The History of our Public Schools
Wyandotte County, Kansas

You Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts plan many of your activities around a camp fire.  Sitting with friends around a fire in the open while you sing songs and tell stories is an old custom probably borrowed from the Indians.

When the Wyandots lived in Canada they belonged to a group living in what was called the "Fire Lands."  The Wyandots were the head tribe and known as the keeper of the Great Council Fire.  They brought the council fire with them to Kansas in 1843.

Five years later, the Emigrant Tribes from the East held a convention at Fort Leavenworth.  The Kansas and the Kickapoos were admitted to membership.  Two ancient enemies of the Wyandots, the Sacs and the Foxes, sent delegates to the meeting.

One of the Wyandots in making a speech to the assembly became excited.  He talked louder and louder, until the Sacs and Foxes left their seats and fled in terror.  They would have nothing more to do with the convention.  The Wyandots were again elected the leaders of the group and keepers of the Great Council Fire.

Return to Index for "The Story of Kansas City, Kansas" by Nellie McGuinn