The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers planned, designed, constructed, and today manages Wilson Lake, located in central Kansas. The Corps of Engineers is authorized to operate Wilson Dam and Lake to provide flood damage reduction, recreation, fish and wildlife management, downstream water quality improvement.
The employees at Wilson Lake take pride in knowing that the people who visit Wilson Lake enjoy the clean water and relaxing surroundings. Here at Wilson Lake we take pride in what we do.
The Corps of Engineers team at Wilson Lake includes people with knowledge and skills in many different areas. Professions represented on the staff include:
- Parks & Recreation
- Natural Resource Management
- Facility Maintenance
- Heavy/Emergency Equipment Operation
The Corps manages 9,000 surface acres of water and an additional 13,000 acres of land surrounding Wilson Lake. The staff conducts dam safety inspection and maintains the dam and outlet works. Corps employees make water release changes to the Saline River in coordination with the Kansas City Water District Control Section.
Wilson Lake has three recreation areas that are managed and maintained by the Corps of Engineers. Sylvan Park, Lucas Park, and Minooka Park These parks contain level campsites, many with electrical hookups, picnic tables and fire rings. Shower buildings, sanitary dump stations, playgrounds, and drinking water are located in most parks as well.
Many of the maintenance activities are contracted to the private sector. Mowing, trash removal, fee collection, facility cleaning and painting are just a few of the activities that are performed by private contractors for the Corps.
Some other activities performed by the Corps of Engineers here at Wilson Lake include public relations, visitor assistance, wildlife food plot management, tree planting, park patrol and park maintenance.
USACE Pass Information
USACE Annual Pass = $40. Pass holders receive free entrance to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-operated sites nationwide that charge day use fees. The pass may not be used at areas operated by other agencies even if those areas may be located on USACE-owned property. Camping fees are not included. Pass valid for one year. Valid through month and year shown on the pass. Sold only at USACE projects, please call ahead to ensure the office is open to the public.
Federal Interagency Pass Information
Approximately 240 USACE recreation projects nationwide began issuing America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Passes on Jan. 1, 2016. These include:
1) Interagency Senior Pass, $80, valid for lifetime of the pass owner and available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 62 or older.
2) Interagency Senior Annual Pass $20, valid one year from month of purchase, available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 or older, the Senior Annual Pass can be upgraded to the Lifetime Senior Pass by exchanging four previously purchased Senior Annual Passes or paying the difference between the purchase of one to three Senior Annual Passes to equal the value of the Senior Lifetime Pass, $80.
3) Access Pass, free for lifetime with documentation of permanent disability for U.S. citizens or permanent residents. *Documentation required.
4) Interagency Annual Pass, $80, anyone can purchase this pass.
5) Interagency Military Pass, free to current U.S. military members and their dependents. *Documentation required.
6) Interagency Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass, free to current 4th grade students with valid Every Kid in a Park voucher (visit: https://everykidoutdoors.gov/ for details).
7) Interagency Volunteer Pass, earned with 250-plus hours of volunteer service on public lands.
8) Interagency Military Lifetime Pass, free to gold star families and veterans. *Documentation required.
These passes allow their holders free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by USACE. Senior and Access America the Beautiful passes also provide holders a 50 percent discount on campsites at USACE-managed campgrounds. Additionally, USACE will continue to sell its own annual day use pass for $40, which allows visitors free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by USACE.
All America the Beautiful passes can be purchased online at http://store.usgs.gov/. There is an additional $10 processing fee for online purchases. They can also be obtained in person at many locations which can be found at https://www.nps.gov/ Please call ahead to ensure the office is open to the public and to ensure pass availability.
The objective of natural resource management at Wilson Lake is to fully consider the recreation and resource potential that may be afforded on project property and to capitalize on that potential for the benefit and enjoyment of the public and wildlife on a sustained basis. The following are the primary goals of our natural resource management program at Wilson Lake:
- Provide an economical and quality program that will afford the public with a diversity of recreational opportunities in harmony with the wise use of the natural resources.
- Implement sound planning, development, and management strategies that optimize the use of available resources while limiting adverse environmental impacts and operation costs.
