Scotts Bluff National Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scotts Bluff National Monument |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
|
|
Covered Wagon on the Oregon Trail at Scotts Bluff
|
|
 Scotts Bluff National Monument
Location in Nebraska
Scotts Bluff National Monument
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Gering, Nebraska |
| Area | 3,005 acres (12.16 km2) |
| Created | December 12, 1919 |
| Visitors | 166,007 (in 2019) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Scotts Bluff National Monument |
Scotts Bluff National Monument is a special place in western Nebraska, United States. It is located west of the City of Gering. This national park site protects over 3,000 acres of important history and nature.
You can find parts of old pioneer trails, grassy plains, rugged badlands, and tall bluffs here. The North Platte River also flows through the area. More than 100,000 people visit Scotts Bluff every year.
The monument's north bluff is named after Hiram Scott. He was a clerk for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. He died near the bluff in 1828. The bluff was a very important landmark for pioneers. It guided travelers on the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Pony Express Trail. It could also be seen from far away by those on the Mormon Trail.
Between 1843 and 1869, over 250,000 pioneers passed by Scotts Bluff. It was the second most mentioned landmark in their journals and diaries. Scotts Bluff County and the city of Scottsbluff, Nebraska were named after this famous landmark.
Contents
What Makes Up Scotts Bluff?
Even though it's called "Scotts Bluff National Monument," the area actually has two main bluffs. These are "South Bluff" and the northern bluff, "Scotts Bluff."
There are five large rock formations on these bluffs. They are called Dome Rock, Crown Rock, Sentinel Rock, Eagle Rock, and Saddle Rock.
A Look at Scotts Bluff's Past
How Was Scotts Bluff First Found?
Non-native people first mapped these bluffs in 1812. This was done by the Astorian Expedition, a group of fur traders. They were traveling along the river. They noticed the bluffs were the first big rock formations on the North Platte River. This was where the Great Plains started to become the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Their discoveries were not widely known because of the War of 1812. But explorers found the route to the Rocky Mountains again in 1823. Fur traders in the area then used the bluffs as a key landmark. European Americans named the most famous bluff after Hiram Scott. He was a fur trader who died near the bluffs in 1828. Local Native Americans had a different name for it: Me-a-pa-te. This means "the hill that is hard to go around."
A Guide for Pioneer Trails
During the 1830s, fur traders, missionaries, and military groups regularly traveled past Scotts Bluff. Starting in 1841, many settlers began their journey west. They followed the Great Platte River Road to Oregon, and later to California and Utah. All these groups used the bluff as a major landmark to find their way.
There was a natural gap between South Bluff and Scotts Bluff. However, it was not easy to travel through at first. So, the Oregon Trail initially went south of Scotts Bluff at Robidoux Pass. The Mormon Trail went north of the bluff, across the North Platte River.
In the early 1850s, a road was built in the gap. This road later became known as Mitchell Pass. From 1851 onwards, this new path became the favorite route for the Oregon and California Trails. The Mormon Trail still passed the bluff only from a distance. We don't know who built the road through Mitchell Pass around 1850. It might have been soldiers from Fort Laramie. Many pioneers liked this route better. It was easier than trying to cross the rough lands north of the bluffs. It was also better than taking a detour south to the older trail at Robidoux Pass. People stopped using the Emigrant Trail around 1869. This was because the transcontinental railroad was completed.
Towns Grow Near Scotts Bluff
The town of Gering, Nebraska was founded near the bluff in 1887. The city of Scottsbluff was started across the North Platte River in 1900. The river separates (or joins) these two cities. They have grown together and are now the 6th largest urban area in Nebraska.
Once towns were built nearby, people visited the bluff for its amazing views. You could see flat land to the east and hills and mountains to the west. The river valley was also visible in between. Over the years, different paths were built up the bluff. But most were tricky and unsafe. In the early 1900s, the National Park Service built a safer, modern trail. This made it easier for everyone to reach the top.
Becoming a National Monument
The Department of Interior made Scotts Bluff and some nearby bluffs a National Monument. This happened on December 12, 1919. They were put under the care of the National Park Service. This service had been created just three years before.
The Oregon Trail Museum and Visitor Center was built at the base of the bluff. This is where hiking tours of the bluffs begin. The museum has exhibits about the westward expansion and the pioneers. It also shows drawings and paintings by William Henry Jackson. You can also learn about the geology (study of rocks and earth) and paleontology (study of fossils) of the area.
