No one knows for certain just how many thousands of wagons journeyed along the Santa Fe Trail. The heavy cargo carriers often traveled three or more abreast, their wheels etching ruts that can still be seen on various sections of the Trail. Just north of Highway 50 and about three miles west of Deerfield lies Charlie’s Ruts, the site of several sets of parallel swales. This property, donated to the Kearny County Historical Society in 1984 by the late Paul Bentrup, is open to visitors. In fact, visitors are encouraged to walk in the time-smoothed tracks, and that is exactly what Bentrup hoped for when he deeded the property.
Walking in the ruts is a tradition established by Paul’s father and the site’s namesake, Charles Bentrup. When Charlie discovered the wagon swales on his land, he knew he not only wanted to preserve them but share them with the public. Before he died in 1956, Charlie made it known that he wanted the ruts to be made available to visitors for all time.
“That’s the way he wanted it, and that’s the way I want to keep it,” Paul said.
Paul was a faithful caretaker to the ruts and an avid promotor of the Santa Fe Trail. He kept a mailbox at the turnout for the ruts and kept it supplied with a variety of historical information and a notepad for people to sign. His car was always loaded with Trail information which he readily shared and used to recruit new members. In 1987, Paul was the first person recognized by the SFTA with an Ambassador Award. In 2015, he was posthumously inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame.
The Santa Fe Trail is just one of many historic routes which have been recognized by Congress as national historic trails. Physical traces or remnants of these trails such as wagon ruts, graves, inscriptions and campsites can be found on state lands, in nature preserves, in city parks, on ranches, and even in suburban back yards. Many of those important pieces of trail history have been publicly commemorated, protected and preserved through the National Park Service’s partnership certification program.
In the fall of 2018, Charlie’s Ruts joined the list of Santa Fe Trail certified sites when the Kearny County Historical Society and Kearny County Commissioners entered into a partnership certification agreement with the NPS. The KCHS retains all legal rights to Charlie’s Ruts and is eligible to receive technical assistance, protection and site development guidance, project funding and assistance, and recognition through the park service. A PCA was also entered into between the NPS, KCHS and Bob and Adrian Price who own the land where visitors park and gain access to the ruts.
Bob Price also serves on the historical society board and installed the National Park sign at the ruts last year. The KCHS and Lakin PRIDE also collaborated on the installation of a silhouette at the site featuring a conestoga wagon pulled by two oxen and led by a lone rider on horseback. Clif Gilleland brought the idea for the project to the KCHS on behalf of PRIDE, and generous donations from the community provided the funding. At the 2023 Santa Fe Trail Symposium held at Independence, MO, both organizations were recognized with the Hathaway/Gaines Memorial Heritage Preservation Award for their efforts in preserving Charlie’s Ruts.
Most recently, the kansastravel.org website added a new page devoted to Charlie’s Ruts. Information and pictures can be seen not only on their website but also on their Facebook page.
There’s no doubt that both Charlie and Paul Bentrup would be very pleased with the attention that the ruts have been receiving.
SOURCES: National Park Service; archives of the Lakin Independent and Wichita Eagle; kansastravel.org; Facebook; and Museum archives.