Rock Springs Field Office
| Contacts: | Tyson Finnicum, | |||
| 307-212-7363 |
BLM Hosts Overland Trail Interpretive Sign Dedication Ceremony
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) will host the Overland Trail interpretive sign dedication ceremony at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 12 at the Sage Elementary School, 903 Summit Drive, Rock Springs, Wyo.
The dedication ceremony, which is open to the public, coincides with the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) Annual Convention held in Rock Springs this week.
The Overland Trail runs south of the school, and even today, wagon wheel ruts are clearly visible. The interpretive signs describe what life was like traveling the trail, explain the importance of the route as a telegraph and mail stage line, and offer quotes from famous travelers. The Overland Trail starts in Missouri and stretches to the West Coast. Due to attacks, disease, and weather hardships, the Overland Trail was at one time the only westward migration corridor allowed by the U.S. government.
The ceremony includes speeches by RSFO Field Manager Lance Porter, Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Superintendant Paul Grube, and OCTA President Duane Iles. Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce CEO Dave Hanks will cut the dedication ribbon.
The two interpretive signs were developed, designed, and funded as a cooperative effort among BLM, Sweetwater County School District No. 1, the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office, and OCTA. The site will also be part of the National Public Lands Day Project on Sept. 24. For more information, contact Recreation Planner Jo Foster, 307-371-1515.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Rock Springs Field Office 280 Hwy 191 N. Rock Springs, WY 82901