National and State Registers of Historic Places
Coon Creek Crossing & Fort Larned Military Road Segment
1.5 Miles South of Garfield on US HWY 56
Garfield (Pawnee County)
Listed in National Register
2013-07-17
Architect: N/A
Category: transportation
Thematic Nomination: Historic Resources of the Santa Fe Trail (Amended 2013)
The Fort Larned Military Road meets the Wet Route of the Santa Fe Trail near this crossing of Coon Creek in Pawnee County, Kansas. The Wet Route, which followed the Arkansas River through this area, was actively used by trail travelers from 1821 to circa 1872. The military road was in use during the years 1859 to circa 1867 and was cut to link Fort Larned to the Wet Route, allowing soldiers to aid and protect travelers along the trail. The nominated site consists of a narrow piece of property adjacent to US Highway 56 at its crossing over Coon Creek with trail-era resources that include distinct cutdowns along the creek's bank, a trail-related dugout, and two sections of trail swales. It was nominated for its significance in the areas of transportation, commerce, and the military, and it has the potential to yield additional important information about trail crossings and early military activities in central Kansas.
