I have driven by the Historical sign on Hwy 54 just before entering Meade, KS many times. This is quite a story involving surveyors and Cheyenne Indians and I thought some of you might be interested. Do not know if this has been posted here before and I hope I have the link right.
http://www.oldmeadecounty.com/lonetree.htm
:gammon:
Interesting, thanks for putting that up...
Awesome story
Thanks!
Perhaps my next trip to the Oklahoma Panhandle can be adjusted to drop south out of Meade to check out the scenery. The initial attack would have been only about 9 miles or less from what is now the Kansas/Oklahoma line.
I'm guessing there's nothing that marks the sight nowadays?
This account places the massacre about 2 miles north of Odee, KS. near the center of sec. 32-T33-R28.
The BLM website doesn't have Kansas Surveys so I couldn't see what the Township plat looks like.
I came up with 37 06' 24" N & 100 22'30" W. It would be an interesting trip.
I followed the links to historical photos of three little towns. Each of them had an aerial view. I presume from a camera attached to a kite, maybe?
Probable locations in the story
The story indicates the survey camp was set up not far from the northeast corner of Section 4-33-28 on the banks of Crooked Creek where a lone tree existed at the time. I found a report that the tree blew over in 1938 and was removed. The lat/long for the camp would be near N 37-12-43 W 100-22-02
The initial attach was said to have occurred along their traverse north after setting the southwest corner of the township at the southwest corner of Section 31-33-28 as they were crossing a ravine. A probable site is at N 37-06-59 W 100-25-00
As they attempted to get back to the survey camp they would have headed NNE along the easiest possible path until they reached a point somewhere near the center of Section 20-33-28. This would have been a course staying to the west side of Crooked Creek. A probable site of the final attack is at N 37-09-43 W 100-23-38
You will find this region to still be wide open terrain used for agriculture and oil/gas development and very little else. Houses are few and far between. Some county roads exist but not as many as would be found in other parts of the State.
For those wanting to get a feel for the terrain the two USGS maps covering this area are Lake Larrabee (Attack sites) and Irish Flats NE (Camp site).