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OREGON 

IL 


THE    OREGON   TRAIL 


DEVIL'S  TOWER,  WYOMING 


AMERICAN    GUIDE    SERIES 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL 

US  30 

THE  MISSOURI  RIVER  TO  THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN 


Compiled  and  written  by  the 
FEDERAL  WRITERS'  PROJECT 

of  the 
WORKS  PROGRESS  ADMINISTRATION 


Sponsored  by 
OREGON  TRAIL  MEMORIAL  ASSOCIATION,  INC. 

and  published  by 
HASTINGS  HOUSE         Publishers  NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHT  1939  BY 
OREGON  TRAIL  MEMORIAL  ASSOCIATION,  INC. 

All  Rights  Reserved  Including  the  Right  to  Reproduce 
This  Book  or  Parts  Thereof  in  Any  Form 


PRINTED     IN     THE     UNITED     STATES     OF     AMERICA 
BY     J.     0.     LITTLE     AND     IVES     COMPANY,     NEW     YORK 


FOREWORD 


The  Oregon  Trail,  third  in  the  series  of  main-highway  guidebooks 
prepared  by  the  Federal  Writers'  Project,  presents  a  story  particularly 
pertinent  to  our  times. 

The  great  migration  westward  came  largely  as  a  result  of  the  ter- 
rific depression  of  1837;  a  depression  brought  on  by  speculation  in 
railroads  and  canals  and  by  overexpansion  of  industry.  The  great  dif- 
ference between  then  and  now  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  today  there 
are  no  longer  western  frontiers.  Since  we  cannot  migrate  to  undeveloped 
land  as  a  solution  for  our  troubles,  we  are  now  cultivating  our  neglected 
human  and  material  resources.  However,  without  a  knowledge  of  the 
period  between  1800  and  1870  it  is  impossible  to  understand  the  trends 
of  our  own  times. 

The  American  spirit  of  independence  that  carried  thousands  of  emi- 
grants from  the  East  to  the  Pacific  Coast  is  still  alive,  and  though  the 
problems  to  be  solved  require  a  new  technique,  the  American  people 
are  competent  to  find  a  satisfactory  solution. 

HENRY  G.  ALSBERG 
Director  of  Federal  Writers9  Project 


WORKS  PROGRESS  ADMINISTRATION 

F.  C.  HARRINGTON,  Administrator 

FLORENCE  S.  KERR,  Assistant  Administrator 

HENRY  G.  ALSBERG,  Director  of  Federal  Writers'  Project 


CONTENTS 


FOREWORD  v 

NOTES  ON  THE  BOOK  xi 

WHY  A  TRAIL  TO  OREGON?  1 

MISSOURI-IOWA 

Section     1.  Independence  to  Council  Bluffs,  US  24,  US  71, 

and  US  275  37 

NEBRASKA 

Section     2.  Omaha  to  Kearney,  US  30-Alt.  and  US  30               55 

Section     3.    Kearney  to  Ogallala,  US  30  70 

Section    4.    Ogallala  to  Wyo.  Line,  US  30  77 

WYOMING 

Section     5.  Nebraska  Line  to  Laramie,  US  30  83 

Section     6.  Laramie  to  Rawlins,  US  30  88 

Section     7.  Rawlins  to  Idaho  Line,  US  30  and  US  30N  93 

IDAHO 

Section     8.  Wyoming  Line  to  Pocatello,  US  SON  103 

Section     9.    Pocatello  to  Twin  Falls,  US  SON  and  US  30       107 

Section  10.    Twin  Falls  to  Boise,  US  30  114 

Section  11.  Boise  to  Oregon  Line,  US  30  120 

OREGON 

Section  12.    Idaho  Line  to  Pendleton,  US  30  123 

Section  13.    Pendleton  to  Portland,  US  30  132 

Section  14.    Portland  to  Astoria,  US  30  151 

vii 


viii  Contents 

ALTERNATE  ROUTE,  NEBRASKA-WYOMING 

Ogallala,  Neb.,  to  Granger,  Wyo.,  US  26,  US  87,  US  87E, 

US  287,  and  unnumbered  dirt  road  162 

SIDE  ROUTES 

A.  Rock  Springs,  Wyo.,  to  Jackson,  Wyo.,  US  187  197 

B.  Pocatello,  Idaho,  to  Jackson,  Wyo.,  US  91,  US   191, 
Idaho  33,  and  Wyo.  22  202 

C.  Bridgeport,    Neb.,    to    Horse    Creek    Treaty    Grounds, 
Neb.  86  211 

APPENDICES 

Jefferson's  Instruction  to  Lewis  215 

Necessary  Outfits  for  Emigrants  Traveling  to  Oregon,  by 

Palmer  220 

The  United  States,  1837-1860  (a  chronology)  224 

Bibliography  228 

INDEX  231 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


1.  Devil's  Tower,  Wyoming  Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

2.  Chinook  Woman — (The  Chinooks  called  their  neighbors  Flat- 

heads)— Catlin  20 

3.  Nebraska  Settlers  (1886)— Neb.  Hist.  Soc.  21 

4.  Cavalry  Escorting  the  Mail — Bolmar  36 

5.  The  Mail — Smithsonian  Institution  36 

6.  Independence  Courthouse,  Missouri  (1855)  37 

7.  Wagon  Trains  (c.  1871)  52 

8.  Block  House  near  Omaha  53 

9.  The  Platte  Ferry  68 

10.  Pony  Express  Station,  Gothenburg,  Neb.  69 

11.  Arapaho  (c.  1868)  84 

12.  Green  River  Valley—/1.  S.  A.  Rothstein  85 

13.  The  Sand  Hills  100 

14.  The  Lonely  Trail— W.  H.  Jackson  101 

15.  Building  the  Union  Pacific— U.  P.  R.  R.  Museum  101 

16.  Union  Pacific  Workers  (1867)—  U.  P.  R.  R.  Museum  116 

17.  Wagon  Train  (c.  1871)  117 

18.  Union    Pacific   Construction    Train    (1867)—  U.    P.  R.    R. 

Museum  132 

19.  Breaking  Camp — Leslie's  Weekly  133 

20.  Methodist  Mission  near  The  Dalles  (1845)  133 

21.  Scalped  Hunter  (1869) — Smithsonian  Institution  148 

22.  The  Columbia  Gorge  149 

23.  Crossing  the  Plains — Appleton's  Journal  164 

24.  Scottsbluff— Kirsch  165 

25.  Settlers  (1864)— Neb.  Hist.  Soc.  180 

26.  Along  the  Trail  181 

27.  Map  (Northwestern  Explorations)  Inside  back  cover 


NOTES    ON   THE    BOOK 


The  Oregon  Trail  is  primarily  a  guidebook,  but  it  is  also  history, 
told,  after  the  first  chapter,  in  geographical  rather  than  chronological 
or  topical  sequence.  The  explorers  Lewis  and  Clark,  the  fur  trader 
Manuel  Lisa,  the  refugee  Mormons,  and  the  construction  gang  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  are  tied  together  by  campgrounds  near  the  same 
place  on  the  bank  of  the  muddy  Missouri.  The  first  chapter  gives  the 
background  and  paints  in  the  broad  outlines  of  the  story;  it  also  intro- 
duces some  of  the  leading  characters  whose  activities  and  trials  are 
related  in  their  rich  details,  sometimes  bizarre  and  occasionally  tragic, 
in  the  following  sections. 

When  possible  the  story  has  been  told  through  extracts  from  the 
diaries  and  other  writings  of  the  actors  and  their  contemporaries.  Lewis, 
Clark,  and  the  men  who  accompanied  them,  tell  of  the  satisfactions  of 
the  explorer  and  also  of  the  price  paid  for  them  in  hunger,  danger,  and 
physical  discomfort;  the  reactions  of  the  Indians  to  the  white  expro- 
priators appears  in  Clark's  comments  on  little  Sacajawea,  the  Shoshone 
guide  and  interpreter,  and  in  conversations  reported  by  other  overland 
travelers.  The  nature  of  the  wilderness,  and  of  the  traders  who  first 
dared  to  face  it,  is  made  clear  through  the  story  of  the  Astorians,  as  told 
by  Irving,  and  the  incredible,  even  though  well-authenticated,  epic  of 
Hugh  Glass's  nine-month  pursuit  of  revenge.  The  very  human  quali- 
ties and  motives  of  the  migrants  who  captured  the  West  are  presented 
through  fragments  from  diaries,  some  of  them  never  before  published; 
these  make  clear,  as  no  abstract  discussion  could,  that  the  pioneering 
forefathers  were  not  different  from  their  descendants;  they  enjoyed  the 
overland  journeys  in  exactly  the  same  way  that  modern  Americans  enjoy 
their  holiday  cruises  and  week-end  ski  trips.  No  motorist  today  is  more 
interested  in  his  speedometer  records  than  were  the  pioneers  in  those 
of  their  ox-cart  "roadometers." 

No  modern  highway  closely  follows  throughout  any  of  the  historic 
trails  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Pacific  Northwest;  but  these  trails 
were  in  many  places  merely  broad  courses  and  the  routes  changed  from 
year  to  year.  US  30,  the  modern  trail  to  Oregon,  with  its  feeders 

xi 


xii  Notes  on  the  Book 

and  its  alternate  route  through  Nebraska  and  Wyoming,  most  nearly 
follows  the  general  course  of  the  mass  migration;  almost  every  mile 
of  its  roadbed  covers  ruts  made  at  one  time  or  another  by  covered 
wagons. 

Those  reading  the  book  as  narrative  are  advised  to  turn  to  the  Alter- 
nate Route  description  after  finishing  Section  3;  the  Alternate  Route 
covers  the  section  of  the  Mormon  and  Oregon  Trails  generally  used 
before  1862,  and  Sections  4,  5,  and  6  the  short  cut  developed  after  that 
time. 

Only  adventurous  travelers  should  attempt  to  follow  the  last  quar- 
ter of  the  Alternate  Route;  though  it  will  probably  be  improved  soon, 
this  section  is  now  (1939)  in  very  poor  condition.  The  route  can  be 
followed,  however,  to  Muddy  Gap  near  South  Pass  in  central  Wyoming; 
this  point  is  accessible  from  US  30  at  Rawlins,  Wyo.,  over  paved 
US  287. 

In  order  to  give  The  Oregon  Trail  to  the  public  at  a  low  price,  with 
a  clarifying  map  and  some  illustrations,  the  wordage  had  to  be  lim- 
ited. This  has  meant  that  editing  was  highly  selective,  that  material 
not  pertinent  to  the  story  of  exploration  and  development  was  omitted. 

Numerous  advisers  have  given  their  time  freely  in  checking  the 
material.  But  it  is  impossible  that  any  book  covering  such  a  range  of 
history  should  be  free  from  errors.  If  readers  who  find  misstatements 
will  report  them  to  the  Federal  Writers'  Project  in  Washington,  cor- 
rections will  be  made  in  future  editions. 

The  Oregon  Trail  contains  no  list  of  recommended  accommoda- 
tions; a  Government-compiled  publication  cannot  enter  this  field. 

Population  figures  are  from  the  last  Federal  census  (1930). 

KATHARINE  A.  KELLOCK 
Tour  Editor  American  Guide  Series 


WHY   A   TRAIL   TO    OREGON? 


THE  HISTORY  of  the  Oregon  Trail  is  the  history  of  how  two  mil- 
lion square  miles  of  land,  some  of  the  richest  in  the  North  Temperate 
Zone,  came  under  the  control  of  a  weak  new  nation  and  made  it  one 
of  the  mighty  powers  of  all  time.  The  process  took  place  in  a  period 
so  brief  that  many  men  saw  it  all — saw  a  vast  wilderness  explored, 
acquired,  settled,  and  united  under  one  government.  In  1800  half  the 
territory  now  covered  by  the  United  States  was  either  a  blank  on  the 
maps  or  was  decorated  with  imaginary  topographical  features  and 
names  of  Indian  "kingdoms";  it  was  claimed  by  European  powers 
and  inhabited  by  a  few  hundred  thousand  aborigines,  most  of  whom 
still  had  a  late  Stone  Age  culture.  In  1880  the  region  was  occupied 
by  more  than  11  million  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  had  been 
charted  and  divided  into  political  subdivisions  with  stable  govern- 
ments; it  had  been  spanned  by  two  railroads,  partly  spanned  by  sev- 
eral others,  and  covered  with  a  web  of  trails  and  telegraph  lines; 
the  aborigines  had  been  either  exterminated  or  penned  up  in  reserva- 
tions. 

No  other  conquest  in  history  has  been  accomplished  with  so  little 
military  force  and  leadership,  and  few  with  so  little  organized  direc- 
tion. Yet  from  the  time,  covering  only  a  few  weeks,  when  Napoleon, 
idol  of  dictators,  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  philosopher  of  democracy, 
had  mutual  interests  and  moved  swiftly  to  realize  them,  the  history 
of  the  West  is  filled  with  the  names  of  those  whose  ideas  and  activities, 
at  decisive  moments,  determined  the  course  of  events. 

There  were  many  trails  to  Oregon  but  their  general  direction  was 
determined  by  Lewis  and  Clark  when  in  1804-5  they  traveled  up  the 
Missouri  to  its  headwaters,  crossed  the  Continental  Divide,  and  worked 
their  way  down  the  Columbia  River  to  its  mouth.  The  next  transcon- 
tinental travelers,  the  Astorians,  went  only  part  way  up  the  Missouri 
and  swung  southwest,  crossing  the  Divide  below  what  is  now  Yellow- 
stone National  Park  in  order  to  avoid  the  hostile  Blackfeet  Indians; 

1 


The  Oregon  Trail 


they  followed  the  Snake  River  to  reach  the  Columbia,  where  they  re- 
traced the  route  of  Lewis  and  Clark.  West  of  the  Divide  much  of  their 
route  was  later  part  of  the  Oregon  Trail.  By  the  1830's  fur  traders 
had  further  shortened  the  distance  to  the  Snake  by  leaving  the  Missouri 
at  the  point  where  it  turns  north  near  Independence,  Mo.,  which  was 
established  in  that  period  as  a  frontier  supply  post.  Following  the 
Santa  Fe  Trail  for  a  few  miles  they  usually  cut  northwest  to  follow 
the  south  bank  of  the  Platte  River  and  then  the  south  bank  of  the 
North  Platte,  swinging  southwest  through  South  Pass,  which  came 
into  use  in  1824.  From  the  pass  they  crossed  to  the  Snake  and  more 
or  less  followed  the  route  of  the  Astorians  to  the  Columbia.  The  fur 
traders  helped  to  blaze  the  way  for  the  emigrant  trains  of  the  follow- 
ing decades. 

