with the Osage Indians
for the right of way of the Santa Fe Trail.”
[Illustration: SANTA FE TRAIL MARKER, WITH LOCAL INSCRIPTION.]
[Illustration: SANTA FE TRAIL MARKER.]
=Pawnee Capitol.= The old stone building erected at Pawnee for the
capitol of Kansas still stands on the Fort Riley Reservation. In 1907
a subscription fund was raised and the money used to repair and
restore the old building so that it will stand for many years as a
relic of our early history.
[Illustration: OLD PAWNEE CAPITOL ON THE FORT RILEY MILITARY
RESERVATION.]
=John Brown’s Battle Field.= The site of John Brown’s battle field at
Osawatomie was purchased by the Woman’s Relief Corps of Kansas and
presented to the State in 1909.
=Statues in the Hall of Fame.= Each State is permitted to place two
statues in the Hall of Fame in the National Capitol at Washington. In
1905 one of the Kansas places was filled with a statue of John J.
Ingalls, who was a Senator from this State from 1873 to 1891. In 1913
the other place was filled with a statue of George W. Glick, who was
Governor of Kansas from 1883 to 1885.
[Illustration: THE JOHN BROWN MONUMENT.]
=Other Monuments.= A number of monuments have been erected in various
parts of the State in commemoration of noted persons or events. The
John Brown monument at Osawatomie was dedicated on August 30, 1877. It
bears two inscriptions: “In commemoration of those who, on the 30th of
August, 1856, gave up their lives at the battle of Osawatomie in
defense of freedom,” and, “This inscription is also in commemoration
of the heroism of Captain John Brown, who commanded at the battle of
Osawatomie, August 30, 1856; who died and conquered American slavery
on the scaffold at Charlestown, Virginia, December 2, 1859.”
[Illustration: MARAIS DES CYGNES MONUMENT.]
A splendid monument has been erected in Linn County to mark the graves
of the victims of the Marais des Cygnes massacre.
[Illustration: QUANTRILL RAID MONUMENT.]
At Lawrence there is a monument bearing this inscription: “Dedicated
to the memory of the one hundred and fifty citizens who, defenseless,
fell victims to the inhuman ferocity of border guerrillas, led by the
infamous Quantrill in his raid upon Lawrence, August 21, 1863. Erected
May 30, 1895.”
A monument has been raised near Junction City in honor of the
expedition of Coronado. There are several other monuments in the State
commemorating the Spanish explorations of 1541-1542.
Monuments have been dedicated to the memory of settlers killed in the
Indian raids on the frontier, and to men who were killed by Indians
while engaged in construction work on the Union Pacific Railroad.
=Memorial Hall.= These are only a few; many tablets, monuments, and
markers have been erected in Kansas, but by far the greatest number of
them are monuments in honor of the soldiers of the Civil War. Many of
these are very handsome, and they have cost, in the aggregate,
thousands of dollars; but this recognition seemed insufficient, and it
had long been hoped that a handsome and serviceable building might be
erected as a fitting and worthy recognition by the whole State of the
honor due the soldiers and sailors of the Civil War. The fulfillment
of this ambition finally became possible when the United States paid
to Kansas an old Civil War debt amounting to nearly a half-million
dollars. The money was used for the construction of Memorial Hall.
This beautiful structure, built of white marble, stands near the
grounds of the State Capitol at Topeka. Part of Memorial Hall is used
as headquarters for the Kansas Department of the Grand Army of the
Republic, and the rest by the State Historical Society.
[Illustration: AN OLD, DOUBLE-EDGED, SPANISH SWORD,
Found in Finney county some years ago and presented to the State
Historical Society. The sword bears the name of one of
Coronado’s officers, Juan Gallego. On the blade, in Spanish, are
the words: “Draw me not without reason; sheathe me not without
honor.”]
=The State Historical Society.= The State Historical Society was
organized in 1875. From that time until the present the Society has
gathered and kept books, writings, narratives, maps, relics and other
matter relating to the history of Kansas. In these collections may be
found information concerning the explorations, the Indians, the
overland travel, the settlements, and the condition and progress of
the State in its various departments. Volumes of clippings, files of
newspapers, and thousands of books, provide a very complete record of
all phases of the State’s history. One of the interesting features is
the collection of relics, among which are: an old Spanish sword
supposed to have belonged to one of Coronado’s soldiers; the pistol of
the Jayhawker, James Montgomery; two cannon used in the border
troubles; and the cap, saddle, and sword of John Brown. There are many
Indian pipes, ornaments, implements, arrowheads, and a war bonnet. The
historical collections, which have increased from year to year, are
very interesting and should be seen by every citizen of Kansas. The
Historical Society had rooms in the State Capitol until the completion
of Memorial Hall, when it was moved into the new building. Thus
Memorial Hall stands as a tribute not only to the soldiers but to the
entire history of Kansas.
SUMMARY
In late years Kansas has taken many steps to preserve its
history. Some of its most prominent memorials are: Pawnee
Rock; Pike Memorial; Santa Fe Trail markers; Pawnee Capitol;
John Brown’s battle-field; monuments to commemorate the
battle of Osawatomie, the Marais des Cygnes massacre, and
the Quantrill raid. Many other monuments and tablets have
been erected in different parts of the State to commemorate
important events. Memorial Hall, completed in 1914, was
built in honor of the soldiers and sailors who served in the
Civil War. This building provided fitting quarters for the
Kansas Department of the Grand Army of the Republic, and for
the State Historical Society which has a large and valuable
collection of original historical material.
REFERENCES
Blackmar, Kansas, Selected Topics.
Inman, The Old Santa Fe Trail.
Historical Collections, vol. XI, p. 253; vol. X, pp. 15, 50, 472.
QUESTIONS
1. How long since Kansas became a state?
2. What places of historic interest are there in the State?
3. What places of historic interest are there in your locality?
Have they been marked in any way?
4. What have you learned from the old settlers about the history
of your locality?
5. Locate Pawnee Rock. Give its early history. Its recent
history.
6. Give an account of Pike’s visit to the Pawnee Indians. Where
was the Indian village? How has this event been commemorated?
7. Give an account of the marking of the Santa Fe Trail.
8. Locate the old Pawnee Capitol and give its history.
9. Name as many other memorials as you can and give the event
which each commemorates.
10. What is Memorial Hall? Why was it erected? For what is it to
be used?
11. Explain the work and purpose of the State Historical Society.