On Oregon Trail Road, on the left when traveling east.
The "Great Military Road" from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Riley, joined the Oregon Trail at Smith's Ferry on the Kansas River, in the 1850's, and both followed a path originally traveled by fur trader, James Clyman in 1827. After passing through . . . — — Map (db m243673) HM
On Camp Creek Road at U.S. 24, on the right when traveling east on Camp Creek Road.
A few miles to the northwest, the Oregon-California trail crossed the Vermillion Creek heading toward the Pacific from the "jumping off" towns on the Missouri River.
The crossing was named for Louis Vieux, a Potawatomi leader of French and . . . — — Map (db m119123) HM
On Leonard Street at 4th Street, on the left when traveling north on Leonard Street.
1917 - 1918
In memory of the Boys from
Pottawatomie County, Kansas,
who lost their lives in the
World War.
Lewis Beard Walter Blackledge Ernest E. Brunkow Robert L. Byrnes Eli Dorsey Lester Dugan Clifford Ellis . . . — — Map (db m79191) WM
On East Bertrand Avenue (U.S. 24) at Grand Avenue, on the right when traveling east on East Bertrand Avenue.
The Great Military Road from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Riley, as well as the Oregon Trail, passed through Saint Mary's in the 1850's. Military traffic, emigrants on their way West, settlers, and stage coach lines also used this route. Stage . . . — — Map (db m122964) HM
On Lincoln Avenue at 3rd Street, on the right when traveling north on Lincoln Avenue.
Having crossed Rock Creek, on a rocky bottom immediately below the dam at Louisville, the Military Road proceeded southwesterly to about the middle of section 30, at which point the road continued southwesterly toward Manhattan. A branch of the . . . — — Map (db m145874) HM
On Mission Street, on the right when traveling east.
These iron gates were originally at the entrance to St. Mary's College. Placed on this site in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the St. Mary's Mission
1848 - 1998
An Indian Agency for the Potawatomi was . . . — — Map (db m79198) HM
On West Bertrand Avenue (U.S. 24) west of North 6th Street, on the right when traveling west.
The Native America tribe that is called the Potawatomi originally lived in the heavily forested region of the northern Great Lakes with their close relatives the Ojibwe and Ottawa tribes in what is now the state of Michigan. The rapidly expanding . . . — — Map (db m34792) HM
On East Bertrand Street (U.S. 24) at Grand Avenue, on the right when traveling east on East Bertrand Street.
This city and college take their name from St. Mary's Catholic Mission founded here by the Jesuits in 1848 for the Pottawatomie Indians. These missionaries, who had lived with the tribe in eastern Kansas from 1838, accompanied the removal to this . . . — — Map (db m122966) HM
The park statues were exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Brought here by early Wamego proprietor, J.C. Rogers, this statue represents Science. The statue located on the island represents Art. — — Map (db m80909) HM
On Lincoln Avenue (State Highway 99) south of 6th Street, on the right when traveling south.
The Columbian Eagle is dedicated
to
Colonel Raymond E. Morris
USAF Retired
First Columbian Theatre
Foundation Executive Secretary
and extraordinary volunteer,
without whom
The Columbian renovation
would not have been . . . — — Map (db m80907) HM
On 4th Street east of Ash Street, on the left when traveling east.
Built in 1879 twelve miles north of Wamego by a Dutch immigrant, this old mill was used to grind grain into flour and cornmeal. In 1925 thirty-five team and wagons moved the mill to Wamego. Each stone was taken down numbered and rebuilt exactly as . . . — — Map (db m32604) HM
On 4th Street at Ash Street, on the left when traveling east on 4th Street.
Dedicated by the women of POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY in honor of those from the county who answered their country's call and to the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice in the World War, 1914-1918 Louis W. Beard Walter . . . — — Map (db m32606) HM
This 20-ton boulder was found on the John Winter farm 9 miles NW of Wamego and brought here by wagon in 1907. Believed to be 40 million years old, its sand and quartz content were polished by glacial action. — — Map (db m80910) HM
On Oregon Trail Road, 0.8 miles west of Onaga Road, on the right when traveling west.
Of Pottawatomie Indian and French ancestry, Louis Vieux was an early resident of this area. Probably born near Lake Michigan, Vieux, with a portion of the Pottawatomies, moved to Iowa and later Indianola, Kan., near Topeka. In 1847 or 1848, Vieux . . . — — Map (db m32608) HM
On 4th Street (Old U.S. 24) at Ash Street, on the left when traveling east on 4th Street.