The  Oregon  Trail  in  time  developed  numerous  cut-offs,  feeders, 
and  outlets.  As  congestion  increased  around  Independence,  half  a 
dozen  places  to  the  north  of  it  developed  as  outfitting  points.  Some 
emigrants  followed  a  route  on  the  north  side  of  the  Platte,  traversed 
in  1847  by  the  first  Mormon  party,  and  reached  the  main  trail  at 
Fort  Laramie.  The  Overland  route  left  the  Oregon  Trail  near  the 
junction  of  the  North  and  South  Plattes,  taking  a  short  cut  to  Fort 
Bridger  in  southwestern  Wyoming.  Two  cut-offs,  the  Sublette  and  the 
Lander,  crossed  north  of  Fort  Bridger  to  reach  the  Snake.  The  route 
to  Salt  Lake  City — which  was  later  extended  to  California — turned 
southwest  at  Fort  Bridger;  two  other  trails  to  California  left  the 
Oregon  Trail  along  the  Snake  River. 

In  many  places  the  trail  was  10  to  20  miles  wide,  succeeding  wagon 
trains  making  detours  to  avoid  the  dust  and  ruts  of  those  ahead  of 
them;  in  other  places  passing  wheels  wore  a  single  pair  of  deep  ruts 
that  are  still  visible.  Fort  Laramie,  Fort  Bridger,  and  Fort  Hall — 
established  as  trading  posts  rather  than  forts — were  goals  that  deter- 
mined the  course  of  the  trail  in  their  neighborhoods. 

The  story  of  the  Oregon  Trail  begins  in  the  Middle  Ages  when  men 
were  seeking  a  route  to  India.  Newly  discovered  America  was  for  a 
time  regarded  as  part  of  Asia,  then  as  an  annoying  barrier  on  the 
way  to  the  Far  East.  The  Spanish  were  the  first  to  appreciate  the  fact 
that  the  new  land  offered  riches;  within  a  few  decades  they  had  found 
the  culturally  advanced  native  kingdoms  in  Mexico  and  in  Central  and 
South  America,  had  conquered  and  enslaved  the  inhabitants,  and  were 
carrying  fabulous  fortunes  back  to  Europe.  The  existence  of  America 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon? 


had  been  known  for  more  than  a  hundred  years  before  the  nations  of 
northwestern  Europe  awoke  to  the  fact  that  Spain  and  Portugal  had 
already  pre-empted  the  Western  Hemisphere. 

But  the  Spanish  were  primarily  conquerors,  not  colonizers;  hence 
they  had  made  little  attempt  to  establish  themselves  in  the  lands  north 
of  Mexico  where  the  inhabitants  were  largely  nomads — hard  to  tame — 
and  still  ignorant  of  the  use  and  value  of  metals.  Sir  Humphrey 
Gilbert  and  his  half-brother,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  were  the  first  northern 
Europeans  to  attempt  to  take  physical  possession  of  land  in  the 
Americas.  Gilbert  was  lost  at  sea  before  he  had  an  opportunity  to 
carry  out  his  plans.  Shortly  afterward  Raleigh  succeeded  in  planting  a 
colony  on  Roanoke  Island  in  what  is  now  North  Carolina.  Though  his 
means  were  too  limited  to  insure  the  success  of  the  venture,  which 
ended  tragically,  he  did  bring  the  potential  wealth  of  the  country  to 
the  attention  of  English  merchants,  with  the  result  that  20  years  later, 
in  1607,  two  more  English  colonies  were  started  in  America,  one  suc- 
cessful and  the  other  unsuccessful. 

Two  years  before  this,  however,  the  Sieur  de  Monts,  a  careful  and 
far-sighted  Frenchman,  had  made  a  successful  settlement  in  eastern 
Canada,  the  first  in  the  region  north  of  Florida.  The  French,  the  Eng- 
lish, the  Dutch,  and  the  Swedes  then  started  colonization  in  earnest, 
the  English  more  aggressively  than  the  others.  The  English  soon  cap- 
tured the  Dutch  and  Swedish  settlements,  the  inhabitants  resigning  them- 
selves to  English  rule  without  prolonged  struggle  because  of  the  English 
colonial  policy  that  permitted  a  large  measure  of  self-government  and 
extended  considerable  religious  and  social  toleration  as  long  as  the  col- 
onies returned  profits  to  the  proprietors  and  the  Crown.  This  was  the 
"wise  and  salutary  neglect"  that  suffered  "a  generous  nature  ...  to 
take  her  own  way  to  perfection,"  as  Edmund  Burke  phrased  it  in  de- 
fending the  colonies  before  the  Revolution. 

Settlement  was  the  decisive  factor  in  establishing  political  owner- 
ship of  the  lands  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  just  as  it  was  later  to 
settle  the  question  of  ownership  along  the  Pacific.  The  Spanish  had 
made  small  military  settlements  in  Florida  and  they  continued  to  hold 
the  region,  except  for  a  brief  interval,  until  the  end  of  the  second  decade 
of  the  nineteenth  century;  the  French  brought  colonists  to  eastern  Can- 
ada and  held  that  region  for  150  years;  British  supremacy  between 
the  French  and  Spanish  possessions  was  established  by  the  number  of 
people  who  were  persuaded  to  come  over  to  live  under  British  rule. 


The  Oregon  Trail 


The  settlements  of  the  French  grew  slowly,  in  part  because  of  the 
severe  climate  of  Canada  and  in  part  because  of  the  monopolies  granted 
in  the  fur  trade,  the  most  important  industry  of  the  area. 

The  first  attempts  to  penetrate  the  interior  of  the  continent  north 
of  the  region  held  by  the  Spanish  were  made  by  the  French,  who  worked 
west  chiefly  along  the  shores  of  the  Great  Lakes.  Between  1654  and 
1660  two  particularly  enterprising  Frenchmen,  Medard  Chouart,  later 
Sieur  de  Groseilliers  (whose  name  was  translated  "Mr.  Gooseberry" 
in  Hudson's  Bay  Company  records),  and  his  brother-in-law,  Pierre 
Radisson,  crossed  to  the  western  end  of  Lake  Superior  and  wintered 
on  the  shores  of  Lake  Nipigon.  Upon  returning  to  Quebec,  they  ap- 
plied to  the  Governor  for  a  license  to  trade  for  furs  in  the  interior,  but 
he  would  grant  it  only  on  such  exorbitant  terms  that  they  departed  for 
the  West  without  it;  when  they  came  back  to  Quebec  two  years  later 
they  were  fined  £10,000  for  their  illegal  trading  operations.  After  vainly 
attempting  to  have  their  case  reviewed  in  France,  they  approached  Bos- 
ton merchants  with  a  plan  for  reaching  the  rich  fur  country  of  the 
interior  by  way  of  Hudson  Bay;  the  Americans  sent  a  ship  north  to 
test  the  practicality  of  the  idea  but  because  of  the  lateness  of  the  season 
the  master  turned  back. 

The  Frenchmen  then  went  to  England  where  they  quickly  reached 
the  ear  of  Charles  II ;  the  royal  family,  always  much  interested  in  any 
scheme  that  offered  high  profits,  gave  backing  to  the  enterprise.  In 
May,  1670,  after  the  ketch  Non  Such  had  visited  the  bay  and  confirmed 
the  reports  of  the  Frenchmen,  a  charter  was  given  to  the  King's  dear 
cousin,  Prince  Rupert,  and  his  associates — "the  Governor  &  Company 
of  Adventurers  of  England,  trading  into  Hudson's  Bay,"  a  corpora- 
tion that  has  come  down  in  history  as  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company. 
The  King,  his  brother  (later  James  II),  and  his  cousin  were  among  the 
first  stockholders.  The  charter,  covering  trading  rights  in  the  vast  re- 
gion west  of  the  country  occupied  by  the  French,  gave  to  the  company 
complete  feudal  rights,  including  that  of  making  war  on  infidels.  The 
company  was  also  granted  the  territory,  which  was  named  Rupert's 
Land,  in  which  it  was  to  operate;  the  payment  to  the  Crown  for  this 
enormous  grant  was  to  be  two  elks  and  two  black  beavers,  paid  an- 
nually whenever  the  sovereign  should  visit  the  land.  The  enterprise 
was  very  profitable. 

The  French  soon  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  English  competition 
and  attempted  to  end  it,  but  with  only  temporary  success;  in  1713,  when 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon? 


the  Treaty  of  Utrecht  was  signed,  the  west  coast  of  the  bay  went  to  the 
British,  and  the  French  gave  up  all  forts  and  posts  near  the  bay.  Not 
long  after  this,  however,  an  obscure  Irishman  began  attacking  the  com- 
pany for  its  failure  to  find  the  Northwest  Passage;  its  failure  to  ex- 
plore and  develop  the  interior  from  which  it  was  receiving  furs  at  its 
post  on  Hudson  Bay;  and  for  its  failure  to  carry  religion  to  the  In- 
dians. He  finally  succeeded  in  so  arousing  public  opinion  that  in  1736 
the  company  sent  out  a  small  exploring  expedition;  it  accomplished 
little. 

Meanwhile,  French  traders  were  slowly  working  westward  along 
the  shores  of  the  Great  Lakes,  though  the  French  Government,  em- 
broiled in  European  affairs,  gave  little  encouragement  to  the  mission- 
aries and  adventurers  who  had  dreams  of  extending  French  domain  and 
of  finding  a  route  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  In  1673  Marquette  and  Joliet 
explored  the  country  south  of  Lake  Superior,  reaching  the  Mississippi 
River;  La  Salle  crossed  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Mississippi,  rest- 
ing "upon  the  majestic  bosom"  in  February,  1682,  and  descended  it 
to  the  Great  Gulf.  On  April  9  he  took  possession  for  "Louis  Le  Grand, 
Roy  de  France  et  de  Navarre  Regne."  As  Parkman  said,  "by  virtue  of 
a  feeble  human  voice,  inaudible  at  half  a  mile,"  he  claimed  for  France 
"the  vast  basin  of  the  Mississippi  from  its  frozen  northern  springs  to 
the  sultry  borders  of  the  Gulf;  from  the  woody  ridges  of  the  Alle- 
ghenies  to  the  bare  peaks  of  the  Rocky  Mountains — a  region  of  savan- 
nas and  forests,  suncracked  deserts  and  grassy  prairies." 

Between  1731  and  1743  Pierre  Verendrye  and  his  sons  also  worked 
their  way  westward  and  southward  from  Lake  Superior  into  the  Da- 
kotas;  some  contend  they  reached  the  foothills  of  the  Rockies,  then 
known  as  the  Stonies.  By  the  Treaty  of  Paris  (1763),  France  lost  Can- 
ada and  her  possessions  east  of  the  Mississippi,  except  the  port  of  New 
Orleans,  to  Great  Britain ;  all  of  Louisiana  west  of  the  Mississippi  went 
to  Spain  by  cousinly  arrangement,  Spain  supposedly  holding  Louisiana 
for  France  in  order  to  keep  it  out  of  British  hands. 

Among  the  British  troops  brought  to  Canada  were  many  young  Scots 
who,  facing  the  prospect  of  return  to  a  poverty-stricken  homeland,  de- 
termined to  remain  in  America.  They  were  later  joined  by  some  Scot- 
tish Jacobeans.  The  Scots  rapidly  took  over  the  fur  trade  along  the  St. 
Lawrence  River;  one  of  them,  Alexander  Henry,  spent  the  years  1760-66 
in  the  Middle  West,  exploring  for  some  distance  north  of  Lake  Su- 
perior toward  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  domain.  By  1770  the  aggres- 


The  Oregon  Trail 


sive  newcomers  were  beginning  to  divert  trade  from  this  powerful  riva 
and  a  conflict  had  begun  that  did  not  end  until  1821.  In  1783-4  some 
of  the  Scots,  led  by  Benjamin  and  Joseph  Frobisher  and  Simon  Me 
Tavish,  organized  the  North  West  Company,  and  established  a  post  a 
Grand  Portage,  on  the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  as  the  centei 
of  their  trading  activities.  Other  Scots,  among  them  Alexander  Mac 
kenzie,  formed  a  rival  company,  but  because  competition  was  expensive 
the  differences  between  the  groups  were  ironed  out  in  1787,  the  seconc 
group  joining  the  North  West  Company.  An  extensive  organization  wa: 
developed,  with  an  army  of  partners,  sub-partners,  clerks,  interpreters 
and  boatmen,  that  met  at  a  grand  annual  rendezvous  on  the  Great  Lakes 
later  celebrated  in  song  and  legend. 

In  addition  to  being  a  trader,  Alexander  Mackenzie  was  an  explorer 
In  1789,  while  his  penny-pinching  partners  objected  to  his  expense  ac 
counts,  he  traveled  with  two  canoeloads  of  Indians  and  French  Cana 
dians  down  the  river  that  now  bears  his  name  to  its  mouth  on  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  In  1792,  still  against  the  will  of  his  partners,  and  therefore  with 
out  notifying  them,  he  left  his  post  in  central  Canada,  accompanied  b} 
one  Scot,  two  French  Canadians,  and  two  Indians,  went  up  the  Peace 
River,  crossed  the  Divide  on  July  17,  1793,  and  shortly  afterwarc 
reached  the  Pacific  Coast.  Mindful  of  the  grumbling  partners,  he  mime 
diately  returned  to  his  post  in  central  Canada. 

