Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway
Exoduster History along the Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway

Departure: St. John, KS, Kansas
Destination: Hoisington, KS, Kansas
Time to allow: 1 day

"Kansas with her freedom and broad prairies, with the memories of John Brown and his heroic struggle, seems naturally the State to seek.” -- George T. Ruby, New Orleans Weekly Louisianian, April 26, 1879

The Great Exodus of 1879 was a mass movement of African Americans from the Southern United States to Kansas. The Kansas Exodus was the first general migration of African Americans following the Civil War. 20,000 freed slaves (known as Exodusters) flowed into Kansas between 1879 and 1880. John Brown and his fiery abolitionist friends combined with the anti-slavery Civil War reputation of “Bleeding Kansas” made it seem a fair place where freed men and women and their families would be welcome.

Spend a day on the Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway as you trace the Exoduster migration and settlement in Barton and Stafford Counties. Begin at the Martin Cemetery in Stafford County and end in Barton County at the Hoisington Cemetery. The tour will take you to local cemeteries, museums and memorials to experience the stories of Exodusters, Buffalo Soldiers and other Union Army veterans.

Exoduster tour brochures are available at the Historical Museums and Great Bend Convention & Visitor's Bureau. Download a copy of the Exoduster Brochure from the Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway website.

Day 1

  • Start: St. John, KS

    A large colony of “Exodusters” settled in St. John and Stafford County after a plea to the city from Kansas Governor John St. John (whose name the town had recently adopted in hope of becoming the county seat). Today St. John is a charming small town whose town square is surrounded by historic buildings.

  • Stop 1: Martin Cemetery

    From previous stop: 9 minutes / 5.3 mi (8.5 km)
    Directions:

    From downtown St. John, head south on N Broadway St toward E 2nd Ave. Turn left onto E 1st Ave and then turn right onto US-281. Follow US 281 for three miles and then turn right onto US-50. The Martin Cemetery will be on the right about a mile and a half down the road.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    Established in 1906 and last used in 1954, this small, serene cemetery on US Highway 50 is populated by Exodusters and their descendants. Freed slaves settled in this part of Kansas beginning in 1879. By 1914 the African American population of Stafford County was 425.

  • Stop 2: Stafford Cemetery

    From previous stop: 10 minutes / 9 mi (14.4 km)
    Directions:

    Drive east on US 50 toward Stafford for about nine miles. The Cemetery will be on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 25 minutes

    Nearly a century ago, J.R. Carmichael, a local stonecutter, carved a limestone stump as a Grand Army of the Republic (an association of Union veterans) memorial to Stafford's Civil War veterans. While visiting, seek out Carmichael's own headstone.

  • Stop 3: Stafford County Museum

    From previous stop: 5 minutes / 1.4 mi (2.2 km)
    Directions:

    Head east on US-50. Turn left onto S. Main St. The Stafford County Museum will be on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    At this stop, the story of Stafford County’s Exodusters is told through an exhibit, historic glass negative photos and the film “The Black Frontier.” The museum also has Civil War artifacts, an extensive genealogical library, and a self-guided area cemetery guide.

  • Stop 4: Eden Valley Cemetery

    From previous stop: 1 hour 59 minutes / 44.6 mi (71.4 km)
    Directions:

    Head north on Main St. and continue onto NE 80th Ave. Turn right on NE 70th St., which is where you'll begin following the byway. Drive east for about eight miles and then turn left and follow N Raymond Rd. for seven miles. Turn left onto W. 95th Ave. and continue west as it turns into NE 140th St. Turn right on NE 40th Ave./N Hudson Rd and head north. Turn left on NE 180th St and drive west for about six miles. The Eden Valley Cemetery will be on your right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    Many Exodusters and their descendants rest in peaceful Eden Valley Cemetery, including relatives of ground-breaking Harlem Renaissance filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux. Look for the headstones of Micheaux's grandmother, Melvina Micheaux and aunt Harriett Robinson. As you look at Samuel Gracey's stone, picture him leading his family out of slavery in a daring and dangerous late night escape to the free state of Kansas.

