2027 SFTA Symposium

to be hosted by the Quivira Chapter

Stay tuned for for details

Annual Meeting was held on March 10, 2024 with the following election of officers and board members:
President:   Linda Colle
Treasurer:   Carolyn Kern
Board member:   Darin Brunk
Board member:   Dee Reinhold
Board member:  Steve Fisher
Board member:  Britt Colle
 

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

SFTA Board Meeting, Workshops, & Programs

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Dinner:  Carriage Crossing Restaurant, Yoder, KS, 5:30 PM

Friday, April 12, 2024

SFTA/NPS Workshop

9:00 to 12:00 SFTA Strategic Plan (2024-2029) at the Fairfield Inn Conference Room, 1111 N. Loraine St., Hutchinson, KS

12:00 to 1:00 Lunch Provided

1:00 to 2:30 Section 106 Workshop on the National Register of Historic Places, Presenter Rebecca Goodwin

2:30 to 2:45 Break

2:45 to 3:45 Geocache Orientation, Presenter Ryan Semmel

3:45 to 4:30 Travel to Little Arkansas Crossing, Approx. 20 miles north of Fairfield Inn on Plum Street

4:30 to 5:30 Hands-on experience using the Geocaching App to locate geocaches

5:30 Travel back to Fairfield Inn for catered dinner in the meeting room

Saturday, April 13, 2024

SFTA Board of Directors Meeting, Fairfield Inn Conference room

9:00 am till done.  Lunch Provided

Quivira Chapter Program

“A String of Precious Stones” presented by SFTA Vice-President Pat Traffas

Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 1:00 pm.

Fairfield Inn & Suites, 1111 N. Lorraine St., Hutchinson, KS

Quivira Chapter Program

“Santa Fe Trail sites in the Quivira Chapter” presented by Linda & Britt Colle

Monday, June 24, 2024 at 7:00 pm.

Barton County Museum, 85 South US Hwy 281, Great Bend, KS

Quivira Chapter Program

“Construction and Collaboration:  Exploring the possible location of the Second Fort Zarah” presented by Nikki Klarmann, State Archeologist, Kansas Historical Society

Monday, July 22, 2024 at 7:00 pm.

Barton County Museum, 85 South US Hwy 281, Great Bend, KS

Quivira Chapter Program

“Seth Hayes, trader, rancher, tavern owner, publisher, and founder of the historic city of Council Grove” presented in first person by Mark Brooks, Director of the Kaw Mission in Council Grove

Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 2:00 pm.

Location TBD

“The Santa Fe Trail Lives On!
”Commemorating the 200th Anniversary, 1821-2021

In 1821, on June 10, William Becknell published a notice in the Missouri Intelligencer newspaper soliciting participants for a trip “to the westward for the purpose of trading for Horses & Mules, and catching Wild Animals of every description, that we may think advantageous.”

drawing of cowboy herding cattle

At the age of 33, Becknell led five other men from Franklin, Missouri and crossed the Missouri River at Arrow Rock, then headed to the southwest on September 1, 1821. Meanwhile, Captain Pedro Ignacio Gallegos, leading 400 troops, had been sent to investigate the plunder of San Miguel by Comanches. On November 13, 1821, these two groups met at Puertocito, on Piedra Lumbre Creek, just south of present Las Vegas, NM. After locating someone who could act as a translator, Becknell’s party learned of Mexican Independence from Spain and, hence, of the lifting of trade restrictions. With Becknell’s arrival in Santa Fe on November 16, 1821, successful trading contact was initiated and the first legal commerce with New Mexico took place. With this successful trading trip from the United States in 1821, followed by another trip by Becknell the following year, this time with wagons loaded with trade goods, William Becknell became known as the Father of the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and New Mexico. This set in motion over a half a century of commerce and cultural exchange between New Mexico and eastern trade centers and contributed to the acquisition of the region by the United States during the Mexican War, as well as changes for the inhabitants of the region along the historic Santa Fe Trail.

In 1987, the U.S. Congress recognized the importance of this route, and its role in the development of the United States by adding it to the National Trails System as the Santa Fe National Historic Trail and designated the National Park Service to administer it. Formed in 1986, the Santa Fe Trail Association has carried forth it’s mission to “protect and preserve the Santa Fe Trail and to promote awareness of the historical legacy associated with it.” As an official partner of the National Park Service, the Santa Fe Trail Association works cooperatively to reach the shared goals for the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.  The Quivira Chapter, one of multiple chapters along the Santa Fe Trail, preserve, protects and promotes the Santa Fe Trail on a local level, within its area covering McPherson , Rice and Barton Counties.

There are still parts of the old Santa Fe Trail that you can visit. In honor of the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Trail, come celebrate with the

Quivira Chapter Kansas communities:

Pawnee Rock, Great Bend, Ellinwood, Hoisington, Claflin, Raymond, Chase, Alden, Lyons, Sterling, Little River, Bushton, Geneseo, Windom, McPherson, Elyria, Galva, Lindsborg, Inman, Moundridge, Marquette & Canton