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National and State Registers of Historic Places

Santa Fe Trail - Ford County Segment 2 (Fowler's Ruts)

Picture of property SW corner Ridge Rd & 129th Rd
Ford Vicinity (Ford County)
Listed in National Register Jul 17, 2013

Architect: N/A
Category: natural feature; road-related
Thematic Nomination: Historic Resources of the Santa Fe Trail (Amended 2013)

The Santa Fe Trail - Ford County Segment 2, also known as Fowler's Ruts, was part of the Wet Route of the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas from 1821 until 1867. During a period of tension between Mexico and the Republic of Texas in 1843, this segment was used by the First US dragoons, under the command of Captain Philip St. George Cooke, as they escorted a Santa Fe-bound caravan. Cooke and the dragoons forded the Arkansas River near this site to accept the surrender of Colonel Jacob Snively and his "Texas Invincibles." Between 1849 and 1869, this trail segment and its associated spring also saw use by travelers heading to Wyoming along the Cherokee Trail. This trail segment was nominated as part of the "Historic Resources of the Santa Fe Trail" multiple property nomination for its significance in the areas of transportation, military, and commerce and for its potential to yield archeological information.



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