Fort Downer.—The Western Kansas World, published at Wakeeney, says: "About 1863 Fort Downer, named from a captain in the United States army, was established, giving the name to the stream (Downer's creek). Here in 1866 occurred the Fort Downer massacre, in which all but one man were killed. Here Custer was encamped, and from this point and Fort Hays made several raids upon the wary red-skins."
The fort was located on the Smoky Hill route, 50 miles west of Fort Hays and 182 miles from Fort Riley. It was an eating station on the Butterfield Overland Despatch line until the buildings were burned in 1867, and on May 28, 1868, the fort was abandoned.
Page 660 from volume I of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar. Transcribed May 2002 by Carolyn Ward.
TITLE PAGE / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
INTRODUCTION
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I
VOLUME II
TITLE PAGE / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
J | K | L | Mc | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
VOLUME III
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES
