Pike Monument

Location:  From Delphos, go 4 miles West to North 52nd Road, turn South 1 mile, then west to the top of the hill.   The hill is known locally as Boyer Hill, and is the highest point in the immediate area.

Nearest Town:  Delphos

Fee:  None

All photos are copyright H. J. Schuster, 2000.   Please do not use without permission.

On a hill overlooking the Solomon  River Valley, stands a monument to the explorer Zebulon Pike.  Pike passed by this way in route to the Pawnee Indians who inhabited the area north of here near what is today the Kansas-Nebraska border.  Pike eventually made contact with the tribe, and won their allegiance to the United States.  The year was 1806, and this was newly acquired territory for the young republic.  Contact with the Pawnee was part of Pike's broader mission to explore this area, and report his findings back to Washington.  From here, Pike would continue west, branding the area of Southwest Kansas the "Great American Desert", an unfortunate and inaccurate description of the area which has persisted to this day.  Eventually, Pike would make his way into what is present-day Colorado, where one of that state's 14,000 foot peaks bears his name.

During his explorations further south and west, he and his party were arrested and briefly detained by the Mexican Authorities.   Pike was eventually released, and returned to active military service.  He was killed during fighting in the War of 1812 .  His explorations in Kansas and the area would have long reaching impact.  Soon, traders would follow a route to Mexico, using his maps and descriptions as guidance.  Their route would become the famous Santa Fe Trail.  Also in his foot steps would follow the pioneers who persisted and eventually made the "Great American Desert" bloom.

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