Published: September 04, 2009 07:26 am      

Museum to present history of guiding rock

Rock Mary may sound like the name of a rock ‘n’ roll song, but it isn’t.

It’s a landmark in Caddo County that travelers used during the gold rush in 1849 to determine whether they were still on the California Trail.

The history of Rock Mary, slides of ruts made by covered wagons, and history about the trail will be shared at a program presented by Art Peters at 10 a.m. Sept. 12 at the Sod House Museum located near Cleo Springs.

According to Renee Mitchell, director of the Sod House Museum, Rock Mary gave guidance to travellers for continuing on their way to California.

“It’s out there in Caddo County along with the wagon ruts,” Mitchell said. “The ruts were made by covered wagons during the gold rush.”

The Rock Mary landmark is listed in the National Register of Historical Places.

The wagon trail that passes by it was first surveyed from Fort Smith, Ark., to Santa Fe, N.M., in 1849 by the Marcy Expedition, Mitchell said. As the expedition passed through Oklahoma Territory, they established Rock Mary as a landmark and named it after a girl traveling with the party.

Rock Mary is one of three giant landmark rocks between Fort Smith and California. It is located three miles west of Red Rock Canyon State Park.

Peters’ presentation of slides will show wagon ruts in sandstone canyons and describe how the ruts were created, Mitchell said, noting, “He will also explain why the wagons would leave the more level pathway and enter the canyons.”

Along with his slides, Peters will present photos of artists’ sketches and paintings and compare them with his personal photos of the exact same locations to help document location of the wagon trail, Mitchell said.

Peters said the wagon trail rut in Caddo County is about a half mile long -- longer than what is documented in Kansas with the Santa Fe Trail.

“We have more in Caddo County alone than what they have from Kansas to Colorado,” he said.

The Oklahoma Historical Society operates the Sod House Museum, which is located north of Cleo Springs on State Highway 8.

For more information about the Sept. 12 presentation, Mitchell may be contacted at (580) 463-2441.