- Develop the project lands for the purpose of protecting the natural resources and to enhance their qualities.
- Protect the soil and natural resources base by limiting encroachment and vehicular access, while promoting the establishment of native grasses.
- Solicit input from shareholders to facilitate effective natural resource management objectives.
- Monitor and analyze the effects of natural resource management objectives.
Over 400 years ago Spaniards led by Coronado were the first White Men to explore this area. They entered Kansas along the southern border where Clark County is now located, moving to Dodge City then to Great Bend and on Northeast. They found this area to be the home of the Pawnee Indians, also known as the Quiviras. Farther to the West roamed the Comanches. The Pawnees, according to tradition were of Southern origin. They roamed over the entire area from the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains. Many of the Native American Indian writings were to be found in the area of hills surrounding Lake Wilson. The Pawnees were very capable in their imitation of animals. In ancient times they had no horses and hunted on foot. They used arrowheads made of flint or deer antler.
Otoe Park was named for the Otoe Indians that occupied this area. Minooka Park was named for the Otoe Indian word Mi-Nook-A, meaning “Good Earth.”
Vast herds of bison and pronghorn once roamed this flowing mixed-grass prairie, where precipitation ranges between 20-30 inches a year. (This was hunting grounds for the Cheyenne and the Pawnee.) Coronado (1541), Bourgmont (1724), Pike (1806), Jedediah Smith (1824), and Fremont (1843) explored these hills, and the first permanent settlers arrived in 1855. The Smoky Hills are comprised of three upland regions of Cretaceous age: the Niobrara Chalk, Greenhorn Limestone (Post Rock), and the Dakota Sandstone regions.
Pawnee Trail travelers: Pedro de Villasur 1720, Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont 1724, Mallet Brothers 1739, Zebulon Pike 1806, David Meriwether 1820, Charles Augustus Murray 1835, and John C. Freemont 1842-1853.
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and retinue of 30 men were the first Europeans to see central Kansas in the 1500’s. He found literally an ocean of grass, with springs and seeps that fed the rivers. On the journey in search of the mythical seven cities of gold Coronado found many small tribal groups who had no permanent homes, but lived by following the migrating bison and elk herds. They had conical skin tepees, bows and arrows, leather clothing and they used large dogs as burden animals. They were nomadic hunter/gatherers of many different tribal ancestries.
As the Spanish developed the south (old Mexico territory) they introduced horses. It is believed that the horses in some cases formed wild bands and spread rapidly northward, but Native Americans of the south were led to believe horses were “man-eaters” and were feared. They later turned to raiding the Spanish for their horses, at first as an easy source of food. In a lesser part horses were introduced in the colonial east from the English and from the French in Canada in years to come. Hundreds of nomadic tribes eventually evolved to customized horseback and horses were stolen from one Indian group to another across the plains, which was faster than Anglos could document. Pawnee tribes of Nebraska and Kansas began taking Apache slaves to trade with the French of the north. The Pawnees so hated the Apaches that captive women and children were often eaten!
All of the different tribal groups rapidly formed an entirely different culture, dependent on the horse and bison. Game was plentiful, but the problem along the Saline River Valley was increased battle skirmishes caused by so many tribes crowded in the area. Smallpox and measles from the European Spaniards of Mexico destroyed the Plains tribes more viciously than armed conflict. It was a period of glory before doom: the doom of disease, and the doom of ‘Manifest Destiny’ which stated that God had given Europeans a destiny to civilize North America by seizing the land and destroying native peoples. Petroglyphs of the Saline River Valley are the only remains of that capture the romance of the history of the horse, buffalo, Indians, and their predecessors. They silently depict the environment of the hunt, the raid, the freedom, the beauty, and the spirituality of their creators.
(1991 National Park Service Study, Senator Dole’s effort to create KS’s first Nat. Rec. Area)
One petroglyph site at Wilson Lake has “autographs” of notable persons such as William Cody, Wild Bill Hickock, and Frank and Jesse James. These signatures were noted as early as the 1947 report. Current speculation is that they are forgeries. Blakeslee of Wichita State University’s 1986 study reported that this site is now underwater.
