Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/8

v IN THE HEART OF KANSAS. In 1541, WHEN C»RONADO PASSED THROUGH KANSAS, HE TRAVEHSED NEAR THE SPOT WHERE FORT RILEY IS LOCATED. THEREFORE, TO AS- SERT THAT HE WAS IN THE HEART OP OUR GREAT REPUBLIC IS VERY APPROPRIATE SINCE FORT RILEY, KANSAS, IS THE GEOGRAPHICAL CENTER OP THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The Don Coronado Exploring Expedition first entered Kansas at the place where Barber County is now located, and passed through Kingman, Reno, Harvey, McPher- son, Marion, Dickinson, Geary, Riley, Pot- tawatomie, and Nemaha Counties, He visited at the "City of the Twenty-Four," which in 1541 was located on Independence Creek, a little north of Atchison, Kansas.