Ox Bow Saline Ford Crossing

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In the eighteen hundreds the Ashland Territory played one of the most important episodes in the Western Frontier migration.  Thousands of Settlers, Mormons, Military and Freighters followed the Ox Bow Trail across the Salt Creek. 

The crossing at Salt Creek, known as Saline Ford, became the heaviest water crossing in the geographical region.  This phenomenon was due to the natural lime stone bridge only a few inches under the waters surface.  The bridge is still visible and will be the central attraction for the proposed Ox Bow Saline Ford Crossing monument.  A walkway will be built to allow visitors to actually view the bridge and touch the ground so many crossed some 150 years before.  

The dream to celebrate the Ox Bow Saline Ford Crossing memorial was nominated for an award by Nebraska Travel and Tourism.  The City of Ashland followed up with the award of a grant from the Community Cultural Development Partnership for the monument program. Recently the National Parks Service has chosen to honor the Saline Ford Crossing with a permanent historical marker to be placed by the National Parks Service at the bridge location. After years of obscurity the Ox Bow Trail and the Saline Ford Crossing is now appearing on major historic maps.  

Residents in the Ashland area are proud of the heritage that surrounds this outstanding location and the tremendous contribution of the Saline Ford Crossing in the historic development of our great country.