The Blue River (also known as the Big Blue River) is a
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed May 31, 2011 stream that flows through
Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas, on the border with Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 609,863, making it the most populous county in Kansas. Its county seat is Olathe. Largely suburban, the county cont ...
, and
Jackson County, Missouri, in the
Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The river rises in Johnson County, Kansas at the confluence of Coffee Creek and Wolf Creek near the border of the states of
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
and
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
. Crossing the city of
Kansas City, Missouri, it empties into the
Missouri River near the border between Kansas City and
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020, ...
.
Its major tributaries are
Brush Creek
A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...
, Tomahawk Creek, and
Indian Creek.
Recreation
Along the Blue River can be found many miles of hiking, biking, and walking trails. Portions of these trails trace the path of a former steam railroad track of the Missouri Pacific Railroad line that ran from Dodson, Missouri south to Martin City, Missouri. This rail bed followed the Blue River and had many curves. The route was straightened in 1954 with the use of three high trestle bridges over the Blue River and one substantial cut. This improved line is now the Union Pacific / KC Southern Mainline and generally parallels the Blue river into the bottoms railyard near Front Street in Kansas City.
History
On the high bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Blue River and the Missouri River can be found a large Native American mound structure, designated as Indian Mound Park in the Indian Mound neighborhood of
Kansas City, Missouri.
The three western trails, the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California trails crossed the river just north of Red Bridge Road and Minor Park. Mountain man/ fur trapper Jim Bridger had a trading post at this location.
During the Civil War, the Blue River was the site of the
Battle of Byram's Ford.
See also
*
Blue River (disambiguation) Blue River may refer to:
Rivers Canada
*Blue River (North Thompson River tributary), British Columbia
*Blue River (Dease River tributary), British Columbia
China
*Yangtze River, sometimes referred to as the Blue River in older English sources
New ...
*
List of Kansas rivers
This is a list of rivers in Kansas ( U.S. state).
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Mississippi River Basin
Arkansas River Basin
*Arkansas River
...
*
List of Missouri rivers
List of rivers in Missouri (U.S. state).
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Mississippi River
Arkansas River
*Mississippi River
**Arkansas River (AR ...
References
{{authority control
Tributaries of the Missouri River
Rivers of Kansas
Rivers of Missouri
Rivers of Johnson County, Kansas
Rivers of Clay County, Missouri
Rivers of Jackson County, Missouri
Geography of Kansas City, Missouri