The historic Santa Fe Trail in Osage County, Kansas, marks a significant segment of the iconic trade route that once connected Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Traversing approximately 25 miles through north Osage County, this stretch of the trail was pivotal for westbound travelers, offering essential watering holes, supply points, and enduring a period of intense political strife. Today, much of this historic path closely parallels modern Highway 56, allowing us to trace the footsteps of pioneers, traders, and soldiers who shaped the American West.
Rock Creek Springs – Walton: A Crucial Waypoint
Upon leaving Douglas County, travelers on the Santa Fe Trail often made their first stop in Osage County at Rock Creek Springs #1, situated about 1.5 miles east of present-day Overbrook. This vital campground and watering point grew to include a blacksmith shop, a general store, an inn, and a post office, offering indispensable services to weary adventurers.
The settlement was initially founded by Daniel Walters, who acquired land that later became known as the “Old Bryson Farm.” Walters established a substantial stone store and hotel building, housing the post office that opened in October 1858. He named his budding community and post office “Walton,” though it remained widely recognized by Santa Fe Trail users as Rock Spring No. 1. Walters, a skilled shoemaker, stonemason, and farmer, was known for his diligence, but faced financial difficulties and persistent disputes with his neighbors, the pro-slavery Daugherty brothers. A key point of contention was Rock Springs itself, whose proximity to property lines led to a bitter quarrel. The dispute escalated when Lee Daugherty accused Walters of passing a counterfeit coin, leading to Walters’ arrest and imprisonment in Olathe, Kansas. Despite being discharged due to lack of evidence, a disillusioned Walters left Kansas for Colorado, abandoning his settlement.
The turbulence of the era also reached Rock Springs. In May 1863, a Confederate guerilla leader from Missouri, likely George Todd or a subordinate, launched a raid into Kansas along the Santa Fe Trail. After attacking Diamond Springs and killing one man, the guerilla force stopped at Rock Springs on their return trip, where they tragically killed George N. Savin, a soldier on leave. Further attacks occurred at David Hubbard’s Stage Station in Globe, Kansas, and a stagecoach robbery near Baldwin and Black Jack, before the raiders retreated to Missouri. The Walton post office, a testament to the settlement’s initial promise, finally closed its doors in June 1864, leaving no visible remnants of this historic site today.
Overbrook and the Bleached Bones Marker
Westward from Rock Creek Springs, the Santa Fe Trail continued its course, today marked by the Overbrook Cemetery, where faint traces of old ruts can still be discerned. A spring near the 200 block of Ash in Overbrook provided another crucial watering stop. The trail then wound through what is now the Brookside Manor Nursing Home, turned north at the old railroad bridge on Highway 56, and passed Flag Spring (also known as Santa Fe Spring), west of Overbrook.
Roughly four miles west of Overbrook lay a haunting landmark known as the “Boneyard.” Here, a wagon train of traders, caught in a devastating blizzard while attempting to return to Westport (now Kansas City), Missouri, lost their oxen to the storm. While the men found safety, the bleached bones of the animals served as a grim yet indispensable marker for incoming and outgoing wagons for many years. Further along, a Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) marker guides visitors to the historically significant 110 Mile Crossing, located about half a mile west of the marker, near the intersection of Highways 56 and 75. This crossing was precisely 110 miles from the trail’s starting point in Missouri, as determined by the 1825 survey.
110 Mile Creek/Crossing: A Hotbed of Pro-Slavery Sentiment
Originally known as Jones Creek, the 110 Mile Creek earned its new name from the 1825-1827 Santa Fe Trail survey. In July 1854, this region, part of the Shawnee Reserve, was opened for settlement. That same summer, Fry P. McGee, returning from Oregon, discovered three mixed-blood Shawnee families farming at the creek. Along with his brother Mobillion, Fry McGee purchased the crossing site from two white men who had married Shawnee women.
Soon after, Fry McGee’s wife, Martha Booth McGee, and their daughters joined him, establishing a station that offered bed and board to Santa Fe Trail travelers. An additional revenue stream came from a toll bridge erected over the creek, which reportedly collected up to $30.00 a day, with a 25-cent charge per wagon. The 110 Mile Crossing was not merely a point on the Santa Fe Trail; it was a nexus where the Fort Scott Road and a segment of the Mormon Trail also converged.
The McGees, influential Southerners from Westport, Missouri, actively encouraged other pro-slavery settlers to establish claims near the headwaters of the Osage River. Despite its isolation from other pro-slavery strongholds, Fry McGee’s station became a vocal center for the pro-slavery cause in the new Kansas Territory, even serving as a local voting precinct. His daughters had enslaved servants, and a neighbor maintained over 20 enslaved people on a nearby farm, starkly contrasting with Council City (Burlingame), just eight miles away, which was a staunch Free-State colony.
In November 1854, McGee’s Tavern became one of only sixteen voting places for the entire Territory, strategically chosen by Missourians to cast a decisive vote on Kansas’s status as a Free or Slave Territory. Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune later condemned it as the worst polling place, with a congressional committee finding 597 of 607 votes cast there to be fraudulent. The voting location was subsequently moved to Council City, though McGee’s influence persisted.
