The Platte River Crossing, also known as Bennett's Crossing, is the point at which the

Overland Trail The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail w ...

crossed the North Platte River in

Carbon County, Wyoming Carbon County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 14,537. Its county seat is Rawlins, Wyoming, Rawlins. Its south border abuts the north line of Colorado. ...

. The site is a natural ford created by an island in the middle of the river with a firm river bottom on either side. The location was used as a ford by Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans in the West. The first Europeans to use the site were members of the William Henry Ashley fur-trading expedition of 1825, followed by

John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont or Fremont (January 21, 1813July 13, 1890) was an American explorer, military officer, and politician. He was a U.S. Senator from California and was the first Republican nominee for president of the United States in 1856 ...

in 1843. In 1850,

Howard Stansbury Howard Stansbury (February 8, 1806 – April 17, 1863) was a major in the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers. His most notable achievement was leading a two-year expedition (1849–1851) to survey the Great Salt Lake and its surroundings. ...

camped at the site, noting the presence of remnant Native American encampments around the site. By the time the

Overland Stage Line The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail was ...

was established in 1861, the crossing had been used by emigrants for several years. In later years, a ferry was operated at the site by Ed Bennett, leading to the site becoming known as Bennett's Crossing. When the Union Pacific Railway laid tracks through the region in 1868, the crossing fell out of use. The site is marked by a stone monument on a small parcel of land deeded to the State of Wyoming in 1933. A small cemetery is nearby with eight known graves from the 1860s. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1971.

References

External links

Platte River Crossing
Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office {{NRHP in Carbon County, Wyoming National Register of Historic Places in Carbon County, Wyoming