In an earlier post, I asked, “What caused this ravine?”
Very simply, it was caused by traffic of people traveling to the western part of the United States with wagons. Specifically, the ravine started as a set of wagon ruts cut through the grass and sod by heavy iron-shod wheels.
The hill where the ravine is located is called Windlass Hill where, according to legend more than factual history, wagons were eased down the incline using a windlass. It is located at a point where emigrants on the Oregon Trail (also the California Trail) left the dropped into and valley along the North Platte River that is called Ash Hollow.
In the photo below, you can see where the trail curved to the left at this point. The bridge in the lower picture is where the top photo was taken from.
Click for Exit78 Pinterest policy.
{ 2 comments }
Well I’d never have guessed that one. I assume there will be other ravines like this one along the trail? Are any parts of the Oregon trail hiking tracks today and is any part of it modern roadway today?
Thanks for showing these photos – very interesting.
I don’t know about hiking trails along the route. We did walk on part of it at Scotts Bluff National Monument in western Nebraska.
So far as roads, much of the old routes lie close to or on modern highways. It makes sense that the good routes of yesterday would also be good routes today.
In Nebraska, it is called today “The Great Platte River Road” with travelers crossing the state on both sides of the river in the 1800s. The Oregon Trail, California Trail, Mormon Trail, Pony Express, and first trans-continental railroad followed generally the same route, as did, in the early 1900s the first transcontinental highway — the Lincoln Highway. Today’s Interstate 80 follows much of the route in Nebraska.
Comments on this entry are closed.