Lone Elm is one of the most historic and important frontier trail camp sites in America and was used as a campground and rendezvous point for all three of our nation's great western roads to the frontier.....the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails.
In the four decades of its use, starting in 1821, thousands of traders bound to and from Santa Fe, '49ers rushing west for gold, Oregon and California emigrants, soldiers, mountain men and missionaries came through and spent time at Lone Elm campground. Such notables as John Fremont, Kit Carson, Francis Parkman, and the ill-fated 1846 Donner party were visitors here.
Lone Elm was first known as Round Grove, named by the earliest traders to Santa Fe. By 1827 it shared duty wth Elm Grove, another campground located about 2 miles northwest of here on the same Cedar Creek, and often mistaken for each other. By the mid-1840's this campground became known as Lone Elm because the original grove of trees had been reduced to just one huge elm tree.
Along with traders and emigrants who used Lone Elm on their first or second night out from Westport or Independence, the Mexican War in 1846 brought the frontier military through Lone Elm. Several soldiers who succumbed to cholera are buried here, as well as '49ers who died of the same disease. By the end of the 1840's the great old lone elm tree was gone, used up for firewood, but spurious reports of its existence continued into the 1850's.
Newton Ainsworth was the first owner of this property in post-trail days, developing a successful farm here. He was a tireless advocate of Lone Elm and its location on his farm. He also was instrumental in the placement of the Daughters of the American Revolution Santa Fe Trail marker in 1906. This marker still graces the same spot today on the northwest corner of Lone Elm Park.
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