Near Lyons in Rice County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Cow Creek Station
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., February 20, 2012
1. Cow Creek Station Marker
One mile south is the hand-dug well that served the U.S. Cavalry and Santa Fe Trail travelers in the 1860s.
For five days in July, 1864, 600 Indians besieged a trading post near the well and a wagon train nearby. When the attackers tried to overrun the post, "Buffalo Bill" Mathewson fired a field cannon into the midst of several on horseback and afoot, ending the siege.
A later "Buffalo Bill", William F. Cody, worked at the site briefly before moving in 1867 to Ellsworth, where he gained the cognomen by killing buffalo for railroad workers.
Erected by Rice County Historical Society and Rice County Bicentennial Commission.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Santa Fe Trail series list. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1864.
Location. 38° 20.851′ N, 98° 16.566′ W. Marker is near Lyons, Kansas, in Rice County. It is on Avenue M (U.S. 56) near 12th Road, on the left when traveling west. Marker is at a roadside rest area about three miles west of Lyons. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lyons KS 67554, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Kansas. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, on the Southern Plains, and on the Santa Fe Trail Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of
this page online
Another marker is no longer nearby. Coronado and Quivira (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . .
1. Cow Creek in 1912 Kansas Cyclopedia. KSGenWeb website entry (Submitted on March 8, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. The Ranch at Cow Creek Crossing. Kansas Historical Society website entry (Submitted on March 8, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
3. Santa Fe National Historic Trail. National Park Service website entry (Submitted on March 8, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., February 20, 2012
2. Cow Creek Station Marker
At far left distance in photo
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 28, 2023
3. Quivira Marker
The Cow Creek Station marker is located next to another historical marker at the Father Padilla Cross site.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,364 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 8, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 3. submitted on March 26, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.
