Buttermilk Station, Rossville, Kansas

Buttermilk Station, Rossville, Kansas

The settlement on Cross Creek was in a very strategic position on the Military Road from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Riley. Travel up the Kaw could not be depended upon and man and supplies had to be hauled to Fort Riley overland. The ford and the bridge on Cross Creek were indeed popular places. The Overland Stage Company also used this route. Because of the heavy traffic, "Big Alex" Nadeau took advantage of his farm's location two and one-half miles west of Rossville, Kansas, and built a large house for an inn. The stage used to stop there for either a meal or for overnight. The large house was divided into small rooms just big enough for a cot. There was one large room over the kitchen with room for five men. "Big Alex" was a very large man and filled the entire seat on his spring wagon. After the railroad was built, the train crew would stop at the inn presumably to buy some "buttermilk" but actually they were buying wine. This is how the "Buttermilk Station" came to be given to the old inn.

Unknown

Rossville Community Library

Unknown

Public domain

photograph

RCL0275