In  1798  several  members  who  disliked  the  dominating  McTavish  lef 
the  North  West  Company  to  form  the  New  North  West  Company,  knowi 
as  the  XY,  which  in  turn  became  so  aggressive  that  order  in  the  fui 
country  was  disrupted,  the  traders  of  the  Hudson's  Bay,  the  North  West 
and  the  XY  Companies  demoralizing  the  Indians  with  liquor  to  gair 
their  trade  and  instigating  Indian  attacks  on  one  another.  Mackenzi( 
joined  the  XY  in  1801. 

In  1796  David  Thompson,  a  young  English  surveyor,  had  been  senl 
out  by  the  North  West  Company  to  survey  the  49th  parallel  west  oi 
the  Great  Lakes  in  order  to  determine  whether  the  company  posts  wen 
in  Canada  or  the  United  States.  During  the  winter  he  visited  the  Man 
dan  village  on  the  great  bend  of  the  Missouri  near  which  Lewis  anc 
Clark  were  to  spend  the  winter  of  1804-5.  Later,  in  1806,  he  was  senl 
out  again  and  went  through  the  Rockies  to  the  head  of  the  Columbia 
where  he  wintered  in  1808-9. 

Since  the  sixteenth  century  the  Spanish  had  been  sending  expedi 
tions  north  to  explore  what  is  now  Texas,  New  Mexico,  and  Arizona, 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon? 


After  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  Spain  in  1763,  Spanish  traders  began 
to  work  their  way  up  the  Mississippi,  and  in  1793  a  Spanish  trading 
company  was  granted  a  license  to  explore  and  trade  along  the  Missouri 
River ;  the  company's  activities  lasted  only  four  years  but  they  extended 
to  the  Dakotas. 

The  English  were  slow  to  penetrate  inland,  making  little  attempt 
to  look  beyond  the  Appalachians,  though  a  few,  such  as  Maj.  Robert 
Rogers,  whose  story  was  told  by  Kenneth  Roberts  in  Northwest  Passage, 
could  not  forget  the  dream  of  a  northern  route  to  the  Orient.  After  the 
Treaty  of  Paris  of  1783,  which  gave  the  United  States  the  country  east 
of  the  Mississippi  between  Canada  and  Florida,  settlers  began  to  move 
across  the  mountains  in  large  numbers. 

Thomas  Jefferson,  who  was  notable  for  the  diversity  of  his  interests 
even  in  an  age  when  many  believed  that  it  was  possible  for  one  man 
to  cover  the  full  range  of  knowledge,  was  early  fascinated  by  the  vast, 
little-charted  area  beyond  the  Mississippi  River.  In  1783  Jefferson  sug- 
gested to  George  Rogers  Clark  that  he  lead  an  exploring  expedition 
through  it;  and  he  expressed  the  belief  that  England  had  colonization 
designs  for  the  region,  even  though  it  belonged  to  Spain.  Nothing  came 
of  the  plan,  so  three  years  later  Jefferson,  while  Minister  to  France, 
encouraged  John  Ledyard,  a  Yankee  who  had  traveled  around  the  world 
with  Capt.  James  Cook,  to  attempt  to  explore  the  western  country  by 
traveling  across  Siberia,  proceeding  to  the  west  coast  of  North  America, 
and  penetrating  inland  toward  the  Missouri.  But  Ledyard  was  arrested 
by  the  Russian  authorities  when  near  the  Pacific  shores,  and  sent  back 
to  Europe. 

In  1793  Jefferson,  as  a  vice-president  of  the  American  Philosoph- 
ical Society,  made  arrangements  for  a  French  botanist,  Michaux,  to  at- 
tempt an  overland  journey  to  the  Pacific  by  way  of  the  Missouri  River, 
and  persuaded  members  of  the  society  to  subscribe  to  a  small  fund  for 
the  expedition ;  the  botanist,  however,  became  embroiled  in  French  poli- 
tics and  the  plan  was  abandoned.  The  report  of  Capt.  Robert  Gray  of 
Boston,  who  had  visited  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River  in  1792,  con- 
vinced Jefferson  of  the  existence  of  the  legendary  River  of  the  West 
with  headwaters  close  to  those  of  the  Missouri,  which  would  provide  a 
nearly  complete  water  route  between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean.  He  constantly  studied  maps  and  reports.  In  1801,  the  year 
in  which  the  account  of  Alexander  Mackenzie's  successful  trip  across 


8  The  Oregon  Trail 

Canada  to  the  Pacific  was  published,  Jefferson  became  President  of  the 
United  States. 

Just  when  Jefferson  determined  to  use  his  official  position  to  further 
the  realization  of  his  long  dream  of  finding  a  route  to  the  Pacific  Ocean 
is  unknown.  But  he  knew  that  the  idea  was  also  cherished  by  Meri- 
wether  Lewis,  because  in  1793,  when  Jefferson  was  trying  to  send  the 
French  botanist  west,  Jefferson's  neighbor,  Lewis,  then  only  19,  had 
begged  to  be  permitted  to  go  with  the  party.  Doubtless  they  had  often 
discussed  the  problems  and  joined  in  conjectures  before  Jefferson,  about 
to  assume  the  Presidency,  asked  Lewis  to  leave  the  Army  and  become 
his  secretary. 

Between  1800  and  1802  Napoleon,  in  a  series  of  secret  negotiations. 
had  coerced  the  stupid  Charles  IV  of  Spain  into  retroceding  Louisiana 
to  France  in  return  for  a  small  Tuscan  kingdom  for  Charles'  son-in-la\v 
and  the  promise  that  the  territory  should  not  be  alienated  to  any  other 
power.  The  public  transfer  of  New  Orleans,  planned  to  take  place  in 
October,  1802,  was  deferred  because  of  an  uprising  in  Santo  Domingo. 
Though  news  of  the  agreement  was  not  made  public,  the  diplomatic 
grapevine  brought  it  quickly  to  Jefferson. 

In  the  summer  of  1802  Jefferson  quietly  sent  Lewis  to  Philadelphia, 
scientific  headquarters  of  the  country,  to  learn  the  "technical  language 
of  the  natural  sciences,  and  readiness  in  the  astronomical  observations.'' 

The  ruthless  energy  of  Napoleon  and  the  colonial  ambitions  of  his 
minister  Talleyrand  were  well  known  to  Jefferson  and  his  advisers.  The 
transfer  of  Louisiana  from  Spain  to  France  filled  them  with  consterna- 
tion, particularly  because  of  the  increasing  swarms  of  settlers  thai 
poured  over  the  mountains  into  the  Northwest  Territory,  Kentucky,  and 
Tennessee;  the  Mississippi  River  provided  the  main  marketing  outlet  for 
their  products.  To  add  to  the  tenseness  of  the  situation,  word  arrived 
in  1802  that  the  Spanish  Intendant  at  New  Orleans,  still  in  command 
as  the  French  had  not  yet  taken  possession,  had  arbitrarily  closed  the 
port  of  New  Orleans  to  products  from  the  United  States.  Jefferson  en- 
deavored to  keep  his  followers  under  control  but  could  do  nothing  to 
quiet  the  rule-or-ruin  Federalists,  who  screamed  for  war  and  demanded 
the  seizure  of  New  Orleans.  He  conferred  with  the  Spanish  Ambassador, 
who  knew  of  no  orders  from  Spain  on  the  matter,  and  sent  official  rep- 
resentations to  Madrid.  Jefferson  also  wrote  to  Robert  Livingston,  his 
Minister  to  France,  on  the  need  of  negotiations  with  the  French  to  safe- 
guard the  interests  of  the  United  States  in  New  Orleans. 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  9 

On  January  18,  1803,  a  month  after  Congress  met,  Jefferson  sent  a 
secret  message  to  Congress,  asking  for  funds  for  exploration  west  of  the 
Mississippi;  as  a  pretext  for  the  message  he  used  the  expiration  of  an 
act  establishing  governmental  trading  posts  among  the  Indians  and  the 
need  of  extending  it.  This  message  was  exceedingly  tactful;  it  pointed 
out  the  necessity  for  acquiring  more  land  for  white  settlers — east  of  the 
Mississippi — by  domesticating  the  Indians  and  proving  to  them  that  they 
needed  less  land  to  live  on,  and  it  pointed  out  the  advantages  of  rais- 
ing the  standard  of  living  of  the  aborigines  to  increase  their  consump- 
tion of  manufactured  goods.  It  went  on  to  remark  that  it  might  be  worth 
while  for  Congress  to  find  customers  for  the  private  traders  deprived  of 
incomes  by  the  extension  of  the  act  and  the  establishment  of  more  gov- 
ernmental trading  posts  among  the  Indians  in  the  United  States,  and 
that  there  were  numerous  tribes  along  the  Missouri  who  should  be  able 
to  pay  for  goods  with  valuable  furs.  It  added  that  if  a  few  men,  10  or 
14  with  an  officer,  were  sent  up  the  Missouri  they  could  report  on  these 
trade  prospects  and  might  also  find  a  short  portage  to  the  Columbia, 
which  would  provide  a  commercial  route  for  the  Pacific  trade  free  from 
competition  with  the  French  and  Spanish  traders  who  were  along  the 
Mississippi  and  lower  Missouri.  The  men  needed  for  the  enterprise  could 
easily  be  spared  from  the  military  posts,  and  their  army  pay,  continu- 
ing while  they  were  away,  would  lessen  the  amount  of  money  that  would 
have  to  be  appropriated  for  the  expedition;  $2,500  was  the  sum  sug- 
gested. Congress  made  the  appropriation  and  by  midsummer  plans  were 
well  under  way  for  the  start.  (Jefferson  had  expected  the  expedition  to 
leave  in  the  spring,  having  underestimated  the  time  it  would  take  to 
collect  supplies  and  select  men.) 

At  the  time  Jefferson  made  his  proposal  for  this  expedition,  the  Fed- 
eralists were  carrying  on  a  campaign  against  him  that  has  seldom,  if 
ever,  been  equalled  in  America  for  virulence ;  word  from  Spain  that  the 
Intendant  had  acted  without  authority  in  closing  New  Orleans  did  not 
stop  their  attempts  to  instigate  war  and  to  discredit  the  President.  When, 
shortly  afterward,  Congress,  at  the  President's  request,  authorized  nego- 
tiations to  buy  an  outlet  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  their  rage  went 
beyond  all  bounds.  Why  buy  what  could  be  seized?  The  President  ap- 
pointed James  Monroe  as  special  envoy  to  assist  Robert  Livingston  in 
conducting  negotiations,  in  part  because  there  were  instructions  for  Liv- 
ingston that  were  too  delicate  to  be  trusted  to  paper,  and  in  part  be- 


10  The  Oregon  Trail 

cause  Monroe  was  trusted  by  the  westerners,  whom  the  Federalists  were 
trying  to  alienate  from  the  Jeffersonian  leadership. 

Monroe  sailed  on  March  8,  1803.  Jefferson  and  Madison  in  last  min- 
ute conferences  had  formulated  the  lines  of  negotiation.  The  envoys 
were  to  attempt  to  buy  the  Floridas  and  New  Orleans;  if  acquisition 
of  the  Floridas  were  impossible,  the  acquisition  of  New  Orleans  and 
some  territory  near  it  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river  should  be  attempted ; 
if  the  second  offer  failed  also,  the  envoys  should  attempt  to  purchase 
some  land  on  which  the  United  States  could  build  its  own  port  of  de- 
posit at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi;  and  if  Napoleon  rejected  all 
offers  to  buy,  the  envoys  were  to  attempt  to  negotiate  a  treaty  permitting 
goods  to  pass  freely  through  New  Orleans. 

There  was  dramatic  neatness  in  the  series  of  events  that  determined 
the  future  of  the  United  States — Charles  IV's  move  to  provide  for  a 
son-in-law;  the  Negro  Toussaint's  successful  resistance  of  Napoleon's  at- 
tempt to  suppress  the  Santo  Domingan  revolt,  which  diverted  Napoleon 
from  his  plans  for  immediate  extension  of  the  colonial  empire;  and  the 
virulent  attacks  of  the  Federalists,  which  forced  Jefferson  to  act  swiftly 
in  clearing  up  the  question  of  a  trade  outlet  on  the  Mississippi.  Acting 
on  hurried  instructions  from  Jefferson,  Livingston  had  approached 
Talleyrand  on  the  subject  of  obtaining  New  Orleans,  pointing  out  that  in 
case  of  war  with  England  a  bit  of  extra  money  might  be  useful  to  France 
and  that  the  sale  of  New  Orleans  would  free  France  from  the  need  of 
defending  her  American  possessions.  Talleyrand,  scornfully  dismissing 
the  proposal,  said  that  his  master  was  planning  to  send  a  minister  to 
Washington  to  negotiate  a  treaty  covering  American  relations  in  Louisi- 
ana. Shortly  after  this,  at  a  diplomatic  reception,  Livingston  heard  Na- 
poleon address  the  British  Minister  in  terms  that  indicated  he  had  sud- 
denly determined  to  fight,  whether  England  wanted  to  or  not. 

In  making  his  plans  for  war,  Napoleon  remembered  Livingston's 
proposal,  which  Talleyrand  had  apparently  not  feared  to  communicate 
to  his  master.  On  April  11,  knowing  that  he  could  not  trust  Talleyrand, 
Napoleon  abruptly  summoned  Barbe-Marbois,  his  young  Minister  of 
Finance,  who  was  friendly  to  the  Americans  and  also  faithful  to  the 
First  Consul,  telling  him,  "I  renounce  Louisiana.  .  .  .  Have  an  inter- 
view this  very  day  with  Mr.  Livingston."  That  day  Talleyrand  asked 
Livingston,  who  believed  he  was  joking,  whether  the  United  States 
would  like  to  have  all  Louisiana  and  what  it  would  pay  for  it.  Monroe 
arrived  in  Paris  that  night.  Late  the  following  evening  Livingston  was 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  11 

asked  to  visit  Barbe-Marbois'  home.  After  various  preliminaries  Barbe- 
Marbois  quoted  Napoleon's  statement:  ".  .  .  let  him  give  you  one  hun- 
dred million  of  francs  .  .  .  and  take  the  whole  country."  The  price 
and  the  proposal  staggered  Livingston;  Barbe-Marbois  added  quickly 
that  he  thought  the  sum  suggested  was  too  high  but  that  sixty  million 
francs  ($15,000,000)  seemed  fair  and  he  would  like  an  immediate  de- 
cision. Livingston  protested  that  the  whole  thing  was  impossible;  that 
neither  he  nor  Monroe  had  authority  to  negotiate  such  a  purchase  or 
to  pledge  such  a  sum.  Barbe-Marbois  was  friendly  but  firm,  reminding 
him  that  Napoleon  was  mercurial  in  temperament  and  it  was  quite  pos- 
sible the  offer  might  be  withdrawn  if  it  were  not  speedily  accepted ;  the 
terms  were  all  or  nothing.  Both  Livingston  and  Monroe,  to  whom  he  re- 
ported the  conversation,  were  impressed  by  the  warning,  but  neither 
knew  how  tenuous  was  the  string  offered  to  them. 