The earliest contacts between Native Americans and European Americans around the Wilson Lake area were contacts with fur trappers and explorers. The explorers traversing this area were seeking routes to Spanish/Mexican territories near Santa Fe. For example, it appears that Zebulon Pike crossed the Saline River twice in 1806 as he searched for the headwaters of the Arkansas River. (In his 1986 archeological survey of Wilson Lake, Donald Blakeslee refers to evidence that suggests that Pike and his company, while following the Pawnee Trail, crossed the Saline River at the spot where the dam is now located.) The Pawnee Trail was an important early route to the southwest. Ultimately, however, the trail to Santa Fe, one of the most important routes of commerce, was located well south of present day Wilson Lake.
Rock-filled burial mounds date to between AD 1 and AD 900. The Kansas State Archeologist, Thomass Witty, who was the principal investigator of a 1960 study of the area, identified a rock shelter that he believed was used by several successive groups. Many of the small caves in the area contain evidence of use during prehistoric times, though that evidence suggests that most of the caves were used only occasionally and for very short periods (Blakeslee, 1986). “Circle Rock,” has been included on the National Register of Historic Places as part of a thematic Rock Art nomination. This nomination, which includes 30 sites in nine counties, was determined to be of “national significance” by the State Historic Preservation Officer. However, Circle Rock was one of five sites in that nomination that were rated “poor” in quality, having suffered damage from the waters of Wilson Lake and from vandalism. In his book, Kansas Rock Art, Brian O’Neill states that Circle Rock has been partially submerged by the waters of Wilson Lake.
Significance: While not common throughout the state, the majority of petroglyph sites are located in the Smoky Hills, due to the geology of the region. Petroglyphs from Early Ceramic (AD 1 – 900) and Middle Ceramic (AD 900 – 1500)
In his report, Along the Pawnee Trail: Cultural Resource Survey of Wilson Lake, Kansas, Donald Blakslee states, “Before the opening of the Santa Fe Trail in 1821, the most important route across the Plains to the Southwest followed a different course. There was an Indian trail that led from the Grand Island on the Platte River in Nebraska along a southwesterly course to the Great Bend of the Arkansas River.” Blakeslee identifies this trail as the Pawnee Trail and documents its existence by relating the stories of the explorers and traders who used it from 1739 to 1853. He then stated “it is now possible to trace the route accurately and to document that the Pike expedition crossed the Saline River near present day Wilson Dam in 1806 while on their search for the headwaters of the Arkansas River.
European American settlers began moving into the region soon after Kansas became a territory. In the 1860’s the Homestead Act was formed to increase westward expansion by offering tracts of free land in return for settlement. In the 1870’s, railroads reached the area and large numbers of immigrants from Europe began to arrive. Large colonies of Germans and Bohemians settled in the area around what is now Wilson Lake. The town of Wilson later became known as the Czech capitol of Kansas.
The settlers changed the landscape, converting prairie to pasture and croplands. The landscape also necessitated adaptations on the part of the settlers. On the nearly treeless prairie, alternate sources of building materials were needed. The local solution was to use the abundant and easily quarried limestone to build homes, schools, businesses, and fence posts. Because of its wide spread use as fence posts, the rock became known as post rock, and has become a symbol for the region around Wilson Lake.
Mixed Grass Prairie
Native grasslands of the Great Plains are generally classified as short grass, tall grass, or mixed grass prairies. In the early 1800’s, prior to westward expansion, the midwest and western states contained millions of acres of all three types of prairie. Today, only a small percentage of those acres remain ecologically intact. The lowland valley area on the west end of the lake on KDWPT lease contains a substantial number of concentration of native grass and forb species that constitute the mixed grass prairie. These species include Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Blue Gramma, Buffalo Grass, and Sideoats Gramma. This is an important prairie resource for the state of Kansas.
Rocktown Natural Area
Rocktown Natural Area is a 305 acre site located on the western boundary of Lucas Park. In August, 1986 it was designated a Natural and Scientific Area by the Kansas Biological Survey. Although the most obvious feature of Rocktown is the 15-30 foot high sandstone pillars that dominate the landscape, it is the unusual mix of prairie plant species associated with the shallow, sandy soils of the Sandhills that paramount natural significance. The soils in the area are not typical of this region of Kansas. Dakota sandstone and limestone outcrops are common. Plant species of interest include Fremont’s clematis, Fremont evening primrose, shortstem spiderwort, blue funnel lily, Buckley’s penstemon, fameflower, prairie sandreed, and Maryland senna. Although of interest, these species are not sufficiently rare or unusual enough to require monitoring by the Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory. Rocktown is, however, a significant state resource.
