
Oregon Trail 1847 - Border, WY
N 42° 12.822 W 111° 02.826
12T E 496112 N 4673504
An historical marker near the border of Wyoming and Idaho on Highway 30 commemorating the Oregon Trail that passed this point near Border, Wyoming.
Waymark Code: WMDTMH
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 02/23/2012
Views: 6
This historical marker is situated just east of the Wyoming / Idaho border on the north side of Highway 30. The plaque is attached to a large rock with the inscription "Border, Wyo" with the ubiquitous Wyoming state symbol of the Bucking Horse and Rider. The plaque reads:
OREGON TRAIL 1847
In 1847, The Oregon Trail passed by this point where Highway 30 now crosses the Idaho-Wyoming State line. Here lies the northern most bend of Bear River in Wyoming before it crosses into Idaho. Skirting wet lands to the north and the south, ruts left by those thousands of wagon wheels carve a long lazy "S" route through the marshy meadow lands one mile westward to the crossings of Thomas Fork River entering from the valley north. Crossing through what are now cultivated barley fields, those ancient wagon tracks can be seen clearly when the fields are prepared for planting. Those thousands of steel clad wheels churned the natrually red-brown soil to shades of gray.
Coming northward from the town of Cokeville in Wyoming, the original right-of-way of Highway 30 closely followed the Old Oregon Trail keeping to higher ground to avoid wetlands fed by the seasonal high water levels with the melting of the snow. In those days, before the diversion of water for irrigation and the building of Woodruff Narrows Dam on the Bear River, each springtime, water would rise, flooding river banks, cresting usually in the last days of the month of June with high water continuing to mid-July. In 2010, water crested at its highest about June 22.
Always, the fertile bends of bear river have been filled with native grasses and willows, wonderful shelters for nesting Canada Geese, hundreds of ducks, grouse and song birds. Mule deer, elk, moose, coyotes, bob-cats and an occasional black bear frequented the area. Now, since men have chosen to destroy the beautiful willows, few birds and animals are to be found.
MONUMENT AND DOCUMENTATION PREPARED BY CAL PRICE
51 BORDER ROAD
The rock itself has an inscription of 2005 and signed by Cal Price. However, in the text, it references the high water peaked on June 22, 2010. Therefore, it appears that the plaque was added after the decorative rock was installed at this location.
Marker Name: Oregon Trail 1847
 Marker Type: Rural Roadside
 Group Responsible for Placement: Cal Price
 Addtional Information: Not listed
 Date Dedicated: Not listed
 Marker Number: Not listed
 Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed

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Visit Instructions:
Please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Wyoming history please include that in your log.