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Welcome to the Parker Area Historical Society! |
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The Cherokee trail was named for groups of Cherokee Indians who used it during their trek from
Oklahoma, to the goldfields in California in 1849 and 1850. The Cherokee trail did not originate
then, as parts of it had been used for years by various Indian tribes in their migrations, by trappers
and traders, and various military expeditions. Over time parts of it were known by various other
names, such as The Trappers Trail, The Territorial Road, and the Smoky Hill South Trail. In later years, the trail was used by stage lines such as Barlow & Sanderson´s Stage & Express Line, A. Jacobs and Company, and the Butterfield Overland Dispatch Company. The trail ran from Bent´s old fort in Southern Colorado, and Fort Bridger in Western Wyoming.
In 1865 a new branch of the Smoky Hill Trail, from Lake, (just East of Limon Colorado), to Denver was surveyed for the Butterfield Overland Dispatch Company Line. It was to go into operation that same year between Denver and the Missouri River. The branch passed North of today´s Elizabeth Colorado to Hill Top, (later Changed to Hilltop), then North and Northwest where it
intersected the Cherokee Trail about, first, Pine Grove, then later at Parker´s 20 Mile House. From
there it followed Cherry Creek towards the 17, 12, 9, and 4 Mile Houses on into Denver. This branch became known as the Smoky Hill South Trail. It offered far better wood and water supplies along the trail than the Middle Smoky Trail it replaced. The coming of the Railroads spelled the end of it´s use for interstate commerce, but it was used locally for many more years.
In 1986 the Smoky Hill Trail Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American
Revolution placed this marker in its original location at the triangle formed by the intersection of
Hilltop Road and Flintwood Road at Hilltop. In 1997 the marker had to be relocated due to new
road construction and it was relocated in time tot the 20 Mile House site about 1998.
Information used in this update taken from The Smoky Hill Trail by Margaret Long, The
Cherokee Trail by Lee Whiteley, and The Guide Book to Historic Sites in the Parker Area by
F.B McLaughlin.
Updated by Larry T. Smith in January 2009.
Location: From Mainstreet and Parker Road, drive West on Mainstreet .15 miles. The Cherokee Trail marker and the Smoky Hill Trail South marker are on the North side of Mainstreet.
Site created by Alex Hernandez, Alvie Sellmer, & James Vallejos 2009