Detour Ahead
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
Detour Ahead
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile east-west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon.
In 1841, the first group of emigrants, a wagon train of 80 people known as the Bidwell-Bartleson Party, passed through the Scotts Bluff region on their way to settle in the fertile farmland of the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Accompanying the party was well known Catholic missionary, Father Pierre-Jean De Smet. Missionaries had long traveled throughout the western wilderness seeking American Indians converts and were among some of the first travelers along the Oregon Trail. As homesteaders sent positive reports of the Oregon territory back east, interest in the region spread and more settlers embarked on the arduous journey.
Many physical hardships were encountered along the way including, deep ditches and gullies. Wind and stream deposits of sand and mud, wind deposits of volcanic ash, and supersaturated groundwater rich in lime formed the layers of sandstone, siltstone, volcanic ash and limestone that now comprise Scotts Bluff’s steep elevation, ridges, and the broad alluvial fans at its base. The geological deposits began to gradually erode away, except at certain locations that were protected by a cap rock of hard limestone that was more resistant to erosion. The cap rock covers the tops of the bluffs in the Scott's Bluff National Monument, slowing their rate of erosion, which resulted in the area’s unique geologic features.
This view is looking northwest toward Wyoming. Today the area is protected as part of Scotts Bluff National Monument.
Some digital effects were applied to the original image after the photograph was made. No electrons were harmed during the transition.
Image copyright 2022 Jon Burch Photography.
Uploaded
November 29th, 2022
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