The discovery of his trail and his motive for its discovery have been subjects of much speculation. The most widely accepted version is given by Jay Baugh, editor of the Johnson, Kansas newspaper who prepared a "Synopsis of Stanton County" for the Stanton County, Kansas Pioneer Day Program held on May 14, 1960. In his synopsis, Mr. Baugh asserts that

     Colonel Francis Aubry was bearing military dispatches from Santa Fe in 1850, coming up the Cimarron Crossing Trail, or the dry route of the old Santa Fe Trail, through Grant County, when hostile Indians forced him back to the west. He made an encircling trip and discovered Bear Creek, east of the Colorado line, and angled northeast until he came to Choteau Island in the Arkansas River, where the French traders had established a post, later near Hartland and a few miles west of Lakin. That was in 1850. In 1851, Colonel Aubry set up a small garrison of troops on the south bank of the river off Choteau Island and escorted wagon trains southwest over the trail he had established the year before. [1]

     While this version is widely accepted, it is not necessarily entirely accurate. In 1848 and 1849, Aubry was actively engaged in the Westport-Santa Fe trade. In his attempts to set new speed records between the two towns, he took many different routes other than the regular Cimarron Cutoff and the Bent Fort Route of the Santa Fe Trail, although he did use the Cimarron Route most frequently. He was continually on the look-out for a better and faster route between Westport and Santa Fe, especially in the area Mr. Baugh mentions, and while he may have originally found the route that became known as Aubry's Route by accident, it was not necessarily, as has been suggested, so that he could get military dispatches through the Indians or so he could personally escort wagons trains in the area. He did, on occasion, in these early years carry United States mail on his fast rides, but only to show that he could get it through faster than the regular mail, and to prove his speed to doubters by verification of post marks which he had carried. He never established a post south of Choteau Island to escort trains over his trail. He did encourage others to use his trail simply because he was convinced that it was the best and safest route. [2]

    Shown above is one portion of Aubry Spring. It is located on the D. Brownlee farm, just east of Syracuse, Kansas. A test revealed that the spring still pumps 1,400 gallons of water per hour, probably as much as it did in Aubry's time. It has never been known to go dry, not even during the dust bowl days.

     This trail, known appropriately as the Aubry Route, had two termini-Cold Spring on the south and Aubry Spring on the north. The trail cut through the present counties of Hamilton and Stanton in Kansas Baca in Colorado, and Cimarron in Oklahoma. It followed the same general direction as the present Highway 270 and 27 running south from Syracuse, Kansas to Johnson, Kansas: 160 from Johnson, Kansas to Springfield, Colorado: and 287-385 running south from Springfield, Colorado to Boise City, Oklahoma. It was a better cut-off than the Mountain Route of the Santa Fe Trail and the Cimarron Route because it was better watered. Nowhere along the trail was the distance between water more than thirty miles, meaning the travelers were assured of having water at least every other day. Also, there was less Indian trouble. The area was barren without natural shelter, contributing to a lack of game, and thus not suited for Indian hunting grounds. It was also somewhat shorter, and Aubry thought it easier to travel than the Cimarron Cutoff. The trail did not flourish, however, because travelers were anxious to take available cutoffs for shortening the long journey, and they usually chose the first one they came to -- in this case, the Cimarron Cutoff. Most travelers continued to use the Cimarron Cutoff even though the Aubry Trail was well established. Aubry used his Route exclusively, and this usage, combined with other who did choose it, led to its recognition as a route to Santa Fe.

     The wagons cut very deep ruts into the Southwest's sandy soil and they were destined to remain there for a long time. Elam Hilty, a retired school teacher and former county commissioner of Stanton County, vividly remembers the old wagon tracks, Hilty, whose stint in public office was in the 1920's and 1930's, has lived in Johnson, Kansas most of his life. He said the tracks were plainly visible when he moved there in 1905. He remembers the passage of the "herd laws" in Stanton County in the late 1920's, and how the land was nearly all plowed under in 1930. The wagon ruts, easily seen until this time, unfortunately were plowed under to and may now be seen only in isolated places. According to Hilty, most of the early settlers were brought there by the Aubry Trail [3] and it was instrumental in the settlement of the area.

     Stanton County saw its first influx of settlers in about 1885 and several towns developed along or near the Aubry Trail. Among them were Mitchellville, 1887; Edwin, 1886, and Westhaven, 1887. None is still in existence. The trail continued to serve as a supply route for these towns and for the rest of Stanton County, as well as to those living in Cimarron County, Oklahoma. It was used for travel by the settlers, and most homesteaders had wagon roads leading to the main road, the Aubry Route, if they were not located adjacent to it. The trail was their lifeline to the railroad and to civilization for many years.