Fossil Resources
The Dakota Sandstone is an extensive geologic formation found throughout the Great Plains region. A once vast, warm shallow sea that covered much of Kansas contributed to the creation of the rolling hills and deposited plant/seashore materials and creatures creating the sandstone, limestone, and fossils it left behind. At Wilson Lake the sandstone formation is exposed in several areas. These exposures have proved to be excellent sources of fossil material dating back to the Cretaceous era, approximately 80 million years ago. The most notable areas for fossil remains within the project area are along Southshore Drive, near the dam spillway and north of Bunker Hill.
Fossils represented at Wilson Lake include a variety of plant material and large ammonites. The fossil plant material is associated with nodules from the Dakota Sandstone formation. Although these nodules were once abundant on the surface of the ground, pilfering over the years has greatly diminished their number. Ammonites, extinct relatives of octopi and squid, are flat, spiral fossil shells of cephalopods, which were especially abundant in the Mesozoic age. Neither the nodules with the associated plant fossils, nor the ammonites are particularly rare or unusual. Both are relatively common throughout the extensive area of the Great Plains region.
Many ancient sharks teeth have been found. One dinosaur fossil belonging to a Silvisaur (closely related to the Ankylosaur), was discovered at Wilson Lake in 1988. The fossil was found near the middle of the lake on land SE area of the Lucas Park area, which is exposed when the water is at a relatively low level. (Dr. Michael Nelson FHSU, personal communication). Sternberg Museum believed the dinosaur died at the shoreline of the once warm shallow sea and bloated and floated to its 1988 location b/c dinosaurs were only present during the time frame that this area was under sea. They found a mold of a sacrum vertebrae. Minerals collected around the vertebrae and over time the bone deteriorated and left the mold that was cast.
Rock art, known as petroglyphs, remain as the last pictorial evidence of the tribal lifestyles of Native Americans that ventured the wild frontier of the Saline River Valley. The vast amount of Dakota Sandstone boulders and cliffs in this historic region served as an ancestral drawing board to scratch, peck, and chisel their way of life.
These American Indian sketches have depicted materialistic ornaments, buffalo headdresses and feathers, and weapons of spears and bow and arrow. The petroglyphs show explicit detail to astronomy and god-like figures that influenced the warriors and chiefs to lead their people by defending invading tribes and harvesting wild game like bison, elk, and turkey. Most petroglyph locations were along wild game trails and water sources near springs. Occasionally their incisions depicted the times of fertility among females and exaggerated depictions of genitals among the males.
The Native Americans of this region made their first contact with Europeans in the 1500’s. The Spanish Conquistador’s explorations led by Coronado were depicted by Indian rock art by the introduction of decorated horse and mule into tribal lifestyle.
The timeline of petroglyphs left behind are the only remaining evidence of the romance of the story of nomadic mankind, American Indians, and the European immigrants to come. Some petroglyphs have stood the test of time, but most have become vandalized beyond recognition. Diamonds and gold are no comparison to the wealth of history they have created. Take only pictures, and leave only footprints!
The miles of stone fenceposts in this area are a tribute to the ingenuity of early settlers who solved their fencing problems on treeless plains by quarrying rock to use as posts. These stone posts have become a trademark of the Land of the Post Rock located in north-central Kansas.
The stone used for posts and homestead buildings was quarried from a rock layer found near the surface. This rock is a chalky limestone of rather uniform thickness, 8-9 inches. When freshly quarried, it is soft enough to be sawed, notched, drilled, or shaped with hand tools. After prolonged exposure to air, it hardens and becomes weather resistant.
The communities surrounding the lake have many interesting buildings constructed of stoneposts quarried in the area. One-room schoolhouses, churches, homes, barns, businesses, jails, and bridges may still be found standing as a tribute to the early settlers of the area.
