Vieux Cemetery and Homestead - Louisville, Kansas The Louis Vieux Family Homestead and Cemetery, 3 miles west of Louisville, Kansas is a poignant reminder of what it took to expand and develop the American frontier. The Vieuxs moved to this location in 1857 and built a bridge over the Vermillion River about a half mile away. The Oregon Trail passed through this area and pioneers paid $1 to take an outfit over the View Crossing. It has been estimated that it brought in up to $300/day. When Louis Vieux, Sr. passed away in 1872, the estate he passed on to his family included half of the town of Louisville and all of the town of Belvue . The cemetery and homestead have been turned into a small park with a heavy metal fence, gate and picnic table which were built in 1979. Most of the original markers are damaged or largely illegible, but they have been left in situ and plain stones with the same info were added at some time. There are believed to be over 30 graves in Vieux Cemetery with most of the burials taking place from 1857-1878. There was one burial in 1849 (T. S. Prather) and one in 1896 (Louis Amable Vieux, Jr.). We found no evidence of the Vieux's long cabin, but there is a stone dug out which appears to have been used for storage. The National Historic Oregon Trail Cholera Cemetery is nearby, on the other side of the Vieux Crossing.
copyright 2015-2020 by Keith Stokes |
