Looking for old El Paso
Kansas
Contributors to this thread:
Matte's Link
I have been doing some research for the exact or close to exact location of old El Paso, Kansas and it's ferry crossing. It is located somewhere on the ground we have south of Derby and I came across this diary. It is a great read. Shows the life of hunting and sickness in Kansas in the 1870s
crestedbutte's Link
Matte....good stuff. However, in her 4th of July entry they had a picnic and had “lemonade”? Wonder how they made it because we know darn well they didn’t have access to lemons and lemonade flavored powder probably wasn’t developed yet....I am thinking maybe lemon candy sticks dissolved in water or something? Looking forward to reading the rest.
I ran across this last year when I was camping at BHL. Nothing like a good ‘ole “serial killing” family from Cherryvale, KS in 1873. Further details provided in the attached link.
Your question about lemonade made for another interesting history lesson. First written account of Lemonade was in 1000 ad in Egypt. Lemons were native to India.
I bet they may have had lemons. I know they had oranges shipped in because a friend who recently died at the age of 107 remembered their family getting a case of them for a Christmas present and they were the envy of Dighton.
Thanks for the link, Matt. I can, and do, read that kind of material for hours and days. You already know I'm addicted to J. R. Mead's "Hunting and Trading on the Great Plains, 1859-1875."
I find it fascinating, and sad, how quickly that country changed from prairie wilderness to "civilization."
"Pioneer Women" is an interesting read, too. In the early 1900s a woman from Topeka had the smarts to ask women who'd come to Kansas as it was being settled to send stories of what it was like. It took a few generations, but the family got it put into a book. The perspective of women is far different than that of men, and probably gives a better feel for what life was like. Such details about floods, prairie fires, rattlesnakes, sickness, Indian raids, bandits.
Assume you've read "The Worst Hard Times" by Timothy, Egan, Matt? Outstanding book about the Dust Bowl, with material furnished by those who lived it. You'll probably recognize some names from families in SW Kansas.
These folks were living in dugouts and they had lemons, come on? Well, if they actually had’em.....then I bet those were pretty dang special and best time to break those bad boys out would have been during a special celebration like 4th of July picnic on the prairie no doubt.
Matt...we used to take our dog to El Paso Vet. down in Derby. Always wondered why it was named El Paso and come to find out that was the original town name before they changed it to Derby.
Appears that ferry you are researching was only open for about 2.5 years between 1871-1873. Appears that shortly into its existence, it was replaced by a bridge in July 1873.
Have you found any remnants of the ferry laying around or have they been long ago washed away, dismantled or buried? Could there be a pronounced/defined cut in the landscape where travelers wore down the path as it neared the riverbank? Only being open 2.5 years might not of allowed enough time to scar the earth for definite clues of the route or crossing location? Hope you find it. If you do, please provide pic’s....would love to see it!
Ready up on lemonade it was quite a common drink. Remember everything was canned, salted, pickled, brined or juiced back then. Believe it or not there was probably ice in that lemonade. Writer I have not read that book. I told Mom about this read and she said she has diary after diary along with sales receipts from the family.
You can make a "lemonade" out of sumac. Maybe that was it?
Cat it is well documented lemonade was very common all over the country in 1870
I didn't know, just wondered if it was a possiblity.
Zmax's Link
Jason, they probably just moved up here. They have a gathering/reunion here every year.
Might want to investigate that basement?