On Sunday, May 15, at the Kearney Community Hall, Dave McKee, president of the Fort Phil Kearny/Bozeman Trail Association, (FPK/BTA) presented, “The Bozeman Trail: A Journey to National Historic Trail Designation.”
McKee gave a brief history of the Bozeman Trail, adding
On display was a replica of the 36-star flag that flew over Fort Phil Kearny when the building of the fort began in July of 1866, and again when the fort was completed on October 31, of 1866.
The 36th star was for Nevada, which became a state on Oct. 31, 1864, and in March of 1897, Nebraska became a state and another star was added.
The flag was only used for two years, from July 1865 to July 1867. Three months after the flag became official, President Lincoln’s head was rested on it after he was shot in Ford’s Theater.
the 36 Star Flag
Linley Mayer, Interpretative Ranger State of Wyoming Parks in this area, said they hoped to recreate the 120 foot flag pole to fly a flag.
Bozeman Trail, named for John Bozeman, one of the surveyors, was a more direct route to the Montana goldfields from 1863–68. Jim Bridger recommended the western route, that by-passed the Sioux hunting grounds, but The new Bozeman Trail was 535 miles shorter, and offered more water and forage for livestock than the western route. It actually followed an old Indian trail that had been used for many generations. The Trail ran from Fort Laramie to Fort Fetterman, and from there north along the east slope of the Bighorn Mountains and into Montana.
McKee mentioned that there are several monuments along the trail, at Deer Creek Station near Glenrock, at Fort Reno, at the Crazy Woman Crossing outside of Buffalo, and at Fort Phil Kearny. In some places the ruts along the Bozeman Trail can still be seen, including some near the Fetterman monument, not far from Fort Phil Kearny.
McKee said that there are several steps that go into the process to give the trail national historic designation. There has to be a feasibility study by the secretary of interior, where in they identify the route, and he said the route of the Bozeman is pretty well known. It does not have to be intact. Some of the trail, McKee said, “Goes right through downtown Bozeman, and goes right down Fifth Street in Sheridan.”
He added that there has to be formal public meetings and comments before it can achieve the designation. He said there would be no outreach onto private land, it would all be managed on public land.
In the photo below are some of benefits of the national historic designation for the FPK/BTA. There were other reasons that the designation might be beneficial.
In working to achieve the designation, the group is making an effort to accommodate Indian history, culture and interpretation. Educating the general public about all the historic sites along the Bozeman Trail, and the Bozeman Trail itself, is a priority for the Association.
For more information about how one can help with the National Historic Trail Designation please visit their website, https://www.fortphilkearny.com/fpk-bta
The program was sponsored in part by the Johnson County Tourism Association.
More Like this
Last modified: May 17, 2022