Word  of  the  offer  reached  the  Consul's  brother,  Joseph;  he  took  it 
immediately  to  Lucien  Bonaparte,  who  had  negotiated  the  transfer  of 
Louisiana  from  Spain  to  France  and  shared  Talleyrand's  imperialistic 
dreams.  Lucien  and  Joseph  dashed  post-haste  to  their  brother,  who  was 
in  his  bath  when  they  arrived;  they  ranted  without  effect,  the  Consul 
splashing  them  with  bath  water  to  show  his  contempt.  But  he  realized 
the  danger  of  the  Chambers'  finding  out  about  the  offer  and  pressed 
Barbe-Marbois  to  obtain  a  decision.  Still  the  Americans  hesitated,  the 
magnitude  pf  the  deal  and  their  lack  of  authority  to  handle  it  terrify- 
ing them.  They  knew  Jefferson's  desires,  however,  and  on  May  2  with 
great  trepidation  completed  the  purchase;  the  price  to  be  paid  was 
80,000,000  francs,  20,000,000  of  it  going  to  satisfy  claims  of  American 
citizens  against  the  French.  Later  they  exulted  a  bit  at  their  own  daring, 
appreciating  the  fact  that  they  had  more  than  doubled  the  size  of  the 
United  States. 

The  news  reached  Jefferson  late  in  June  but  was  not  made  public 
until  July  14.  The  President,  though  delighted,  was  troubled  by  the 
unconstitutionality  of  the  affair,  while  the  Federalists  raged,  fearing 
the  result  of  acquiring  more  land  to  be  peopled  by  agrarians.  But  the 
national  pride  was  touched  and  the  treaty  was  ratified.  The  size  of  the 
area  bought  was  uncertain ;  though  the  United  States  later  asserted  that 
the  purchase  included  the  Oregon  country,  it  was  unable  to  establish 
any  claim  to  land  west  of  the  Rockies  by  the  deal  with  Napoleon. 

Thus  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  secretly  authorized  to  extend 
the  "external  commerce  of  the  United  States"  but  announced  to  the 


12  The  Oregon  Trail 

Spanish  and  French  authorities  as  an  "innocent  literary  journey,"  be- 
came in  part  a  legitimate  enterprise  needing  little  camouflage. 

Jefferson,  who  had  studied  every  available  map  and  report  on  the 
country  west  of  the  Mississippi,  himself  drew  up  the  plans  for  the  ex- 
ploring expedition.  It  was  to  proceed  up  the  Missouri,  find  the  head- 
waters of  the  Columbia,  and  travel  down  that  stream  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean ;  it  was  to  confirm  Indian  tales  reported  by  early  travelers  about 
the  Shining  Mountains  at  the  head  of  the  Missouri,  report  on  climate, 
topography,  and  inhabitants  of  the  country ;  and  it  was  to  find  out  what 
men  of  other  nations  were  entering  Louisiana  and  Oregon  to  trade. 
(See  Jefferson's  Instructions  in  APPENDIX.)  In  addition  to  Jefferson's 
lists  of  points  on  which  he  wanted  information,  Lewis  carried  others 
prepared  by  eminent  scientists  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society, 
including  printed  English  vocabularies  with  spaces  for  the  Indian  equiv- 
alents. 

The  equipment  was  carefully  planned;  besides  the  usual  supplies 
of  food — including  soup  cubes — clothing,  ammunition,  scientific  in- 
struments, and  medical  supplies  (the  list  of  which  is  surprisingly  mod- 
ern and  comprehensive  when  examined  today),  the  explorers  carried 
large  quantities  of  goods  to  be  presented  to  the  Indians — medals, 
plumed  hats,  gaudy  military  coats,  garters,  and  even  odds  and  ends  for 
"women  of  Consideration." 

Jefferson  had  desired  that  at  least  the  co-leader  of  the  party  should 
be  a  scientist  well  trained  in  many  fields.  He  came  to  the  conclusion, 
however,  that  the  primary  qualification  for  both  leaders  should  be  ex- 
perience in  handling  Indians  and  in  meeting  wilderness  conditions. 
Lewis  chose  his  long-time  friend,  William  Clark,  a  younger  brother  of 
George  Rogers  Clark;  no  choice  could  have  been  more  fortunate,  the 
two  men  complementing  each  other  and  working  in  perfect  harmony. 

Lewis  left  Pittsburgh  in  August,  1803,  and,  meeting  Clark  at  Louis- 
ville, proceeded  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  recruited  a  staff  to  accompany 
them  on  their  journey,  had  boats  built,  and  added  to  the  supplies.  The 
party  started  up  the  Missouri  on  May  14,  1804,  "in  the  presence  of  many 
of  the  neighboring  inhabitants  and  proceeded  on  under  a  jentle  brease," 
according  to  Captain  Clark,  whose  orthography  is  convincing  argument 
against  the  preciosity  of  spelling  rules.  That  the  explorers  had  no  false 
modesty  about  the  importance  of  their  expedition  is  shown  by  Captain 
Lewis'  notes  as  the  party  was  starting  into  the  unknown  territory  after 
the  winter  spent  among  the  Mandans:  "The  little  fleet  altho'  not  quite 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  13 

so  rispictable  as  those  of  Columbus  or  Capt.  Cook,  were  still  viewed 
by  us  with  as  much  pleasure  as  those  deservedly  famed  adventurers  ever 
beheld  theirs.  .  .  .  We  are  now  about  to  penetrate  a  country  at  least 
two  thousand  miles  in  width,  on  which  the  foot  of  civilized  man  has 
never  trodden.  ...  I  could  not  but  esteem  this  moment  of  my  depar- 
ture as  among  the  most  happy  of  my  life." 

The  long  journey  up  the  Missouri  to  the  Mandan  village  was  a 
course  of  training  in  which  the  party  of  what  Clark  called  "robust 
healthy  hardy  young  men"  was  disciplined,  tested  for  loyalty  and  en- 
durance, and  forged  into  a  working  unit.  At  the  end  of  the  winter  the 
misfits  and  malcontents  were  weeded  out  and  sent  back  to  civilization 
with  some  of  the  boatmen,  the  most  trustworthy  carrying  "Sundery 
articles  to  be  sent  to  the  President  of  the  U.S." — horns  of  mountain 
rams,  animal  skins  and  skeletons,  plants,  Indian  clothing  and  utensils, 
a  parcel  of  roots  "highly  prized  by  the  natives  as  an  efficatious  remidy 
in  cases  of  the  bite  of  a  rattle  Snake  or  Mad  Dog,"  a  tin  box  containing 
insects  and  mice,  a  "liveing  burrowing  Squirel  of  the  praries,"  four 
live  magpies,  and  a  living  prairie  hen;  the  list  is  a  commentary  on 
the  range  of  Jefferson's  interests. 

Throughout  the  journey  the  explorers  worked  hard  to  satisfy  the 
President's  mighty  curiosity,  the  petty  officers  as  well  as  the  leaders  sit- 
ting down  each  night,  in  rain,  snow,  or  fair  weather,  to  bring  their 
journals  up  to  date.  Apparently  the  only  question  that  they  dared  not 
risk  attempting  to  satisfy  was  the  one  asking  "What  is  the  State  of  the 
pulse  in  both  (Indian)  Sexes,  Children,  grown  persons,  and  in  old  age, 
by  feeling  the  Pulse  Morning,  Noon  &  Night  &c.?" 

While  at  winter  quarters  on  the  Missouri  the  leaders  faithfully  car- 
ried out  Jefferson's  instructions  to  make  friends  among  the  Indians; 
sent  firm  but  tactful  warnings  to  British  trappers  that  the  country  now 
belonged  to  the  United  States  and  that  the  Indians  must  not  be  made 
hostile  to  American  traders;  spent  hours  collecting  countless  scraps  of 
gossip  based  on  hearsay  and  experience  concerning  the  country  they 
were  to  face ;  and  hired  the  half-breed  Charbonneau,  chiefly  for  the  sake 
of  Sacajawea,  one  of  his  wives,  who  was  a  stolen  Shoshone  "Squar" 
(squaw),  and  could  act  as  an  "interpeter"  beyond  the  mountains.  The 
"Squar,"  starting  out  with  a  newborn  child  on  her  back,  became  one 
of  the  most  esteemed  members  of  the  party,  bearing  difficulties  uncom- 
plainingly, nursing  the  sick,  interceding  for  the  party  when  among  her 
kin,  advising  on  routes,  and  saving  lives  by  teaching  the  white  men 


14  The  Oregon  Trail 

how  to  dig  for  roots  and  utilize  other  resources  of  the  harsh  mountain 
country.  The  deep  affection  Clark  developed  for  her  appears  in  the  of- 
ficial Journals,  in  which  he  sometimes  called  her  "Janey." 

The  charming  Original  Journals  of  Lewis  and  Clark  exhibit  the 
fine  judgment  of  the  two  commanders  that  enabled  them  to  carry  out 
their  mission  with  the  loss  of  only  one  man — and  he  of  a  "Billiose 
Chorlick"  early  in  the  journey.  They  met  handicaps  and  barriers — 
precipitous  passes  in  very  high  mountains,  volcanic  deserts  where  game 
and  water  were  lacking,  and  rivers  choked  with  rocks  and  rendered 
dangerous  by  falls — much  of  which  the  reports  of  Mackenzie  and  others 
had  not  led  them  to  anticipate;  yet  they  managed  to  reach  the  Pacific 
Coast  in  safety  in  the  dismal  mid-November  rains  of  1805,  too  tired 
and  starved  for  much  rejoicing,  eager  only  to  make  some  kind  of  shelter 
and  find  food. 

After  leaving  the  coast  in  March,  1806,  the  party  was  divided  near 
what  is  now  Missoula,  Mont.  Clark  swung  south  to  come  down  the  Yel- 
lowstone, and  Lewis  went  north  with  a  very  small  party  to  explore  the 
Marias  River.  At  the  northern  limits  of  his  side  trip  Lewis  killed  one 
of  a  band  of  Blackfeet  who  were  making  off  with  his  horses  and  sup- 
plies; the  tribesmen  never  forgot  this  act,  and  carried  on  relentless 
warfare  against  the  whites  until  after  many  decades  the  whites  had 
almost  exterminated  them.  The  two  parties  united  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone  and  made  the  return  trip  to  St.  Louis  with  speed,  arriving 
there  September  23,  1806.  The  men  wept  with  joy  when  they  again  saw 
a  cow,  symbol  of  civilization.  The  people  of  St.  Louis,  Sgt.  John  Ord- 
way  reported,  "gathred  on  the  Shore  and  Hizzared  three  cheers." 

Patrick  Gass,  a  sergeant,  was  the  first  to  publish  his  Journal,  be- 
cause both  Lewis  and  Clark  were  immediately  given  responsible  admin- 
istrative positions  and  had  little  time  or  skill  to  prepare  the  polished 
accounts  they  thought  the  material  deserved.  The  condensed  Lewis  and 
Clark  Journals,  edited  by  Nicholas  Biddle  and  Paul  Allen,  appeared 
in  1814;  the  publisher  made  only  $154.10  net  profit.  In  spite  of  the 
meager  circulation  of  these  books,  they  did  in  time  stir  many  restless 
minds  and  stimulate  interest  in  the  Far  West. 

When  Jefferson  told  Congress  that  the  Missouri  country  would  pro- 
vide new  customers  for  the  traders,  he  spoke  better  than  he  knew.  In 
the  winter  of  1808  Manuel  Lisa,  an  experienced  trader  born  of  Spanish 
parents  in  New  Orleans,  organized  the  St.  Louis  Missouri  Fur  Com- 
pany, and  turned  over  to  it  a  post  he  had  established  in  1807  at  the 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  15 

mouth  of  the  Bighorn  River,  in  what  is  now  Montana.  In  1810  Andrew 
Henry,  a  member  of  the  firm,  crossed  the  Divide  and  built  a  small  post, 
known  as  Fort  Henry,  on  the  North  Fork  of  the  Snake  River.  Before 
Lisa's  death  in  1820  the  company  had  aroused  the  envy  of  other  busi- 
nessmen by  its  profits. 

The  second  important  fur-trading  venture  was  made  by  John  Jacob 
Astor,  who  had  come  to  the  United  States  from  Germany  in  1784.  He 
had  early  entered  the  fur  business,  beginning  with  beating  and  dress- 
ing, progressed  to  the  collection  of  pelts  from  hunters  in  rural  New 
York  State,  and  eventually  dealt  with  the  traders  of  Montreal.  Astor 
had  long  been  annoyed  by  the  fact  that  many  of  the  furs  he  bought  in 
Canada,  and  paid  duty  on,  had  been  collected  by  North  Westers  south 
of  the  International  Line;  he  had  been  planning  ways  and  means  of 
invading  this  part  of  the  field  when,  first,  the  Louisiana  Purchase  and 
then  the  Lewis  and  Clark  reports  stirred  him  to  action.  He  planned  to 
establish  posts  in  the  Middle  West  and  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
River,  from  which  he  could  carry  furs  direct  to  the  Orient,  the  prin- 
cipal fur  market,  with  an  advantage  over  the  Canadian  traders  who, 
because  of  the  monopoly  held  by  the  East  India  Company,  had  to  send 
their  furs  to  the  Far  East  by  way  of  London. 

