Name: Camp Platte

 

County: Natrona

 

Authority Name: 

 

GNIS Entry

 

Longitude: 

Latitude:

 

Legal Description:

 

Elevation:

(ft/m)

 

Feature Type: Locale

 

Origin of Name:

This point on the Oregon Trail at the Big Bend of the river was known as Camp Platte. Its location was too strategic to be long neglected because it was approximately half way between Missouri and Oregon, half way between Missouri and the gold fields in California ... .

Source: Annals 31 (1)

 

Other Names: Guinard's Bridge and Trading Post (1859), Platte Bridge Station (1864), Fort Caspar (1865), Casper

 

Alternative Spellings:

 

History: 

The site of Fort Caspar was called Camp Platte from 1840 to 1847. When the Mormons passed through here in June 1847, they built and operated a ferry across the river, and then the name was changed to Mormon Ferry or Mormon Crossing. Louis Guinard built a bridge across the river  at this point in the winter of 1858-59. The name was then changed to Platte Bridge Station. Lieutenant Caspar W. Collins was killed by Indians near the fort on July 26, 1865, and in October of that year Major General Pope ordered the name changed to Fort Caspar. When the town of Casper was platted by the land department of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad Company, the engineer, in the original plat, used an "e" in the last syllable instead of an "a." After many deeds for town lots and other important documents had been issued, all spelled with an "e," a request was made to have the spelling changed, but it was considered that the change would be too expensive.

Source: Annals 15 (1)

 

Stories:

 

Maps:

 

Newspapers:

 

More Information: 

 

Pictures: