Santa Fe Trail Ruts
About this property
The Santa Fe Trail Remains, also known as Santa Fe Trail Ruts, are a two-mile (3 km) section of the former 1,200-mile (1,900 km) long Santa Fe Trail, described as the "longest continuous stretch of clearly defined Santa Fe Trail rut remains in Kansas." Now owned by a preservation organization, the site is visible from a pull-off area on United States Route 50 near Dodge City, Kansas. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1963. The Santa Fe Trail Remains are located about 10 miles (16 km) west of Dodge City, on 140 acres (57 ha) of former agricultural land. The ruts extend for about 2 miles (3.2 km), with a width of as much as 400 feet (120 m) of rutted terrain. The actual trail route is crossed in several places, by US 50, a railroad right-of-way, and irrigation ditches. The ruts have also been harmed by past use of the property for grazing. The landscape looks much today as it did in the 19th century, except for these intrusions, as well as the shifting of the Arkansas River to follow a more southerly route than it did during the trail's period of use. The Santa Fe Trail was one of the first great westward migration trails, inaugurated by trader William Becknell in 1821, connecting Independence, Missouri with Santa Fe, the capital of Spanish (and later Mexican) Nuevo México. It served as a major conduit for the development of the American West, until it was effectively supplanted by railroads around 1880. Much of the trail's route is known, but few traces of it survive. Although there are other sections of Santa Fe Trail ruts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this one is one of the longest and best-preserved. National Register of Historic Places listings in Ford County, Kansas
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Santa Fe Trail Ruts
This page lists Santa Fe Trail Ruts. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Santa Fe Trail Ruts listed on the National Register?
Santa Fe Trail Ruts was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.
What type of historic resource is Santa Fe Trail Ruts?
Santa Fe Trail Ruts is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Santa Fe Trail Ruts a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Santa Fe Trail Ruts has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Santa Fe Trail Ruts?
The period of significance for Santa Fe Trail Ruts is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Santa Fe Trail Ruts?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Santa Fe Trail Ruts will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Ford County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Ford County.
Explore FordCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Santa Fe Trail Ruts will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.