The question of whether the Arickaree, also known as Arikara or Ree, tribe ever inhabited the Kansas City, Kansas area, specifically Wyandotte County, is a complex one intertwined with land ownership, tribal migrations, and historical accounts. This article aims to shed light on the presence, or lack thereof, of the Arickaree people in the Kansas City region, while also exploring the history of the land and the various tribes who did call it home. Understanding the intricacies of this history requires examining treaties, land allotments, and the eventual displacement of numerous Native American tribes.
A query recently arose regarding a housing addition named "Arickaree Addition" in Wyandotte County, prompting the question of whether the Arickaree people ever resided there. While the name suggests a connection, the historical record paints a different picture. The land upon which the housing project was built was originally purchased from Wyandot landholders, not the Arickaree. This initial information points to a possible misattribution or a commemorative naming choice, rather than a direct link to Arickaree habitation.
To further unravel the story, it’s important to delve into the history of land ownership in Wyandotte County. The Treaty of 1855 significantly altered the landscape, as the Wyandot tribe relinquished their tribal status, and the Wyandott Purchase lands were allotted to individual members. This treaty opened the door for settlement by non-Native Americans, leading to a gradual shift in land ownership.
Within the Westheight area of present-day Kansas City, the majority of the land was initially owned by three Wyandot individuals: John Sarahess, Jacob Whitecrow, and John Bearskin. These allotments were officially patented between January 1860 and December 1861, although property sales to new settlers had already commenced. The distance of the Westheight area from the central settlement meant that the Wyandot owners retained control for some time.
Enter Hanford Newell Kerr, a white man who arrived in Wyandotte County in 1859 seeking to improve his health. Kerr began acquiring property in the area towards the end of the Civil War. In 1864, he purchased 105.5 acres from Jacob Whitecrow, a Wyandot, for a relatively small sum of gold. This marked the beginning of Kerr’s land accumulation, which eventually grew to 380.5 acres by 1887.
The Kerr family became prominent figures in Wyandotte County. Hanford Lester Kerr, H.N. Kerr’s youngest son, played a significant role in the history of Kansas City. His sister, Sarah Ann, married T.W. Combs, a fruit farmer whose land adjoined the Kerr farm to the south, purchased from John Bearskin. Kerr also acquired the Sarahess property in 1887.
Crucially, in 1910, Sarah Ann Combs and her husband, T.W. Combs, platted their farm south of Kerr’s Park, naming the new subdivision "Arickaree." This explains the origin of the name "Arickaree Addition." It was chosen by the Combs family, likely as a historical reference or perhaps out of admiration for the tribe, rather than reflecting actual Arickaree settlement in the area.
The Arickaree/Arikara People: A History
To fully understand the question of "Were the Arickaree tribe from the Kansas City, Kansas area?", it is essential to understand the history and movements of the Arickaree people themselves. The Arickaree, also known as Ricaree or Ree, refer to themselves as Sanish, meaning "the people from whom all others sprang." They were originally part of the larger Pawnee tribe before splitting off and migrating up the Missouri River. They later intermingled with the Hidatsa and Mandan tribes, especially after a devastating smallpox epidemic.
The name "Arickaree" comes from a Pawnee word describing the way the Sanish people wore their hair. Historically, the name has been recorded in various forms, including Arikara, Arickara, Ricarees, and Rees. It’s important to note that the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kansa (Kaw), Osage, Jicarilla Apache, Kiowa, Kiowa-Apache, and Pawnee tribes all had ancestral lands in Kansas or roamed the area prior to European arrival.
Today, the Arickaree are officially known as the Arikara and share federal tribal status and the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota with the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes. These three tribes have intermarried extensively and are collectively referred to as the Three Affiliated Tribes, officially recognized by the U.S. government as the Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. Despite this collective identity, they maintain separate ceremonial traditions and tribal identities.
Anthropological evidence suggests that the Sahnish people once lived in an area spanning from the Gulf of Mexico across Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Coronado encountered the Arikara in 1541 at the Big Blue River and Mill Creek Valley in present-day Kansas. This encounter highlights a historical presence in the broader Kansas region, but not necessarily a settled presence in the specific area of Kansas City, Kansas.
