From the 1830's to the 1870's, the 2,000-mile road connecting Missouri river towns with California and Oregon was America's greatest transcontinental highway. Several routes led west from the river, converging into one trail by the time the Fort Kearny, Nebraska, vicinity was reached. One route began near present Kansas City and passed this point, crossing Rock Creek not far from the highway bridge. A large campground stood here because of several fine springs in the vicinity. Scott Spring, 180 yards north, still offers the "delicious cold water" mentioned by one traveler in 1846. Local legend holds that at times the area of what is now the Westmoreland townsite was covered by the camps of travelers, their wagons, and cattle. Nearby are the graves of several pioneers who died on the trail, including one unidentified grave just north of the spring. From a point about two miles south of this point, Kansas Highway 99 follows the trail to Westmoreland, and in places ruts of the old trail may still be seen from a modern traveler's car window.