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Marais des Cygnes
National Wildlife Refuge		 Deciduous trees and shrubs line the banks of the Marais des Cygnes River. This riparian habitat is important for a variety of wildlife species.
24141 Kansas Hwy 52
Pleasanton, KS   66075
E-mail: maraisdescygnes@fws.gov
Phone Number: 913-352-8956
Visit the Refuge's Web Site:
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/marais_des_cygnes		 The Refuge is named after the Marais des Cygnes River. The phrase means marsh of swans. It is presumed that trumpeter swans were found in adjacent wetlands.
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  History
Continued . . .

The Civil War caused the destruction of many buildings and towns in the area and left thousands of acres of land untilled for a number of years, leading to the term "bleeding Kansas." Old storm shelters, rock wells, and stone building foundations are still evident today.

The Refuge land was largely protected from modern development because much of the land was purchased by a coal company in the 1970s to provide for future coal mining needs. Later, when high sulfur coal decreased in value, the land was put up for sale.

 
 
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