Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-04-17
PAWNEE ROCK PROJECT.
History OF the Effort to Make State
Park Of Historic Relic.

jamin P. Unruh, the owner, by
which historic Pawnee Rock is to
pass into the possession of the
state of Kansas joint gift of the
present owner and the women OF
Kansas, By the term of this con.
tract, Mr.. Unruh is to deed to the
state five acres of ground. a per.
feet square in shane. surrounding
the rock, when the women have
complied with certain conditions.
The conditions require the eApen.
diture of $4,000 in the improve
ment of the ground and in the
construction of a driveway 10 the
park, the erection of an enduring
monument with a suitable inscrip.
ton and the maintenance of the
spot as a public park forever
1t was more than a year ago
that Mrs. Simmons. acting for the
Women's Kansas Day club, began
negotiations for acquiring this
rock the most historic spot in the
western part Of the state Her
election as president of the cub at
Its last meeting enabled her to
pro'ecute.the WORK more vigor-
'ously. Plan have been made for
raising $4,000. which with $1,000
additional. that will be ,prorvided
by the citizens of the Iii IIe village
. OF Pawnee Rock, will be sufficient
to meet the conditions imposed BY
Mr.. Unruh.' Among the improve
ments will be at least an acre of
shade trees, the restoration of the
old land mark. so far as possible
to its former appearance, the erec-
tlon of monument of some en-
during substance. to cost about
$1,000 inscribed with sentiment
embodying tribute to Mr.. Unrub
and the women of Kansas, the
honors of the park to the state.
and the enclosing of the whole in
some decorative sort of fence.
PaWnee Rock was a conspicuous
land mark of the old Santa Fe
trail. Rearing its head high on
the edge Of the Arkansas river
valley it was ..favorite camping
place for the caravans that crossed
the couu}ry.. before the days of
affording as it did a
lookout and protection against the
Indians. Uncle Sans soldiers
used to rendezvous there in the
DAYS of Indian warfare and the
names of many officers, since fam
Ous, are inscribed upon its face,
among them those of General
Sheridan. Miles and other famous
milan fighters.
Mr.. Unruh, who gives the land. |
was born ain the province of I
Nolinskaw. Russian Poland, Jan
lary Is, 1850, of German parents.
he came to America in Novem-
Der, 1873, locating first in Nebras- !
"a Ci ", where be became an en-
,loye of a blow factory. In 1875 !
le came on to Kansas and settled /
n Barton county. near Pawnee !
Rock. His marriage to Miss Mary /
Jnruh relative, quickly fol- !
owed, They have three chill
rem. The eldest daughter, Mrs.
susan Unruh, followed the ex-
.mpe Of ber:parents and married I
relative of the same name. She
ives with. her husband and chill
lren about four miles from the
village of Pawnee Rock. A son.
DITTO Unruh. is.attending the Uni
verslty of Southern California. at
Los Angeles, and the younger
Miss Grace Unruh, is
high school at Larned,
Kans.
Since coming,-to....Kansas Mr..
Upruh has amassed a fortune, as
fortunes 90 in Kansas, and his
standing in the community is
shown by the comment OF a neigh
Dor, who said, Mr.. Unruh is a
rich man and every dollar of his
vaolth was made HONESTLY" For