NRHP: Nebraska City to Fort Kearny Cutoff Ruts at Spring Creek Prairie
Contents
Nebraska City to Fort Kearny Cutoff Ruts at Spring Creek Prairie
NRHP Reference #: 02000771
NRHP Listing Date: 20020711
Location
rural, Denton vicinity, Lancaster County, Nebraska
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Summary
Located in rural Lancaster County, the trail ruts are significant to Nebraska's history for their association with the Oregon Trail. From about 1840 through 1866, when the Union Pacific Railroad reached Fort Kearny, the Oregon Trail was the most important transportation corridor for the westward movement of people and supplies. Government freighting contractors and emigrants continually looked for shorter and faster routes from the Missouri River to the Oregon Trail. One such route was the Nebraska City to Fort Kearny Cutoff. These trail ruts have additional significance because they reveal the manner of descent of a wagon train from a ridge. The several sets of ruts along the descent of the ridge demonstrate the need for wagons to leave their line for safety reasons and in preparation for crossing the spring.
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About the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the country’s official list of historically significant properties. To be eligible for the NRHP a property must generally retain their historic appearance, be at least 50 years old, and have the potential to be documented as historically or architecturally significant at either the local, state, or national level. The National Register of Historic Places is a National Park Service program administered by the Nebraska State Historical Society for the state of Nebraska. Visit the Nebraska State Historical Society's website to learn more about the program.
