COUNCIL GROVE

IN 1825 GROWING TRAFFIC OVER THE SANTA FE TRAIL BROUGHT A GOVERNMENT SURVEY AND RIGHT-OF-WAY TREATIES WITH CERTAIN INDIANS. COUNCIL GROVE TAKES ITS NAME FROM AN AGREEMENT MADE HERE THAT YEAR WITH THE OSAGE NATION. INDIANS FARTHER WEST CONTINUED THEIR ATTACKS ON WEAK OR UNWARY CARAVANS. A LARGE GROVE ON THE RIVER HERE BECAME THE RENDEZVOUS WHERE WAGON TRAINS BANDED TOGETHER FOR SAFE TRAVEL AND TO MAKE REPAIRS FROM THE LAST AVAILABLE TIMBER. FREMONT'S EXPEDITION OF 1845 AND DONIPHAN'S TROOPS BOUND FOR THE MEXICAN WAR IN 1846 CAMPED ON THE SITE. IN 1849 THE OVERLAND MAIL WAS ESTABLISHED, WITH SUPPLY HEADQUARTERS HERE, FOLLOWED THE NEXT YEAR BY MONTHLY COACH SERVICE. TRAVEL TO SANTA FE THROUGH COUNCIL GROVE ENDED IN 1866 WHEN THE UNION PACIFIC REACHED JUNCTION CITY. THIS AREA BECAME A KAW INDIAN RESERVATION IN 1846. WITH THE INDIANS CAME THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER WHO BUILT A TRADING POST. THE METHODIST CHURCH ESTABLISHED A MISSION AND SCHOOL HERE IN 1850. THE INDIANS IN 1872 SIGNED A TREATY FOR REMOVAL TO INDIAN TERRITORY, NOW OKLAHOMA. THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST IN AND NEAR THE TOWN.