Since crossing the Mississippi River the altitude has continually increased, and I was quite surprised at how much it had changed because you sense that you’re proceeding on an even keel. Granted you climb hills, but then you descend. See how the numbers increase as you move west: Burlington, IA, 502’; Ottumwa, 649’; Okaloosa, 841’; Council Bluffs, 984’; Grand Island, NE, 1862’.
After crossing the Missouri River travel is mainly on Hwy 30 which meets the Platt River in Dodge County. On July 27th Alonzo wrote, “Drove 27 miles, dined at noon on the banks of the Nebraski or Platt River. It is a wide muddy steam at present very high, banks very low. Runs across the plains or prairie, looks beautiful to see such a body of water traveling across such an immense prairie. There are little patches of timber on either bank in places, cottonwood. It makes good coffee. We follow the north bank to Fort Larime some six hundred miles. Good road at present.”
The next day they arrived at Loup Fork where the Loup River flows from the northwest into the Platt. I was unable to follow Alonzo’s trail along the Loup River as the road was closed due to a closed bridge at Columbus, NE. My first view of the Platt River occurred just south of Schuyler on the detour.
(Double click on photos for a larger image)
Along the Platt River in Butler Co., NE
Alonzo followed the Loup River and on July 29th wrote, “Very wet for the plains this summer. Flowers of every hue and odorous. Dined today on the banks of the Beaver River, coffee, corned beef, and hard bread for dinner. Encamped on the bank of Cedar Creek, a nice place. Passed through the old Pawnee village. The inhabitants are goen but if is the finest location in the territory.” Beaver Creek meets the Loup near Genoa and Cedar Creek/River at Fullerton, both in Nance County. 2009 was also a very wet year on the plains, and every "local" that I spoke to commented that they couldn't remember the last time it was so green.
On July 30th they first sighted the Mormon train that he describes as, “ . . . wagons stretched on the plain as far as the eye could see. It was a fine panorama of real life to behold.”
On August 2nd, they had followed the Platt as far as Grand Island, NE, named La Grande Ile by early French Fur traders in the 1700s. It was an important landmark on the plains for pioneers. The Mormon, California, Oregon and Ox Bow Trails all went through this area as well as the Pony Express during its short life. The evening of my arrival I was greeted by a serious tornado warning with the funnel heading straight for Grand Island.
No comments:
Post a Comment