By Don Wimpelberg, Editor

On September 10 the Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh culminated months and hundreds of hours of work with a dedication ceremony of the Oregon Trail Triangle Park at the entrance to Tecumseh.  It was a beautiful day and Ken Ertl, President of the club, was the Master of Ceremonies. 

The dedication started at 11:30 AM with a flag ceremony led by Boy Scout Troop 18.  Everyone sang America the Beautiful followed by an invocation by Bob Pollom.  A special address was given by Jim Bradley, a member of the Oregon-California Trails Association.  The association provided a lot of help in making the activities of September 10 a great day.  The whole afternoon from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. was filled with exciting exhibits, activities, and people dressed in the 1800’s time period. 

Exhibits included a frontier medicine man, sourdough bread maker, campfire cooking demonstrations, a blacksmith, a plains explorer, a quilt display, and a children’s activity table.  The activities included buggy rides, covered wagon rides, a bluegrass band concert, and a square dance demonstration.  In the park is an Oregon Trail marker placed there in July 1923 at the first dedication ceremony.  One of the fund raisers is the selling of a brick for $40.  The brick can be inscribed with a name to honor someone or in memory of someone.  To date 172 bricks have been sold.  The bricks are laid in a circular pattern around the flag pole. 

Water has been provided to the park so that the landscaping and grass can be maintained.  Numerous corporate and individual sponsors helped to make the park a reality.  If you are ever in the area I encourage you to stop by and see this beautiful park and place of history.  The park is located about a half mile north on Tecumseh Rd at the intersection of Tecumseh Road and Highway 40, just east of Topeka.  The maintenance of the park will be a continuing project of the club.  Thanks to the members of the Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh for a job well done. 

I invite everyone to visit the Oregon Trail Triangle Park in Tecumseh and the Kiwanis Park in Pittsburg.  Two great projects by two great clubs.