November 2010

The Pawnee Nation was the dominant power of the Central Plains for hundreds of years. This museum tells the story of an 1820s Pawnee village. The most remarkable feature is the museum’s centerpiece – the excavated floor of a large 1820s Pawnee earth lodge. Feel the spirits of the past while walking the perimeter of the lodge and view the rare sacred bundle that hangs above the altar. After touring the museum, walk the interpretive trail that winds through the depressions marking other lodges. Learn about the people of the Pawnee Nation, and their stories when you visit the Pawnee Indian Museum.

Indians, trappers, traders, missionaries, emigrants, gold seekers, soldiers, cowboys and homesteaders would leave their mark on a place that would become famous in the American West. Fort Laramie, the military post, was founded in 1849 when the army purchased the old Fort John for $4000, and began to build a military outpost along the Oregon Trail. For many years, the Plains Indians and the travelers along the Oregon Trail had coexisted peacefuly. As the numbers of emigrants increased, however, tensions between the two cultures began to develop. To help insure the safety of the travelers, Congress approved the establishment of forts along the Oregon Trail and a special regiment of Mounted Riflemen to man them. Fort Laramie was the second of these forts to be established.

To travelers on the Santa Fe Trail, this sandstone citadel marked the halfway point of the trail and was one of the most prominent landmarks on their long journey. Native Americans were said to have met at Pawnee Rock and reputedly used it as a vantage point to spot bison herds and approaching wagon trains. Stand atop Pawnee Rock while learning about the Santa Fe Trail, enjoy a picnic under the shaded pavilion, and contemplate the rich history of the Santa Fe Trail traders and the Pawnee Indians.

John Fenton Pratt had no idea when he started building his ranch that it would someday tell the story of his family and his native Yorkshire, England. Take a step into history to tour the grounds and house of this relatively unchanged rural ranch set in the South Solomon River Valley of the High Plains. Through Pratt’s photo collection, stained glass windows, and examples of Yorkshire architecture, visitors can learn more about businessman and sheep rancher Pratt, other early Kansas ranchers, and their stories at the Cottonwood Ranch State Historic Site.

On October 25, 1864, approximately 2,800 Union troops attacked and defeated about 8,000 Confederates along the banks of Mine Creek. This was one of the largest cavalry battles in the Civil War and was the only major battle fought in Kansas. The Union brigades were commanded by Colonels Frederick W. Benteen and John F. Philips. After this battle, Federal forces pursued and defeated additional Confederates in Missouri as they attempted to return to Arkansas, Indian Territory (Oklahoma), and eventually Texas.

The present-day cemetery is located off Lewisburg Pike just a few minutes from downtown Franklin. The graves take up a 2-acre section of the Carnton plantation property. There are thirteen sections, organized by states, to the cemetery layout. The two sections are separated by a 14-foot pathway. (wikipedia)

Generals George A. Custer, Nelson Miles and Philip Sheridan, Major Reno, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody and James B. "Wild Bill" Hickok are part of the history of this outpost on a military trail. Established in 1865 in the land of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, Fort Hays protected railroad workers and travelers on the Smoky Hill Trail. Enjoy the military items and photographs at the visitor center.

The two-story brick building stands at the center of the Mount Pulaski public square. The first floor, divided by a hallway, contains six rooms representing county offices; the second floor houses a courtroom, jury room, and judge’s chambers. The grounds are beautifully shaded by large trees. In 1978 the Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Visitors to Mount Pulaski Courthouse are provided guided tours of the recreated county offices and courtroom. The building is not disabled accessible. On a panel behind the building are photos of the interior and an outline history.

Its rustication, strong semi-circular arches, squat clustered columns united by a foliate Sullivanesque capital-frieze, make it the last major example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in the District of Columbia. Its 315 ft (96 m)-high clocktower makes the building the largest commercial building in Washington, D.C. and the third tallest structure in Washington DC. Scarcely used as a post office, it has been rehabilitated today into office and retail space shared by the federal government and private businesses. The expansive interior atrium is now home to shops, federal offices, entertainment space, and a food court.

The 117-foot Tomb, designed by sculptor Larkin Mead, is constructed of brick sheathed with Quincy granite. The base is 72-foot square with large semi-circular projections on the north and south sides. Double sets of north and south stairs lead to a terrace, above which rises the obelisk. At the corners of the shaft, large pedestals serve as bases for four bronze sculptures, each with a group of figures representing one of the four Civil War services—infantry, artillery, cavalry, and navy. A taller base on the obelisk’s south side holds a heroic bronze statue of Lincoln. At the Tomb entrance is a bronze reproduction of Gutzon Borglum’s marble head of Lincoln, located in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.