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

Lander Cut-off of the Oregon Trail

Stock Trail

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 11, 2015

1. Lander Cut-off of the Oregon Trail Marker

Inscription. Beginning in 1843, emigrants traveled across the continent along what became known as the Oregon Trail. Increased traffic during the 1850's resulted in the first government road construction project in the west. The 345 mile Central Division of the Pacific Wagon Road went from South Pass, Wyoming, to City of Rocks, Idaho, a geologic formation which marked the Division's western boundary. Superintendent Frederick W. Lander of Salem, Massachusetts, supervised construction for the U.S. Department of the Interior. The 256 mile section of the road leading from South Pass to Fort Hall, Idaho is known as the Lander Cut-off. The cut-off traversed this Salt River Valley for 21 miles and paralleled Highway 89 through this area. The new route afforded water, wood, and forage with a new, shorter route to Oregon and California saving wagon trains seven days. Lander, with a crew of 15 engineers, surveyed the route in the summer of 1857. The following summer, 115 men, many recruited from Salt Lake City's Mormon emigrants, constructed the road in less than 90 days at a cost of $67,873. The invention of the automobile led to its abandonment.

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Stock Trail
Travel along the Oregon Trail was not restricted to one direction. Between 1875 ad 1890, drovers herded vast numbers of cattle, horses and sheep eastward from Oregon to Wyoming. The animals were moved along the Lander Cut-off and into the Green River and Big Horn Basins and the Wind River drainage. There, they were used as initial range stock for the large ranches of cattle and sheep barons.

Erected by Star Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1843.

Location. 42° 34.86′ N, 110° 54.15′ W. Marker is near Smoot, Wyoming, in Lincoln County. It is on U.S. 89 near Gomm's Pond Lane, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Smoot WY 83126, 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 West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 11, 2015

2. Lander Cut-off of the Oregon Trail Marker

and the Anglosphere.

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

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Periodic Spring (approx. 5.2 miles away); Lander Cut-off (approx. 5.2 miles away); a different marker also named Lander Cut-off of the Oregon Trail (approx. 5.2 miles away); Osmond (approx. 6.9 miles away); Afton Wyoming (approx. 10 miles away); Mormons in Star Valley (approx. 10.1 miles away); Star Valley (approx. 10.2 miles away); Archibald Gardner (approx. 10.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Smoot.

More about this marker. This marker is about 3 miles south of Smoot.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 25, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,668 times since then and 84 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 12, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.