I crossed over the South Platte river to Fort Kearny, my first stop on the old Oregon Trail. The rangers were very friendly, and loaded me up with maps and suggestions for stops in Nebraska.

According to the National Park Service:
Fort Kearny was established by the U.S. Army in 1848 to protect the growing traffic along the Oregon Trail from the threat of Indian attacks. This military post was strategically located at a junction where various eastern feeder trails merged, forming one broad trail. Those routes joined at Fort Kearny and became one broad and vast trail following the Platte River 330 miles west to Fort Laramie.

Find out more information about the site at the National Park Service site.