Thinking About Becoming a Real Estate Developer? question

What is so very interesting about our nation’s history can be discovered through historical connections we make between famous Americans, and quite often, places we frequent. Or, places we visit. Or, in my case, the restaurant which serves the best bread pudding.

One of my – How did this come to be? – started off as an affinity for bread pudding. Bread pudding in Council Grove, Kansas. Bread pudding served at Hayes House 1857.

Hayes House 1857, Daniel Boone, Benjamin Franklin and Council Grove.

Council Grove’s origin…

In the earliest part of our nation’s 19th Century, in what would – 29 years later – go on to become the Territory of Kansas, in 1825, westward-focused American settlers had been eager to identify quicker (and better) trade routes. With this impetus for expanding trade to the west in mind, a treaty in 1825 had been negotiated between United States commissioners and the Osage Indians. Negotiated in a section of the Great Plains where frontiersmen gathered. Rested. And congregated. Before continuing on…west.

In the early part of our 19th Century in what today is Kansas, as United States trade – and as United States trade routes – were being expanded to the west, one 1825 treaty entered into by the United States with Indians – the Osage Indians – grew what would go on to become one of the most famous passageways – passageways, trails, routes, roads and/or highways… – in all of United States history.

This trail…a 900-mile United States trade route.

This trail…starting out in a small town, 100 miles to the east of Kansas City, Missouri.

This trail…its origin, a small town which had been founded by European setters in 1816.

This trail…beginning in that small Missouri town – to the east of Kansas City – which had been named for one of the United States’ Founding Fathers.

This trail…which one would, at that time, start their travels on in Franklin, Missouri.

Franklin, Missouri…a town named for one of the United States most famous Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin.

This trail…ultimately arriving in, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

This famous trail we are speaking to? The Santa Fe Trail.

The treaty between United States commissioners and the Osage Indians extended our Santa Fe Trail to the west. Through a section of what would later go on to become, the Territory of Kansas. Later becoming, the State of Kansas.

This treaty entered into between United States commissioners and the Osage Indians – in 1825 – was centered upon a destination point for frontiersmen traveling west. At the “Grove.”

In 1825, there was no incorporated United States town through which this section of the Santa Fe Trail had been extended.

In 1825, there was no organized territory through which this section of the Santa Fe Trail had been extended.

This 1825 treaty – extending the Santa Fe Trail though a most-scenic part of the largest tall grass prairie in the United States, the Flint Hills – focused on an area in the Plains where travelers gathered their wagons. They’d form wagon trains. And they’d head west. From the “Grove.”

We are referring to an area in Kansas’s Flint Hills which was at that time – to the Osage Indians, and to frontiersmen – simply known to be, the “Grove.”

The “Grove.” Named for a grove of trees.

This 1825 extension of the Santa Fe Trail would wind along – what had been at that time – simply, the main street in the “Grove.”

The unincorporated territory in which this section of the Santa Fe Trail had then been extended – in 1825 – would go on to become a formal United States Territory. In 1854. This territory would go on to become the Territory of Kansas.

This grove of trees would go on to become an incorporated United States city. Twenty-six years after the Territory of Kansas became the State of Kansas in 1861. The grove of trees would go on to become…Council Grove.

Council Grove was incorporated as a city in Kansas in 1887.

And that old main street in the “Grove.” Our old main street would go on to become …Main Street. In Council Grove.

Which brings us to our link between the “Grove,” the Santa Fe Trail, Council Grove and…Daniel Boone.

But first…Seth Hayes.

Hayes house ( lower case “h”) started serving American pioneers three years after the Territory of Kansas was incorporated as a United States territory.

In 1857, Hayes’ house originally started out as a Santa Fe Trail trading post. A Santa Fe Trail trading post coupled to a Santa Fe Trail restaurant. Located – then, and now – on the Santa Fe Trail.

With its historical position, quite literally, on the Santa Fe Trail, the Hayes was started by Seth Hayes.

Seth Hayes. Founder of Council Grove, Kansas.

Seth Hayes. Rancher. Tavern owner. Trader. Publisher.

Seth Hayes, who grew up in the Kansas City, Missouri neighborhood of Westport.

The original Hayes house? Well, the original Hayes house that Seth Hayes built next to the Neosho River wasn’t actually a house. The original Hayes house was in fact a log cabin. A log cabin which functioned as Seth Hayes’ home – I.e.:. where Seth Hayes lived with his adopted daughter, a freed slave. And as a Santa Fe Trail trading post.

Thinking About Becoming a Real Estate Developer?

The trading post built by Seth Hayes in the “Grove” was a business venture headed by a relative of his, A.G. Boone.

A.G. Boone…grandson of Daniel Boone.

Seth Hayes…great-grandson of Daniel Boone.Thinking About Becoming a Real Estate Developer?