The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-19
demands Of merciless old death, loudly
heralded by his noisy advance agents,
the bowling wolves
LEGEND OF SUGAR CREEK
How a Well known Waterway Re
cezVed Hts Name.

!
! Alinco, OF, Dec. 1.-THE Minstrel has
! the following interesting narrative Of
! Sugar Creek
! over the Wichita reservation IS a nice
little stream called Sugar creek. It rises
| toward the northwest portion Of the res
| ervation and runs southwest across the
country until it enpties into the Wash
tia river, a few miles below Anadarko.
All the Wichita Indians in the reservation
live along the banks Of this stream, and
nearly all Of them close together. Along
this stream has been the home OF this
band Of Indians from time immemorial;
not for all the tribe until recent years,
but no one can get far back enough In
history or tradition to a time when some
Of this tribe did not make this their
home The original Spanish explorers
found them here, cultivating small
patches of ground, and the fact was
duly recorded. Likewise the name Of
Sugar Creek has attached TO the stream
since any mention has been made of the
stream. How did it get that name Var
ious explanations have been made, some
romantic some plausible and some re-
markedly far from truth. Aong the pref
test legends we have heard on this line,
is one told to the writer by an old man,
now dead. Henry DeCourtney, who spent
most Of g. long life around this country.
His story ran this way: Away back
shorty after the conquest Of Mexico by
the Spaniards and their subsequent ex-
ploration Of all this country, there came
aong those Indians a Spanish priest,
who took up his abode, with them, learn
ed their language, and lived with them
until his death. He taught the Wichitas
his religion, gave them instruction in civ
ilized art as far as his scant supply of
iron and other material would allow,
preached peace toward all men, and was
much loved by ali the tribe. He built a
little home, decorated it as far as pos
sible, and among other things planted a
row Of sugar naples, procured from some
unknown source. These trees grew, and
when, long after that, white men began
to come into the country they saw and re
membered the trees and the stream along
which they stood. Gradually the trees !
gave a name to the creek, by way Of !
designation.
That IS a pretty story but If it was
ever true, there is now nothing to prove |
it. The writer has been on the creek |
from head to mouth, over and over again, |
andl if there is a maple tree or any sign |
Of maple on it anywhere, he has failed |
to discover It. Neither has he ever found /
anyone else who has ever seen a tree on |
Sugar Creek. But the truth Of the mat
ter is this: On, OF rather in a canyon,
to some extent tributary TO Sugar Creek, |
there are many sugar maple trees, and !
at one place there is q pretty well de-
fined grove Of these trees. This canyon,
known as Sugar Tree Canyon, lies near
the rnidie Of the reservation, north Of
Sugar Greek It is deep, rough, narrow,
hard Of approach, and generally Of precl-
pitous banks, with only few places
where a vehicles can enter. In places the
bottom spreads out to a width Of several
hundred yards, all finely timbered.
Along this little valley runs a clear
stream of water, lasting about all the
year near the head of the canyon A
companion canyon near by, known as the
Devils Canyon, is very similar every
way, and has a few maple trees, here
and tltre, but only a few
This grove Of Tnarles in Sugar Tree
Canyon has become known to stray
band of Kickapoo Indians living in the
and each spring, in February,
or March. they come there TOT weeks,
making sugar and syrup from the sap Of
the trees. This grove is some three or
four miles from Sugar Creek. It is prob
able that early settlers mistook this can
yon for the principal source Of the creek
and gave it the name it has since borne,
Sugar Creek. The grove is a natural one,
and the trees are indigenous to that 10
cality at least. But this IS the only
grove Of sugar maple trees, perhaps,
west Of Arkansas. and is certainly re-
parkable sight. The writer has been IN
camps there and has bought sugar from
the Indians as they made It, on more
than one occasion.
When the Wichita reservation is open
to settlement some man viii have the
only grove Of sugar naples in the west
and ready for use.