Santa Fe Trail Marker; Olathe Courthouse Historical Plaza

This monument marking the Santa Fe Trail was paid for by the Johnson County Old Settlers Society and installed in the courtyard of the Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe on Sep. 7, 1907. While the placing of this monument coincided with the installation of 96 markers by the Kansas Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution across the route of the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas, this marker is not considered one of them. However, it was created in conjunction with their organization and contains one of 6 bronze plaques, commissioned by the Kansas DAR. Its installation was the cause of great ceremony and coincided with a meeting of the Johnson County Old Settlers Association to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Olathe. Today the marker sits in an historical plaza near the location of the original courthouse containing monuments to the courthouse itself, time capsule markers from the Johnson County Old Settlers Association and Johnson County Bicentennial Committee, and the Children of the Trails sculpture and fountain by artist Kwan Wu. 

In 1906, as the Kansas Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution were planning the installation of 96 granite markers across the route of the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas, the Johnson County Old Settlers Association decided at their annual meeting to raise $600 for the creation of two Santa Fe Trail monuments of their own, one in the courtyard of the Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe, and one in Gardner. Several of the society’s members had been contacted by the DAR in their efforts to map the route of the original trail and this sparked the collaboration. The Johnson County Commissioners appropriated $150 for each monument and the rest was raised by subscription. The Kansas DAR donated 2 bronze plaques that had been commissioned for the project. This 6’ tall, granite monument, weighing over 8 tons, was created by the Olathe Monument Company and features a relief carving of a large ox bow of the type used by freighters on the Santa Fe Trail. The bronze plaque donated by the Kansas DAR sits in the center. A dedication inscription, “Erected by Johnson County and the Old Settlers Association, “ frames the bottom of the monument. 

The dedication of this monument in Olathe was a cause for great celebration and over 10,000 people attended. It coincided with the Johnson County Old Settlers Association annual picnic and many men who had worked on the Santa Fe Trail were on hand to tell their stories. The day’s festivities included numerous speeches by various local and state politicians as well as officials in the Old Settlers and DAR organizations. When the American Flag covering the monument was lifted, and the monument formally dedicated, a band led the crowd in the singing of patriotic songs. The Johnson County Treasurer’s office hosted an exhibit of historical artifacts in the county’s collection, which was supplemented by many attendees, who brought their heirlooms from American History.

Today the Olathe Santa Fe Trail monument sits near its original location in an historical plaza in front of the original location of the Johnson County Courthouse. The cornerstones of the 1891 and 1951 Johnson County Courthouse buildings are displayed along with short histories of the buildings. The plaza also contains time capsule monuments for the Johnson County Government to be opened in 2074, the Johnson County Bicentennial Time Capsule to be opened in 2076, and the Johnson County Old Settlers Association, to be opened in 2057, the 200^th anniversary of Olathe, Ks.

The most striking feature of the plaza is the Children of the Trail sculpture and fountain, created by Olathe artist Kwan Wu. Wu has been commissioned to create numerous sculptures around Kansas City including the life-sized players in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and a sculpture of George Brett at Kauffman Stadium. Local history sculptures include the Bear Pit at Merriam’s visitor’s center,  the statue of William Strang in downtown Overland Park, and the monumental Going West on the Old Santa Fe Trail sculpture at Olathe’s Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm historic site.  

Children of the Trail is dedicated to all of the children whose lives were lost due to the harsh conditions on the overland journeys westward. A pioneer boy, a girl and their dog run through an arch. A rainbow floats above them and doves fly overhead. Rocks in the fountain beneath them represent the streams that children crossed on the overland trail. The sculpture was dedicated on Old Settlers Day, September 7, 2000, by the Johnson County Old Settlers Association.

"The Old Settlers Picnic." Olathe Register (Olathe) September 12th, 1907. .1.

"At the meeting of the Old Settlers' joint committees." Olathe Register (Olathe) October 18th, 1906. .6.

Cordry, Mrs. T.A.. The Story of the Marking of the Santa Fe Trail. Topeka, KS. Crane & Company, 1915.