Black Jack Battlefield will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the new Black Jack gate near Baldwin City. The ceremony will take place on the 167th anniversary of the Battle of Black Jack from 5:00 to 7:00 on June 2nd. The event will host many of the blacksmiths who created the Black Jack gate, the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce and members of Black Jack.
Information about the history of the Battle of Black Jack will be on display. The creators of the gate designed it using symbolism. A prairie grass motif is joined by branches and leaves of the Blackjack Oak. Although the gate gives off the general impression of leafy, rural calm, hidden between the oak branches are representations of a sharps carbine and a bowie knife pike, which is the weapon that connects Black Jack to late Civil War events. The iconic gate was created and donated to stand as a reminder of the significant historical role that Black Jack and Kansas played in the evolution of the U. S.