The  American  Fur  Company  was  incorporated  in  April,  1808,  and 
the  Pacific  Fur  Company  in  June,  1810.  Washington  Irving  told  the 
story  of  the  enterprise,  from  Astor's  viewpoint,  in  Astoria  (1836). 
Utilizing  his  wide  acquaintance  among  the  Canadian  traders,  Astor  per- 
suaded three  veteran  Nor'  Westers,  including  Alexander  McKay,  who 
had  accompanied  Mackenzie  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  to  join  him  as  part- 
ners in  the  Oregon  enterprise.  He  also  brought  in  Wilson  Price  Hunt, 
who  had  had  some  experience  in  fur  operations  around  St.  Louis.  The 
partners  and  clerks  were  divided  into  two  parties,  one  to  go  around  the 
Horn  in  the  Tonquin  with  supplies  for  the  post,  and  the  other,  under 
the  leadership  of  Hunt,  to  go  overland  to  the  Columbia,  establishing 
friendly  relations  with  the  Indians  on  the  way  and  selecting  sites  for 
trading  posts. 

Both  parties  set  out  in  1810  but  were  dogged  by  calamity  and  mis- 
fortune. The  members  of  the  group  that  went  by  sea  quarreled  with 
the  martinet  who  was  the  ship's  captain,  and  with  one  another.  The  boat 
finally  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  late  in  March,  1811,  where 
the  calamities  of  the  voyage  were  crowned  by  the  loss  of  eight  men 
as  a  result  of  the  captain's  error  in  judgment  in  attempting  to  enter 


16  The  Oregon  Trail 

the  river.  The  land  crew,  including  clerks  and  partners,  left  the  ship 
to  establish  Astoria  and  on  June  1  the  captain  took  the  ship  up  the 
coast  for  trade.  Lacking  any  understanding  of  the  Indians,  he  created 
enmity  that  resulted  in  the  complete  destruction  of  the  ship  and  everyone 
aboard. 

Astoria  had  been  left  in  charge  of  Duncan  McDougall,  one  of  the 
Nor'  Westers.  The  fort  had  been  built  and  trading  had  begun  when  the 
land  party,  led  by  Hunt,  straggled  in  by  small  groups  after  a  series  of 
misadventures,  chiefly  resulting  from  Hunt's  lack  of  experience  in  the 
wilderness.  There  were  now  approximately  a  hundred  men  at  the  post, 
a  number  that  lessened  the  danger  of  Indian  attack  but  did  not  add  to 
the  harmony.  On  July  15  David  Thompson,  surveyor  for  the  North 
West  Company,  completed  his  methodical  progress  down  the  Columbia 
to  find  to  his  chagrin  that  the  Americans  had  reached  the  river  ahead 
of  him.  In  London  the  representatives  of  the  North  West  Company,  un- 
aware that  Astor  had  stolen  a  march  on  them,  were  petitioning  for 
exclusive  trading  rights  along  the  Pacific  Coast  between  Alaska,  occu- 
pied by  the  Russians,  and  California,  held  by  the  Spanish. 

In  the  meantime,  on  June  18,  1812,  the  United  States  had  declared 
war  against  Great  Britain.  Astor,  who  had  heard  of  the  London  activi- 
ties of  the  North  West  Company,  was  working  frantically  but  in  vain 
to  obtain  naval  protection  for  his  Pacific  post.  Word  of  the  war  arrived 
in  Astoria  on  January  15,  1813,  one  of  the  Astor  party  having  picked 
it  up  from  members  of  a  North  West  expedition  along  the  Columbia. 
The  Astorians  became  discouraged;  they  were  certain  that  Astor  would 
be  unable  to  send  a  supply  ship  that  would  take  away  the  considerable 
number  of  pelts  they  had  collected.  The  Nor'  Westers  who  visited  them 
encouraged  the  feeling  and  made  McDougall  regret  that  he  had  em- 
barked on  such  an  amateurish  enterprise.  Astor  had  managed  to  send 
a  ship,  but  his  plans  were  again  dogged  by  bad  luck;  the  ship  did  not 
arrive  until  after  the  partners  had  sold  the  collected  furs  to  the  North 
West  Company,  rather  than  risk  sending  them  overland.  The  Nor' 
Westers  returned  in  the  fall,  triumphantly  exhibiting  the  message  dated 
May  9,  1813,  saying  that  a  British  frigate  was  on  its  way  to  "destroy 
everything  that  is  American  on  the  N.W.  coast."  McDougall  then  took 
it  upon  himself  to  sell  all  the  property  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  to 
the  North  West  Company;  the  terms  were  not  as  illiberal  as  some  of 
McDougalFs  critics  have  contended.  While  the  Astorians  were  winding 
up  their  affairs  the  British  frigate  arrived  and  on  December  12  took 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  17 

possession  of  the  country  and  the  post  for  Britain.  While  the  sale  was 
a  lucky  stroke  for  the  Astor  company,  it  was  later  an  embarrassment 
to  the  United  States  in  claiming  the  territory  by  priority  of  settlement. 

The  War  of  1812  did  not  last  long,  being  unpopular  in  the  United 
States  to  such  an  extent  that  some  of  the  New  England  States  threat- 
ened to  secede  from  the  Union;  England  was  also  willing  to  end  hos- 
tilities because  her  attention  was  deeply  occupied  with  European  af- 
fairs— Napoleon  was  insecurely  held  on  Elba.  Negotiations  following 
the  war  resulted  in  the  settlement  of  the  boundary  between  Lake  Su- 
perior and  the  Oregon  region,  but  the  Oregon  question  was  evaded  by 
an  agreement  made  in  1818,  on  "joint  occupation"  for  a  period  of  10 
years.  In  the  following  decade  the  Russians  accepted  a  southern  boun- 
dary at  54°  40'  (the  Alaskan  Line)  on  the  coast  and  the  Mexicans  a 
northern  boundary  at  42°  (the  present  Oregon-California  Line).  The 
joint  occupation  agreement  on  Oregon  was  later  renewed  but  from 
1818  on,  nationals  and  officials  of  both  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States,  as  well  as  those  of  other  countries — notably  Spain  and  Russia — 
kept  wary  eyes  on  the  country,  watching  one  another's  activities  and 
waiting  for  situations  that  could  be  turned  to  their  advantage.  In  the 
two  decades  before  migration  of  settlers  to  Oregon  began,  the  country 
was  visited  by  a  stream  of  spies,  some  of  whom  were  naval  and  army 
officers  ingenuously  pretending  to  be  sportsmen,  health  seekers,  or  jour- 
nalists. 

Astor's  plans  for  capturing  the  fur  trade  of  the  Great  Lakes  and 
the  upper  Mississippi  had  been  hampered  by  the  War  of  1812,  but  some 
of  the  terms  of  the  peace  negotiations  were  to  his  advantage.  In  1816 
Congress  passed  an  act,  largely  through  Astor's  efforts,  excluding  for- 
eigners from  participation  in  the  American  fur  trade  except  in  sub- 
ordinate capacities.  While  this  nominally  ended  the  activities  of  the 
British  south  of  the  International  Line,  considerable  poaching  was  car- 
ried on.  British  agents  did  not  scruple  to  carry  to  the  Indians  the  liquor 
forbidden  by  law  in  the  trade,  and  made  continuous  efforts  to  prejudice 
the  aborigines  against  United  States  traders  and  stir  up  attacks  on  them ; 
these  were  the  same  tactics  used  by  the  British  companies  against  one 
another. 

The  cutthroat  competition  between  the  North  West  and  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Companies  reached  a  crisis  in  1818.  Early  in  the  century  the 
Earl  of  Selkirk,  moved  by  the  suffering  of  the  landless  Scots,  had 
bought  a  controlling  interest  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in  order 


18  The  Oregon  Trail 

to  obtain  land  for  settlement  along  the  Red  River  of  the  North.  The 
Nor'  Westers,  very  much  opposed  to  settlement  in  the  area  they  de- 
pended on  to  provide  buffalo  meat  for  their  inland  staffs,  carried  on  a 
warfare  against  the  settlers  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  officials 
that  resulted  in  several  deaths  in  1818.  At  this  point,  with  Parliamentary 
interference  imminent,  officials  of  the  two  companies,  exhibiting  the 
British  ability  to  compromise  in  the  face  of  a  crisis  involving  profits, 
began  to  work  for  the  amalgamation  of  the  two  groups. 

The  North  West  leader  in  the  movement  was  Dr.  John  McLoughlin, 
a  nephew  of  the  veteran  Nor'  Wester,  Alexander  Fraser;  he  had  mar- 
ried the  capable  half-breed  widow  of  Alexander  McKay,  who  was  killed 
in  the  explosion  on  the  Astor  ship.  The  companies  were  united  in  1821 
under  the  name  of  the  older  company.  In  the  summer  of  1824,  in  rec- 
ognition of  his  ability,  McLoughlin  was  made  Chief  Factor  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  Columbia,  which  embraced  the  country  west  of  the 
Rockies  between  Russian  Alaska  and  Mexican  California. 

The  North  West  Company  had  done  little  to  develop  trade  in  this 
area,  though  it  held  Astoria  (Fort  George)  and  maintained  several 
posts.  McLoughlin  set  out  almost  immediately  for  his  new  post,  closely 
followed  by  the  energetic  George  Simpson,  field  Governor  of  the  new 
Hudson's  Bay  Company.  The  Governor  made  the  journey  from  York 
Factory  on  Hudson  Bay  to  Fort  George  on  the  Columbia  in  84  days, 
proof  not  only  of  his  energy  but  also  of  the  efficient  organization  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  the  control  it  had  over  the  Indians 
of  Canada. 

The  new  Chief  Factor  and  the  Governor  soon  decided  that  Astoria 
was  in  a  poor  position;  the  Governor  wanted  to  move  the  headquarters 
north  to  the  mouth  of  the  Fraser  River,  but  McLoughlin  preferred  to 
keep  it  on  the  Columbia  and  his  desire  prevailed.  He  selected  the  new 
site,  naming  it  for  the  British  commander  Vancouver  whose  expedition 
had  gone  up  the  river  in  1792  just  after  the  Bostonian,  Captain  Gray, 
had  entered  the  mouth.  Fort  Vancouver  became  the  capital  of  the  coun- 
try between  Alaska  and  Oregon.  Under  George  Simpson  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  developed  a  policy  of  withholding  liquor  from  the  In- 
dians (within  British  territory)  and  of  conserving  the  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals by  limiting  operations  whenever  signs  of  depletion  appeared. 
McLoughlin  quickly  established  respect  for  the  company  among  the 
Indians,  thus  making  trading  operations  orderly  and  reasonably  safe. 

When  Fort  Vancouver  was  established  in  1824  it  was  placed  on  the 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  19 

north  bank  of  the  Columbia  because  the  realistic  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany Council  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  when  the  Oregon  question 
was  settled  there  would  be  a  compromise;  the  company,  and  Great 
Britain,  hoped  to  hold  the  land  north  and  west  of  the  Columbia  River, 
which  embraced  more  than  half  of  the  present  State  of  Washington. 
McLoughlin  was  told  that  he  must,  as  far  as  possible,  make  the  De- 
partment of  the  Columbia  independent  of  outside  supplies  by  raising 
foodstuffs  around  his  post.  This  he  undertook  to  do  at  once. 

In  1816  Astor's  American  Fur  Company  began  to  be  active  in  the 
Great  Lakes  and  the  upper  Mississippi  fur  trade,  making  its  headquar- 
ters at  Mackinac  Island.  By  1822  its  business  had  expanded  to  the  point 
that  a  Western  Department  was  established  with  headquarters  at  St. 
Louis  and  activities  covering  the  Illinois,  the  middle  Mississippi,  and 
the  Missouri  areas. 

In  the  same  year  the  Missouri  Republican  carried  this  advertisement: 
"To  enterprising  young  men.  The  subscriber  wishes  to  engage  one  hun- 
dred young  men  to  ascend  the  Missouri  river  to  its  source,  there  to  be 
employed  one,  two,  or  three  years.  For  particulars  enquire  of  Major 
Henry  .  .  .  who  will  ascend  with,  and  command,  the  party.  .  .  ."  It 
was  signed  by  William  H.  Ashley.  Many  of  the  men  assembled  by 
Ashley  in  this  enterprise  appear  sooner  or  later  in  every  history,  no 
matter  how  brief,  of  the  American  fur  trade.  Among  them  were  Jede- 
diah  S.  Smith,  the  trailmaker  who  was  the  only  praying  Methodist 
among  the  wild  and  reckless  fur-trading  crew;  Andrew  Henry,  who 
had  built  the  post  on  the  Snake  in  1810  and  had  survived  a  sanguinary 
struggle  with  the  Blackfeet;  William  Sublette,  who  in  1826  with  Smith 
and  David  Jackson  bought  out  Ashley's  interests  in  the  fur  company, 
that  later  provided  the  only  serious  opposition  to  the  Astor  operations 
and  gave  trouble  even  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Department  of  the  Colum- 
bia; Jim  Bridger,  canniest  of  all  western  scouts,  explorer  of  the  Great 
Salt  Lake  and  a  creator  of  folklore;  Thomas  Fitzpatrick,  who  was  a 
leader  of  the  party  that  early  in  1824  discovered,  or  rediscovered,  South 
Pass,  through  which  went  most  of  the  early  travelers;  fitienne  Provot, 
another  trailmaker;  Hugh  Glass,  whose  duel  with  a  grizzly  bear  is  a 
classic  of  the  early  West;  James  Beckwourth,  the  gaudy  liar  whose  au- 
tobiography long  filled  small  boys  with  envy;  Mike  Fink,  the  tough 
keelboatman  whose  exploits  passed  rapidly  into  legend ;  Carpenter,  who 
was  killed  by  Mike ;  and  Talbot,  who  in  turn  killed  Mike. 

