Garden County Nebraska

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Oshkosh, Lewellen, Lisco

Historical Markers

Ash Hollow

Ash Hollow was famous on the Oregon Trail. A branch of the trail ran northwestward from the Lower California Crossing of the South Platte River a few miles west of Brule, and descended here into the North Platte Valley. The hollow, named for a growth of ash trees, was entered by Windlass Hill to the south. Wagons had to be eased down its steep slope by ropes.

Ash Hollow with its water, wood and grass was a welcome relief after the arduous trip from the South Platte and the travelers usually stopped for a period of rest and refitting. An abandoned trappers cabin served as an unofficial postoffice where letters were deposited to be carried to the "States" by Eastbound travelers. The graves of Rachel Pattison and other emigrants are in the nearby cemetery.

In 1855 a significant fight, commonly called the Battle of Ash Hollow, occurred at the Blue Water Creek northwest of here. General Harney's forces sent out to chastize the Indians after teh Grattan Massacre of 1854 here attacked Little Thunder's band of Brule Sioux while the Indians were attempting to parley, killed a large number and captured the rest of the band.

Lewellen Lions Club - Historical Land Mark Council.

Ash Hollow Geology

Ash Hollow is a focal point for understanding the geologic history of the Central Great Plains prior to the onset of teh Great Ice Age. It is the type locality of the Ash Hollow Formation, named by Henry Engelmann after a visit in 1855-11859. These sediments were deposited in ancient valley-systms that drained east from the Rocky Mountains.

Much of the ancient valley-fill is exposed in cross section in the cliff faces along Ash Hollow. The basal pebble-gravel forms the roof of Ash Hollow Cave in the exhibit area. Some of the over-lying hard ledges or mortar-beds probably represent hard-pan or caliche soils, and others contain fossil grass seeds and root-casts of yucca, all indicative of a semi-arid climate and plants somewhat like today. But the animals found in these rocks were very different, including camels, rhinocerouses, and long-jawed mastodonts, most of which became extinct before the Ice Age. The Ice Age animals were like-wise mostly distinct from those now living here.

The earliest collection of fossils were made for F.D.Cope near here in 1870. Explorers who make geological contributions include John C. Fremont in 1845 and G.K. Warren in 1855.

Nebraska Geological Service - Nebraska State Historical Society.

Windlass Hill
Pioneer Homestead

The stones surrounding this marker are the remains of the homestead dwelling of Reverend Dennis B Clary, a pioneer Methodist Minister, who received final patent for his homestead May 29, 1899. Mr. Clary was born September 1st, 1822, in Maryland and immigrated to Nebraska in 1885. Using a horse drawn cart fashioned from available materials, he hauled stone to this site for a two room house. For years this was a land mark in Ash Hollow and marked the location of Windlass Hill. It was a popular stopping place for settlers traveling from the North Platte Valley area to the railroad at Big Springs, some twenty miles to the south.

The wagon road used at that time is still visible nearby. The Oregon Trail passed here, and the area surrounding the house was used by early travelers to repair damage caused by the hazardouse trip down Windlass Hill.

This site was used July 29-30 as the stage setting for teh "Ash Hollow Centennial Pageant" when a nearby sod house was reconstructed. Funds from tehis successful historical event provided this Marker.

Ash Hollow Centennial Association - Nebraska State Historical Society

The Battle of Blue Water

On September 3, 855, the U.S. Army's 600-man Sioux Expedition, commanded by Col. William S. Harney, attacked and destoryed a Lakota village located three miles north on Blue Creek. The fight became known as the Battle of Blue Water, sometimes the Battle of Ash Hollow after the nearby landmark, or the Harney Massacre.

The army's attack avenged the Indian annihilation of Lt. Joahn Grattan's command near Fort laramie in 1854. Harney concluded the more than 250 Brules and Oglalas camped on Blue Creek were teh guilty parties. He divided his force and led his infantry towards the village. While Harney engaged in a delaying parley with Chief Little Thunder, the Mounted troops had circled undetected to the north.

The infantry opened fire with its new, long-range rifles and forced the Indians to flee toward the mounted soldiers, who inflicted terrible casualties. Eighty-six Indians were kitlled, seventy women and children were captured, and their tipis were looted and burned. This first, yet often overlooked, military campaign against the Lakota kept the Overland Trail open, but only postponed until 1863-64 a war between the two nations.

Erected in memory of Dennis Shimmin
Ash Hollow State historical Park Superintendent 1968-1990
Nebraska State Historical Society

John Hollman Grave

View a photo of the grave of John Hollman