Near La Barge in Lincoln County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)

Names Hill State Historic Site

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2014

1. Names Hill State Historic Site Marker

Inscription. Names Hill is one of three prominent sites in Wyoming where travelers inscribed their names into stone along the emigrant trails. The other sites are Register Cliff and Independence Rock. After crossing a 40 miles stretch of waterless desert, wagon trains would stop and camp near the Green River crossing, providing an opportunity for travelers to inscribe their names into the soft limestone.

Parting of the Ways Names Hill is located along the Sublette-Greenwood Cutoff, a short cut that ran due west from the Little Sandy River and bypassed part of the main emigrant trail and Fort Bridger. The popularity of this route increased in the late 1840s, as people became more willing to risk crossing the desert to save about 46 miles of travel.

Stone Signatures Historians believe the earliest writings at Names Hill were made by mountain men crossing the Green River on their way to trap beaver in the Rocky Mountains. These inscriptions date back to 1822, making them the oldest pioneer inscriptions in Wyoming. The names of J.J. Shay - 1825 and Twig - 1832 are testimony of the early day explorers. Names Hill

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was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

Jim Bridger One of the most famous inscriptions at Names Hill is that of mountain man Jim Bridger, whose mark was left here in 1844. His signature is a point of controversy for many historians, as he reportedly did not know how to read or write. Some believe that Bridger many have known enough to write his own name, while others believe that he had a traveling companion inscribe it for him.

Erected by Wyoming State Parks & Cultural Resources.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Oregon Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1822.

Location. 42° 10.599′ N, 110° 11.243′ W. Marker is near La Barge, Wyoming, in Lincoln County. It is on U.S. 189 near Bondurant Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: La Barge WY 83123, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Westward Expansion Trails Region

and in Greater Yellowstone.

It is also in the American Mountain

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2014

2. Names Hill State Historic Site Marker

The marker is on the right, outside the fence.

West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Names Hill (a few steps from this marker); James Bridger (a few steps from this marker); Seeds-Kee-Dee-Agie, Spanish River, Rio Verde, Green River (approx. 4.2 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Mudslide hits Names Hill historical site - Pinedale Online. At a little before 6PM, torrents of water flowing across the hillslopes caused significant mudslides and mudflow in the area of Names Hill, a historical site south of LaBarge on U.S. Hwy 189. Flooding, mud slides and road damage caused the closure of US 189 from Big Piney south through LaBarge, past Names Hill and all the way to the Seedskdee Wildlife Refuge Road. (Submitted on January 29, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

2. Names Hill State Historical Site. (Submitted on December 13, 2020, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.)

Names Hill State Historic Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2014

3. Names Hill State Historic Site

Note the marker on the right.

Names Hill Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2014

4. Names Hill Marker

Names Hill
The old
Green River Crossing
and Rendezvous on the
Old Oregon Trail
Gift of
First National Band
Kemmerer, Wyo.
to the State of
Wyoming

James Bridger inscription image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2014

5. James Bridger inscription

Credits. This page was last revised on December 15, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 29, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,320 times since then and 69 times this year. Last updated on December 13, 2020, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 29, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.