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Independence Rock, The Register of the Desert

© Elizabeth Gibson

The most famous landmark along the Oregon Trail was Independence Rock. It is located on the north bank of the Sweetwater River in central Wyoming. Pioneers from the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails all passed here, to rest and water their animals, camp, and many to celebrate the 4th of July. The first white travelers who passed the rock were probably General Ashley’s trappers, who came through in 1823.

There are many stories of how it got its name. One story is that a group of travelers going west in 1841 stopped to celebrate Independence Day while on their way to South Pass. This is not thought to be accurate. Another story is that the rock stands “independent” of all the other surrounding rocks and mouintains. A third story even gives the honor to Lewis and Clark when they passed by here in 1805, though that cannot possibly be correct. Another outlandish story is that when John C. Fremont was traveling this way in 1842, he conducted a wedding ceremony on top of the rock, where the couples gave up their “independence,” to become married. The independence of the rock from the other rocks is probably the most accepted story.

John K. Townsend, along with famous botanist, Thomas Nuttall, came this way in 1834. In his published narrative Townsend mentioned “Rock Independence,” so it was at least already named by that time. He also mentions that many names were already carved into it, many of them famous people. Captain Bonneville, the Sublette brothers, and many others had carved their names and so did Townsend and Nuttall.

Father Pierre De Smet, a Jesuit missionary, passed by in 1840. The rock’s subtitle came from De Smet when he wrote, “It might be called the great registry of the desert, for on it may be read in large characters the names of the several travelers who have visited the Rocky Mountains. My name figures amongst so many others, as that of the first priest who has visited these solitary regions.” De Smet passed again in 1841 on his way back east and noticed the large numbers of new names and also Indian petroglyphs that had been carved into its face.

In 1842, Fremont wrote that the rock was about 650 yards long and 40 yards tall. Within 6 or 8 feet from the ground, all the way around, names were inscribed. When he passed by again a year later, he wrote, “I made on the granite the impression of a large cross, which I covered with a black preparation of India rubber, well calculated to resist the influence of wind and rain. It stands amid the names of many who long since have found their way to the grave, and for whom the huge rock is a giant grave-stone.”

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