THE GREAT PLATTE RIVER ROAD
"A mile wide and an inch deep", the Platte River flows east, but it pointed the way west for thousands. Too shallow for boat traffic, but along its shores the great westward movement took place. On the south shore, the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express went by. On the north shore, the Mormons headed for Salt Lake City. Just a bit farther north, the Great Transcontinental Railroad was built, and later, the Lincoln Highway, now highway 30, became the first transcontinental highway in America. And today, Interstate 80 roars along where once the Mormon Trail existed.The Interstate follows the River for many miles because it is the flattest and therefore cheapest route on which to build such a road. Because of this, many who travel across the state without getting off the interstate think there are no hills in Nebraska.
