From the collections at the Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum. Reprinted with permission from The Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum and the Leavenworth Times. Donated by Debra Graden.

The name of Salt creek dates back to a very early day. It was so named because of salt licks along its bank, where deer and other wild animals came to lick the salt.

Stranger creek was called by the Kansas Indians, O-keet-sha, meaning stranger. The early French, called it La Femma de L' Tranger, meaning Stranger's Wife, but for what reason is not known. Lewis and clark called it by the latter name a century and a half ago. The Delaware Indiansa called it Mah-ha-han-nake, meaning "wandering aimlessly about," of the equivalent of "lost," in English.

Father Roux, a Catholic missionary, made frequent visits to the Kickapoo Indians, where Kickapoo now stands, in 1933-34.

Po-na-kah-ko-wha, or Fall Leaf, was a noted Delaware Indian who lived in what is now Leavenworth county. He was a guide for Fremont's expedition in 1849, and is credited with haveing been the original dicoverer of the gold which started the gold rush to Colorado in 1859. The village of Fall Leaf (now Fall,) and Fall creek were named for him.

Col. Henry Dodge, commandant at Fort Leavenworth, 1834-'36; Col. Stephen W. Kearney, 1836'41-'43; Liaut. Co. E. V. Sumner, 1848 and later.

Major Robert Wilson opened a trading house in Salt Creek Valley in 1844. He sold out to Major M. P. Rively in 1852, and became sutler at Fort Riley.

Henry, son of Adam Dietz, soldier and musician, was born at Fort Leavenworth, June 23, 1945.

Martin, son of Rev. Hawthorne Brooks Blucher, was born at Kickapoo, June 9, 1848.

Major Wm. F. Dyer settled at Kickapoo, as an Indian trader, in 1845.

Gen. Stephen w. Kearney's expidtion to Santa Fe, started from Fort Leavenworth in 1846.

Francis Parkman, distinguished traveler and historian, arrived at Fort Leavenworth on his famous "Oregaon and California Trail" trip, in 1846.

Gen. Jeseph Lane's expedition to Oregon, started from Fort Leavenworth in 1848.

Capt. Howard Stansbury's Salt Lake expedition left the fort in 1849.

Col. John C. Freemont, the "Pathfinder," started with his famous expedition from here in 1849.

One of the greatest marches in history, that of Col. Alexander Doniphan of Mexican War fame, started from the fort in 1846.

Col. Henry Dodge, with his command, marched from Fort Leavenworth to Pike's Peak and return in 1845.

Rev. Joel Grover arrived at Kickapoo as a Methodist missionary to the Kickapoo Indians, in 1851.

The military road from Fort Leavenworth to Forts Kearney and Laramie, laid out by Col. E. A. Ogden, in 1850.

Big Woman's creek, named for a Delaware Indian chief, during the '30s.

Diablo Hills, now the site of Jarbalo, named for Col. Alexander Doniphan's expedition in 1846, because of their roughness. Diablo is Spanish for "devil," and the name was later corrupted into the present name of Jarbalo.

Wolf creek, named for the Wolf clan of the Delaware Indians, in the '30s. At one time it was called Os-sen-see-poo, meaning Rock river. the name of Ne-cor-o-con-he creek is a corruption of Ne-quon-he-quon, the name of the last chief by blood, of the Delawares. Turkey creek was named for White Turkey, a Delaware chief. Wild Horse creek was called by the Delawares, Os-sen-see-poo, probably meaning wild-horse.