PAWNEE ROCK
PAWNEE ROCK We first rode nearly north about a mile to a remarkable Rocky Point . . .We rode upon the top which is probably 50 feet above the plain below, and from whence there is a charming view of the country in every direction.—George Sibley, 1825
Pawnee Rock made an impact on Santa Fe Trail travelers, who referenced the Dakota Sandstone outcropping in their journals.
Pawnee Rock was covered with names carved by the men who had passed it. It was so full that I could find no place for mine.— John Birch, 1848
Located at the halfway point on the Santa Fe Trail, many stories have been told to explain how this “prairie citadel” earned its name. Once reaching a height of perhaps 100 feet or more, a large portion of the rock was stripped away for railroad bed material.
The Woman's Kansas Day Club led a campaign to save what remained of the rock. It is now preserved as a State Historic Site.
Note: This sign was replaced in 2012.
U.S. 56, Barton County, roadside park, west of Pawnee Rock.
Plaque via Kansas Historical Society, and is used with their permission. Full page