Scotts Bluff to Martin's Cove-Part One

For the first Mormon pioneers it took them from May 27th to June 21st to make that much of the journey, for us in 2017, it took us about 8 hours.  And that included many stops along the way for forts and other interesting land formations...plus a hail storm...but I am skipping ahead.

We left Scotts Bluff and headed northwest on Hwy. 26 to Ft. Laramie.  It is here that the Mormon and Oregon trails meet.  It is 509 pioneer miles to the Great Salt Lake from here.  This was an important way station for the travelers as well as a fort for soldiers who were suppose to protect the pioneers from the Indians---it appeared like they might have made more trouble with the Indians than the pioneers did along the way.

We stopped first at another place on the Platte River.

At this location, early pioneers would have to ford across until 1850s when a ferry was established. Many lives and property were still lost during the ferry crossings so in the 1860s they began to seek funds from the Congress to build a bridge at this location to allow for the movement of travelers and goods.  Unfortunately, after the bridge was built, it was used in ways that violated the treaties with the Indian nations in the area and caused some battles between the soldiers and the Indians.

 This piece of the bridge remains and is part of the National Park system now.

It was near this location that the first battle between soldiers and the Lakota Indians took place on June 15, 1853.  This marker talks about the encounter.  My grandfather talked about this event in his journal as he was not far from this location when it happened.  He wrote that they had stopped to allow their cattle to graze and to drink from the Platte River when they saw a large band of Indians--over 300 hundred big and little.  Part of their band had been involved in this battle and the group had been ordered by the officers at the Fort to leave.  They (my great grandfather and those with him) had
some interactions  with the Indians but no trouble.  It wasn't until later in the day that they learned about the battle from a man traveling from Ft. Laramie.  My great grandfather stated that they became worried about the night and posted extra guards around the camp.  It was a surreal experience to read about something in the journal and then see it on a historical plaque.  They were lucky that they were not a day or two further along the trail or they might have been caught in the middle of it all.

Pictures from Ft. Laramie:  (spelled as Ft. Laramy by my great grandfather who only passed by this spot)  Some of these buildings have been restored and others are left from the original buildings on this site.  It is located up on a small plateau and offered a great view in all directions.

This was the boiler for the saw mill.  They said the saw mill was cursed
as it burned down so many times they finally gave up on it.

 Remains of the hospital and other out buildings up the hill

Some of the restored buildings.....

This is a monument to the Mormon Trail/Oregon Trail/Pony Express which all passed by this fort.

 The grasses of the prairie----