National Register of Historic Places

Diamond Spring

Wilsey, Morris County, Kansas
Listed
September 29, 1976
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
76000835

About this property

Diamond Spring is a natural spring in western Morris County, Kansas, which served as a stopping point on the Santa Fe Trail. A hunter named Old Ben Jones found the spring during the U.S. government's survey of the trail route in 1825. The survey commissioners named the site "The Diamond of the Plain" after a similarly named oasis in the Arabian Desert, though the name was typically shortened to Diamond Spring by travelers. In addition to water, the site had plentiful grass and shade trees, making it a popular campground; all recorded trail guides from the era included the spring, and it was frequently described in journals kept by travelers on the trail. A stagecoach station and a store, both of which are no longer standing, were built at the site later in the nineteenth century. An irrigation system linking the spring to a nearby ranch still remains at the site, though it is no longer usable. The spring was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 1976.

Location

Wilsey, Morris County, Kansas
38.61616, -96.76264

Categories

COMMERCE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Carlson, Oscar, House
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Herington Army Airfield Chapel
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Bethel School
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Questions about this property

When was Diamond Spring listed on the National Register?

Diamond Spring was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Diamond Spring?

Diamond Spring is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Diamond Spring?

The period of significance for Diamond Spring is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Diamond Spring?

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