Ash Hollow, a picturesque canyon near present-day Lewellen, was one of the noted landmarks along the Platte River Road. Although some wagon trains continued to follow the South Platte, most crossed at one of several fords in this area and took a northwesterly route toward the North Platte River, then followed the North Platte Valley through the remainder of Nebraska. Because of the steepness of the descent, Ash Hollow presented one of the most serious obstacles yet faced by emigrants, even as it offered spectacular scenery as well as wood and water, and it appears in many overland diaries. Several graves there, including that of young Rachel Pattison, who died of cholera in 1849, testify to the rigors of the overland journey. Northwest of Ash Hollow on Blue Water Creek was the site of a significant Indian battle in 1855, often known as the Battle of Ash Hollow, in which United States troops under General William S. Harney defeated Little Thunder’s band of Brule Sioux.