Various geological formations found in stone post country may be seen in road cuts north and south of Wilson Lake. The Dakota sandstone rocks contain ancient flood plain material and ancient seashore deposits. Impressions of ancient plant life have been located in the Dakota formation. The overlying Graneros shale is dark gray due to the combination of ancient plant materials and iron sulfide minerals. Gypsum crystals may be found in this formation. The next formation is Greenhorn limestone which includes the Fencepost bed. The lowest formation is the Carlishle shale.
Post Rock Scenic Byway Video
Wilson, Kansas - Czech Capital of Kansas
European American settlers began moving into the region soon after Kansas became a territory. In the 1860’s the Homestead Act was formed to increase westward expansion by offering tracts of free land in return for settlement. In the 1870’s, railroads reached the area and large numbers of immigrants from Europe began to arrive. Large numbers of immigrants from Czechoslovakia in the 1870's came to work on the railroad and gave the area a unique culture. Francis Swehla was the first Bohemian homesteader in 1874 and was instrumental in bringing more Czech settlers here which eventually lead to the Charter naming Wilson the "Czech Capital of Kansas" in 1974.
Just 6 miles south of beautiful Lake Wilson, Wilson not only offers camping supplies and dinner when the fish aren’t biting, but also offers unique amenities not found in other small towns.
Boasting a lodge, a bed and breakfast, and a turn-of-the-century hotel, Wilson is pleased to share its Czech heritage. Wilson’s restaurants offer a variety of menu selections for the most discriminating palette. Bowling, skating and a full service liquor store are also available.
Unique stone buildings include the round post rock jail and the Midland Hotel where “Paper Moon” was filmed in 1973. The renovated hotel now includes a restaurant and lounge.
Shoppers will find prize winning meats, sausages and ethnic foods sold in the stores that boast second and third generations of expertise as well as assortments of arts and crafts, antiques, sculptures, ceramics, batik and kraslice eggs.
Wilson celebrates its heritage with the annual After Harvest - Czech Festival the last weekend of July. The Czech Festival is celebrated with a parade, arts and crafts, cultural displays, ethnic foods, and dances appealing to all ages. For more information on the event please visit https://www.wilsonks.com/ or http://www.wilsonkansas.com/.
Russell County, Kansas
Russell and Russell County was founded in 1871 as families migrated to Fossil Station, a water stop on the Union Pacific Railroad.
History buffs will want to check out the four museums in the county. Learn about the discovery of oil at the Oil Patch Museum, or find out more about Russell County through displays from the 1860’s to current times at the Fossil Station Museum. See the photo collection of Leslie W. Halbe and learn more about early day Dorrance. The Bunker Hill Museum, housed in an early day church, contains many artifacts of historic life in Bunker Hill. While in Bunker Hill stop and see the first county jail.
Travel north to Luray and visit the first log cabin in the County, located in the park. Luray is also home to a challenging, hilly, nine hole golf course.
Perhaps your tastes are more artistic? Visit the Deines Cultural Art Center in Russell or the Grassroots Art Center in Lucas. Stone constructions of interest include the Gernon House in Russell and the limestone water tower in Paradise.
Perhaps one of the best examples of grassroots art is the Garden of Eden in Lucas. S.P. Dinsmoor, a retired schoolteacher, Civil War veteran, farmer, and Populist politician began his artistic creations and construction of the Cabin Home in 1907at the age of 64. The yard holds over 150 concrete statues that depict Political and Biblical stories. Mr. Dinsmoor’s body is buried in the backyard, in his 40’ high stone mausoleum for all to view.
The Post Rock Scenic Byway, one of the prettiest drives in the state, runs the 16-mile stretch along highway 232 from I-70 to K-18 near Lucas. Driving along the byway you can see for miles from the top of the Smoky Hills and experience the natural beauty of the Saline River Valley. Imagine Native Americans scanning the horizon from horseback or immigrants in coveredwagons traversing the area for the first time to be greeted by a sea of rolling prairie.
There are more than twenty restaurants, six motels and five bed & breakfasts. For more specific information call the Convention & Visitors Bureau. Come explore Russell County!