Hugo Neighborhood Association & Historical Society
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Hugo Neighborhood Association & Historical Society |
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OXBOW OF THE APPLEGATE TRAIL There is no doubt the Oxbow trail characteristic shown on the 1856 General Land Office (GLO) map on the title panel is part of the Applegate Trail in Hugo, Oregon even though it defies modern reasoning.1 We speak of the 180-degree switch-back curve on the trail as an oxbow because it has a shape similar to a U-shaped frame forming a collar about an ox's neck and supporting the yoke. Years later, post 19042, the oxbow in the road was shorted by going straight up the draw in the location of today’s Hasis Drive and Maple Creek, and the switchback was not used anymore by through traffic. A comparison is the creation and disappearance of an oxbow lake which is a small lake located in a former meander loop of a river.In June 1846 the South Road Expedition traveling on horses left the Willamette Valley exploring a new route to Oregon.3 There was an old Indian trail over the unnamed Mt. Sexton Pass which had been periodically used by travelers, especially trappers. The expedition used this Indian trail south over the pass until the trail’s course was southwest instead of south (1856 GLO map). Using Indian & Trappers’ Trail Less Work Than Cutting A New One By October emigrants were traveling north up the rugged mountainous terrain on the trail toward Mt. Sexton Pass. Walking in single file on a horse trail that had to be widened was identified.3 & 4 "From here the emigrants had to cross Sexton Mountain. The road builders traveling before them had done little to cut a road for the wagons. The wagons could not go any further without doing more to provide a road. Virgil Pringle, Levi Scott and others had to take their axes and cut through the undergrowth to clear a way for the wagons to cross ...They edged their way along in single file as Levi Scott and others cleared a path for the wagons to follow." 1846 Pioneer Virgil Pringle recorded a good camp at Jumpoff Joe Creek (i.e., Pleasant Valley).4 The bad road was the oxbow and trail route over the mountain pass. "Saturday, October 17 – Travel 8 miles, road good and a good camp which is not common, the country being mostly burnt. 8 –2,218 miles. Sunday, October 18 – Have some bad road that takes till after dark to go 6 miles. 6 miles. Monday, October 19 – Move one mile to a camp, having none last night, and spent the day burying Mr. Crowley’s daughter, who died yesterday evening, age about 14 years. 1 mile." 1846 Pioneer Quinn Thornton’s reminiscences recorded a horse trail too rough for wagons.4 "After crossing the Rogue River, the emigrants came to a stretch of country before reaching Louse Creek, where the road-workers had done nothing so were brought to a halt. The horse trail being too rough for wagons. Levi Scott went ahead and eventually found a place that by cutting through thick brush for about 200 yards they could pass the wagons. The same situation also faced the emigrants reaching Jump Off Joe Creek and after pass over Sexton Mount to descend to Rat Creek."Emigrant Practice Avoiding Lowland & Sideling Or Side Hilling The oxbow trail characteristic was a result of trappers blazing wider an existing trace (Indian trail for humans) whose course was east and west up and down the Jumpoff Joe Creek drainage to the Rogue River. Part of this Indian trail became the Trappers’ Trail for horses except when the trappers needed to travel southeast and the southern portion of the oxbow was created. A major effort was expended in energy and time by the 1846 emigrants to widen the Trapper’s Trail, but not as much as if the emigrants had hacked a brand new trail in the brush and trees. Also, the emigrants’ normal practice of following ridges or higher elevations and traveling directly up or down grades to avoid side hilling on steep slopes fits the topography for the south and west portions of the oxbow.5 The northern portion of the oxbow does not fit these guidelines as the route to the mountain pass included side hilling, and the draw of Maple Creek. 1847 Pioneer Lester Hulin’s diary identified the sideling.4 The fine creek was Jumpoff Joe Creek and the valley with good camping ground was Grave Creek. "W. 20th. Upon leaving camp we soon came to a fine creek. Then bad roads ensued (rough hilly and sideling) but by night we were in a valley with good camping ground at hand. Distance 8 Ms."
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© 2011 Hugo Neighborhood Association & Historical Society |