Guiding Landmarks -- US 26 W of Broadwater NE - Nebraska Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This marker is in a small road pull-out on the US 26 west of Broadwater Nebraska. The marker reads as follows:

"GUIDING LANDMARKS

Court House Rock was first noted by explorer Robert Stewart in 1812 and quickly became one of the guiding landmarks for fur traders and emigrants traveling to California, Oregon, and Utah territories. It is a massive monolith of Brule Clay and Gehring Sandstone that was likened to a courthouse or castle. A smaller feature just to the east was Jail Rock. From this location, Courthouse Rock has an obvious resemblance to the familiar building with a dome or cupola in the city square back home. This could be anybody's courthouse from Maine to Iowa, but most thought it resembled the famous old courthouse in St. Louis.

While these two landmarks are located South of the North Platte River, they could be seen by the Mormons as they passed this way. Many road journal entries recorded their fascination with land formations from Ash Hollow to Scotts Bluff's. Their journals describe the “awesome space” and “the openness” as well as their interest with the rock formations that seems to rise out of nowhere. Some cold Courthouse rock “castle like" and for some, it reminded them of a temple.

William Clayton
May 24, 1847
opposite camp on the south side of the river is a very large rock, very much resembling a castle of four stories high, but in a state of ruin. A little to the east a rock stands which looks like a fragment of a very thick wall. The scenery around is pleasant and romantic

Henry Pugh, clerk of the Joseph Young company, Sunday, August 21, 1853
Meeting held at 1:15 PM at which Pres. Joseph W Young exhorted the Saints to diligence, constancy in prayer, union, etc. Some discord having exited, he found it necessary to speak plainly to the camp, and scolded them somewhat, which however was done in an amiable spirit. At 4:45 PM, the company moved on, travel 5 miles and camped for the night at 7 o'clock on the side of the road opposite Courthouse Rock.

William Henry Branch Sr., – Wilford Woodruff Company, Monday, August 12, 1850
Today we passed Temple Rock. This is a curious work of nature. It is a stupendous rock some 80 feet in diameter at its base. It rises some 40 feet perpendicular, or nearly so. On the top of this is a dome or steeple 15 feet in diameter and 20 feet high running to a point at the top. Beside this there are smaller rocks from 15 to 20 feet high.

Many explorers emigrants pioneers kept diaries and journals of their 4-5 month trek across the prairies and mountains that provide us with insight into their experiences."

Marker Name: Guiding Landmarks City: no Roadside: yes Other: no Web Address if available:: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   08/07/2013 Benchmark Blasterz visited it