In the 1930s, a road was built to the top of Scotts Bluff. The Civilian Conservation Corps built it. This group was organized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The road goes through three tunnels on its way to the top. It makes it easy for visitors to reach the summit.
All historic sites managed by the National Park Service were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on October 15, 1966, when the Register was created.
The Name of Scotts Bluff
How Scotts Bluff Got Its Name
Around 1825, a group of fur trappers were going down the upper part of the Nebraska River. Their canoes tipped over, and all their gunpowder got wet. Their rifles were useless, so they couldn't hunt for food. They had to eat roots and wild fruits to survive.
After being very hungry, they reached Laramie’s Fork. This was a small stream about sixty miles from the bluffs. Here, one of their group, named Scott, became very sick. His friends stopped to wait for him to get better. While looking for food, they found fresh tracks of other white men. These men had just passed by. What should they do? If they hurried, they might catch up to this group and reach safety. If they waited, they might all die of hunger and tiredness.
Scott, however, could not move. His friends were too weak to help him. They worried that he would slow them down and they wouldn't catch the other group. So, they decided to leave him behind. They pretended to look for food and medicine for him. But then they left him and hurried after the other group. They caught up to the group but kept secret that they had left Scott. They said he had died of sickness.
The next summer, these same people came back to the area with others. They suddenly found the bones of a human skeleton. They recognized them as Scott's remains by certain signs. This was sixty long miles from where they had left him. It seemed the poor man had crawled that huge distance before he died. The wild and beautiful bluffs near his lonely grave have been called Scotts Bluff ever since.
Spelling: With or Without an Apostrophe?
There has always been some debate about how to spell the name of this landform. Specifically, people wondered if it should have an apostrophe. For example, a map from 1843 by John C. Frémont called it Scott's Bluff (with an apostrophe). But another military map from 1875 by G.K. Warren dropped the apostrophe. It simply called it Scotts Bluff.
There are many other examples from the late 1800s and early 1900s where the name was spelled both ways. Finally, on June 11, 1941, the United States Board on Geographic Names made a decision. They officially adopted the name Scotts Bluff (without an apostrophe). The nearby town of Scottsbluff is spelled as one word.
Other Things Named After the Bluff
Scotts Bluff County and the city of Scottsbluff were named after the landmark.
During World War II, the United States built many T2 oil tanker ships. Many of these ships were named after national monuments. The SS Scotts Bluff was built in 1944. It served in the war. Its name was changed when it was sold to France in 1948.
Trails to Explore at the Monument
Summit Trails
The North Overlook Trail is a 0.5-mile (0.8 km) paved path. It starts from the summit parking lot. From here, you can see the North Platte River Valley. Visitors can reach the highest point on the bluff, which is 4659 feet (1420 m) above sea level.
The South Overlook Trail is a 0.4-mile (0.6 km) paved path. It also leaves from the summit parking lot but goes south. From this overlook, you can see the Visitor Center and Mitchell Pass.
The Saddle Rock Trail begins at the Visitor Center. It climbs 435 feet (133 m) over 1.6 miles (2.6 km). The first third of the trail is fairly flat, from the Visitor Center to Scott's Spring. From there, the trail climbs quickly for most of the 435 feet (133 m) in 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to the summit parking lot.
The Oregon Trail Pathway is a short trail. It goes up 85 feet (26 m) in 0.5 miles (0.8 km). The trail starts at a display of Murphy and Conestoga wagons. It ends in Mitchell Pass.
The Bike Path is the only trail where you can ride a bike. It runs from the Visitor Center to the eastern edge of the park. It drops 50 feet (15 m) over 1.2 miles (1.9 km).
Gallery
-
View through Mitchell Pass, July 1858. By Samuel C. Mills, photographer with the Simpson Expedition
-
View from the summit
-
Saddle Rock in Scotts Bluff National Monument
-
Scotts Bluff during winter (Nov. 2002)
-
Looking north-northwest at Scottsbluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska
-
Looking down at road and irrigation ditch to the northeast from Scotts Bluff National Monument
-
Bicycle path can be seen on the right
See also
In Spanish: Monumento nacional de Scotts Bluff para niños