In  1821-22  the  Astor  interests  had  had  the  governmental  trading 


20  The  Oregon  Trail 

posts  abolished;  this  gave  the  trade  completely  to  private  concerns,  re- 
sulting eventually  in  a  virtual  monopoly  for  the  Astor  interests  east  of 
Oregon.  Long  before  that  had  been  achieved,  however,  private  competi- 
tion had  thrown  the  Indian  tribes  into  turmoil  similar  to  that  which  had 
forced  the  Hudson's  Bay-North  West  Company  merger.  Rival  groups 
plied  the  Indians  with  banned  liquor,  and  stirred  them  up  against  other 
tribes,  against  the  traders  of  other  companies,  and  even  against  factions 
within  their  own  companies,  by  bewildering  them  with  contradictory 
statements — all  inculcating  contempt  for  white  men  and  white  govern- 
ment. Though  the  monopoly  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in  Canada 
and  in  the  Oregon  country  had  a  quieting  effect,  making  the  country 
fairly  safe  for  the  passage  of  small  groups  of  white  persons,  the  Astor 
monopoly  increased  the  tension  because  of  the  intracompany  competi- 
tion. Another  result  of  the  rivalries  was  the  early  exhaustion  of  the  fur 
field,  since  conservation  was  impossible  under  the  circumstances. 

Rufus  Sage,  who  traveled  through  the  West  before  the  great  migra- 
tion began,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  vice  was  all  the  white  men  had 
given  to  the  Indians.  One  early  traveler  reported  that  an  Indian  chief, 
noting  the  conduct  of  the  white  men  with  the  Indian  women,  asked  in- 
nocently whether  there  were  any  white  women;  another  reported  that 
an  Indian  had  asked  him  seriously  whether  the  whites  were  not  delib- 
erately debauching  them  with  intent  to  weaken  them.  An  emigrant  wrote 
that  the  only  English  words  some  tribes  knew  were  "Whoa,"  "Gee," 
and  "God  damn,"  which  they  used  as  polite  greetings;  he  added  that 
one  company  that  asked  Indians  where  there  was  good  camping  ground 
was  told  that  there  was  plenty  of  grass  nearby  for  the  "Whoa-haws" 
but  no  water  for  the  "God-damns." 

Almost  from  the  beginning  the  relations  between  the  whites  and  the 
Indians  were  strained,  the  people  of  the  two  races  having  different  ethi- 
cal values  and  material  standards.  Joseph  Whitehouse  of  the  Lewis  and 
Clark  expedition  summed  up  the  friendliest  white  attitude  toward  the 
Indians:  "they  are  or  appear  as  yet  to  be  the  most  friendly  people  I 
ever  Saw  but  they  will  Steal  and  plunder  if  they  can  git  an  opportu- 
nity. .  .  .  Some  of  them  &  indeed  most  of  them  have  Strange  &  un- 
common Ideas,  but  verry  Ignorant  of  our  forms  &  customs,  but  quick 
&  Sensible  in  their  own  way  &  in  their  own  conceit  &c  &c." 

The  first  white  men  in  a  region  were  greeted  with  curiosity  and  were 
often  welcomed  because  of  the  gadgets  they  brought.  Nonetheless,  even 
when  the  welcome  was  warm  and  friendly,  the  white  men  were  ex- 


CHINOOK  WOMAN 

The  Chinooks  called  their  neighbors  Flatheads 


^- 

1* 

NEBRASKA  SETTLERS  (1886) 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  21 

asperated  by  the  aborigines,  chiefly  because  of  the  Indian  attitude  to- 
wards private  property.  Among  all  tribes  there  was  a  limited  amount 
of  personal  property,  and  title  to  it  was  respected  within  the  tribe.  Non- 
tribal  property  was  legitimate  loot  in  the  complicated  game  of  skill 
that  played  a  large  part  in  Indian  warrior  life.  Scoring  rules  for  the 
game  were  intricate;  so  many  points  went  to  the  man  who  could  steal 
such  property,  the  number  dependent  on  the  value  of  what  was  taken. 
War  was  a  sporting  event.  Many  points  went  to  the  man  who  took  a 
prisoner ;  if  the  attempted  capture  resulted  in  death,  it  was  still  counted 
provided  the  scalp  was  obtained,  because  the  Indians  believed  that  body 
and  spirit  were  one.  Killing  with  a  tomahawk  was  more  meritorious 
than  killing  with  an  arrow  because  it  involved  greater  physical  risk. 
A  great  hero  was  a  man  who  could  touch  an  enemy  before  he  killed 
and  scalped  him.  Enemies  were  those  who  had  scored  unfairly  against 
the  tribe  or  who  had  humiliated  its  members. 

Training  in  theft  was  given  from  the  earliest  years,  property  within 
the  tribe  being  used  for  this  vocational  guidance.  The  small  boy  caught 
stealing  was  thoroughly  shamed  by  his  parents  as  a  bungler.  The  In- 
dian who  could  slip  into  the  Lewis  and  Clark  camp  and  make  off  with 
a  knife  or  a  kettle  was  merely  a  clever  fellow,  in  the  eyes  of  his  tribes- 
men; and  the  Indians  did  not  understand  why  the  visitors  should  par- 
ticularly resent  this  if  they  had  been  lax  about  guarding  their  prop- 
erty. Had  the  whites  stolen  in  return,  the  Indians  would  have  regarded 
it  as  wholly  natural.  Friendly  chiefs  were  quite  willing  to  force  the 
return  of  stolen  odds  and  ends  if  the  visitors  could  point  out  the  un- 
skilled person  who  had  taken  them. 

The  whites,  misunderstanding  this  attitude,  frequently  beat  Indians 
for  theft,  not  realizing  that  the  Indians  considered  death  less  humili- 
ating. Once  a  tribal  member  had  been  beaten,  his  tribe  felt  that  it  could 
save  face  by  nothing  short  of  capturing — dead,  if  necessary — as  many 
of  the  beater's  fellows  as  possible;  and  since  all  white  men  looked  alike 
to  them,  they  avenged  themselves  on  the  first  party  to  appear  after  the 
humiliation. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Indians  had  a  deep  sense  of  justice  and  of 
gratitude.  McLoughlin  controlled  those  in  his  area  by  punishing  of- 
fenders whose  guilt  could  be  clearly  demonstrated,  rewarding  those 
shown  worthy  of  trust,  caring  for  the  sick  among  the  Indians  as  faith- 
fully as  he  cared  for  ailing  whites,  and  by  observing  Indian  taboos  and 


22  The  Oregon  Trail 

demanding  that  the  Indians  observe  his;  the  Indians  called  him  the 
White-Headed  Eagle.  Fort  Vancouver  was  never  attacked. 

McLoughlin,  however,  could  not  entirely  prevent  the  Indians  from 
selling  to  his  rivals,  because  of  the  agreement  on  joint  occupancy  of 
the  Oregon  country,  renewed  in  1827.  In  1826  American  traders,  prob- 
ably belonging  to  the  aggressive  Ashley  company,  had  been  so  suc- 
cessful in  underselling  the  second  Hudson's  Bay  expedition  into  the 
Snake  River  country  that  Peter  Skene  Ogden,  its  leader,  reported  he 
was  happy  to  return  to  Fort  Vancouver  without  serious  loss.  When 
American  traders  came  to  the  area  by  sea  or  land  the  Chief  Factor 
received  them  cordially  but  used  all  his  influence  to  make  their  quests 
for  furs  fruitless.  The  competition  of  one  ingenious  Yankee,  Capt.  Wil- 
liam McNeill,  who  arrived  in  1832  with  a  shipload  of  such  gay  novel- 
ties as  jumping-jacks,  wooden  soldiers,  and  whistles — which  seemed  far 
more  desirable  to  the  Indians  than  the  Hudson's  Bay  staples — was  sup- 
pressed only  by  the  purchase  of  the  ship,  its  cargo,  and  the  captain's 
services  for  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company. 

Occasionally  Dr.  McLoughlin  smothered  competition  with  courtesy; 
in  1828  Jedediah  Smith  limped  into  Fort  Vancouver  after  having  lost 
part  of  his  men  and  all  his  furs  among  the  Umpquas  of  southern  Ore- 
gon. The  Chief  Factor  had  personal  sympathy  for  Smith,  a  brave  man, 
but  he  acted  largely  as  an  overlord  for  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
when  he  sent  an  expedition  to  punish  the  Umpquas  and  recover  the 
furs;  no  molestation  of  whites  would  be  tolerated  in  his  domain.  Gov- 
ernor Simpson,  who  was  visiting  the  post,  approved  the  purchase  of 
the  furs  at  market  price  to  save  Smith  from  the  dangers  of  transporta- 
tion overland  with  a  small  escort,  at  the  same  time  making  it  clear  that 
in  doing  so  the  company  was  trusting  Smith  to  keep  out  of  the  Oregon 
area  in  the  future.  The  praying  Methodist  did  not  violate  the  obligation. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  more  serious  attacks  on  McLoughlin's 
territory  were  developing.  The  English  colonies  had  been  settled  by 
protestants  against  authority  in  church  and  state,  protestants  against 
unfavorable  economic  conditions,  and  protestants  against  the  dullness 
and  monotony  of  life  in  settled  communities.  The  great  majority  of 
the  settlers  were  people  who  had  different  values  from  those  who  stayed 
at  home,  counting  physical  risk  and  hardship  a  small  price  to  pay  for 
adventure,  fortune,  or  freedom  to  do  as  they  pleased.  Some  found  what 
they  had  sought;  others  did  not,  and  they  moved  restlessly  on  from 
place  to  place.  People  dissatisfied  with  Massachusetts  had  settled  Con- 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  23 

necticut  and  New  Hampshire;  people  dissatisfied  with  Connecticut  and 
New  Hampshire  had  settled  Vermont  and  upper  New  York;  people 
dissatisfied  with  New  England  and  nearby  States  had  settled  Ohio. 
People  who  had  left  the  seaboard  for  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  the 
Northwest  Territory  had  moved  across  the  Mississippi  River  soon  after 
Louisiana  was  acquired,  many  abandoning  fertile  farms  they  had 
cleared,  because  of  some  undefined  dissatisfaction  and  the  vague  belief 
that  Utopia  must  exist  somewhere  west. 

All  explorers,  nearly  all  pioneers,  and  certainly  all  the  fur  traders 
belonged  to  this  restless  breed,  though  many  who  write  of  their  adven- 
tures do  not  understand  their  heroes;  they  judge  them  by  their  own  stay- 
at-home  values  and  waste  "heroic,"  "intrepid,"  "hardy,"  "valiant,"  and 
like  words  on  them  until  the  adjectives  are  meaningless.  When,  after  a 
hard  winter  in  a  hut  along  the  Missouri,  Lewis  wrote  that  the  moment 
of  departure  for  the  untrodden  wilderness  was  among  the  happiest  of 
his  life,  he  was  voicing  the  feeling  of  all  who  followed  him  westward. 
Time  and  again  the  traders  and  mountain  men  vowed  that  they  were 
through  with  hardships  and  were  going  back  to  the  security  of  the  set- 
tled East;  but  the  first  person  who  asked  them  to  return  to  the  moun- 
tains was  sure  to  start  them  west  again.  Those  who  returned  to  the 
East,  even  briefly,  spread  unrest  and  stirred  up  the  adventurous  blood 
dormant  in  most  of  the  descendants  of  the  first  pioneers. 

In  the  early  decades  of  the  nineteenth  century  a  large  part  of  the 
population  of  the  United  States  was  in  a  particularly  disturbed  state  of 
mind.  The  more  perfect  union  envisioned  by  the  Constitution  had  not 
abolished  taxes  or  created  idyllic  communities ;  the  new  factories,  belch- 
ing forth  smoke  and  cinders,  provided  many  new  comforts  but  did  not 
pay  wages  that  enabled  the  hands  to  buy  them  in  quantities;  farmers 
were  receiving  lower  prices  for  their  products  because  of  competition 
from  the  newly  settled  lands;  the  blow  dealt  to  the  spiritual  authority 
of  the  churches  by  the  Revolution  had  robbed  many  of  their  feeling  of 
spiritual  security;  and  the  ideas  let  loose  by  the  French  Revolution, 
widely  aired  by  those  who  had  fled  to  America  to  escape  the  reactionary 
regimes  of  the  post-Revolutionary  period,  added  to  the  mental  ferment. 
Messiahs  appeared  daily,  offering  mesmerism,  socialism,  vegetarian- 
ism, love-communism,  Millerism,  dress  reform,  transcendentalism,  and 
countless  other  panaceas  for  social,  economic,  and  religious  ills.  Al- 
most every  prophet  gained  at  least  a  few  followers,  some  a  great  many. 

The  Journals  of  Lewis  and  Clark  and  of  other  explorers,  the  diaries 


24  The  Oregon  Trail 

and  letters  of  travelers  and  journalists,  turned  public  attention  to  the 
Far  West.  European  philosophers,  poets,  and  novelists  had  long  been 
romanticizing  the  American  wilderness  and,  to  some  extent,  the  pio- 
neers. James  Fenimore  Cooper,  however,  was  the  first  American  to 
idealize  the  frontiersmen.  Washington  Irving  began  the  literary  exploita- 
tion of  the  Far  West.  The  romantic  attitude  gradually  spread  downward 
from  the  literate  to  the  illiterate,  and  restless  migrants  who  had  never 
read  a  book  in  their  lives  began  to  see  themselves  as  participants  in 
heroic  drama — and  to  act  and  pose  accordingly. 

One  of  the  first  to  advocate  emigration  to  the  Oregon  region  was 
Hall  J.  Kelley,  a  teacher  in  a  school  near  Boston,  who  began  writing 
letters  and  memoranda  to  the  newspapers  on  the  subject  in  1818,  bas- 
ing his  statements  largely  on  his  own  interpretations  of  what  Lewis  and 
Clark  had  reported.  In  time  he  organized  emigrant  meetings,  addressed 
memorials  to  Congress  for  aid,  and  eventually  founded  an  Oregon  Emi- 
gration Association  to  travel  west  in  1832.  His  first  appeals  were 
commercial  and  agrarian;  but  as  the  clergy,  fearful  of  losing  more 
parishioners,  and  factory  owners,  determined  not  to  have  their  cheap- 
labor  market  diminished,  began  to  attack  him  and  his  propaganda,  his 
writings  became  somewhat  socialistic. 

