> Both James Field in 1845 and John McBride in 1846, in chronicling >their journey west from St. Joseph, make a similar reference to crossing >the Republican River, a branch of the Kansas (which technically it is >not), the day after crossing the Big Blue River and meeting the Oregon >Trail from Independence (Burnett's Trace). > Can any of you trail experts tell me what they are referring to >here, and what river they might have confused with the Republican, and >why both would be similarly confused, or just what exactly is going on >here? >Ross Smith 1. Tell the people in Manhattan, Kansas, that the river flowing into the Kansas River is not the Republican River and you may get a real geography lesson. 2. If the emigrants did actually cross the Republican River then they were lost. They should have picked up the Oregon Trail at Marysville, KS, traveled about a day west to the Little Blue and then turn north and follow it up to Rock Creek Station near Fairbury, NE. If they crossed the Little Blue and proceeded about two days west rather than not cross and proceed north, they would have picked up the Republican. (Which IS a tributary of the Kansas or Kaw River!) 3. If at any time the emigrants following the south bank of the Platte River from Ft. Kearny (note spelling) as far as california Crossing had turned south and gone over the divide they would be looking into the Republican drainage as it parallels the Platte. jim tompkins