     The old Aubry Route broke off from the main Santa Fe Trail at a point where the Aubry Spring is located and where Fort Aubry was built. This is in the northwest quarter of section 23 {T24S R40W} about a half mile off the county road running east and west from the old town of Mayline. [4]

     The point is seven miles east of Syracuse, Kansas and about 400 yards north of the Arkansas River. It is fifty yards southwest of the barn on D. Brownlee's farm. [5] The trail crossed the Arkansas River in the middle of the southwest quarter of section 23 {T24S R40W} and moved on south into the sand hills that still abound in the area, beginning on the southern bank of the river. The river during Aubry's time offered no real obstacle to the travelers as it was very shallow and its banks were low at this point, and without trees. There are considerable changes in the area now. Syracuse's city dump is located just west of the crossing and trees and other vegetation now line the river banks.

     The sand hills to the south of the river proved to be a formidable foe to the wagons, but were by no means insurmountable. Today there is still a five mile deep strip along the southern edge of the Arkansas River composed of low hills of soft sand, without trees, but covered with sagebrush and prickly pears and occasionally patches of buffalo brass. As the trail crossed into these hills, it became difficult to follow. It spread out into many separate branches as much as a mile apart in some places. The main trail, however, moved from the middle of the southwest quarter of section 23 {T24S R40W} across the river into the middle of the northwest quarter of section 26 {T24S R40W}. Avoiding the marshy area that lay along the river to the west in sections 21 and 22 {T24S R40W}, it moved south toward the sand hills..

     It then moved in to the middle of the southwest quarter of section 26 {T24S R40W} and into the middle of the northwest quarter of section 35 {T24S R40W}, followed a southerly direction into the southwest quarter of section 35 {T24S R40W} approximately 350 yards from its western edge and gradually farther west to its southwest corner. From here it went into the northeast quarter of section 3 {T25S R40W} at its extreme northeast corner, continuing its southern route. Upon entering this quarter, the trail began its ascent into the sand hills and left the river bottom area. The path it followed took it through a natural break in the hills. They are lower at this point and there are no steep climbs on the trail as it winds its way through the hills. The point where the trail enters the hills is easily found. [6]

     From this quarter it then crossed into the southeast quarter of section 3 {T25S R40W} a little east of the middle of the northern edge of the quarter. It next crosses into the northeast quarter of section 10 {T25S R40W} at its extreme northeast corner. Moving along the eastern edge of this quarter, the trail moves into the eastern edge of the northwest quarter of section 15 {T25S R40W}, through it, and into the southwest quarter of section 15 {T25S R40W} approximately 50 yards from the eastern border. After swinging west, it moves in the southwesterly direction across this quarter coming out at the southwest corner, approximately 150 yards from its western edge and just catches the northwestern corner of the northwest quarter of section 22 {T25S R40W}.

     It then moves into the northeast quarter of section 21 {T25S R40W} approximately 90 yards from its northern edge. It moves along the eastern edge of this quarter for a distance of 350 yards and into the southeast quarter of section 21 {T25S R40W}. The trail then goes into the northeast quarter of section 28 {T25S R40W}. It next runs into the northeast quarter of section 33 {T25S R40W} at about the middle of its northern boundary, and then through the center of the southeast quarter of section 33 {T25S R40W}. [7]

     The route now travels across the northeast quarter of section 5 {T26S R40W}, turns gradually east then goes through the southeast quarter of section 5 {T26S R40W} approximately seventy-five yards from the east edge and into the northeast quarter of section 8 {T26S R40W}. It moves gradually in a southwesterly direction through this quarter and enters the southeast quarter of section 8 {T26S R40W} in the eastern part, and continues through the eastern part of the northeast quarter of section 17 {T26S R40W}.

     Upon entering this section, the trail will begin to cross the small tributaries of the Little Bear Creek and Big Bear Creek. Its course will not be greatly influenced by them, however, as they are not large and are easily crossed. The countryside is now changing and becoming hilly in appearance.

     It moves in a gentle western direction entering the southeast quarter of section 17 {T26S R40W} at the center of its northern edge, then south, and on to the middle of the northeast quarter of section 20 {T26S R40W} and turns southeastward on across this quarter. It then just penetrates the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 20 {T26S R40W} and moves from there into the southwest quarter of section 21 {T26S R40W}, approximately 300 yards from the northern edge where it quickly drops south. It leaves this quarter at approximately the center on the southern edge. It goes at the southeast angle and then enters the northwest quarter of section 28 {T26S R40W} at the center on the northern edge and moves across this quarter to its southeast corner.

