Native Wild Flowers · Western Wheatgrass · Sideoats G[r]ama · Little Bluestem · Switchgrass · Big Bluestem · Indian Grass
These seven small plats represent the majority of the grass and forb species that dominated the 52 million acres of tall grass prairies in Kansas prior to 1840. Of these 52 million acres, only about 4.5 million acres remain today.
The rest of the 52 million acres is now used for crop production, introduced cool season grasses, homes and transportation routes.
The settlers and Oregon Trail users would have been overwhelmed by these grasses that could have stood as much as ten feet tall by October if left ungrazed.
With these abundant grasses, no wonder many travelers wandered off course in search of livestock feed and wild game for human consumption but were forced back to locations such as this one to cross creeks and rivers, as the main Oregon Trail would have been overgrazed and overhunted in the late 1840's and early 1850's, thus the reason for ruts miles away from the main trails.

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Show me all markers in:  Westmoreland, KS  |  Pottawatomie County  |  66549  |  Kansas  |  United States of America

The Long Journey
One Step at a Time
The Wagon & Team · Supplies Needed
Route of the Oregon Trail
Scott Spring
Archeological Site 14-PO1311
Wagons Fording Rock Creek
Burial Site of Oregon Trail Traveler
The California - Oregon Trail
Civil War Memorial

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