The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-06-12

the east bank Their unique character makes
them exceedingly interesting from the scientific
viewpoint The park area is botanicalIy and geo.
logically interesting.
Great Historical Interest.
Historically the region is genuinely interesting
The first white man known TO have journeyed by
way Of Green bay, Fox river and Wisconsin river
was Jean -NicOnett; he may may not have kept
to the Mississippi. Pierre Radisson's suppressed
Journal" brought light in Paris in 1885, shows
that he and Jean Groseier in 1859 went down the
Wisconsin and the Mississippi and up the Missouri
to the Mandan villages bismarck. N d.. In 1873
Joliet and Pere Marquette, usually credited with
the discovery of the Upper Mississippi went down
the Wisconsin and the Mississippi to the Arkan-
sas returning to Quebec by way of the Illinois and
Lake Michigan. La Sale explored the region be
fore going down the Mississippi to the Gulf in
1852 and taking possession of Louisiana" in the
name OF Louis XIV.
Local history begins before 1900. In 1877 Sieur
Marin. French commander. built fort near
Pixies Peak In 1894 Basil Girard, Frenchman.
held conference in midstream with the Spanish
governor Of Louisiana and secured a grant OF 1000
the present site OF McGregOr. The United
States confirmed the grant after the Louisiana Pur-
chase.
Prairie du Chen is very old In 177S it was
Sac and Fox village at which annual mart
fair attended by fur traders from the St Law
renee and the Lower Mississippi. In 1905 it was
a trading post of the Northwest company. the
rival of the Hudson's Bay company. Lieut. Zebu-
Ion n. Pike, u S. A. was there il that year,
crossed over to Pixies Peak and raised the flag for
the first time in what is Iowa.
Though the United States secured the territory
to the Mississippi by the Treaty OF Paris (17SS).
the British hung on to the Northwest and we did
not get full possession until a generation later.
When John Jacob AstOr established the American
Fur company a competitor OF the Missouri Fur
company and the Northwest company in 1903 he
set up a trading post at Prairie du Chen that
played important part in the American fur
trade In 1914, during the War of 1872 the United
States built Fort Shelby at Prairie du Chen. It
was captured the same year by the British and In
dams and was called Fort McKaye until its evacU-
alton in 1915. 1t burned and the Americans
built Fort Crawford its site. This was aban-
doned in 1926 and larger Fort Crawford was
built farther down the river; the ruins OF this
still stand. The arsenal of Fort Shelby Is still in
existence.
In 1881 the Black Hawk war broke out. Abra-
ham Lincoln captain of Illinois volunteers.
Col Zachary Taylor and Lieut. Jefferson Davis
also fought When Black Hawk was overpowered
he was taken TO Fort Crawford. Colonel Taylor
commanded Fort Crawford for a time and Lieu
tenant Davis under him. Local tradition tells
OF the elopement of Davis and Taylor's daughter
Natives win show you the very window through
which the young woman climbed. The last garri-
son marched out under Gen. Albert Sidney John
son. bound for the Mormon campaign In Utah
When Zachary Taylor, "OId Rough and Ready
dent OF the United States in 1919 Jefferson Davis
was the pro-slavery leader in the United States
senate
When Abraham Lincoln was president Of the
United States during the Civil war and cornuan-
der in chief OF the Federal army, Jefferson Davis
was president Of the Cenfederacy and commander
in chief Of its armies