The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-07-16
PERSH|NG WAY HISTORIC
MANY SPOTS OF INTEREST
ALONG THE ROUTE
Something About the Many
Old-Time Incidents Related
BY Pioneers

The Pershing Way leading from
Winnipeg south through Mankato to
New Orleans is building up a most
remarkable organization. The peo-
pie along the hundreds of miles of
the way are taking a great interest
in the highway and have forme do
cal organizations. and have their own
state officials. The president of the
Minnesota division OF the Pershing
Way is G. H. Draper of Wells, Mimi.
who never lets interest lag in this
great highway. Tho Pershing high
way leading south out Of Mankato
follows Front street to Cherry street,
thence to Warren street. Glenwood
Avenue to st. Clair, Minnesota Lake,
Wells. Kiester, and thence through
Iowa taking IN Lake Mills. Clear
towns. Leaving Mankato toward the
north the Pershing way follows
Front street north to Kasota st.
Peter. Gaylord. Winthrop. Brownton.
Hutchinson, Saux Center, Crookston
st. Vincent and on through to Win
nipeg. This trail Is being improved
; all along tho line fro n north to south.
and ell Of the historical places of in
/ forest enroute are to be marked, SO
that the tourists will know when they
are passing through places OF early
historical Importance.
Old.Tlme Wagon Trail.
W. H. Pay, proprietor Of the Ben
Pay Hotel Of this city, who perhaps
| knows more about the early history
Of wagon trails In this Immediate vi
! entity than any other man with the
{ exception of his Gather. BENJAMIN
Pay, woh owned the first team of
/ horses ever brought to Mankato and
for a number Of years ran stage
: Of places Of interest along the Per-
shing Way in Blue Earth county,
which should be properly marked
; Mr. Pay stated that the Pershing Way
Is one Of the longest marked high
WHY'S In the United States. The
! marking Of the way from Mankato
through the old Winnebago Indian
{ agency to Minnesota Lake. a dis
ance of twenty. nine miles. Mr.. Pay
says has been completed. The route
passes through one Of the most fer
nesota. Mr.. Pay explained that the
Wfnnebago Indians were placed on
the reservation Just south of Man
kato In 1884. coming from Wisconsin
and st. Cloud. Minnesota This re-
servation comprised an area of thir-
teen miles north and south by thirty
six miles east and west. After the
Sioux Indian uprising In 1852, Mr..
Pay said, many of the settlers were
very anxious to have the Indians re-
moved from the reservation.
Organization Was Formed.
An organization Of old settlers was
formed. who soon got the ear of
United States Senator Morton 8.
Wilkinson. and he arranged q meet
ing with the commissioner of In
dian affairs. Clark Thompson. who
came to Mankato and met with the
members Of the local organization
old settlers at that meeting. who
indians were: =. P. Evans. L. c.
Harrington. Major Ben Smith. A. c.
barney. B. d. Pay, o. o. Pitcher
John r. Meagher, Daneil Buck. and
many others. Much to the surprise
OF the settlers as wen as the Indians
In May 1853 orders came from the
government for the removal of the
Indians. They were accordingly talk
steam i boat 70 Fort Smelling and a Il,
Or down the Mississippi and thence
fup the Missouri river to Fort Thomp
lson. Nebraska
MT. Pay stated that where the pros
ipsrous village Of st. Clair now stands
twas the sWinnebago agency or head
uerters, where the Indians receiv.
81 their annuties from the govern
p5ept- "They had q stockade built OF
Etogs, about the same as would be
Sheep where the Indians were herd
ed up on pay days. and as they re-
ceivsd their pay they were let 60.
said Mr.. Pay. Some Of the old gov
egpment buildings are still in use al
81, Clair.
Another Spot Of Interest.
Another spot Of interest along
the PerShing Way" said Mr. Pay" if
whore the James Faley store is To-
used to be three gnarled old oaks
there under which the Winnebagoes
used TO beat the tom tom. and used
TO- hod their pow-wow or Indian wal
dances. l remember driving past
{here many times In the early days
The ground was beaten down from
fhe dancing feet Of the savages az
smoothly as a tennis court, and the
grass did not grow on this site for a
great many years afterwards. One
Incident which comes back to me
- uoB tGdbI uClu III
which Eve dogs and seventeen cats
were roasted and eaten with great
rslish."
Mr.;Pay states that whore the trail
crosses the Little Cob River there is
a fine camping place. This is also
true Of where the trail crosses the LIE
6ueur river near Mankato. Here the
early settlers moving into this region
used to stop by ths way and cook
their meals while enroute to their
claims.
Mr. Pay would urge upon every
one living along the line Of the Per-
shfrx Way to mark the historical
spots.
ROCHESTER SEEKS MEETING.