Trail Sites to the East

Trail Sites to the East. . , The Santa Fe Trail was an overland two-way trade road that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. After stopping at Bent's Old Fort for rest and resupply, traders heading east had about 180 miles to cover before reaching the point where the Mountain Route and Cimarron Route rejoined. The route hugged the Arkansas River, so for this part of the journey water was available. This trip to the Middle Crossing took about 10 days. , 1 . Boggsville Historic Site , This small community anchored by the homes of John W. Prowers and Thomas O. Boggs, was a stage stop on the Santa Fe Trail. Today both buildings are maintained and partially restored. , 2 . Fort Lyon , This structure, now a chapel, was originally the home of the post surgeon for Fort Lyon, a Civil War-era fort. Frontiersman Kit Carson was brought here in 1868 for treatment and died shortly after. , 3 . Bent's New Fort , This fort was operated by William Bent from 1853 to 1859, when he leased the site to the U.S. Army. Today only foundation ruins outline the post. , 4 . Charlie's (Bentrup's) Ruts , Located three miles west of Deerfield on Highway 50 is a fine set of parallel ruts ascending a hill to the east. These are on the north side of the highway and marked with a Kansas State Historical Society marker. , 5 . Middle Crossings Area , Wagons were able to cross virtually anywhere in a 30-mile stretch due to the Arkansas River's shallow flows. Highway 50 closely follows the trail route and passes by the crossing sites. , 6 . Dodge City Ruts , This excellent set of ruts, owned and managed by the Boot Hill Museum, is nine miles west of Dodge City on the north side of Highway 50. The Kansas Highway Department has provided a turnout and parking area for easy access. , Trade Route , The Santa Fe Trail was an important link in early international trading routes. Running over 900 miles from the United States to Mexico, international trade was underway from 1821 to 1848. It took freight wagons over two months to make the trip. Traders heading west sold their goods in Santa Fe or went further south along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro to markets in Mexico. Goods moving east on the trail were destined for New York City, New Orleans, and Europe. Domestic trade continued between Missouri and New Mexico until the arrival of the railroad in 1880.