The History and Wonder of Courthouse and Jail Rocks

When travelers on the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails passed through the panhandle of Nebraska, Chimney Rock was the most documented landmark on the journey.

However, two other iconic landmarks helped guide travelers westward, Courthouse and Jail Rock. Today, we explore these two formations and how they captured the imaginations of pioneers through the 1962 Nebraska History Magazine article, “Courthouse and Jail Rocks: Landmarks on the Oregon Trail,” written by Earl R. Harris.