The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-02-15
THE MECCA OF HORIZONS


~DuIin& TIE past twOmontAs hnndrede
81 Mor1noAs reoiding meas hAepsn>
dence, No.; Nauvoo, ILL.,, and In Lee
county, Ia, have been making their an
pual piigrimagea, to the old Mormon
crossing of the Big Blue river in Mar
shall county. Near this historic spot
are the Alcove springs. where 30 many
of their people were masaadred by the.
Indians in. 1886 as they were maklng
their way across the Great American
desert to Salt lake. They have been
visiting the old crossing in small bands
since the first of September, crossing
the Zig Blue where their forefathers
did and resting few days near the
springs, where religious services were
regularly held in commcmoration OF
the early pioneers who braved the
dangers and opened the way to the new
Mormon settlement at Great Salt lake.
The old Mormon or Independence
crossing of the Big Blue is one Of the
most historic spots in Kansas. 1t has
been visited by thousands Of Mormons
since the days of 1886 and the people
who now live in the vicinity look for
ward to the pilgrimage of these people
every year as one of the incidents of
special note in Marshall county. It
is the most beautiful and romantic spot
in all kansas. The Big, Rlue river is.
a stream as clear as crystal, and the
.Alcoye springs are located in seques-
tered nook, which seems to have been
made by nature for such gatherings 40
these.
When the first immigrant trains
carrying the Mormon people and their
belongings to the Great Salt lake
crossed the Big Blue at this now his
toiic spot there was scarcely 3 vestige
OF civilization in that regisn Of coun-a
try. For ages it's prair'es had been
covered with waving sea of wild
grasses; vast herds of buffaloes had
for numberless years wandered almost
unmolested across them. Nothing dis
tnrbed its solitude save an occasional
band of nouadic Indians in search OF
prey or plumber and the hardy from
tiersman, who is always found far in
advance of civilization. AS early as
1920 Maj. Stephen H. Long crossed that,
part of Kansas now known as Marshall
county in command of an expedition
from Pittsburgh to the Rocky noun
teins. Gen. Fremont, on his expedi-
tion to the Rocky mountains in 1924,
passed through that section of the state
and mentions in his travels several inn
migrant wagons en- route to Oregon.
1t was in 1S47 that John Smith. tho
Mormon apostle, with his band Of fol-
lowers from Illinois, opened his way
through this country, crossing the Big
Blue river at the old Mormon "Inde-
pendence" or "Ca.ifornia' crossing.
This, was six miles below the present
town of Maryville. the county seat of
Marshall county. For two years the
exiled Latter-Day Saints passed over
the trail that led to this crossing OF
the Big Blue river. At one. time Nor
mon camping party was surrounded
by Indians at this famous spot and all
were killed. Among the party were
several elders of the Mormon faith who
were going to the western home to
look after the spiritual welfare OF the
pioneers who had gone before. Ever
since the Mormons of Missouri, Illinois
and Iowa have made annual pilgrinages
to Alco,e springs, where appropriate
services are held.-St. Louis Republic.