Country roads

[indygal]

Hi Y'all!

I just finished reading the thread about the James Hamilton property, its rock walls and where it was located south of town. Lots of country roads, especially hilly ones, in that discussion, but I thought the following was too far off topic to include there, so here it is instead.

It may seem odd to you have lived in the area many years, but the country roads in Southeast Kansas are vastly different from those in Illinois and Indiana, where I lived most of my life. You see, if you're driving through the country there, sooner or later (usually 15-20 minutes) you come across a major highway, or at least a main road that leads you back into town (or another town). Not so with Elk County roads (and I'm sure other KS counties as well).

Terrell and I discovered this Saturday afternoon when we decided to see where Limestone Road (west of town) would lead us. Nearly two hours later, with a turn north on Road 7 and a turn back east on Rock Road, then north again on Road 15 then back east on a road we still don't know the name of ... we ended up back on 99. And not a moment too soon, either! Those muddy roads were treacherous and seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see. I don't envy the bus drivers or mail carriers in this part of the country, that's for sure! But, of course, no one in their right mind goes "country cruising" when the snow is melting, right? OK, so now you know who you're dealing with here....LOL

The biggest difference between there (IN/IL) and here, in my opinion, is this: the countryside in Elk County is so vast and lovely, so unspoiled, and so close to heaven it takes my breath away. Even as I wondered how we were going to get home on those muddy roads in the middle of Whoknowswhere, I was amazed at how beautiful the landscape is.  Indiana and Illinois countrysides are tilled farm land and so barren this time of year, and the the farms seem to be clumped so closely together. Not here....here you will see an occasional house or barn, and maybe some farming equipment, but the majority of space is simply the golden hillsides, gentle valleys and winding waterways, expansive pastures dotted with cattle and crows.

I love it and wouldn't go back east if my life depended on it. I feel blessed to be able to call Elk County home.

[Janet Harrington]

As we all do, feel blessed, that is, about Elk County.

Elk County roads and Chautauqua County roads are the way they are due to hills, creeks, rivers, etc.  Bridges were expensive, so not very many were built.  Some Elk County roads are built around sections, but as you get closer to the Flint Hills on the west side and closer to the Chautauqua Hills on the east side, the counties had to make roads around hill and dale.  It is not easy to get back to any highways while travelilng around the county roads as Kansas does not have many major highways, etc.  If you are going to travel the back roads, please take a compass and a map.  It's not that you will be lost for days like in Colorado, but it would just be helpful to know what is north south east and west.

[Wilma]

Sounds like you were out in my old territory.  We owned land on Rd. 9, I think it was, and a mile south of Rock Rd.  My folks bought a farm 2 miles south of Rock on Rd. 9 and moved there in 1947.  My brother now owns what they once owned.  As well as I know the area, I wouldn't venture out on those roads when they are like this. 

There is one road that I have always enjoyed coming into Elk county on.  It is the road that goes straight east out of Latham.  At the Elk County line, I think it is, the road turns south for a mile, then continues east.  A couple of miles further east, you find yourself at the top of a very long hill.  I think you can see all the way across Elk County from this hill.  The trouble with this road is that east of this hill there is a small creek that gets up and roars during heavy rains and sometimes washes the bridge out so you never know if you are going to get across it or have to turn around.  If you do get across, the first corner you come to, be sure to turn south as the road going north isn't much more than a trail and might even be closed now.  It has been a long time since I have gone this route.

[Janet Harrington]

And for your own sake, do not travel that road in this kind of weather.  Make sure it is spring time, summer time and day time.  Have good tires on your vehicle, too.

[genealogynut]

I knew all about those roads 40-50 years ago, as I used to maintain them.  All  the roads north and west of Howard was the area that I maintained.  The hill that was there by the Green Ranch is the one I think Wilma was talking about, as a person could see for miles looking to the east.  That road went over to Latham in Butler County. I haven't been out that way in a long time, so I don't know what shape they're in today.        ------Don
             

[Wilma]

I haven't been that way since my husband became too sick to want to do much coming to Howard and he was too sick to take the ride.  I won't try it by myself.  I need a good, courageous driver with a lot of know how.  A good vehicle with very good tires.  Seems that any time we had tire trouble it would be on that road.  We would take it coming over sometimes as it took us to the corner south of our property.  Then sometimes we would take it going home as we could drive around the farm, then take off across country instead of going back to a highway.

[Wilma]

Indygal:  If you had stayed on Rock Rd. you would have come to Highway 99 at the Cresco Cemetery.  Or if you had turned north on Rd. 10 you would have come to Piedmont and Highway 400.  Am I right on that , Janet?

[indygal]

You folks are awesome! Somehow I knew you'd understand what I was talking about. Terrell is a great driver, but I know there were times even he was concerned about the road conditions, especially when we were traveling north on Road 7 (or it may have been 12...I can't really recall) that the road came up then dropped sharply down to a narrow "bridge" (if you want to call it that!) that was still snow covered the rose sharply up again on the other side, and that part of the road was very muddy. Terrell slowed the car, looked at me and said "Hold on, honey!" and he navigated across that bridge and up that slippery slope like a true master. I admit I gasped, as it looked like that bridge might collapse as soon as the car tires touched it. What an adventure that drive turned out to be!

Then, at one point, we both were astonished to see a pigeon standing in the middle of the road. (I wasn't aware pigeons lived out in the wild, as I've only seen them in cities, but I digress...). This pigeon just stood there and watched as we approached. Terrell again slowed the car, but the pigeon didn't budge. The car passed right over the top of it and we both were sure it was dead, but Terrell then said he saw it fly off into the brush on the north side of the road. Neither of us could believe this bird wouldn't fly away when it saw the car coming so close.

My car (a 98 Taurus) has relatively new tires on it, which I'm sure was one of the reasons we made it back to the "mainland." But I also have a strong hunch we'll be getting some sort of truck with 4-wheel drive once we're permanent residents. There's so much countryside I want to see!

Wilma, I'm not sure which road we took east to get back to 99, but the little stone house on the east side of 99 (the one with all the hay bales in front) was just to our north. That's a wonderful little building, by the way. Bet it could tell some stories!

[hhjacobs]

Indygal,  You was on Turkey Road.

[Wilma]

I have been told that it is a historical building.  There is some history to it but I don't know all of it.  However, I have a daughter, other than Janet, that is a nut about things like that.  While she is here this coming weekend, I will have her post what she knows.

If you were on Turkey Rd., I am surprised you made it back.