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Santa Fe Trail Ruts


category : Pioneer Life
Santa Fe Trail Ruts The historic Santa Fe Trail which carried civilization and commerce between the East and the Mexican settlements of the southwest between 1825 and 1875, traversed much of Kansas. Today one of the best sites remaining to see the actual ruts carved into the virgin sod is in the Dr. Ivan Boyd Prairie Preserve. The four deep parallels swales resulted from the parade of heavily-loaded wagons and thousands of oxen, horses and mules turning northwestward on the Santa Fe Trail as it headed for Palmyra, now Baldwin City. The Trail was along the dirt road just south of the park.


The park also offers a unique opportunity to study native grasses and flowers that once grew free throughout eastern Kansas' in the tall-grass prairies.


Address: 3 miles east of Baldwin

Come visit us in Baldwin City, Kansas

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Baldwin, Historical Marker

Here, and for the next 300 miles west, Highway 56 roughly follows the old Santa Fe Trail, and frequently crosses it. White settlement began in this area in 1854, the year Kansas became a territory, and in 1855

Baldwin City, KS Pioneer Life

Quayle Rare Bible Collection

The Quayle Bible Collection includes over 700 volumes and manuscripts dating from hand-lettered and ornately-decorated Bibles by monks, clay tablets from 2060 BC (the time of Abraham), a synagogue roll from the 12th century made of 13

Baldwin City, KS Collections

Baldwin Golf Course

The Baldwin Golf Association owns and operates a 9-hole sand green golf couse and clubhouse southeast of the corner of Main and College (southeast of Allen Park).

While the club is a membership operated facility, it is available to non-members and guests as well.

Baldwin City, KS Golf Courses

The Midland Historic Railroad

The Midland Historic Railroad began operation August 8, 1987 with a restored diesel engine, a 1923 Rock Island commuter coach and a 1950

Baldwin City, KS Railroad History

Battle of Black Jack

This battle was part of the struggle to make Kansas a free state. In May, 1856, Pro-slavery men destroyed buildings and newspaper presses in Lawrence, Free-State headquarters. John Brown's company then killed 5

Baldwin City, KS Battlesites

Things to do Pioneer Life near Baldwin City, KS

Tibbot Schoolhouse

Reynold's General Store

Blacksmith Shop

The blacksmith shop was an important part of the rural community. Blacksmiths kept the town in working order the same way an ...

Santa Fe Trail Ruts

Wellman Schoolhouse