The California, Oregon and Santa Fe National Historic Trails span 25 states and 25,000 miles, and they have an extensive history right here in Johnson County. Brown signs mark the places where these three trails crossed through our county, commemorating those who used them for passage and trade between the 1830s and 1860s. Emigrants used the Oregon and California National Historic Trails to find a better life in the west, while merchants established the Santa Fe Trail for commercial purposes. Beginning in Missouri, the trails wound west through Johnson County, splitting off into their three distinct routes. These trails have a legacy in our county – not only in the names of local streets, schools and parks, but also as history you can visit. At numerous locations in the county, you can stand in the exact spot pioneers pursuing a better life did centuries ago.
Source: Johnson County Kansas