Dedicated by the women of
Pottawatomie County
in honor of those from the county
who answered their country's call
and to the memory of these
who made the supreme sacrifice
in the World War, 1914-1918
Louis W. Beard Walter . . . — — Map (db m80911) WM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
During excavation of the footing for this flag pole the remains of a Stone Age Native American, estimated 1,000 years old, were discovered. The find remains at this location.
This majestic flag pole
is in memory of
Sylvia Hartwich . . . — — Map (db m80950) HM
On Main Street at 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west on Main Street.
Dedicated to those who gave their lives during the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam
Michael Charles Zeller Gerald Otto McKay
Gene Allen Myers Dale L. Milbradt
Danny Wayne Jarvis Harland Jenkins
Leo T. Wapp Albert Hart
John Southall . . . — — Map (db m81758) WM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
The Oregon Trail was the main street of the west from the 1830's to the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869. Farmers, townsmen and restless Americans from all walks of life moved along this route seeking a better life in a . . . — — Map (db m80948) HM
On Main Street at 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west on Main Street.
[Map of Pottawatomie County]
————————————
The courthouse flagpole is
dedicated to the memory of
Warren B. Nelson
who was a county commissioner from
January 1978 to . . . — — Map (db m81759) HM WM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
Historians have estimated that between 250,000 and 300,000 emigrants used the Oregon Trail between 1840 and 1869. At least 30,000 emigrants died along the Oregon Trail, leaving an average of 15 graves for every mile of the trail. Disease, . . . — — Map (db m80946) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
The reservoir before you taps into the famous Scott Spring. The original outlet emanates from the base of a steep rock hill to the east. The refreshing water of Scott Spring offered abundant drinking water to many travelers on the Oregon Trail and . . . — — Map (db m80945) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
Native Wild Flowers Western Wheatgrass Sideoats G[r]ama Little Bluestem Switchgrass Big Bluestem Indian Grass
These seven small plats represent the majority of the grass and forb species that dominated the 52 million acres of tall . . . — — Map (db m80928) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the right when traveling south.
From the 1830's to the 1870's, the 2,000-mile road connecting Missouri river towns with California and Oregon was America's greatest transcontinental highway. Several routes led west from the river, converging into one trail by the time the Fort . . . — — Map (db m80927) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
The long journey overland to Oregon took about six months. Time, distance, and hardships seasoned the emigrants. They had the ability and had earned the right to mold their own destiny in the new land. The Oregon Trail became a vital part of the . . . — — Map (db m80949) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
Wagons for trail travel were of the simplest construction. They cost $85.00 each. They were light, strong and carried on sturdy wheels. It was recommended that wheels be made of bois-d-oro, osage of orangewood or white oak. Bolt ends should be . . . — — Map (db m80947) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99), on the left when traveling south.
There were many unpredictable hazards on the trail as the wagon trains moved westward. The trail itself presented the worst problems. Streams had no bridges and had to be forded. Their shifting bottoms with pockets of quicksand were dangerous. . . . — — Map (db m80959) HM
On Main Street west of 3rd Street, on the left when traveling west.
Though the first known westbound wagon train led by William Sublette passed this way in 1827 following an old Kanza hunting trail, the Oregon Trail would not be well defined until 1842 when the report of John C. Fremonts expedition became the . . . — — Map (db m81187) HM
On The Road to Oz Highway (State Highway 99) south of the Oregon Trail RV Park and Campground, on the right when traveling south.
Working without the benefit of modern machinery, using only hand tools of pick and shovel, as many as forty men labored through the winter months and early spring of 1914 on the construction of the Westmoreland city water well, reputed to be the . . . — — Map (db m81193) HM
On Main Street at 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west on Main Street.
In tribute to those
from Pottawatomie Co. who
gave their lives during WWII
————————————
Orville F. Area Charles A. Eckert Gerald A. Heim Bernard J. Brockish . . . — — Map (db m81755) WM
On Main Street at 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west on Main Street.
Dedicated to the boys of Pottawatomie County who gave their lives in the supreme sacrifice for their country during the World War
Francis Miller Theodore H. Olson Guy F. Proctor Albert Sester Roy Swain Charley Trezise Russell Taylor . . . — — Map (db m81756) WM
