The Kanza's Independence Creek settlement was noted as the main village of the tribe as far back as 1673. By the time French explorer Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont arrived in 1724, it was considered an old village and the capital of the Kanza nation.

LEWIS & CLARK

When Lewis and Clark came down the Missouri River on their historic government-sponsored exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, they explored the Independence Creek area, home of the Kanza Tribe. Their famous landing there in 1804 occurred on July 4 -- Independence Day.

Ironically, both times the Lewis and Clark expedition visited the area (July 1804 and Sept. 1806), the Kanza would have been at their buffalo hunting grounds to the west. When the expedition came through here in 1804, Clark noted the size of the village and his questions about the village being empty in his journal.

INDEPENDENCE CREEK

Today, a recreated Kanza dwelling and a Lewis & Clark historic site are side by side near the point where Independence Creek flows into the Missouri River.

The historic Kanza dwelling was eclectic, using the most available building materials. Their early migration from the areas near the Great Lakes saw a change from primarily bark-covered lodges to those using sod as the primary covering. The recreated lodge at the Independence Creek site is one of these unique structures.

The Kanza lived in permanent villages, cultivated crops like beans, pumpkins, potatoes, melons and corn. Though fish, fowl and dog meat were important sources of food for the Kanza, they participated in the nomadic practices of other plains tribes. The entire tribe made two hunting trips to the hunting grounds each year, using buffalo and deer skins to construct tipis for shelter during the long expeditions to the high plains.

Hikers, cyclists and history buffs should all be interested in making the 10-mile round-trip trek to the Independence Creek area once inhabited by the people who gave their name to our state.

LEARN MORE AT THE ATCHISON COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The Kanza lodge and Lewis and Clark historic site are open year round. Dozens of Kanza artifacts are on display at the Atchison County Historical Society Museum, located in the historic Santa Fe Depot, 200 S. 10th Street in Atchison. Both the Kanza civilization and the Lewis and Clark expedition are detailed in informational materials at the museum and the Atchison Visitor Information Center.

Photos courtesy Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce