|
The first Fort Kearny was
located on the Missouri River near present-day Nebraska City.
Established in 1846, the post was abandoned in 1848 because it
was not close enough to the Oregon-California trail. Fort
Kearny II, or "New Fort Kearny", was established in
June, 1848, on the Platte River perhaps eight miles southeast
of the present-day town of Kearney. The site was acquired from
the Pawnee Indians for $2,000 in trade goods. Located at the
western end of the "Grand Island" in the Platte
River, the post was first called "Post at Grand
Island"; it was also referred to as "Fort
Childs". In December of 1848, the post was formally named
"Fort Kearny", in honor of Colonel S.W. Kearny; it
was abandoned in mid-May, 1871. During it's lifetime it was,
along with Fort Laramie, Fort Bridger and Fort Hall, one of
the principal "stops" for emigrants on the
Oregon-California Trail.
 |
Margaret A. Frink (1850)
"Monday, May 20. . .In the afternoon we came to the
junciton of the emigrant road from St. Joseph with our
road, about twenty-five miles below New Fort Kearney.
That road ran westward from St. Joseph to the Blue
Rivers, and up the Little Blue to its head, where it
turned to the northward across the high plains to the
Platte. Here the two roads met. Both roads were thickly
crowded with emigrants. It was a grand spectacle when we
came, for the first time, in view of the vast
emigration, slowly winding its way westward over the
broad plain." |
"Tuesday, May 21. . .During the day we
passed New Fort Kearney, a small United States military
station near the bank of the river, the walls of which were
constructed largely of sods cut out in large blocks, and laid
up as adobes are laid in California. This is the first human
habitation we have seen since crosing the Missouri, two
hundred miles distant. From that point we have been steadily
climbing up hill, the altitude here being twenty-one hundred
and fifty feet, which is twelve hundred feet higher that
Bullard's Ferry. We camped to-night on the bank of the
river."
Sarah Davis (1850)
"june11 we left fort carney and
traveled on we traveled on the
bottom of the river at fort carney thare was some men
in encampment that sold liquot to the soldiers and
they were fiend and to of them taken to the forte and
confined and the rest of their liquot turned out of
the casque."
Lucena Parsons (1850)
[July 4] "We were in hearing of cannon
at oald Fort Carny & it seemed like home. We are
all on the river bank & in sight of each
other." |
 |
"July 7. Got started about 8 this
morning, we have some lame oxen. Travelled 7 miles &
reached Fort Carny at 11 oclock. It is a pleasant place on the
river. They have 450 soldiers there now, cultivate some land
& have fine gardens. There are some 8 houses built of
wood, they get their timber from as far as the Missouri
river."
 |
Amelia Hadley (1851)
"Thursday May 22. . .The river is
about a mile wide where we now are. In it are a great
many sand bars which makes the river very shallow and
verry much cut ujp but verry wide. . .we are now at the
head of grand Island, and in the Bujffalo country, on
the south side of the river, is fort Kearny about a half
a mile from the river land flat and wet. . . .Water poor
white with clay of which the Platte and Mo. are alike.
But by taking a pail full, and putting in a little alum,
and it will settle in a short time." |
Susan Amelia Cranston (1851)
"Friday 16th (May). . .The Mail from New
fort Carney to the Missourie staid with us to night We are 90
miles from N Ft Carney."
"Thursday 22nd Drove about 15 miles
passed fort Carney at which we stopped a few minuets and
encamped on the river had poor grass and nothing but green
willows for wood fort Carney is situated at the head of Grand
island which is 50 miles long and 5 wide There are 2 stores at
the fort and a no of good dwelling houses 3 graves"
Jean Rio Baker (1851)
"-26-(July) Came near to fort Kearney,
where I bought an Ox to take the place of the one who died, he
cost we $30."
For further information on Fort Kearny, see the following:
THE GREAT PLATTE RIVER ROAD by Merrill
Mattes: Chapters VI: "Fort Kearny and the Forty-Niners"
and Chapter VII: "Fort Kearny, Gateway to the Great
Plains."
|
|
