Historical Marker
Bridger Road - Waltman Crossing
Natrona County · Wyoming
The road's own National Register nomination was modest about it. Prepared by the state's Recreation Commission and listed on January 17, 1975, it called the Bridger Road a thing of no wide historic significance and rested its case on Bridger's name. The route had less grass and water than Bozeman's, and its maker did not stay with it: in 1865 Patrick Connor took Bridger as a guide into the Powder River country, and he never again led emigrants this way. The nomination's 1974 photograph found only faint signs of the road here.
What the plaque says
Bridger Road- Waltman Crossing Here the present-day highway crosses what remains of an all but forgotten road. That road led to the remote goldfields of western Montana, booming since 1862. The government, in 1859, ordered Captain W.F. Raynolds, Topographical Engineers, U.S. Army, to reconnoiter Rocky Mountain topog- raphy and potential routes leading to areas of indicated mineralization. Old Jim Bridger, noted explorer since fur trade days, was Raynolds' guide. In 1864 official energy was still concentrated on the Civil War and that most famous of mountain- men laid out this road himself. The Oregon Trail was the trunk line of western roads. Although Montana's mines lay far north of its course, further west ---in Idaho---a branch-road turned off to those diggings. But that right-angle- turn added some 200 time-consuming, exhausting miles to the shortest feasible roadway. During 1863, John Bozeman had pioneered a road, east of the Big Horn Mountains and up the Yellowstone Valley, cutting across the angle, saving two weeks travel time. Still, by crossing Indian hunting grounds, his road increased the hazard of overland freight and travel. Bridger's route---west of the Big Horns ---reduced danger from Indian attacks while saving ten days time. But the Bridger Road was a compromise. It never was as well known as either of its alternatives. Later, it was important in the settlement of northwestern Wyoming. XXX Gold fields Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapahoe, hunting grounds Oregon Trail and Montana Road Bozeman Road Bridger Road
Where it stands
43.07495, -107.24499 · Directions