Further electoral fraud marred the region on March 30, 1855, during the election for the first Territorial legislature. A large, armed group of Missourians, fueled by whiskey, descended upon Council City. They forcibly removed the appointed election judges, replaced them with their own, and intimidated Free-State voters. After a day of drinking and threats, they retreated to 110 Mile Creek, where they falsely declared Mobillion McGee, a Westport resident, elected by a unanimous (though fraudulent) vote of approximately 250. Governor Andrew Reeder, apprised of these violent tactics, ordered a new election, which Hollam Rice won with all 28 legitimate votes. Despite this, the legislature ultimately excluded Rice and admitted McGee, highlighting the political corruption of the time.
The post office at 110 Mile Creek, established on January 9, 1855, and named Richardson, provided essential mail services. Fry McGee’s radical pro-slavery stance was well-known, as census taker James McClure discovered firsthand in 1855 when McGee forced him to spend a night without comforts for daring to argue. McGee would face consequences later, as the 110 Mile Station was looted in 1857, and he was robbed of all personal property.
The station also functioned as a diverse service hub, offering water, wood, grass, and even coal, along with various forms of entertainment, which could range from card games and liquor to prostitution. Fry McGee and his son-in-law, William Harris, who married McGee’s daughter, attempted to establish a town named Washington at the station, but it never materialized. Harris remained in partnership until McGee’s death in 1861, subsequently operating a store until 1866, when the Union Pacific Railroad’s expansion east of Walnut Creek effectively ended significant Santa Fe Trail traffic through the area. The post office, however, continued until September 1874. Regrettably, no physical remnants of the McGee-Harris Stage Station at 110-Mile Creek Crossing survive today, though its historical significance remains profound. The trail then continued southwest, passing through the southern edge of present-day Scranton, Kansas.
Burlingame: A Resilient Trail Town
Before reaching the historic town of Burlingame, Santa Fe Trail travelers crossed Switzler Creek, also known as Bridge Creek, on the eastern edge of the community. Here, John Switzler established a toll bridge in 1847, which remained operational into the 1860s.
The trail’s entry into Burlingame is preserved as the east end of present-day Santa Fe Street, which has always been the town’s principal thoroughfare. Several local businesses proudly bear names inspired by this famous highway. Burlingame holds the distinction of being the oldest town in Osage County, originally founded as Council City in 1855. Following a survey in 1857 that expanded its boundaries, the town was renamed Burlingame in honor of Anson Burlingame, who later served as minister to China.
During its early years, Burlingame was second only to Council Grove in importance for obtaining supplies and blacksmith services before the arduous journey west on the Santa Fe Trail. A central well provided vital water for miles around during dry seasons. The town experienced rapid growth from 1857 until the outbreak of the Civil War. To protect this crucial well and the town from threats, particularly from Bill Anderson’s Confederate guerrilla bands, a large round fort was constructed in 1862, manned by armed defenders. After peace was restored, business thrived once more, with a new bridge over Switzler Creek, the establishment of sawmills and grist mills, and the construction of durable stone buildings. The arrival of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in Burlingame in 1869 marked the beginning of the end for significant trail traffic through the community, signaling a new era of transportation.
Today, Burlingame’s Santa Fe Street offers a nostalgic journey into the past, with its classic red brick streets, antique-style streetlights, and historic brick and stone buildings. The expansive width between the store buildings vividly recalls the trail days, when ample space was needed for ox-drawn freight wagons to circle and form encampments for restocking supplies and making repairs. This unique layout serves as a tangible reminder of the town’s deep connection to the Santa Fe Trail. From Burlingame, the trail continued westward over the hills, roughly paralleling Highway 31.
Dragoon Creek & Havana Stage Station
A few miles northwest of Burlingame, the Santa Fe Trail crossed Dragoon Creek, leading to the site of the Havana Stage Station. This station, like many others along the trail, played a critical role in providing relief and services to travelers. While its physical remnants may be scarce today, it represents another vital link in the long chain of supply and rest stops that made the journey across the plains possible. These stations were essential for sustenance, fresh horses, and communication along the extensive route.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Osage County’s Santa Fe Trail
The segment of the Santa Fe Trail in Osage County, Kansas, offers a profound glimpse into a pivotal period of American history. From the early settlement efforts at Rock Creek Springs to the politically charged environment of 110 Mile Crossing and the resilient community of Burlingame, each waypoint tells a story of ambition, conflict, and adaptation. The trail through Osage County was not merely a path for trade; it was a crucible where diverse cultures met, where political ideologies clashed, and where the foundations of Kansas were fiercely debated and forged. While many physical traces have faded, the historical significance of these locations endures, reminding us of the extraordinary challenges and triumphs of those who journeyed across this legendary route. The experiences here, shaped by both the rugged demands of frontier travel and the turbulent era of Bleeding Kansas, are integral to understanding the broader narrative of westward expansion and the making of the American nation.