     Here, it enters, leaves, and then just catches the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 28 {T26S R40W} before it enters the southeast quarter of section 28 {T26S R40W}. Near the middle of the western half of this quarter, the trail joins with another trail that developed later. [8]

Aubry's Trail ruts are still visible today in some places. Here they are shown as they appeared in the summer of 1970. The location is where the trail crosses the Hamilton-Stanton County line.

     After this joining, the trail moves across this quarter to its southwest corner where it catches the extreme northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 33 {T26S R40W}. Then it moves to the south through the western portion of the quarter until it enters the eastern part of the southwest quarter of section 33 {T26S R40W} and moves south. It leaves this quarter and Hamilton County, Kansas in the eastern portion of its southern border and moves into Stanton County.

     The trail enters Stanton County through the northwest quarter of section 4 {T27S R40W} in the eastern part approximately 100 yards from the eastern edge of the quarter. It goes, then, south through this quarter, entering the eastern part of the southwest quarter of section 4 {T27S R40W}. It then moves in a gradual southwesterly direction to a point approximately 100 yards east of the middle of its southern edge. The trail may be seen at this point as it travels in a north-south direction. [9]

     The trail next crosses the northern boundary of the northwest quarter of section 9 {T27S R40W}. Just after entering this quarter at a point about fifty yards within the quarter, the trail crosses a small dry creek that is one of the many tributaries of Little Bear Creek, There is no vegetation along the banks of this creek and it remains dry except for during periods of rain, when it does flow freely for a time.

     After crossing this dry creek, the trail crosses the southwest quarter of section 9 {T27S R40W}, gradually moving in the southwestern direction to its southwest corner. The countryside in this area is striking in its barrenness. The view is limitless; the only obstructions on the plain are the elevators apparent at Big Bow, which is approximately 18 miles to the south, and the one at Johnson, approximately 10 miles away.

     It then just touches the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 16 {T27S R40W} before moving on into the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 17 {T27S R40W}. The trail wanders south and a little bit west, leaving this quarter at its southeast corner and then going into the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 17 {T27S R40W}.

     At this point the trail veers in a west-south course to a point approximately 50 yards west of the center of this quarter. [10] Leaving this quarter, the route catches the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 20 {T27S R40W} before going on into the northwest quarter of section 20 {T27S R40W} and traveling toward the southwest to the center of the southern boundary of this quarter. It goes into the southwest corner where it enter the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 30 {T27S R40W}. It crosses this quarter to its southwest corner and moves into the southwest quarter of section 30 {T27S R40W}. Now the route will swing more westerly than southerly, and it will meet with Bear Creek. [11]

     After meeting with Bear Creek the trail runs almost due west into the southeast quarter of section 25 {T27S R41W}, entering at a point about in the center of the quarter's eastern boundary. It then turns southwesterly about 150 yards in, and goes to the southwest corner where it crosses into the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 36 {T27S R41W}. [12] It moves on from this corner to southeast of the old town of Edwin. [13] The trail moves now into the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 35 {T27S R41W} and across it to the southwest corner. From there it runs into the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 2 {T28S R41W}. It turns south and passes out of this quarter approximately on the center point of its southern edge.

     Going into the southwest quarter of section 2 {T28S R41W} at about the center of its northern boundary, the trail crosses to the southwest corner where it moves on into the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 10 {T28S R41W} and on through it to a point a little east of the center of its southern edge. It then moves in a southwesterly direction cross the southeast quarter of section 10 {T28S R41W} and veers south along the western edge on the southern boundary. It then moves along the southern edge to cross into the extreme southeastern tip of the southwest quarter of section 10 {T28S R41W} and goes on into the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 15 {T28S R41W}. The trail goes southwest across this quarter to the southern edge approximately fifty yards east of its center where it turns almost due west as it enters the southeast quarter of section 16 {T28S R41W}. It goes west along the northern edge of this quarter and into the southwest quarter of section 16 {T28S R41W} at a point about 100 yards from its northern boundary. At this point the trail is running along the southern edge of the old town of West Haven. [14]

     The trail moves west across this quarter and into the center portion of the southwest quarter of section 17 {T28S R41W} and on farther west across it into the southwest quarter of section 17 {T28S R41W} where it drops sharply south as it follows Bear Creek. It follows a course with Bear Creek into the northwest quarter of section 20 {T28S R41W} and goes across this quarter, dropping slightly south into the northeast quarter of section 19 {T28S R41W} approximately 300 yards from its northern edge. Now it moves southwesterly into the northwest portion of the southeast quarter of section 19 {T28S R41W} and into the northeastern part of the southwest quarter of section 19 {T28S R41W} approximately 300 yards from its northern edge. It goes across this quarter to a point about fifty yards from the southern border of its western edge.

