Tbe Economic Engines

Tbe Economic Engines. Baxter Springs' economy flourishes with cows and miners. Baxter Springs' economy was driven through two major periods of economic growth. First, as a cow town, thanks to its proximity to Texas and easy access to eastern markets. The second, as part of the lead and zinc mining region, which flourished in the tri-state mining district from the 1870s through the 1960s. Both industries were integral to the formation of the town, its economy, and its identity. , The First Cow Town in Kansas, After the Civil War, cowboys began driving massive herds of Texas cattle to shipping points where they could be sent by rail to lucrative eastern markets. Located on the edge of Indian Territory, Baxter Springs was a natural destination. Small herds were driven as early as 1866 along the Eastern Shawnee Trail, with more driven each year. , As the railroad stretched south from Kansas City in 1870, huge corrals were built to load cattle onto railcars and help fatten cattle after the long drive. The railroad carried thousands of cattle in its first couple years, but this was short-lived. Kansas law soon prevented Texas longhorns east of the Arkansas River because they carried ticks that were deadly to the local shorthorn cattle. , By 1872, Baxter Springs was in an economic downturn brought on by the end of the cattle industry. While the city invested in public facilities to try and lure new business, bleak economic conditions persisted and the population dwindled. The discovery of large veins of lead in the tri-state area quickly reversed area fortunes., Mining, Small amounts of inferior lead were found in the early days of Baxter Springs and many assumed they could find higher-grade ore deeper. However, the city's early fathers made what would be a wise decision when they restricted mining in city limits. This reduced the land destruction pervasive in nearby towns and made Baxter Springs attractive to many mine owners and operators who chose to live or establish offices in town. Many of the historic businesses and residences in Baxter Springs today can be attributed to the mining industry and the affluence it generated., While Baxter Springs was not the center of the mining district, it still had several productive mines which produced large quantities of lead and zinc. The Estes Mine was especially unique because it was owned by an African American family and provided work for nearly 25 African American workers at a time when few were employed in other mines. , As the amounts and quality of lead and zinc declined, so did mining activity. The price of these minerals began to fall following the World Wars as demand decreased and the costs of operation grew. But the economic impact of the decline was second to the environmental impact. The remnants from mining damaged the environment and scarred the landscape. Towns, like Treece, Kansas, became unsafe and were abandoned. Today, most chat piles are gone and much of the land has been restored or reclaimed, but at great financial costs., Baxter Springs Today, Modern Baxter Springs generates new economic activity from a wider variety of industries than in the past. One of the most important of these is tourism along Route 66. The Route 66 Visitors' Center, constructed in 1930 as an Independent Oil and Gas Company station, is one of the most notable stops along the Route in Kansas. Designed to appear like a Tudor cottage, it appealed to locals by blending into the neighborhood while providing comfort to travelers. In 2003, the property joined the National Register of Historic Places and Baxter Springs Historical Society bought it shortly thereafter. The building was restored to its 1940's appearance and reopened in 2007 to continue a history of serving travelers.