Commission will hold easement for trail marker
Plans continue to progress for making a Santa Fe Trail historical marker near Lost Springs a tourist attraction.
Steve Schmidt, president of Cottonwood Crossing Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association, asked Marion County Commission July 31 to consider an agreement with the property owners near Lost Springs regarding the development of the property for historical designation.
Previously the commission was asked to maintain the easement record of the property.
Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman suggested the county consider maintaining the easement document with the association and property owners having a separate agreement that addressed concerns about the use and upkeep.
The easement is for access for a kiosk with information about the historical site.
The landowner will erect a fence and the association and the Kansas Parks Services will do the other work.
Commission chairman Randy Dallke said the county could be responsible for a culvert and road, approximately 200-feet-by-60-feet.
The local chapter would be responsible for the upkeep.
"This could bring in a lot of buses," Huffman said.
She continued that the state tourism department was working on a historic byway with this site being a part of the attraction.
Schmidt said McPherson Tourism and Convention Bureau send tourists interested in the Santa Fe Trail to Marion County because the county has one of the more extensive trails.
An easement will be drawn and presented to the commission at a future meeting.
In other business:
— The commission appointed Clint Seibel of Hillsboro as the alternate member to represent Marion County on the SCKEDD (South Central Kansas Economic Development District) board.
