Cycling Through Time: A Twenty-Six Mile Gravel Tour of Historic Sites
In Southwest Clay County & Fairfield’s Triple F Festival
Tour starts in Fairfield, Nebraska at 1:00 PM on August 19th at the Fairfield Opera House Brewery and Grill during Fairfield’s annual Triple F Festival. There will be two fixed SAG stations, one roving SAG vehicle, and two portable toilets. There will be a $35 fee per rider. Registration and fee collection will take place at the Fairfield Opera House Brewery & Grill in Fairfield starting at 11:00 am. Please send name and number of riders in advance to lnejez@windstream.net. (First letter in email address is an L.)
See on-line map at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42216938
Tour heads West out of Fairfield, then turns South 5 miles to the Little Blue River for stop # 1.
Stop # 1. Site of Liberty Farm (1857-1880s), Pony Express Station (1860-61), Oregon Trail stopover ( 1843-90), Overland Stage Co. stopover (1858-61), and the Hubble Mill and Power Company (1910).
From stop #1, head South across the Little Blue River, through Deweese, and West 3 miles to St. Martins Church
Stop # 2. St. Martin’s was a rural Catholic church built in 1909 to serve the early Czech farming community. It is often referred to as Louchky, a Czech word meaning “meadows” and the actual name of its cemetery. It is on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. The Church will be open for tours. (SAG station & Portable Toilet)
From stop #2, head West 2 ¼ miles, then North 3 miles to the Spring Ranch Cemetery.
Stop #3. The Spring Ranch Cemetery was established in 1880 and is most notably known as the resting place of Elizabeth Taylor and Tom Jones. Sister and brother, they were distrusted by local-residents and were suspected of various misdeeds. When one of Elizabeth’s sons shot and killed someone chopping wood on their timber land, a group of vigilantes decided to take justice into their own hands and, in March 1885, lynched Elizabeth and Tom on a local bridge over the Little Blue River. None of the vigilantes were ever convicted. Someone will be there to relate the story and answer questions. (SAG Station & Portable Toilet)
From stop #3, cross the Little Blue River, then East 1 mile crossing Pawnee Creek, then,
South 200 yards.
Stop # 4. Oregon Trail Marker and Grave of Francis Huff, who became ill and died in1860 on his way back to Missouri from the Pikes Peak gold fields. Huff’s story is told on a bronze plaque placed there by the Oregon and California Trails Commemorative Association.
From Stop #4, South 100 yards, then East 1 mile, then South 1 mile across the Little Blue River, then East across the River to stop #5.
Stop # 5. Fort Riley and Oregon Trail Junction. The Fort Riley Trail came from Fort Riley Kansas to the Oregon Trail, then to Fort Kearney as a supply route to Fort Kearney. In the pasture, ½ mile South from the stop, is the maker where the trails met.
From stop # 5, zigzag North and East 7 miles back to Fairfield.
Back in Fairfield you will find refreshments, food, and a cordoned off street where the Victory Underground band will be playing for an evening street dance.