     There it crosses into the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 24 {T28S R42W} about fifty yards from the southern edge. It goes over the very tip of this quarter before moving on across the northern edge of the northeast quarter of section 25 {T28S R42W}. It runs through this quarter in a southwesterly direction to a point at the center of the western edge of it and then going on into the northwest quarter of section 25 {T28S R42W}. It goes across this quarter in a gentle southwesterly direction to the southwest edge approximately 175 yards from the south edge where it crosses into the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 26 {T28S R42W} where it travels on a westerly course to the southwest corner of the quarter.

     There it moves into the southwest quarter of section 26 {T28S R42W} where it moves in a southwesterly direction to its extreme southwestern corner. The trail catches just the southeastern corner of the southeast quarter of section 27 {T28S R42W}. [15] Then it runs into the northeast part of the northeast quarter of section 34 {T28S R42W} and moves in a more westerly direction, then gradually south across the quarter.

     It goes into the northwest quarter of section 34 {T28S R42W} and on into the northeast quarter of section 33 {T28S R42W}, entering it about at the middle of its eastern edge. The Aubry Trail now runs west and a little south across the quarter, entering next the northwest quarter of section 33 {T28S R42W} a little south of center on its eastern boundary. It goes across this quarter on a course heading southwest and leaves it at its southwest edge. It passes into the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 32 {T28S R42W} and moves southwest across the quarter to its southwest corner. There it goes into the very tip of the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 32 {T28S R42W}.

     The trail proceeds into the northwest quarter of section 5 {T29S R42W} about thirty yards from the extreme northeastern corner of the quarter. It then moves across the quarter in a southwestern direction to a point approximately twenty yards from the southwest corner of the quarter. At the place where the Aubry Trail leaves this quarter, it is crossing a dry creek bed that is another tributary of Bear Creek. The trail since its connection with Bear Creek at the southwest quarter of section 30 {T27S R40W}, has been running almost parallel with the creek and never goes farther away from it than a mile. At this point on the trail, for example, it is approximately one-fourth mile from Bear Creek.

     After crossing this dry creek, the trail will just penetrate the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 6 {T29S R42W} before crossing into the southeast quarter of section 6 {T29S R42W} at a point approximately thirty yards from its eastern edge. It moves southwest to the southwest corner to a point about fifteen yards from the southern edge, and there it catches the corner of the southwest quarter of section 6 {T29S R42W}.

     Then it passes into the northeast part of the northwest quarter of section 7 {T29S R42W} approximately thirty yards from the eastern edge of the quarter. Moving in a west-southwest direction, the Aubry Trail crosses out of this quarter and pushes into the northeast quarter of section 12 {T29S R43W} at a point a little south of the center on its eastern edge. Here the trail drops south and only slightly west until it reaches the southern edge of the quarter in its southeastern part, about 150 yards from the eastern edge, and right on the southern edge. Now it comes to another dry creek, tributary to Bear Creek.

     As the trail reaches this dry creek it splits into two branches. One branch of the trail follows Bear Creek on the west but this is not the main Aubry Route. The main branch drops south from the dry creek, crosses into the southwest quarter of section 12 {T29S R43W} and fords Bear Creek to its southern bank for the first time. This point is a little west of the mid-point from east to west and in the southern part of the quarter, about 300 yards from its southern edge. It runs southwest directly after crossing Bear Creek and moves way from it very quickly.

     Catching just the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 13 {T29S R43W} the trail drops more south then west through the eastern part of the northwest quarter of section 13 {T29S R43W} to its southern edge, about 200 yards from the eastern boundary. Now it goes into the southwest quarter of section 13 {T29S R43W} and across it to the southwest corner at a point approximately thirty yards from its western edge. Here, Aubry's Route crosses another dry creek, also tributary to Bear Creek. From this point it goes across the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 24 {T29S R43W} and into the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 23 {T29S R43W}, running southwest through the quarter to a point approximately 100 yards from the southern boundary. Now it turns south, goes across the southwest corner of the quarter, and on into the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 23 {T29S R43W}. It goes along its northern edge to a point approximately seventy yards from the western edge of the quarter. Here it meets and goes across another Bear Creek tributary.

