Gering in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The River Route
The Oregon and Mormon Trails paralleled the North Platte River
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2015
1. The River Route Marker
In the 1840’s and 50’s, thousands of pioneers followed the shallow Platte and North Platte Rivers across the plains on their way to Oregon and California. Covered wagons passed Scotts Bluff on both sides of the river.
Emigrants could not lead their wagons close to the riverbanks for fear of getting stuck in silt, gravel, and quicksand. Scotts Bluff and the impassible badlands in front of you forced Oregon Trail emigrants to follow a route several miles south of the river.
On May 27, 1847, Brigham Young led the first of many Mormon Pioneers past Scotts Bluff to their new home in the Great Salt Lake Valley in Utah territory. The Mormons followed the north bank of the Platte from the Missouri River to Fort Laramie, 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of here, where the Oregon and Mormon Trails joined.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1854.
Location. 41° 50.398′ N, 103° 41.94′ W. Marker is in Gering, Nebraska, in Scotts Bluff County. Marker can be reached from Old Oregon Trail, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located in Scotts Bluff National Monument, along the North Overlook Trail
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Way West (here, next to this marker); Scott Memorial (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Eroding Landmark (about 700 feet away); Saddle Rock Trail (about 800 feet away); A Landmark for the Ages (approx. 0.2 miles away); Remnant Highlands (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Landscape Changed Forever (approx. 0.4 miles away); Before the Wagons (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gering.
More about this marker. A map at the center of the marker shows modern highways and the locations of Scotts Bluff, Fort Mitchell, the town of Gering, the North Platte River, and the routes of the Mormon and Oregon Trails. A picture of emigrants in the water appears on the right side of the marker and has a caption of “Emigrants washed clothes, watered livestock, and gathered firewood at the river’s edge.”
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2015
2. The River Route Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2015
3. The River Route Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2015
4. Markers at Scotts Bluff
Two markers can be found at this location. The River Route marker is seen here on the right.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 17, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 355 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 17, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
