Amazon Army March
Area women participated in a mass march in December 1921 in which
two to six thousand wives, daughters, mothers, sisters,
and sweethearts of striking miners marched in protest against unfair
labor practices and laws across the coalfields of Southeast Kansas.
They considered their cause one of conserving democratic values rather
than one of revolt.
The march made headlines across the state and the nation.
This large-scale involvement of women, christened the "Amazon Army" by
the New York Times,
set this demonstration apart from the labor unrest that often disturbed
the area.
www.amazonarmy.com
Site © Linda O'Nelio Knoll
The march began at the Union Hall in Franklin, Kansas which is now the
site of the
Franklin
Community
Center
& Heritage Museum.
Follow this
link
to read more about the Amazon Army and the placement of the historic
marker.
Franklin Community Center & Heritage
Museum
The center & museum was built shortly after the devastating tornado
of 2003 w
hich destroyed much of the community including the former Franklin
Community Hall.
Franklin Community Park
& Memorial Gardens
The park is built at the site of the former Franklin Community
Center.
A memorial garden surrounded by pavers encircles the gardens.
Many historic artifacts are incorporated into the design of the park.
The
Franklin Community Park &
Memorial
Garden
runs adjacent to the Franklin Sidewalk which is listed on
the National and State Historic register.
Franklin Sidewalk
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United
States Department of the Interior
March 16, 2007 and on the Kansas Register of Historic Places November
18, 2006
Constructed in 1936 with federal funding assistance, the Franklin
Sidewalk connects two rural mining
communities in Crawford County - Arma and Franklin. The 3-foot wide
sidewalk begins at the south
edge of Arma and stretches south 1.7 miles to the south edge of
Franklin.
It has become well known as the "longest sidewalk connecting two
communities".
It runs adjacent to Business 69 Highway also known as "Jefferson
Highway" and the "Frontier Military Scenic Byway".
Franklin Welcome Sign
Frontier Military
Scenic ByWay
The Byway was designated a state byway by the Kansas Legislature on
June 15, 1990. It extends roughly 167 miles tying Fort Leavenworth to
the north and then onward to the Oklahoma border. The route
approximates the old military trail used by the Army to transport
troops and supplies between the frontier forts.
Scenic ByWay Website
Jefferson Highway
The Jefferson Highway was the first transcontinental road to traverse
the North American continent North to South and possibly the First
Dedicated International Highway in the world. Conceived at a
meeting in New Orleans in 1915 the highway was dedicated in 1919.
Its Northern end was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada then running through
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma,Arkansas, Texas and finally
ending in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Jefferson Highway
only existed as a named highway for a few years until it lost its title
to the new standardized numbering system in the 1920s.
Jefferson Highway
Website
HIGHWAY
PAVING
PROJECT

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This marker is located at the
south end of Arma. It is one concrete pillar with a different
plaque on each side. These markers designate two highway
projects.
The photo on the right isn't too easily read but it says Project No.
120 and is dated 1923.
Project #40, 1922, was for paving a 16' wide concrete highway from the
south end of Franklin
to the south city limits of Arma.
Project #120, 1923, was for paving a 16' wide concrete highway from the
south send of Arma
to the north end of Arma.
An item mentioned in the plans was that the county must pay for the
marker out of their own funds
as it was not an eligible part of the project. |

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Pauper's Cemetery
More information to follow