Courthouse and Jail House Rocks
National Register of Historic Places

Courthouse and Jail House Rocks

Bridgeport, Morrill County, Nebraska
Listed
April 23, 1973
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
73001067

About this property

Courthouse and Jail Rocks are two rock formations located near Bridgeport in the Nebraska Panhandle. The Oregon-California Trail, the Mormon Trail, the Pony Express Trail and the Sidney-Deadwood Trail all ran near the rocks. The pair of rock formations served as a landmark along the trails for many pioneers traveling west in the 19th century. Many travelers would stray as much as five miles (8 km) from the Oregon Trail just to get a glimpse of the rocks. Hundreds of westward-bound emigrants mentioned Courthouse Rock (originally also McFarlan's Castle) in their travel logs and journals. The name "Courthouse" was first used in 1837. In 1845, one traveler described the rock as "resembling the ruins of an old castle [which] rises abruptly from the plain....It is difficult to look upon it and not believe that art had something to do with its construction. The voyagers have called it the Courthouse; but it looks infinitely more like the Capitol." Courthouse and Jail Rocks, which rise 400 feet (120 m) above the North Platte Valley, are composed of Brule clay, Gering sandstone and volcanic ash. The rock formations are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and in the Nebraska Natural Areas Register.

Location

Bridgeport, Morrill County, Nebraska
41.60315, -103.11555

Categories

PREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINALEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Nearby Historic Sites

Morrill County Courthouse
Civil War
4.5 mi
Camp Clarke Bridge Site
Listed
6.9 mi
Schuetz Log Cabin
Industrial
7.2 mi
Mud Springs Station Archeological District (Boundary Increase)
Industrial
12.4 mi
Chimney Rock National Historic Site
Modern
13.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Courthouse and Jail House Rocks listed on the National Register?

Courthouse and Jail House Rocks was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 23, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Courthouse and Jail House Rocks?

Courthouse and Jail House Rocks is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Courthouse and Jail House Rocks?

The period of significance for Courthouse and Jail House Rocks is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Courthouse and Jail House Rocks?

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