     Moving on west, the Aubry Route crosses into the southeast quarter of section 22 {T29S R43W} approximately sixty yards from the creek, and about 100 yards from the northern corner of the quarter. From there it goes still farther west and southwest across the quarter to a place about thirty yards from the southern edge, where it crosses into the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 22 {T29S R43W}. It moves on across the quarter into the northwest quarter of section 27 {T29S R43W} about 100 yards from its east edge and then southwest across the quarter to its southwestern corner. Then it crosses into and just catches the corner of the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 28 {T29S R43W} and from there into the southeast quarter of section 28 {T29S R43W}. Here it runs more south and goes to a point on the souther edge of the quarter, about fifty yards from its western boundary. Now it passes into the northwestern corner of the northeast quarter of section 33 {T29S R43W} and crosses just this corner into the northeast portion of the northwest quarter of section 33 {T29S R43W}. It runs across this quarter to a point approximately mid-way between this quarter's eastern and western edges. There it passes into the southwest quarter of section 33 {T29S R43W} and then follows a course west-southwest to a point about midway from north to south on the western edge of the quarter. At this point the main Aubry Route is rejoined by the auxiliary route which had gone on along Bear Creek to the west. [16] At this point, also, the trail leaves Kansas and moves into Colorado's Baca County. [17]

Footnotes

1. Jay Baugh, "Synopsis of Stanton County" (paper read at Stanton County Pioneer Day program, Johnson, Kansas, May 14, 1960). (Mimeographed, Stanton County Library, Johnson, Kansas.)
   
2. A recent, interesting account is Leo E. Oliva, "The Aubry Route of the Santa Fe Trail" Kansas Quarterly (Spring 1973), 18-29.
   
3. Statement by Elam Hilty, Personal interview.
   
4. Four economy of space the legal descriptions of the route of the Aubry Trail will be written for example as follows: the northeast quarter of section 23 (T24S R40W). The townships are numbered south from the base line which is the 20th parallel and also the northern boundary of Kansas. The ranges are numbered east and west from the Sixth Principal Meridian, a line running north and south through Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. In Kansas this line runs roughly through Wichita.
   
5. See Section IV.
   
6. One may travel south out of Syracuse, Kansas on highway 270-27, turn east at the first road , (the old river road) on the south side of the Arkansas River. Follow this dirt and gravel road approximately seven miles until a dead end and then turn right, the old trail followed this road almost exactly for the trip through the sand hills.
   
7. At this point the route is through the sand hills and on high ground. The trail runs approximately 200 yards to the west of the dirt road as it comes to the dead end at the section line. The section road just tot eh west is now closed and one must go one section beyond to follow the trail on its southern course. It will then be running east of the road approximately three-quarters of a mile and will be going generally in a straight southerly direction.
   
8. This trail ran to the northeast tot he old town of Aubry, now called Kendall. It was used much later in the history of southwest Kansas for trade between Kendall and Stanton County.
   
9. This location is approximately ten miles north of Johnson, Kansas, on Highway 270-27, and four miles east on a dirt road, then just slightly north in a field.
   
10. At this point, the trail is due east of the ghost town of Mitchellville which was created in November, 1886. The location of the town was in the southwest quarter of section 18 (T27S R40W).
    
11. Bear Creek is one of the few creeds winding its way through the sand hills. Beginning in Colorado, it travels in a northeasterly direction until it joins with the Arkansas River in Kearney County, Kansas. The creek is typical of the creeks and rivers of the area. It is dry most of the time except during periods of rain. Bear Creek, however, does have a few constant pools of water and along most of the length of it water may be found by digging. The creek has been known to flood the area surrounding it during heavy rainstorms.
    
12. The trail at this point is almost exactly one mile east of Highway 27-270, and six miles north of Johnson, Kansas. There is a dirt road leading to a point where it may be viewed. The place may be easily identified because of the big sweeping bend of Bear Creek. The trail touches it at its extreme apex and then swings on westward, following the creek and staying on its north bank.
    
13. At this point the trail approximately five and one-half miles north of Johnson, Kansas where it crosses Highway 270-27. There are no visible ruts here.
    
14. West Haven, founded in February of 1887, is now a ghost town with no buildings standing to mark its location.
    
15. At this point on the Aubry Trail, Manter, Kansas lies just four miles due south.
    
16. The trail, at this point, is about one quarter mile north of present Highway 160 where it crosses the Santa Fe Railroad tracks near the elevators at Saunders, Kansas.
    
17. The section maps of Colorado's Baca County are very confusing and as a result there are many problems involved in trying to pin-point exact positions in the county. The county clerk attributes the discrepancies to a poor original survey in the country. By utilizing field notes made by the original surveyor, however, the Aubry Route can be located.
    Used With Permisssion of the Author:
    E. P. Burr