Platte River Crossing, WY

Crossing the North Platte River was a challenge most emigrants had to eventually face. Only those that started their westward journey from the Council Bluffs area and stayed north of the River past Fort Laramie could avoid the task. But for the vast majority, the river they had followed for at least 450 miles had to be crossed in the area around what is now Casper, Wyoming.

Most early wagon trains (1841-46) forded the Platte in the shadow of Red Butte (southwest of Casper) at a crossing used by the fur trade during the 1820-40 period. Rufus B. Sage reached the ford in the spring of 1842 and noted that, "The stream is about three hundred yards from bank to bank and, at the time of our crossing, swimming deep for a small portion of the way. The melting of mountain snows had increased the size and velocity of its current and rendered our passage slightly dangerous and difficult."

The Mormons established a commercial ferry boat service about eight miles downstream in 1847 and operated it annually through 1851. James Pritchard reached the ferry in June, 1849 and found, "175 wagons ahead of us and we had to take our turn." He waited three days. In 1850 Thomas Christy arrived at the ferry at mid afternoon, "and got our wagons taken right across. There are four boats running here." The cost for services ranged from $1.50 to $5.00 per wagon, depending on the height and velocity of the river and demand for services.

John Baptiste Richard (pronounced in the French as Reshaw) built the first of several bridges across the North Platte just above the mouth of Deer Creek (Glenrock) in 1851. It was describes as an engineering failure but a financial success. The flimsy structure washed away in the spring floods of 1852 and was replaced with a more substantial structure some 22 miles upstream (Evansville) that was operated as a toll bridge until 1865. Sir Richard Burton saw the bridge in 1860 and noted, "A wooden bridge was built at this point some years ago at an expense of $26,000 by one Regshaw, who, if report does not belie him, has gained and lost more fortunes than a Wall Street professional."

In 1858, Louis Guinard constructed a bridge at the site of the original Mormon ferry operation. This bridge, 1,000-feet in length and 13-feet wide, supported by 28 stone-filled cribs, became the major North Platte crossing. William H. Jackson recorded that, "We crossed at once over the very finest...bridge yet encountered, a sturdy and workmanlike structure of logs." The nearby Mormon Ferry Trading Post became the military Platte Bridge Station in 1858. It was later named Fort Caspar before being abandoned in 1867. Both the post and the bridge were immediately burned by Indians.

Fort Caspar was reconstructed in 1936 on the original site, using sketches made by Lt. Caspar Collins in 1863. The new Interpretive Center opened in 1983 and offers a wide variety of exhibits on Indian and civilian influence in the area, the emigrant period, military life, establishment of the town of Casper, mineral resource development in the region, and early Casper residents. Fort Caspar is located on the west side of Casper, just off Mills Spur Road (Wyoming Boulevard). The reconstructed fort buildings are open during the summer, while the Interpretive Center is open year-round.