Our Past Is Present January 26, 2018

January 26, 2018

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            Today’s story is about the Post Cemetery on Fort Riley. The information comes from the “Junction City Union” newspaper in 1934.  Faith Foster, the author of the article, wrote that “because of the simple beauty of a ravine and hillside to the northwest of Fort Riley, the spot was chosen for a cemetery.  At one time the hill was covered with trees and shrubbery on the east side and on the north was a trail destined to be U.S. Highway 40 on the South.

            A wall of native stone was built around a large area and most of the trees and underbrush were cut out.  Here and there a maple, oak or dogwood was left.  As the time passed, evergreen trees and shrubs were planted.

            A woman who visited the cemetery in 1899 described the cemetery as one of the most beautiful spots she had ever seen.  “On a late summer afternoon with the sun filtering through the trees and everything partially in shadow, the place seems holy.”

            In looking through the records for the dead buried in the Fort Cemetery, the earliest grave found is 1854.  That grave is marked with the name of Joseph O’Donnell, Sargent, B Troop, Infantry, died August 27. 

            There are many stories about the early days when Fort Riley was a frontier post and Junction City was a typical “wild and wooly Western town.  In looking through old records, one finds interesting statistics and some of the stories that went with the untimely deaths of those buried at Fort Riley.  For instance, 25 Fort Riley people died in the year 1866.  Under “remarks” on their death certificates, the cause of death was listed  were: Killed in a railroad accident; pistol shot wound, which entered the mouth, lodged in the brain – suicide; drowning, typhoid fever, acute alcoholic poisoning and others.” 

            The Fort Riley cemetery is also a reminder about the ultimate sacrifice some soldiers made for our freedom and way of life.  Our listeners are encouraged to visit the Post Cemetery for not only its beauty, but also for an opportunity to spend some time among our fallen heroes.

            And… that is today’s story on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.