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Free complimentary copy June 20, 2014 • Volume 1, No. 38
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Raytown Now A Certified Location On The National Historic Trails By Diane Krizek Editor On Tuesday, June 17, the Board of Alderman unanimously supported passage of an ordinance to authorize the installation of 24 official National Historical Trail signs that would mark the Santa Fe, Oregon and California National Historic Trails within the city limits of Raytown. Thanks to the National Trails System Act of 1968 that recognizes the trails important role in the economic development of our country, these signs will literally put Raytown on the map of American history due to its historical significance in the westward expansion. And national historic trails and sites typically make a positive economic impact through tourism and community development. For Larry Short, president of the Missouri River Outfitters Chapter (MRO) of the Santa Fe Trail Association (SFTA), this is a monumental moment after working years towards getting
NPS Historical Site Sign at Rice-Tremonti Home tering also feature the logos of the Santa Fe, Oregon and California National Historic Trails.
Santa Fe, Oregon and California National Historic Trails. In the coming weeks, the
Site signs that also feature directional arrows. “I don’t foresee any difference between maintaining these trail signs and our street signs. People run into them and we put them back up,” said Public Works director, Andy Noll. “We’ll work the installation
Public Works department will begin installing the Original Route signs that mark the trail from 51st Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard to 63rd Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard. RiceTremonti home has already begun installation of its Historic gradually into our schedule.” “The City of Raytown will never have to pay for replacement of any of the National Historic Trail signs”, says Short. “The SRTA will take care of that.” Larry Short, President of the MO River Outfitters chapter of the Santa Fe Trails Association, and Al Maddox, Director of Cave Spring Historic Site and Nature Center the necessary historic site and original trail certifications from the National Park Service for the town in which he grew up. Most of the certifications are based on the journals of the westward travelers who wrote about the blacksmith who helped them on their way or about their camp experience on the Rice-Tremonti property because staying in Independence was too expensive. “If it weren’t for the historic Santa Fe, Oregon and California trails, Raytown wouldn’t exist today”, says Short. After obtaining the trail and site certifications, the SFTA through its agent, Larry Short, was able to quality for a $4000 grant from the National Park Service (NPS) for the Raytown trail signs that were fabricated for the NPS by the Utah Correctional Industries in Draper, Utah. The 36 by 48 inch brown signs with four inch white let-
The Oregon and California trails of circa 1843 follow much the same route as the Santa Fe Trail of 1821 but then the two trails break away to their respective namesakes, Oregon and California. The SFTA has made progress over years working with the National Parks Service to and certify and mark the old wagon trail from Franklin, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, so the public can one day make the journey to follow the entire original route of the trail as closely as possible. The MRO chapter alone is responsible for five counties: Cooper, Howard, Saline, Lafayette and Jackson and has successfully marked the trail from Franklin to Independence as the route traverses gravel county roads and U.S. Route 24. Many of the public streets and roads in Jackson County remarkably still follow the original route of the