“On the night of May 24-25, 1856, a small band of abolitionists led by John Brown murdered five pro-slavery men just north of here along Pottawatomie Creek. This massacre in "Bleeding Kansas" was one of the most famous events leading up to the American Civil War. Brown was later captured, tried and hanged for his unsuccessful raid on Harper's Ferry, (West) Virginia in 1859.”
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This "battle" was part of the struggle to make Kansas a free state. In May, 1856, Proslavery men destroyed buildings and newspaper presses in Lawrence, Free-State headquarters. John Brown's company then killed five Proslavery men on Pottawatomie Creek not far from this spot. In retaliation Henry C. Pate raided near-by Palmyra and took three prisoners. Early on the morning of June 2, Brown attacked Pate's camp in a grove of black jack oaks about 1/4 mile south of this sign. Both sides had several wounded and numerous desertions before Pate and 28 men surrendered, Brown claiming he had only 15 men left. As evidence of civil war, this fight received much publicity and excited both the North and the South.
Tags: wellsville kansas Santa Fe Ruts The Battle of Black Jack Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park wellsville kansas abolitionist John Brown black jack battleground wellsville kamsas abolitionist John Brown black jack battleground Free-State militia john brown & black jack park Henry Clay Pate black jack park wellsville kansas pro-slavery militia camp black jack park santa fe trail Douglas County Kansas Territory Douglas County wellsville Kansas Territory santa fe trail ruts Douglas County Kansas Territory Bleeding Kansas Douglas County Kansas Territory & the Civil War Douglas County Kansas Territory & the American Civil War Douglas County Kansas Territory & Santa Fe Trail Douglas County Kansas Territory & Ivan L. Boyd Prairie Preserve Douglas County Kansas Territory & Black Jack Cabin Douglas County Kansas Territory & Black Jack Park Douglas County Kansas & Ivan L. Boyd Memorial Prairie Preserve Douglas County wellsville Kansas santa Fe Ruts Douglas County Kansas historic markers douglas county wellsville kansas historic markers Douglas County wellsville Kansas historic site douglas county wellsville kansas historic landmarks douglas county wellsville kansas historic monument douglas county wellsville kansas santa fe trail historic monument Douglas County Wellsville Kansas Battle of Black Jack Historic Marker
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South of this park are 18 acres of virgin prairie. Purchased 1967 by Douglas County from Russell Hays for a permanent prairie preserve & historic site. Evidence of Santa Fe Trail plainly visible. Original site of DAR Marker was near pioneer town of Black Jack 1/2 mile east.
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In the Prairie Preserve is also an archeological site consisting of an artifact deposit associated with the Santa Fe Trail and Black Jack Campground sites. Nineteenth-century artifacts collected included wagon parts, cast iron kettle parts, nails, and other items representing an overland trail discard pile.3 The trail and campground were part of the 1856 landscape at the time of the battle, and were the reason that Henry Clay Pate’s men were camped at Black Jack, precipitating the occurrence of the battle in this location. The presence of native prairie vegetation, the trail ruts, and archeological evidence of the trail and camp all contribute to the site’s significance. Battle action, including Pate’s encampment and the retreat route of Pate’s men as they left the scene, is believed to have occurred on what is now the Prairie Preserve.
Tags: wellsville kansas Santa Fe Ruts The Battle of Black Jack Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park wellsville kansas abolitionist John Brown black jack battleground wellsville kamsas abolitionist John Brown black jack battleground Free-State militia john brown & black jack park Henry Clay Pate black jack park wellsville kansas pro-slavery militia camp black jack park santa fe trail Douglas County Kansas Territory Douglas County wellsville Kansas Territory santa fe trail ruts Douglas County Kansas Territory Bleeding Kansas Douglas County Kansas Territory & the Civil War Douglas County Kansas Territory & the American Civil War Douglas County Kansas Territory & Santa Fe Trail Douglas County Kansas Territory & Ivan L. Boyd Prairie Preserve Douglas County Kansas Territory & Black Jack Cabin Douglas County Kansas Territory & Black Jack Park Douglas County Kansas & Ivan L. Boyd Memorial Prairie Preserve Douglas County wellsville Kansas santa Fe Ruts Douglas County Kansas historic markers douglas county wellsville kansas historic markers Douglas County wellsville Kansas historic site douglas county wellsville kansas historic landmarks douglas county wellsville kansas historic monument douglas county wellsville kansas santa fe trail historic monument douglas county wellsville kansas Black Jack Ruts douglas county wellsville kansas santa Fe Trail National Historic Trail
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This replica of a 19th century log cabin was constructed in the fall of 1969 & dedicated in January of 1971. The cabin was constructed for the benefit of the Santa Fe Trail Historical Society for meetings & to display historical artifacts.
Construction was funded by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. The logs were provided by Wilson Counts & sawed by Will Hey Sr.; the project was directed by Harvey Booth & Dayton Van Tries.
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