The Sahnish belong to the Caddoan linguistic group, along with the Pawnee, Caddo, Wichita, Anadarko, Skidi, Tawakoni, and Waco. This linguistic connection provides further insight into their historical relationships and movements.
Mandan and Hidatsa Connections
Understanding the movements of the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes provides context for the Arickaree’s history, as these three tribes became closely intertwined. According to tribal oral history, the Mandan originated east of the Missouri River at the White Earth River in South Dakota. The Mandan and Hidatsa tribes belong to the Siouan linguistic group.
The Ohio Valley is believed to have been a point of dispersal for the Plains members of the Siouan stock, with the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Crow being among the earliest to leave. The Mandans established villages on the Heart River in present-day South Dakota and later encountered the Hidatsa, whom they taught to build villages and cultivate crops.
Devastating smallpox epidemics significantly reduced the Mandan population, leading them to join the Arikara villages and intermarry. By 1850, only a few full-blooded Mandan remained.
The Hidatsa, according to their oral history, were originally three closely related village groups: the Hiratsa, Awatixa, and Awaxawi. Between 1600 and 1700, they migrated westward, occupying sections of the Missouri and its tributaries.
The Arikara’s Movements and Challenges
The oral history of the Sahnish people, preserved through sacred bundles and archeological findings, traces their roots to eastern Nebraska. Archeological evidence supports the oral history of "Chief Above," who united villages along the Elk Horn River near present-day Omaha, Nebraska.
Lewis and Clark encountered the Sahnish people at the mouth of the Grand River in 1804, finding them living in three villages with a population of approximately 3,000.
In 1833, the Sahnish left the banks of the Missouri River due to crop failures and conflicts with the Mandan, rejoining the Pawnees in Nebraska for three winters. However, due to attacks by whites and the Sioux, they returned to the Missouri River area.
Throughout the 19th century, the Sahnish people faced significant challenges, including smallpox epidemics and raids by the Sioux. These factors led to a decline in population and ultimately forced many of them to join the Mandan and Hidatsa at Like-A-Fishhook Village in 1862.
Other Tribes in the Kansas Territory
When European Americans first arrived in northeastern Kansas, the Kanza tribe (now called Kaw) inhabited the area. The name "Kansas" is derived from the Kanza tribe. The Kanza oral tradition says that they separated from the Omaha near the mouth of the Kansas River.
The Kanza tribe occupied numerous villages along the rivers before being settled at Council Grove in 1847. They were later removed to Indian Territory in Oklahoma in 1873.
In June 1825, treaties were made with the Kanzas and Osages for the purchase of their lands, facilitating the relocation of various Eastern tribes to the Kansas Territory. Dozens of tribes were moved to the Kansas Territory before being relocated again to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).
The Shawnee Indians took the lands ceded by the Kansa and Osage and established the first newspaper in Kansas. The Wyandot settled in present-day Kansas City and founded the first free school.
The Delawares were assigned a reservation "in the fork of the Kansas and Missouri rivers" in 1829, and in 1832 they were given land including present-day Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Jefferson, Jackson and Shawnee counties. The Wyandots, the last Indians to hold land in Wyandotte County, arrived in 1843.
Conclusion: Addressing the Question
So, were the Arickaree tribe from the Kansas City, Kansas area? While the Arikara people certainly traversed areas within the broader Kansas region and had interactions with other tribes in the vicinity, there is no evidence to suggest they established permanent settlements or held land within the specific boundaries of present-day Kansas City, Kansas, particularly Wyandotte County. The name "Arickaree Addition" is a historical reference, not a reflection of Arickaree habitation. The land was originally owned by the Wyandot tribe and later acquired by settlers like Hanford Newell Kerr. This investigation underscores the importance of historical context and nuanced understanding when exploring the connections between place names and the complex history of Native American tribes in the United States.
The question, "Were the Arickaree tribe from the Kansas City, Kansas area?", therefore, is best answered with a ‘no’ based on the current available historical data.