A small caravan departed Allen at 10 a.m. Saturday and traveled only a few minutes before arriving at Old Allen on 142 Mile Creek, where about 30 people gathered to dedicate a new Santa Fe Trail interpretive sign.

Local historian Jan Huston and designer Audra Agin led the ceremony, highlighting the sign’s updated design and historical details. An earlier marker, installed in 1986, still stands at the site but had weathered with age. The replacement sign features an AI-generated image of a bridge that may resemble the original structure that once crossed 142 Mile Creek, where travelers paid a quarter per wagon to pass. The lower panel depicts Charles Withington, recognized as the first settler in Lyon County.

Withington was known for his resourcefulness as thousands of traders and settler

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