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Independence Rock (Wyoming)
Encyclopedia
Independence Rock is a large granite
rock, approximately 130 feet (39.6 m) high, in southwestern Natrona County in the U.S. state
of Wyoming
, along Wyoming Highway 220. During the middle of the 19th century, the rock was a prominent and well-known landmark on the Oregon
, Mormon
and California
emigrant trails. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
on January 20, 1961. It is now part of Independence Rock State Historic Site, owned and operated by the state of Wyoming.
granite
typical of the surrounding region. Its appearance is somewhat like the rounded Enchanted Rock
of Texas
or the Uluru
in Australia
(also called Ayers Rock), although smaller in size. It is located in the high plateau
region of central Wyoming, north of the Green Mountains and close to the Sweetwater River
. It is accessible from a rest area on Wyoming Highway 220
, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) northeast of Muddy Gap.
There have been several theories regarding how the rock was carved. One explanation that comes from The History Channel states that several stonecarvers set up shop on the rock and charged a small fee to carve names. This would explain the fact that some names appear to be from the same hand and are professional looking as well. However they got there, they serve to remind us of the varied history of the founding and settling of the United States. Independence Rock is considered the highest point of the short Granite Mountains sub-range
.
and that emigrant wagon parties bound for Oregon
or California
, which usually left the Missouri River
in the early spring, attempted to reach the rock by July 4 (Independence Day
in the United States
), in order to reach their destinations before the first mountain snowfalls.
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
rock, approximately 130 feet (39.6 m) high, in southwestern Natrona County in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, along Wyoming Highway 220. During the middle of the 19th century, the rock was a prominent and well-known landmark on the Oregon
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, Mormon
Mormon Trail
The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868...
and California
California Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
emigrant trails. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on January 20, 1961. It is now part of Independence Rock State Historic Site, owned and operated by the state of Wyoming.
Description
The rock is a large rounded extrusion of ArcheanArchean
The Archean , also spelled Archeozoic or Archæozoic) is a geologic eon before the Paleoproterozoic Era of the Proterozoic Eon, before 2.5 Ga ago. Instead of being based on stratigraphy, this date is defined chronometrically...
granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
typical of the surrounding region. Its appearance is somewhat like the rounded Enchanted Rock
Enchanted Rock
Enchanted Rock is an enormous pink granite pluton rock formation located in the Llano Uplift approximately north of Fredericksburg, Texas, USA and south of Llano, Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans the border between Gillespie...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
or the Uluru
Uluru
Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(also called Ayers Rock), although smaller in size. It is located in the high plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
region of central Wyoming, north of the Green Mountains and close to the Sweetwater River
Sweetwater River (Wyoming)
The Sweetwater River is a tributary of the North Platte River, long, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Its waters eventually reach the Atlantic Ocean. The Sweetwater rises in southwestern Fremont County, at the continental divide near South Pass Wyoming, on the southern end of the Wind River Range...
. It is accessible from a rest area on Wyoming Highway 220
Wyoming Highway 220
Wyoming Highway 220 is the principal highway connecting the city of Casper to US 287/WYO 789. WYO 220 lies in northwestern Carbon and southern Natrona counties and along the famous Oregon Trail.- Route description :...
, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) northeast of Muddy Gap.
There have been several theories regarding how the rock was carved. One explanation that comes from The History Channel states that several stonecarvers set up shop on the rock and charged a small fee to carve names. This would explain the fact that some names appear to be from the same hand and are professional looking as well. However they got there, they serve to remind us of the varied history of the founding and settling of the United States. Independence Rock is considered the highest point of the short Granite Mountains sub-range
Granite Mountains (Wyoming)
The Granite Mountains are a short subrange of the Rocky Mountains in central Wyoming of the United States. The range runs approximately 100 mi E-W along the south side of the Shoshone Basin, and north of the Sweetwater River, in eastern Fremont County and western Natrona County. The highest...
.
History
The rock derives its name from the fact that it lies directly along the route of the Emigrant TrailEmigrant Trail
The Emigrant Trails were the northern networks of overland wagon trails throughout the American West, used by emigrants from the eastern United States to settle lands west of the Interior Plains during the overland migrations of the mid-19th century...
and that emigrant wagon parties bound for Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
or California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, which usually left the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
in the early spring, attempted to reach the rock by July 4 (Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), in order to reach their destinations before the first mountain snowfalls.
External links
- Independence Rock National Historic Landmark at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office