 In the 19th century, the "Great Platte River Road"—the valley of the Platte and North Platte Rivers running from Fort Kearny to Fort Laramie— was the principal route of the westward expansion.For travellers following the north bank of the Platte, the Loup River, with its soft banks and quicksands, represented a major obstacle.In the absence of a ferry or a bridge, most of these followed the Loup for a considerable distance upstream before attempting a crossing