National Register of Historic Places

Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District

Scottsbluff, Sioux County, Nebraska
Listed
November 22, 2000
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
00001403

About this property

Wind Springs Ranch is a historic ranch complex located in the Wind Springs Creek Valley in Sioux County, Nebraska. The present ranch, which was built around 1910, was the third European settlement constructed on the property. The ranch has mainly raised cattle and sheep. Settlers constructed two homesteads on the property in the 19th century, neither of which lasted long; the two homesteads only survive as archaeological remains. In addition, the Fort Laramie to Spotted Tail Agency Road ran across the property in the 1800s, and Wind Springs was likely a campsite along the road; wagon ruts still remain along the road's path through the ranch. Researchers have determined the existence of eighteen sites related to European settlement on the ranch; aside from the ranch itself, all are archaeological sites. The ranch is also the site of fifty-four archaeological sites which remain from Native American settlement in the area. A number of Paleoindian artifacts and a multitude of Archaic period projectile points indicate that settlement in the Wind Springs Creek Valley dates back several thousand years. Archaeologists separate the known sites in the area into sites in uplands and on butte tops, valley sites, and rock cairns. Two particularly significant sites, one located atop a butte and one located near its base, have yielded artifacts such as tools and bison bones. The ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 22, 2000, under the name Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District.

Location

Scottsbluff, Sioux County, Nebraska

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORICARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC NON-ABORIGINALETHNIC HERITAGE-NATIVE AMERICANETHNIC HERITAGE-EUROPEANEXPLORATION/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
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Questions about this property

When was Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District listed on the National Register?

Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 22, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District?

Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District?

The period of significance for Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1910.

Can I research the history near Wind Springs Ranch Historic and Archeological District?

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