Famous Landmarks of the Oregon Trail

Many of the most famous landmarks of the Oregon Trail were located along the North Platte River valley.

“Wednesday, June the 1st. For the last ten days we have been traveling up the Platte Bottom, a distance of 125 miles. Have traveled slow and laid by two days. The grass has been quite good most of the way. Had considerable of rain, which is the most unpleasant part of it. The scenery along the river is much the same, quite pretty, though not enchanting. Nothing of striking interest has occurred, except we see plenty of wolves, antelope, buffalo, prairie dogs and dog towns etc.” - Elizabeth Goltra 1853

As Elizabeth Goltra states in her journal, emigrants along the early stretches of the Oregon Trail found the scenery “quite pretty, though not enchanting.” In other words, “eh, it’s nice I guess.” This entry was recorded just west of present-day North Platte, Nebraska, which is just outside of the Nebraska panhandle. What Goltra may or may not have known were the natural wonders waiting not far ahead up the trail.

Like Goltra, many of the journals recorded by Oregon Trail emigrants don’t appear to be blown away the landscape. Depending on where they were on the trek, it could have been miles and miles of endless grass, sagebrush, or desert. Although beautiful in their own right, these landscapes don’t generally bring out the poet in people. However, there were certain famous landmarks of the Oregon Trail that emigrants made particular notes about, and many of those famous landmarks appeared in a stretch along the North Platte River from Ash Hollow to Fort Laramie. In fact, Elizabeth Goltra herself would describe these places as “stupendous,” “God’s gift”, and “splendid scenery…to cheer a weary emigrant.”

Let’s take a quick look at some of these most famous landmarks of the Oregon Trail. The landmarks are listed from east to west, and as a result, are in the sequence pioneers would have seen them.

Ash Hollow

Called “the gateway of the North Platte Valley”, Ash Hollow was generally noted by the emigrants as a good place to camp. Named for the small grove of ash trees that were available very early in the trail period, this small hollow offered what pioneers wanted and needed; a little timber along with cool and clear water. After drinking the sandy soils of the Platte for so long, the cool spring that bubbles up at Ash Hollow would have been welcome for sure. However, there was a price to pay for admission into Ash Hollow, and that was the treacherous Windlass Hill.

Ash Hollow lies at the bottom of a labyrinth of canyons, each snaking their way from the south toward the drainage at the north end of the hollow. Most of these canyons would have been nearly impassable for wagons. Luckily, at one point, rises a tall hill called Windlass Hill that was possible to descend. Although passable, Windlass Hill is extremely steep and required extra effort and preparation to descend. If you are reading History of the West with Jemmey Fletcher; Tyrant’s Road, you understand a few ways pioneers tried to make the tricky descent.

If pioneers were lucky enough to reach the bottom without smashing their wagons to splinters, they could easily roll their wagons the rest of the way through Ash Hollow and to the great North Platte Valley.

Courthouse and Jailhouse Rock

Another of the famous landmarks of the Oregon Trail occurred just a few days west of Ash Hollow near the present-day town of Bridgeport, Nebraska. It was at this point where emigrants entered into what author Merrill J. Mattes states was, “an unforgettable scenic corridor.”

The two large rock formations are composed of clay, sandstone, and volcanic ash, and Courthouse Rock rises more than 240 feet about the prairie below. After so many weeks on the endless prairie, pioneers were nearly always impressed by its appearance. Here are a few primary sources recorded about the landmark:

“June 27. passed within about 3 or 4 miles of Courthouse Rock which presents a grand & imposing appearance. I should call it a castle as it is mainly round & looks as if it might be fortified…It rises aprubtly out of the rolling country & stands entirely alone with the exception of a smaller square rock some hundred feet from it called “The Jail.”…It is well worth a place in a sketch book of scenery.” - Elisha Perkins 1849

“June 1…away to the left loomed up to appear a most stately mansion, and old feudal castle with bastions, parapets, etc., entirely detached from any range of hills….This being Sunday we laid by for the respite of man & beast - our camping ground is truly romantic.” - N.A. Cagwin 1850

“….It has an extremely majestic appearance, having much the look of an ancient feudal castle, and the sight of it formed a pleasing variation to the monotony of our journey.” - Thaddeus Kenderdine

Chimney Rock

Next in the lineup of famous landmarks of the Oregon Trail found in the North Platte River Valley is perhaps the most iconic. In fact, Chimney Rock is so iconic to the state it is featured on the Nebraska quarter.

Rising from the prairie some 480 feet, Chimney Rock definitely stands out in the landscape. Not surprisingly pioneers often made note of this striking physical feature in their journals.

“‘Passed the chimney in the fore part of the day and the formation of the bluffs have a tendency to fill the mind with awe and grandeur.” - Virgil K. Pringle 1846

“(Chimney Rock) is the most remarkable object that i ever saw and if situated in the states would be visited by pearsons from all parts of the world…” - Joseph Hackney 1849

“Passed some sandy hills and saw the Chimney Rock. The sight of this very curious eminence was cheering to all the party…” - Henry Coke 1850

“…some miles beyond in the distance is seen the lofty pile called Chimney Rock, alone in its grandeur, towering towards the heavens.” - Cornelius Conway 1857

Another common entry found in the journals is a reference to a lightning strike that is supposed to have removed a good portion of the formation.

“It is the opinion of Mr. Bridger that it was reduced to its present height by lightning, or some other sudden catastrophe, as he found it broken on his return from one of his trips to St. Louis, though he had passed it uninjured on his way down.” - Howard Stansbury 1849

“Some years ago lightning is supposed to have struck this hill, whereby about one-half of it was discovered. The Indians and mountaineers who beheld this catastrophe aver that masses of rock and earth were hurled to the distance of two or three miles…” - Cornelius Conway 1857

The thought that Chimney Rock would soon erode completely away was also common. Fortunately for us, this historic landmark has stood long enough for us to enjoy it.

Scott’s Bluff

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