Joan Forest     George Elmore

The Faye Anderson Award is given annually by the Wet/Dry Routes Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail in recognition of some person/s or organization who has made a significant contribution to the interpretation and or preservation of the Santa Fe Trail.

When the final history of the State of Kansas and Pawnee County is written, George Elmore will go down in history as one of the foremost contributors to this history. George is a family man, historian and Resource Management Specialist for the Fort Larned National Historic site near Larned, Kansas in Pawnee county. George, is a Wet/Dry Routes Chapter member from Larned, Kansas and a long time employee at the Fort Larned National Historic Site, he is the recipient of the 2006 Faye Anderson Award.

There can be many stories told about George and his preservation of the history of the State of Kansas and the Santa Fe Trail, but one of the most notable and the one George had the most fun doing was the finding and preservation of the 1867 Indian Village site in Ness county. George and a long time friend found the site in 1975, and was instrumental in the preservation of this site for future generations to enjoy.

General Winfield S. Hancock, and Colonel George Armstrong Custer, commander of the newly formed 7th Cavalry, led the 7th on this expedition in the Spring of 1867. The expedition was designed to give the central plains Indians a lesson and to provide a response to the Fetterman Massacre that took place the previous year. Marching out from Fort Larned to the Indian village on the Pawnee Fork just into present Ness County, Kansas. Read more about the Indian village site at this address.

If something is being done along the Santa Fe Trail, George is there. You may not see him but he is always in the background doing what he can for the project. George is a real stickler on being historical correct about the history he is doing the interpretation for. A story about this is, the other day three of us were at the Pike Plaza site discussing the landscaping. Trees were brought up. George spoke up. If trees are planted on the site, that blows the historic diary enters that there were no trees in the area in that time period. If there is a question you have, George will more than likely have a file on it or know where you can find the answer. The space won't allow to tell the good for the area and Fort Larned George has done, look around and you will more then likely see something George had a hand in doing.

The 2006 Faye Anderson award is well deserved.
Congratulations, George, and keep up the good work!

Santa Fe Trail Research Site
"E-Mail & Home Page"
Larry & Carolyn Mix
St. John, Kansas
© "Forever"