Kelley  interested  the  well-to-do  Nathaniel  Wyeth  in  the  scheme. 
Wyeth  clearly  indicated  the  state  of  mind  of  the  average  emigrant  when 
he  wrote:  "I  cannot  divest  myself  of  the  opinion  that  I  shall  compete 
better  with  my  fellow  men  in  new  and  untried  paths  than  in  those 
which  require  only  patience  and  attention."  But  Wyeth  early  discov- 
ered Kelley's  impracticality  and  determined  to  lead  his  own  expedition, 
but  as  a  fur  trader,  not  a  settler.  His  plans  were  like  those  John  Jacob 
Astor  had  made  earlier;  a  ship  would  carry  supplies  for  the  Indian 
trade  to  the  Columbia  and  Wyeth  would  travel  overland  to  meet  it.  In 
late  October,  1832,  Wyeth  reached  Fort  Vancouver  after  many  difficul- 
ties resulting  from  his  lack  of  experience;  his  ship  had  not  arrived. 
Dr.  McLoughlin,  liking  the  young  man,  took  him  into  the  Hudson's  Bay 
mess  with  his  usual  hospitality,  but  at  the  same  time  warned  him  frankly 
that  he  would  do  all  he  could  to  oppose  his  business  venture.  Wyeth 
did  not  learn  for  many  months  that  his  ship  had  been  wrecked  and  that 
it  was  useless  for  him  to  remain  in  Oregon. 

In  1832  Capt.  Benjamin  de  Bonneville  also  arrived  in  Oregon,  osten- 
sibly as  a  fur  trader  but,  judged  by  the  maps  and  reports  he  made  and 
by  recently  discovered  pay-roll  records,  actually  as  a  United  States  se- 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  25 

cret  intelligence  officer.  The  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville,  written 
by  Washington  Irving  from  Bonneville's  notes,  was  read  by  many  peo- 
ple, who  in  1837,  the  year  the  book  was  published,  were  sharing  the 
results  of  the  disastrous  financial  crash  that  had  been  caused  by  mad 
speculation  in  public  utilities  and  unsound  public  and  private  financing. 
To  them  the  West  began  to  seem  a  place  of  refuge,  offering  unlimited 
land  without  mortgages. 

It  was  a  rule  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  that  an  employee  reach- 
ing the  end  of  his  term  of  service  must  return  to  the  point  of  enlist- 
ment for  discharge.  A  number  of  French  Canadians  employed  in  the 
Department  of  the  Columbia  asked  McLoughlin's  permission  to  settle 
near  Fort  Vancouver  when  their  time  was  up;  they  liked  the  country 
and  had  taken  wives  from  local  tribes.  Ignoring  the  company  regula- 
tion, the  doctor  sent  them  down  the  Willamette  and  aided  them  with 
tools  and  supplies;  he  did  this  partly  from  kind-heartedness  and  partly, 
perhaps,  because  he  had  an  idea  that  settlement  south  of  the  river  by 
loyal  Canadians  might  enable  him  to  hold  the  country.  As  the  settle- 
ment expanded  and  the  number  of  half-breed  children  increased,  he 
became  anxious  to  provide  education  and  religious  training.  He  several 
times  asked  headquarters  to  obtain  a  clergyman  for  the  post,  but  none 
was  sent  in  spite  of  promises. 

In  1831  four  members  of  the  Flathead  tribe  had  journeyed  to  St. 
Louis  to  ask  for  instruction  in  the  white  man's  religion,  having  heard 
from  a  wandering  band  of  Canadian  Iroquois  of  the  superior  efficiency 
of  the  "medicine"  of  the  "black  robes"  (priests).  Their  action  aroused 
such  interest  in  religious  circles  that  in  1833  the  General  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  appointed  the  efficient  Jason  Lee 
"Missionary  to  the  Flatheads."  Lee  rapidly  organized  a  small  party  of 
assistants  and,  learning  that  Nathaniel  Wyeth  was  returning  to  Oregon 
to  make  another  attempt  to  compete  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company, 
obtained  permission  to  travel  overland  with  the  Boston  merchant.  In 
July,  1834,  the  party  reached  the  Snake  River,  where  Wyeth  established 
a  small  post,  which  he  named  Fort  Hall;  the  party  reached  Fort  Van- 
couver on  September  16.  McLoughlin  greeted  them  cordially,  in  spite 
of  his  knowledge  of  Wyeth's  intentions,  and  was  soon  advising  Lee  that 
it  was  dangerous  to  establish  a  mission  among  the  Flatheads  and  that 
he  had  a  congregation  ready  for  his  ministrations  along  the  Willamette. 
In  giving  this  advice  the  Chief  Factor  spoke  as  a  Hudson's  Bay  man, 


26  The  Oregon  Trail 

eager  to  keep  the  Americans  well  south  of  the  Columbia.  Lee  accepted 
the  advice  and  almost  at  once  set  out  to  build  his  mission. 

Despite  Dr.  McLoughlin's  disapproval,  Wyeth  built  a  post  close  to 
Fort  Vancouver,  but  he  was  no  match  for  his  entrenched  rival  and  after 
a  very  discouraging  struggle  he  left  the  field. 

Another  arrival  at  Fort  Vancouver  in  1834  was  Hall  Kelley,  who 
had  traveled  from  Boston  by  way  of  California.  During  his  first  visit 
Wyeth  had  told  Dr.  McLoughlin  of  Kelley's  activities  and  the  doctor, 
ordinarily  kind  and  courteous,  had  worked  up  an  intense  hatred  of  the 
man  who  was  trying  to  stimulate  what  was,  in  the  Factor's  opinion,  an 
invasion  of  a  country  he  had  developed.  When  Kelley  arrived,  penni- 
less, almost  alone,  and  preceded  by  a  report  that  he  had  stolen  horses 
in  California,  the  doctor  permitted  him  to  live  at  the  post  but  treated 
him  as  a  pariah.  Kelley  lingered  miserably  until  1836,  his  hatred  of 
McLoughlin  increasing  daily.  When  Kelley  returned  to  Boston  his 
stored-up  venom  found  outlet  in  a  bitter  pamphlet  in  which  he  accused 
the  doctor  of  tyranny  and  of  activities  inimical  to  the  American  cause. 
This  pamphlet  was  called  to  the  attention  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  who 
at  once  arranged  to  have  a  Captain  Slacum  investigate  the  situation  on 
the  Columbia.  Slacum's  report,  which  was  not  free  from  bias,  aroused 
considerable  feeling  in  the  United  States. 

In  the  meantime,  more  missionaries  had  arrived  along  the  Columbia. 
Other  religious  people  besides  the  Methodists  had  been  moved  by  the 
Flathead  plea;  in  1834  an  interdenominational  board  appointed  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Parker  and  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman  to  study  the  needs.  In 
1835  the  two  men  traveled  with  fur  traders  to  the  annual  rendezvous 
in  the  Green  River  Valley  of  western  Wyoming.  When  they  reached  the 
valley  Dr.  Whitman  had  seen  enough  Indians  to  be  convinced  that  he 
need  go  no  farther  before  reporting  to  the  board  that  the  aborigines 
needed  religious  attention.  Parker  traveled  on  with  only  a  few  Indians, 
arriving  at  Fort  Vancouver  on  October  16  immaculately  dressed  and 
wearing  a  plug  hat,  as  was  his  wont.  The  Chief  Factor,  though  some- 
what worried  by  the  advent,  was  courteous  as  usual ;  but  this  missionary 
was  not  to  be  diverted  to  the  Willamette  Valley.  After  looking  over 
sites  for  missions  he  left  Vancouver  for  Boston  by  way  of  the  Pacific. 

Not  long  after  Parker's  departure  for  reinforcements,  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  answered  the  doctor's  six-year-old  prayer  for  a  clergy- 
man; the  Rev.  Herbert  Beaver  arrived  from  London  with  his  wife  and 
within  a  short  time  managed  to  set  the  post  by  its  heels.  Neither  the 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  27 

clergyman  nor  his  wife  had  anything  but  scorn  for  the  Indians  and 
they  disapproved  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  contract  marriages,  going  so  far 
in  their  dislike  of  inter-racial  marriage  as  to  snub  the  doctor's  wife, 
who  was  a  half-breed  and  married  by  contract.  The  situation  was  made 
increasingly  tense  by  the  severely  critical  letters  the  clergyman  wrote 
to  London;  it  culminated  in  1838,  when  the  doctor  lost  his  temper  and 
caned  Mr.  Beaver.  The  act  was  unfortunate  for  Dr.  McLoughlin  be- 
cause the  Beavers,  after  their  return  to  England,  helped  to  work  up 
opposition  to  the  Chief  Factor's  activities.  Up  to  this  time  the  doctor 
had  been  accorded  great  respect  from  headquarters.  He  had  extended 
his  posts  to  the  north  and  east,  was  raising  enough  foodstuffs  to  enable 
him  to  have  a  surplus  for  exportation,  and  was  also  trading  in  the 
Sandwich  Islands. 

About  the  time  Mr.  Beaver  put  in  his  delayed  appearance,  Dr.  Whit- 
man and  the  Rev.  Henry  Spalding  arrived  at  Fort  Vancouver  with  their 
wives — the  first  white  women  to  make  the  overland  trip.  Dr.  McLough- 
lin treated  the  party  hospitably  and,  when  they  insisted  on  going  at 
once  to  found  missions  near  Walla  Walla  and  on  the  Clearwater  River, 
gave  them  what  assistance  he  could,  by  permitting  them  to  replenish 
their  exhausted  supplies  from  his  stores;  he  warned  them,  however,  of 
the  danger  of  isolating  themselves  inland  near  the  treacherous  Cayuses. 

In  the  meantime  Jason  Lee  had  called  for  reinforcements,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1837  two  ships  arrived  with  supplies  and  more  missionaries, 
bringing  the  total  in  the  Willamette  Valley  to  60. 

The  Chief  Factor  watched  their  arrival  with  mixed  feelings;  the 
Protestant  missionaries  had  made  slight  progress,  their  type  of  religion 
having  little  appeal  for  the  natives.  Indian  converts  had  been  few  and 
the  French  Canadians,  who  were  Roman  Catholics,  had  held  aloof.  The 
doctor  began  to  hear  rumors  that  the  Americans  were  turning  their  at- 
tention to  real  estate  and  politics  and  were  considering  the  setting  up 
of  a  provisional  government.  As  the  failure  to  win  the  Indians  became 
more  apparent,  the  missionary  group  became  concerned  to  show  some 
other  results  to  their  financial  backers.  In  1838  Jason  Lee  determined 
to  visit  the  East  and  place  a  memorial  before  Congress  asking  that 
Oregon  be  made  a  part  of  the  Union. 

In  the  same  year  the  Chief  Factor  took  his  first  vacation  away  from 
the  Columbia  since  he  had  arrived  there  in  1824;  he  went  straight  to 
London  to  lay  before  his  chiefs  his  plans  for  the  extension  of  Hud- 
son's Bay  activities,  In  addition  to  obtaining  permission  to  trade  into 


28  The  Oregon  Trail 

Russian  Alaska,  with  Russian  consent,  he  was  also  authorized  to  make 
settlements  south  of  Puget  Sound,  as  a  means  of  reinforcing  Britain's 
claim  to  the  territory  that  is  now  the  State  of  Washington. 

In  May,  1840,  not  long  after  McLoughlin's  return  to  his  post,  Jason 
Lee  reappeared,  by  way  of  the  sea,  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  52  persons. 
When  the  doctor  asked  why  they  had  come,  Lee  assured  him  that  they 
were  to  work  in  the  mission.  Not  long  after  this,  however,  it  became 
quite  apparent  that  many  were  interested  in  settlement  rather  than  in 
missionary  work.  Long  afterward  the  Chief  Factor  was  to  learn  that 
Lee  on  his  trip  east  had  traveled  widely  on  lecture  tours,  mixing  his 
discussion  of  Indian  needs  with  large  doses  of  propaganda  on  the  de- 
sirability of  Oregon  as  a  place  of  settlement.  No  professional  imperialist 
could  have  been  more  enthusiastic  than  Lee  about  the  justness  of  seiz- 
ing Oregon  for  the  United  States.  Lee's  speeches  and  the  Journal  of  his 
travels,  published  in  1838,  did  much  to  spread  the  Oregon  fever.  The 
question  of  the  ethical  propriety  of  Lee's  imperialistic  activities  has 
provided  meat  for  a  hundred  years  of  argument ;  he  had  accepted  much 
help  from  the  doctor  in  establishing  his  mission,  with  full  knowledge 
that  McLoughlin  would  have  opposed  him  if  his  announced  purpose 
had  been  commercial  or  imperialistic.  It  is  probable  that  Lee  was  less 
sensitive  than  Jedediah  Smith  and  that  to  him  McLoughlin  was  merely 
a  symbol  representing  Britain,  which  the  average  American  believed 
should  be  outwitted  by  fair  means  or  foul. 

Less  easily  condoned  was  the  act  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Waller,  who 
deliberately  pre-empted  land  by  the  Falls  of  the  Willamette  that  Mc- 
Loughlin had  taken  possession  of  in  1830  and  where  he  had  blasted  out 
a  millrace.  McLoughlin  gave  notice  of  the  claim  when  Waller  started 
to  build,  but  permitted  the  Methodist  as  a  tenant  to  erect  a  small  build- 
ing, even  giving  him  some  lumber.  Later  Waller  and  others  ignored 
the  doctor's  claim  entirely  and  did  all  in  their  power  to  take  from  him 
the  spot  to  which  he  had  planned  to  retire. 

