Gum Springs

Gum Springs (HMY7P)

Location: Shawnee, KS 66203 Johnson County
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Country: United States of America
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N 39° 0.864', W 94° 42.405'

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Inscription
Located today at 59th Terrace and Bluejacket in the city of Shawnee, Gum Springs was the site of the Shawnee Indian church and meeting house, as well as the location of several excellent springs, all near the intersection of the Fort Leavenworth Military Road, the California Road, and at the start of the cutoff road to the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trail[s].

It was used as a campsite for travelers on all these routes, but especially by the frontier military during the Mexican War of 1846-1848. After the Kansas/Nebraska Act opened the territory up for settlement in 1854, the little town that grew up around the old campsite was known as "Gum Springs" and was the first county seat until replaced by Olathe in 1857.

Today a small remnant of the Shawnee Indian graveyard, and a small spring pond just to the northeast, are the only physical reminders of the sites' [sic] important past.
?KCAHTA 2005

Private E.N.O. Clough
June 23, 1847
"Crossed the Kaw river to-day, and camped four miles this side of the crossing....We camped about 3 P.M. and found a beautiful gum spring right at the side of the Shawnee church. We are only about six miles from Westport....The place is known as Gum Spring among the people.


Private Clough had left Fort Leavenworth and was traveling on the Fort Leavenworth Military Road when he came upon this camp that was located at present day 59th Terrace and Bluejacket in Shawnee. He continued down to the junction with the Santa Fe Trail and into the West in this action in the Mexican War.
Details
HM NumberHMY7P
Series This marker is part of the California Trail series, and the Santa Fe Trail series.
Tags
Year Placed2006
Placed ByCity of Shawnee and State Historical Society of Missouri
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Friday, October 10th, 2014 at 5:53pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)15S E 352234 N 4319760
Decimal Degrees39.01440000, -94.70675000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 39° 0.864', W 94° 42.405'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds39° 0' 51.84" N, 94° 42' 24.30" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)913, 785, 816
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 10405 W 63rd Terrace, Shawnee KS 66203, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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