Our Past Is Present September 20, 2018

September 20, 2018

            You are reading “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            Today we are continuing with our stories about early pioneers in this area.  Josephine Munson wrote an article for the “Junction City Union” newspaper, which was published in 1987.  The article was titled “Reaching Fort Riley Not Easy In 1800s.” This is what she wrote.

            “Crossing the rivers at Fort Riley was a challenge in the early years.  An account of “My First Days in Kansas,” by Mrs. S.B. White tells of their journey from Westport to Fort Riley in March of 1855: They were advised to take the route by way of Council Grove, because it was the best road.  She stated that it “surely was the longest one and if other roads were worse, I pitied those who traveled them.”  From Council Grove, they “made a beeline for Fort Riley. We struck a bluff on the east side of the Smoky Hill River where the descent was so steep the wheels of the wagons had to be tied together.  We could neither walk nor roll down, as the snow was so deep on the ground.  We crossed the Smoky on the ice, then on again we crossed the Republican on the ice and at last came to the Fort.”

            When the ice was thawed, it seemed the most successful method of crossing the rivers in the early days was by a ferry.  On November 1, 1856, a license was issued to Mary Clarke to keep a Ferry across the Republican Rivers.  Mrs. Clarke was the widow of a Fort Riley soldier who had operated the ferry at that spot since the bridge had washed out in 1860.  “Widow Clarke”, as she was known, continued to run the ferry until 1867 in spite of plans to bridge the river.”

            Read more on Monday when we have another story about “Widow Clarke” on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.