  • Stop 5: Barton County Historical Museum and Village

    From previous stop: 19 minutes / 11.5 mi (18.4 km)
    Directions:

    Head east on NW 180th St and continue for about two miles. Turn left onto US-281 and drive north for 9.5 miles. The Barton County Historical Museum and Village will be on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour 30 minutes

    Sitting on the banks of the Arkansas River and sheltered by huge cottonwoods, the Museum has everything from a quilt collection to a research library and archive (including Grand Army of the Republic records and ceremonial artifacts). The Village itself is a little slice of life on the prairie with a one-room schoolhouse, an early stone house and a railroad station. The Museum features an exhibit of "The Civil War and The Exodusters in Central Kansas."

  • Stop 6: Barton County Courthouse Square

    From previous stop: 2 minutes / 1 mi (1.6 km)
    Directions:

    Head north on US-281. The Courthouse is on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    Standing in the center of the town square, the Barton County Courthouse is a fine example of Modern Eclectic architecture. Designed by W.E. Hulse & Co., Hutchinson, KS, the building was completed in 1918 and boasts marble floors and stairways. "The Rifleman" monument stands guard on the north side of the courthouse to honor local veterans, both white and black, who fought for the cause of the Union in the Civil War. When you stand near this statue you are standing directly on the famous Santa Fe Trail.

  • Stop 7: Barton County Arts Council Gallery

    From previous stop: 1 minute / 0.05 mi (0.1 km)
    Directions:

    The Barton County Arts Council Gallery is located across the street from the Courthouse on the corner of Main St. and Forest Ave.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    This is Great Bend’s first stone building (ca 1872) and now houses a gallery and performance space in Great Bend’s vibrant downtown. The gallery hosts an exhibit recognizing the independent spirit of the Great Exodus of 1879, also known as the Exoduster Movement, and its influence on the Harlem Renaissance. The gallery also honors the memory and works of Oscar Micheaux, novelist, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and grandson of Exoduster families who settled in both Barton and Stafford Counties.

    Note: The gallery is only open Monday - Friday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, so plan accordingly.

  • Stop 8: Great Bend Cemetery

    From previous stop: 6 minutes / 2 mi (3.2 km)
    Directions:

    Head north on Main Street. Turn left on Broadway Avenue and drive for about two miles. The Great Bend Cemetery is on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    Your Cemetery Tour brochure will guide you through this cemetery where 12,000 people from all backgrounds and walks of life are buried. Veterans of the Civil War are honored at the Grand Army of the Republic Circle. The gravestone of George Washington and Catherine Walker, both born into slavery, is a monument to this educated, hardworking couple who became wealthy in Kansas. The Walkers had 12 children and farmed 480 acres in Stafford County. In 1938 they hit a 1600 barrel a day oil well on their homestead! Be sure to visit the resting place of ground-breaking African-American film maker Oscar Micheaux. A descendant of Exodusters, Micheaux is the only person buried in this cemetery who has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

  • Stop 9: Hoisington Cemetery

    From previous stop: 47 minutes / 28.7 mi (45.9 km)
    Directions:

    Head east on Broadway Ave and turn right onto Wilson St. Turn left onto KS-156/KS-96 and continue on KS-156 to meet up with the byway. Follow KS-156 and then turn left and head north on NE 100 Ave. Turn left onto KS-4 and follow for about ten miles into Hoisington. Turn left onto N. Cedar St. The entrance to the cemetery will be on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    Explore colorful African American history in Hoisington in the Hoisington Cemetery. The vibrant black population of South Hoisington, many of whom came to work on the railroad, were descendants of the Exodusters who homesteaded in Barton and Stafford Counties. You'll find charming folk-art headstones in this cemetery.

  • End: Hoisington, KS

    From previous stop: 4 minutes / 0.6 mi (1.0 km)
    Directions:

    Head south on Cedar Street. Turn right and head west on East 7th St. to Main St. (also US 281) and turn left on West 5th St. toward downtown.

    Hoisington sits in the midst of the Cheyenne Bottoms Basin. The mystery and abundance of these giant wetlands is reflected in what is deeply valued here - community, family, faith, hard work, and respect for the natural world. Take time to visit Cheyenne Bottoms, climb the observation tower, and reflect on the inspired and sometimes troubling stories you uncovered along the Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway. Then let yourself be immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the wetlands and you will know why so many chose to come to this place in Kansas and make better lives for themselves.

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 104.15 miles / 166.6 km
Total Travel Time: 3 hours 42 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 5 hours