Fall Meeting Minutes
The Wet/Dry Routes Chapter met in conjunction with the Fort Dodge/Dodge City/Cimarron Chapter on November 12, 2006 at the Dodge City Public Library. Reports were given on the dedication of Zebulon Pike Plaza, the day trips being conducted on the Santa Fe Trail in the chapter's area, and the Santa Fe Trail Poster Contest. President Clapsaddle reported on his visits to the St. Nicholas Elementary School and the Kinsley-Offerle Elementary School where he introduced the fifth grade students to the poster contest and presented a program on the Trail. A report was also given about the recent presentation of Robert's Trunk to the Dodge City schools. The Trunk is scheduled to be presented in the St. Nicholas, Kinsley/Offerle and Larned schools in the near future.

A report was also given on the marking project. Small plaques in memory of deceased members were recently installed on existing markers to honor Cecil Johnson, Ron Nelson, Dr. Richard Dryden, and Howard Losey. In the future, the same plaque will honor Louis Van Meter and Charles and Margaret Mix. The limestone markers and the interpretive sign for the Cimarron Crossing have been prepared and are ready for installation.

In other business, information regarding trips in the Larned, Kansas area to Santa Fe Trail sites to be conducted in the spring of 2007 was discussed. Also in conjunction with Santa Fe Trail Days, an interpretive program by Larned's First Ladies will be presented at the Little Red House on May 1, 2007.

President Clapsaddle announced that six images from the recent exhibit during the Rendezvous, "Crossings on the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas" will be display at the Buckboard Barbeque in Larned, Kansas.

The chapter voted to discontinue the biannual seminar previously conducted in conjunction with the Fort Larned Old Guard.

End of the Trail
We are sad to report the loss of the following chapter members: Doug Marcy, Ralph Baird, and Paul Heit. Our condolences to the families.

Stamp Cancellation
One of the highlights of the Santa Fe Trail Rendezvous, October 27-29, 2006 was the stamp cancellation conducted by the Larned Post Office in conjunction with the dedication of the Zebulon Pike Plaza. Local artist Beverly Howell prepared a sketch of Pike and a companion standing on the north bank of the Pawnee River looking south through a telescope. The sketch transferred to a cancellation stamp marked 500 pieces of mail which were dispatched from the Larned Post Office on October 29, 2006 the bicentennial date of Pike's crossing the Pawnee.

Day Trips
Three day trips were conducted on the Santa Fe Trail in Pawnee, Edwards, and Ford Counties, Kansas this past fall. Two trips were devoted to the Wet Route; one to the Original Dry Route. Thanks go to Bob Sallee for driving the bus. The trips will be resumed in the spring when the weather allows.

Marker Update
The markers approved for the Cimarron Crossing have been placed one mile west of Cimarron, Kansas. Thanks go to the Fort Dodge/Dodge City/Cimarron Chapter for their cost sharing, Mildon Yeager for mounting the bronze plaque, Ray Wetzel for constructing the interpretive marker, and George Elmore for installation of the markers.

At this date, the interpretive marker for the Small Drain site is being prepared. Hopefully, by our winter meeting, it will be installed.

The First Ladies of Larned, Kansas
The chapter will participate in Larned's Santa Fe Trail Days scheduled for May, 2007. During the celebrations, a program titled "The First Ladies of Larned" will be presented at the Little Red House. Portraying Lucy Booth will be Rebecca Hiller; portraying Sarah Sturdevant will be Alice Clapsaddle. Both Booth and Sturdevant played important roles in early Larned and were strongly associated with the Little Red House, Larned's first building.

Winter Meeting
The chapter's winter meeting will be conducted Febuary 18, 2007, 1:00 p.m., at the Municipal Building in Kinsley, Kansas. Members are asked to bring a covered dish to share. Dinnerware and drinks will be provided.

Officers for the coming year will be elected and the Faye Anderson Award will be presented. The program will be presented by President Clapsaddle, "A Tale of Two Cities" with respect to Franklin, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Chapter Exhibit
Eight images from Pictures and Word Pictures: Crossings of the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas which have been on display at Fort Larned have found a new home. These images are now exhibited at the Buckboard, a barbeque restaurant in Larned. Included in the images are photographs, sketches, maps and watercolors related to crossings at Cow Creek, Walnut Creek, Ash Creek, Pawnee Fork (Wet route), Pawnee Fork (Dry Route), and Coon Creek. This is the only business in Larned which included, Santa Fe Trail material in the decor.

Santa Fe Trail Routes In Our Chapter Area
For the sake of those who are participating in the day trips which were initiated in the fall of 2006 and will continue in the spring of 2007, the following is a digest of the various Santa Fe Trail routes which have been or will be taken.

The Wet Route
The Wet Route, sometimes call the river route, followed the Arkansas River from Pawnee Fork to the southwest around the south bend of the stream near present Ford, Kansas and west to present Dodge City on to the Caches. There, the Wet Route met with the original Dry Route.

The Original Dry Route
The original Dry Route split from the Wet Route some 3-4 miles southwest of Pawnee Fork at a location called Forks in Santa Fe Road. Leaving the river valley, the Dry Route ran west southwest to cross Big Coon Creek west of present Kinsley and on to the Caches as described previously. During one period, the Dry Route merged with the Wet Route at the Caches and at a point one mile east of the site selected for the establishment of Fort Dodge. Finally, the Dry Route ran only to the site near Fort Dodge.

The Second Dry Route
Subsequent to the establishment of Camp on Pawnee Fork in 1859 (later Fort Larned), the Dry Route veered from the regular Santa Fe Trail about a mile and one fourth southwest of Ash Creek, continued on to cross Pawnee Fork three miles east of Fort Larned, and proceed up the south bank of the stream to Fort Larned. From there, the Dry Route ran southwest to cross Big Coon Creek and finally strike the Wet Route at the point previously described as one mile east of the Fort Dodge location.

The Third Dry Route
In 1866, a third variant of the Dry Route developed. Running from the same junction of the second Dry Route southwest of Ash Creek, it pursued the north bank linking the Pawnee to Fort Larned. From there, it followed the same orientation as the second Dry Route to the location near Fort Dodge.

The Fort Larned Military Road
The Fort Larned Military Road ran southwest out of Fort Larned as the Dry Route is described in the above. After following this route some three miles, turned almost due south to merge with the Wet Route at Coon Creek one mile southwest of present Garfield, Kansas.

The Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Road
The Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Road ran seventy-five miles southwest from Hays City to Fort Dodge. Along the way, it crossed the Smoky Hill River, Big Timbers Creek, Pawnee Fork, Buckner Creek, and Sawlog Creek.

For a detailed description of these routes visit Larry and Carolyn Mix's web site {www.santafetrailresearch.com/}. A link to, A Directory of Santa Fe Trail Sites can be found on this page.

Winter Meeting
Kinsley, Kansas
Municipal Building
Sunday, Febuary 18, 2007
Potluck 1:00 p.m.

Dues are always Due to the
Fastest Hand in the West
A roster of members is available at the meeting. Chapter dues in the amount of $10.00 are due at the January meeting or may be mailed to Alice Clapsaddle, 215 Mann, Larned, Kansas, 67550. Checks should be made out to the Wet/Dry Routes Chapter. Dues and email addresses are welcome.
"Printable Dues Form".
Do Not send our dues to the Santa Fe Trail Center

Thank you for supporting all our Wet/Dry Routes Chapter projects!

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