National and State Registers of Historic Places
Sawlog Creek Crossing on the Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Military Road
Address Restricted
Spearville (Ford 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 Sawlog Creek Crossing on the Fort Hays - Fort Dodge Road is located at the northern edge of Ford County. The nominated property consists of a nearly unbroken three-mile stretch of intact swales along with a prominent crossing of Sawlog Creek. Though the Fort Hays - Fort Dodge Road was not located along the main route of the Santa Fe Trail, it was closely related and is a good example of a secondary route of the trail. It connected the two forts that were designed to aid travelers with protection and supplies. During the post-Civil War years the forts focused heavily on the protection of freighters, travelers and railroad construction crews using the military road. It was nominated for its significance in the areas of transportation, commerce, and military, and it has the potential to yield additional important information related to military history.
