433. Central Portion, Stops 433 - 462

Two-thirds of the entire trail can be found in present-day Kansas. Unlike today, though, the trail to Santa Fe did not follow paved highways, because there were none. Ahead lay the vast, open prairie. Towns and other settlements, like those in Missouri and on the east coast, were few and far between. The natural landscape changed as well. Upon leaving the eastern portion of the trail, freighters entered a land of grass, few trees, and smaller streams. The further west the travelers went, the drier the land. This land, however, was rich with wildlife. There were areas where herds of buffalo roamed, which supplied much-needed meat for the travelers’ survival. Although the land was new and unexplored to the freighters of Missouri, the land of the central portion was not empty: it had already been crossed by native peoples and even traveled by European explorers. In many places, the trail actually followed ancient Indian trade and hunting trails. At one time, most of the land the Santa Fe Trail passed through was the domain of Plains Indians. Traders traveled in large groups through this part of the Trail for protection against raids by some tribes who viewed the caravans of wagons as intruders. Eventually, treaties between the U.S. government and various tribes of American Indians were signed to allow safe passage of the wagons. These efforts, along with the continued growth of traffic along the Trail, helped ensure the safe passage of traders and travelers. This stop is physically connected to the Council Grove Chamber of Commerce, though it's content relates to “The Central Portion of the Santa Fe Trail."