Here are a couple of photos of the marker pole at the center of the town square at the site of old Franklin, Missouri, where the Santa Fe Trail began in 1821. The crew above set the pole on March 16, 2005, which Leo Oliva constructed and hauled 400 miles from Woodston, Kansas. Thanks to Denny Davis, the local power company, and the local ready-mix company.
Denny Davis, chairman of the marker pole committee, gave the following information: Left to right, Surveyor Dexter Slagle, Leo E. Oliva, Landon Hurt and Richard Colvin of Howard Electric Co-operative, and Frank McCreery of Boonville Ready Mix Concrete. Slagle provided the survey on an expenses-only basis. Leo Oliva, the rural electric co-op, and the ready mix concrete company donated their services.
The photo below was taken by Leo Oliva and shows the watertower at Boonville, Missouri in the background, across the Missouri River from the site of old Franklin.
