By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
LARNED — Traveling through five states, the Santa Fe Trail was one of America's first interstate commercial highways in the early and mid-1800s. Traversing all of Kansas with final destinations in Santa Fe, New Mexico, or Independence, Mo., the trail passed through modern-day Fort Zarah and Fort Larned. Two hundred years later, the Santa Fe Trail Museum will feature a traveling exhibit about the importance of the trail.
"It was developed by the Santa Fe Trail Association in recognition for the bicentennial of the opening of the Santa Fe Trail," said Museum Director Seth McFarland. "It's traveling to different locations along the Santa Fe Trail, and we were fortunate enough to get it for this spring."
The timeline is 20 feet long, eight feet high, and features more than 150 significant places, people, and events along the trail, including brief commentary for each item. The display will be available at the Santa Fe Trail Museum from January through March, and features local history.
"It does feature the entire trail and points of interest along the trail," McFarland said. "Pawnee Rock and Fort Larned are both featured on there."
The timeline is part of a paid admission at the Santa Fe Trail Museum, located just west of Larned on K-156 Highway.