O'Fallons Bluff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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O'Fallons Bluff
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O'Fallons Bluff
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Location | Near Sutherland, Lincoln County, Nebraska |
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| Built | 1846 to 1867 |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001127 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1974 |
O'Fallons Bluff is a special area of cliffs in Nebraska. It stretches for about 20 miles (32 km) along the south side of the Platte River. You can find it near Sutherland in Lincoln County.
This area was very important for early American pioneers. Trails like the Oregon Trail and California Trail went right over these bluffs. People traveling west often wrote in their diaries about the bluffs. They mentioned that the land had very few plants. There were also some conflicts with Native American groups here.
In the early 1860s, a Pony Express station was set up nearby. It was about 5 miles (8 km) west of where the wagon trails went up the bluff. Later, when Interstate 80 was built, parts of the bluffs were cut away. But you can still see marks from the old wagon wheels! These marks are even highlighted with iron hoops. O'Fallons Bluff was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
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History of O'Fallons Bluff
Not much was written about O'Fallons Bluff except in the diaries of pioneers. These travelers were heading west on the Oregon and California trails. Because of the land, the trails had to go up and over the bluffs. Most people think the bluffs were named after Benjamin O'Fallon, an Indian agent. But the exact reason for the name is not fully clear.
The Land and Plants
The area around O'Fallons Bluff was often called an "alkali belt." This means the water and soil had a lot of alkali. Because of this, many parts of the bluffs had very few plants.
In 1881, a traveler named Emily Towell wrote in her diary: "There were few flowers to be seen. Only dry poppies, prickly pears, and sunflowers. Sometimes we saw a few bits of green grass." This shows how dry and bare the land was.
Conflicts and Travelers
O'Fallons Bluff was known for some difficult events. There were often conflicts between Native American groups and the pioneers. For example, in 1856, a report mentioned that Almon W. Babbitt and two friends were killed by 13 Cheyenne Native Americans. In 1863, a soldier named Eugene Ware also wrote about several attacks in the area.
A famous group, the Donner Party, passed by O'Fallons Bluff. This happened on June 18, 1846, as they traveled on the Oregon Trail. They were heading to California.
Pony Express Station
In 1859, the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company used O'Fallons Bluff. They set up a Pony Express station there. This station was located about 2 miles (3.2 km) south and 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Sutherland, Nebraska. It was also about 5 miles (8 km) west of where the wagon trails climbed the bluffs.
O'Fallons Bluff Today
A lot of O'Fallons Bluff was changed when Interstate 80 was built. But you can still see the marks left by the old wagon wheels! These ruts from the Oregon and California trails are still there. They run next to Interstate 80, sometimes just a few feet away.
The remaining ruts that go up and over O'Fallons Bluff are marked. Iron hoops represent the wagon wheels. You can see them very close to Interstate 80.
In 1864, Eugene Ware reported that General Robert Byington Mitchell stopped at O'Fallons Bluff. He had the area strengthened and ordered soldiers to guard it. Later, in 1966, archaeologists looked for signs of these old defenses. They dug up a large area at the base of the bluff. However, they only found scattered animal bones, not clear signs of the old fort.
