South Platte River Trail Scenic and Historic Byway
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 40° 57.975 W 102° 15.076
13T E 731303 N 4538649
Historical marker commemorating the South Platte River Trail located at the Colorado Welcome Center near Julesburg.
Waymark Code: WM2153
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 08/18/2007
Views: 34
South Platte River Trail Scenic and Historic Byway
Start at the Colorado Welcome Center and enjoy a 19-mile loop drive.
Interpretive panels along the way reveal the rich heritage of Sedgwick County
"Interstate 76 and the South Platte River Trail are a half-mile and one
hundred years apart."
A Moving Experience
The town of Julesburg moved three times before settling in its present location.
The first relocation was the result of an Indian raid. the second and
third were prompted by the need to be close to the railroad. The movement
of Julesburg demonstrates the tremendous impact of transportation, commerce and
communication on the settling of the prairie.
Dreamers and Believers
Those migrating West dreamed of riches, freedom or just a better life.
Over 350,000 emigrants traveled routes parallel to the Platte River.
Today, Interstate 76 follows this grand corridor of westward expansion,
sometimes called the Great Platte River Road.
Water - Lifeblood of the West
Look to the north. The tree-lined banks of the South Platte River weren't
always this way. During the 1800's, grazing bison, flooding and prairie
fires kept the riverbanks open. People moving west followed the course of
the river and developed settlements along the way. Today's productive
farmlands are a result of irrigation using river water channeled through Jumbo
Reservoir, 19 miles to the west.
Necessity - the Mother of Invention
Successful living on the prairie meant adapting to the often harsh conditions of
the land. Plains Indians migrated with the changing seasons to follow
animals they used to make food, clothing and tools. Early settlers who
lived a day or more away from settlements quickly learned the necessity of doing
for themselves.
"Grow what you need. Fix what gets broken. Make your own"
Pony Express, Telegraph and Railroads
Early settlers relied on travelers to share news of events that had often
occurred months earlier. From 1860 to 1861, the Pony Express sped the news
between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. Then came the
Transcontinental Telegraph, tapping instant messages across the country.
As the railroad moved west, so did more settlers. They streamed into the
South Platte Valley and spread onto the prairie in an agricultural boom.
Today, the Union Pacific Railroad continues to move freight along the same
routes and plays an important role in the economic stability of this region. ~
text of marker