Names Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Names Hill
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The Jim Bridger inscription on Names Hill
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Location | On the Green River, 5 mi (8.0 km) south of LaBarge and west of U.S. Route 189 |
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| Area | 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) |
| Built | 1822 |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000193 |
| Added to NRHP | April 16, 1969 |
Names Hill is a famous rock bluff located next to the Green River in Wyoming. This special spot is where many early travelers carved their names into the rock. They were often on long journeys along the Oregon Trail and California Trail.
Names Hill is one of three important "recording areas" in Wyoming. The other two are Register Cliff and Independence Rock. These places let us see the marks left by people from long ago. Names Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1969. This means it is a very important historical site.
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A Look Back: History of Names Hill
Names Hill is located near a very busy crossing point of the Green River. This river crossing was important for many different groups of people.
Early Markings by Native Americans
The very first marks at Names Hill were made by Native American people. They created special drawings called pictographs on the rock. These drawings tell stories from their ancient cultures.
Mountain Men and Early Explorers
Later, European American names started appearing on the rock. This began as early as 1822. These were often "mountain men." Mountain men were brave explorers and fur trappers. They traveled across the Western Rocky Mountains looking for beaver streams. They would cross the Green River at this spot on their journeys.
Wagon Trains and the Emigrant Trails
In 1844, a new group of travelers arrived. Caleb Greenwood and Isaac Hitchcock led the first wagon train over a path called the Sublette-Greenwood Cutoff. This path also crossed the Green River right at Names Hill.
Imagine traveling for 40 miles (about 64 kilometers) without water! That's what these wagon trains did across the dry prairie. When they reached the Green River at Names Hill, it was a welcome stop. This break gave travelers a chance to rest. It also gave them time to add their own names to the famous hill.
The Famous Jim Bridger Inscription
One of the most well-known names carved on the rock belongs to Jim Bridger. He was a very famous mountain man and explorer. His name is a big part of the history of Names Hill.
However, some people have wondered if this signature is truly real. Jim Bridger was thought to have been unable to read or write. This makes his signature on the rock a bit of a mystery!
