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First, of course, this land emerged from the
seas; and for eons upon eons was ruled by
different organisms from giant reptiles to
woolly mammoths. Closer to our time, the
dominant, non-human plains animal was this
fellow -- the American Bison. |
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Sharing the plains
with the bison were the various tribes of
indigenous peoples. They used the trails that
animals had made in their wanderings from food
to water for that same purpose, but also to
interact with other tribes. |
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The first Europeans to trample the Kansas plains
were Spaniards led by Coronado searching for
gold. The French trappers ventured onto the
plains as well. In the 19th century wagon trains
became common sights, and came to dominate
plains travel for several decades. |
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The 19th century
also saw the rapid rise of the railroad, which
dominated travel across the plains well into the
mid-20th century. The railroad was elbowed out
of dominance by highway transportation, which
dominates until the present time. |
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In the latter half of the 20th century a
movement grew to adapt unused rail corridors as
multi-use trails leading to the National
Rails-to-Trails Act. The bicyclist rides on the
former Missouri-Pacific Railway in Shawnee
County, Kansas. |
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Rail-trails were
just a part of the increasing interest in linear
parks and trails as desirable community assets.
This couple strolls on a trail on a river levee
in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas. |
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