Named for Hiram Scott, a fur trapper who died in the vicinity in 1828
this prominent geological feature was a major landmark to travelers in the North Platte valley.
Fur trappers following the Platte passed through the area as early as 1812-13.
During the 1840s and 1850s emigrants along the Oregon-California trails moved up the North Platte valley by the thousands.
A variety of Pony Express, stage and freighting stations, and military posts were established in the area during the mid-nineteenth century.
The Scotts Bluff vicinity has also yielded evidence of prehistoric Indian occupation.