Buffalo Bill Mathewson Well and Cow Creek Crossing

Get curious about Kansas, one adventure at a time.

SANTA FE TRAIL

Buffalo Bill Mathewson Well and Cow Creek Crossing

From U.S. 56, 1 mile south on 12. A simple, modern pavilion protects the site of Bill Mathewson's 1860s hand-dug well on the east side of Cow Creek. He also operated a trading post nearby for Santa Fe Trail travelers who crossed Cow Creek at this point. A 1906 DAR trail marker is nearby. Mathewson earned his nickname because of the number of buffalo he killed to feed drought-stricken settlers in 1860-1861.

Other Destinations You Might Like

Sign in or join to save this attraction and track your Kansas adventures!

Sign In or Join

Search for your next adventure.

JOIN THE KANSAS EXPLORERS CLUB

Go deeper with every Kansas mile.

Your membership includes:

Access to the Trip Planner tool
Monthly e-news with tips, events, and offers
Invitations to pop-up road trips and member-only experiences
A community of people who love Kansas as much as you do

LEARN MORE

EXPLORE MORE IN KANSAS

Rozet Raven Studio

Wyoming artist Tom Ford has opened a second Rozet Raven...

McFarland Post Office and...

McFarland’s post office has a new home in the beautifully...

Atlas Ad Astra Missile...

What an adventure it would be to spend the night...

Crafted Caffeine

Crafted Caffeine is all about convenience. Located at a main...

THANK YOU TO OUR LEAD SPONSORS

Barbara Shunn, Concordia

Cloud County Tourism

Explore Crawford County

Monarch Cement Company

Rooks County Economic Development

Southeast Kansas Tourism Region

South Central Kansas Tourism Region

Visit Liberal

Visit Manhattan

Visit Ark City

Visit McPherson

Wellington Convention and Visitors Bureau

Winfield Convention and Tourism

SITE MAP

JOIN NOW

The Kansas Sampler Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our mission is to preserve and sustain rural culture by educating Kansans about Kansas and networking and supporting rural communities.
The goal is to keep every town viable that shows the will and spirit to help itself.

LEARN MORE