In  1841  Governor  Simpson,  then  Sir  George,  arrived  at  Fort  Van- 
couver on  an  inspection  trip.  McLoughlin  had  been  permitted  far  more 
freedom  than  were  most  Chief  Factors,  but  he  knew  that  in  allowing 
the  missionaries  to  establish  themselves  so  strongly  he  had  betrayed 
company  policy.  Though  Sir  George  was  noncommittal,  it  was  clear 
that  he  was  not  satisfied. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  was  well  aware  that  there  was  a  grow- 
ing sentiment  in  the  United  States  for  the  seizure  of  Oregon;  in  fact, 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  29 

American  claims  disputed  title  to  all  the  West  Coast  country  up  to 
the  Russian  boundary.  The  American  claim  rested  in  part  on  the  fact 
that  Robert  Gray  had  visited  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  in  1792, 
though  it  was  Vancouver's  lieutenant  who,  in  the  same  year,  had  ex- 
plored the  river  for  a  hundred  miles  and  verified  its  course;  it  also 
rested  on  the  explorations  by  the  Americans,  Lewis  and  Clark.  The 
British,  however,  could  show  that  they  had  been  developing  the  country, 
had  made  some  settlements,  and  had  established  civil  rule  for  British 
subjects  in  the  territory.  The  weakness  of  the  American  claim  was  ap- 
parent and  the  missionary-imperialists  in  the  critical  years  were  frank, 
in  the  States  if  not  in  Oregon,  in  stressing  the  need  of  rushing  settlers 
in  to  attain  predominant  numbers  for  the  United  States.  Conservative 
members  of  the  Government  had  resisted  the  shouts  of  jingoes  for  mili- 
tary penetration  of  the  Oregon  country,  as  they  had  resisted  pleas  for 
forts  near  the  Rockies  to  protect  the  fur  traders.  Settlements,  however, 
were  rapidly  increasing  between  the  Mississippi  and  Indian  territory, 
particularly  since  the  depression  of  1837  had  added  to  the  popular 
unrest. 

In  May,  1841,  a  group  of  people  assembled  at  Independence,  Mo., 
for  migration  to  California;  they  had  been  collected  largely  by  John 
Bidwell  who  had  heard  stories  of  the  country  from  a  traveling  French- 
man. Most  of  the  would-be  emigrants  became  discouraged  and  withdrew 
from  the  party,  which  became  so  small  that  the  remainder  joined  some 
trappers,  including  Thomas  Fitzpatrick,  on  their  way  to  Green  River, 
and  a  party  of  Roman  Catholic  priests,  including  Father  Pierre  DeSmet, 
who  were  journeying  to  the  Flathead  country  at  last  to  answer  the  call 
for  "black  robes."  When  the  priests  left  them  at  Soda  Springs,  the 
party,  now  consisting  of  64  people,  was  split;  half  of  them,  fearing  to 
attempt  the  uncertain  California  route,  followed  the  better -known  trail 
to  Whitman's  mission  at  Walla  Walla  and  then  went  down  the  Columbia. 

In  1842  the  real  march  on  Oregon  began.  In  this  year  the  imperi- 
alists, led  by  Sen.  Thomas  H.  Benton  of  Missouri,  had  succeeded  in 
having  an  official  trail-exploration  expedition  sent  as  far  west  as  the 
Wind  River  Valley;  this  was  led  by  Benton's  new  son-in-law,  J.  C. 
Fremont.  Fremont's  report,  issued  early  in  1843,  roused  wide  enthu- 
siasm ;  in  1843  he  again  went  out  and  he  spent  most  of  the  two  following 
years  exploring  foreign  land — Oregon  and  the  Mexican  possessions  in 
what  is  now  the  United  States.  His  reports  of  these  expeditions  became 
the  chief  guidebook  of  later  emigrants.  At  the  time  Fremont  was  mak- 


30  The  Oregon  Trail 

ing  his  first  trip,  a  party  of  about  a  hundred  started  for  Oregon  under 
the  leadership  of  Dr.  Elijah  White,  a  member  of  the  Willamette  mis- 
sion who  had  quarreled  with  Jason  Lee  but  was  returning  with  the 
peculiar  Federal  title  of  "Indian  subagent  for  Oregon."  McLoughlin's 
agent  at  Fort  Hall  sent  a  guide  to  lead  them  to  the  Willamette.  This 
party  did  not  pass  Fort  Vancouver,  but  McLoughlin  later  helped  many 
of  its  members  by  extending  credit  at  the  company  commissary  to  them. 
In  the  following  year  nearly  half  the  members  of  the  White  party  moved 
on  to  California;  their  arrival  had,  however,  stimulated  the  Americans 
in  the  Willamette  Valley  to  form  a  loose  civil  government  for  them- 
selves. The  British  subjects  in  the  valley  first  joined  the  movement,  but 
withdrew  when  they  discovered  the  nationalistic  character  of  the  ac- 
tivities. 

At  the  time  the  organization  meeting  was  held  nearly  a  thousand 
persons  were  assembling  at  Independence,,  Mo.,  and  preparing  to  start 
west.  White  in  1842  had  brought  news  of  this  assembly  and  also  orders 
to  Dr.  Whitman  that  part  of  his  missions  were  to  be  closed  because 
the  board  was  tired  of  the  dissension  among  the  workers  and  disap- 
pointed in  the  number  of  conversions.  Whitman  and  his  colleagues  de- 
termined to  disregard  the  instructions.  In  the  fall  of  this  year  Whitman 
suddenly  decided  to  rush  east,  regardless  of  the  weather.  After  a  quick 
trip  across  the  mountains,  he  went  straight  to  Washington  to  urge  his 
ideas  on  Government  officials,  asking  for  forts  to  protect  emigrants  along 
the  Oregon  Trail;  he  then  visited  New  York,  where  he  met  Horace 
Greeley  and  filled  him  with  enthusiasm  for  the  disputed  territory;  and 
finally  he  went  to  Boston  to  consult  with  his  board.  Almost  immedi- 
ately he  started  west  again,  lecturing  as  he  went,  to  join  the  travelers 
at  Independence  and  turn  them  toward  Oregon. 

About  875  persons  straggled  into  Oregon  in  November  and  Decem- 
ber of  1843;  like  those  who  preceded  them,  they  were  assisted  in  vari- 
ous ways  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Chief  Factor  of  the  Columbia.  In  the 
following  year  the  settlers  reorganized  and  strengthened  their  provi- 
sional government,  and  welcomed  1,400  more  arrivals.  Still  Dr.  Mc- 
Loughlin extended  credit  to  the  straitened  newcomers,  who  promised 
repayment  in  wheat  and  other  commodities  to  be  produced  on  the  new 
lands;  it  is  possible  that  he  yet  hoped  to  redeem  himself  in  the  eyes 
of  his  superiors  by  making  Fort  Vancouver  the  export  center  for  the 
territory. 

In  1845,  which  saw  the  arrival  of  more  than  three  thousand  immi- 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  31 

grants,  the  provisional  government  was  fully  established.  In  the  same 
year  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  forced  the  resignation  of  its  Chief 
Factor  on  the  Columbia;  after  winding  up  his  affairs  he  moved  south 
in  an  attempt  to  regain  the  land  he  had  laid  claim  to  15  years  before 
and  in  the  expectation  of  some  repayment  from  the  many  newcomers 
he  had  helped.  Many  of  the  settlers  had  not  paid  their  debts  to  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  McLoughlin's  later  years  were  embittered 
because  he  had  to  use  his  lifetime  savings  to  reimburse  the  company. 
Though  he  soon  became  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  his  land  claim 
was  not  recognized  until  five  years  after  his  death. 

A  leader  of  one  1845  section  was  Joel  Palmer,  whose  Journal, 
published  in  1847,  gave  sound  advice  to  future  emigrants  (see  AP- 
PENDIX). 

By  1846  the  boundary  controversy  had  become  acute;  Folk's  cam- 
paign slogan — "Fifty-four  forty  or  fight" — and  the  Mexican  War  had 
whipped  the  United  States  into  a  state  of  imperialistic  belligerency. 
War  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  seemed  so  inevitable 
that  the  representatives  of  the  two  countries  hastily  brought  the  30-year 
negotiations  to  an  end  with  a  compromise  extending  the  international 
boundary  westward  along  the  49th  parallel  to  the  Strait  of  Georgia. 

The  same  force — settlement — that  had  brought  Oregon  territory 
into  the  Union  was  already  bringing  in  the  Southwest;  by  1853  war 
and  purchase  had  rounded  out  the  present  boundaries  of  the  United 
States. 

The  acquisition  of  vast  western  lands  swelled  the  stream  of  migra- 
tion to  all  parts  of  the  West.  By  1848  the  Oregon  Trail  was  deeply 
rutted.  The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  in  that  year  drove  it  deeper 
into  the  prairies,  for  it  carried  the  great  bulk  of  the  gold  seekers — at 
least  to  a  point  west  of  South  Pass. 

Much  maudlin  sympathy  has  been  wasted  on  the  pioneers;  few  of 
them  asked  for  it.  They  were  taking  part  in  one  of  the  great  mass 
movements  of  history — and  they  knew  it,  as  is  shown  by  the  diaries 
they  kept  under  difficult  conditions,  by  the  letters  they  wrote  to  the  home- 
town newspapers  and  to  friends,  and  by  the  efforts  they  made  to  leave 
their  names  on  various  rocks  along  the  way.  To  many  the  journey  was 
an  exhilarating  picnic,  with  gossip,  chatter,  love-making,  sightseeing, 
and  adventure  providing  them  with  something  to  boast  about  for  the 
rest  of  their  lives.  If  the  hardships  were  greater  than  they  anticipated, 
the  majority  was  undismayed.  Cholera  epidemics  along  the  trail  in 


32  The  Oregon  Trail 

1849,  1850,  and  1852  took  heavy  toll,  as  such  epidemics  did  in  cities. 
On  the  whole  the  emigrants  had  such  good  health  on  the  trail  that 
hordes  of  sick  and  anemic  persons  journeyed  to  the  Missouri  to  travel 
at  least  for  a  time  with  the  parties.  Had  the  emigrants  stayed  at  home, 
the  average  annual  death  rate  would  have  been  500  in  every  20,000; 
probably  the  death  rate  on  the  trail  from  natural  causes  was  lower 
than  at  home.  Most  deaths  not  resulting  from  epidemics  were  the  result 
of  rashness  or  carelessness.  Loaded  guns  in  the  hands  of  amateur  fron- 
tiersmen were  a  leading  cause  of  accidents. 

Every  party  had  some  members  who  were  sure  that  they  could  find 
shorter  and  better  routes  than  could  experienced  guides;  the  tragic  ex- 
perience of  the  Donner  party  (see  SECTION  7)  took  place  because  the 
members  acted  on  advice  given  in  a  letter  written  by  a  man  of  whom 
they  had  never  heard. 

As  Army  posts  were  opened  along  the  way,  the  officers  became  in- 
creasingly annoyed  by  the  foolhardiness  of  the  travelers;  finally,  to 
save  themselves  the  labor  of  rushing  about  rescuing  the  foolish,  they 
forcibly  though  without  authority  organized  the  trains  under  military 
rules  and  passed  them  along  under  escort. 

While  many  of  the  emigrants  feared  the  Indians  and  were  always 
alert,  others  could  not  be  made  to  take  reasonable  precautions  against 
surprise.  The  Indians  stole  when  they  could  and  caused  occasional 
deaths  during  raids,  but  they  were  not  serious  menaces  until  the  sixties, 
when  they  began  to  realize  that  the  invaders  were  driving  away  and 
killing  off  the  buffalo  and  other  animals  on  which  the  natives  depended 
for  their  food  and  clothing.  By  this  time,  moreover,  the  Indians  had 
become  thoroughly  disillusioned  of  any  hopes  that  the  whites  would 
keep  the  land  treaties.  By  these  agreements  the  whites  took  the  best 
lands  and  gave  the  Indians  the  worst;  in  addition  comparatively  little 
of  the  promised  compensations  in  money  and  goods  ever  reached  the 
aborigines.  Even  the  Army  officers  sent  to  quell  uprisings  when  the 
Indians  became  desperate,  reported,  with  a  stern  sense  of  justice,  that 
the  natives  had  just  cause  for  their  frantic  last  stands.  For  many  years 
the  forces  sent  against  the  Indians  were  inadequate,  but  when  at  length 
the  Government  undertook  to  finish  the  job  of  expropriation,  the  results 
were  swift  and  final. 

Great  hardship  was  caused  by  the  settlers'  determination  to  carry 
their  prized  possessions  with  them.  Many  a  cherished  chest  and  spinet 
on  the  West  Coast  was  carried  overland  at  the  price  of  semistarvation. 


Why  a  Trail  to  Oregon?  33 

By  1850  the  immigrants  were  beginning  to  clamor  for  quick  mail 
service  and  better  transportation,  but  it  was  1859  before  an  overland 
stage  went  as  far  west  as  Colorado.  The  Pony  Express,  which  gave 
the  first  fast  mail  service  to  California,  was  inaugurated  in  1860; 
though  it  lasted  only  16  months  and  ruined  its  promoters,  it  provided 
the  country  with  one  of  the  most  exciting  series  of  relay  races  in  his- 
tory. In  1861  a  telegraph  line  connected  the  Pacific  Coast  with  the 
East.  After  much  talk  about  building  a  railroad  to  the  Far  West,  the 
Federal  government  accepted  the  responsibility.  A  Congressional  act 
permitted  the  Central  Pacific  to  built  eastward  from  Sacramento  and 
the  Union  Pacific  to  build  westward  from  Council  Bluffs  until  their 
lines  should  meet,  with  a  bait  of  princely  land  grants  to  stimulate 
rivalry  between  the  two  companies  for  distance  covered.  The  most 
formidable  engineering  difficulties  were  encountered  at  the  western  end, 
but  the  building  of  the  Union  Pacific  was  a  far  more  dramatic  enter- 
prise; it  was  carried  through  at  a  time  when  many  of  the  Indian 
tribes  of  the  plains  were  actively  and  fiercely  hostile.  On  May  10, 
1869,  at  Promontory,  Utah,  a  golden  spike  was  driven  into  a  cross-tie 
of  California  laurel,  celebrating  the  junction  of  the  rails  pushed  from 
the  East  and  the  West,  and  the  completion  of  an  iron  span  across 
the  continent. 

Wagons  continued  to  follow  the  Oregon  Trail  until  late  in  the 
eighties,  but  the  days  of  pioneer  travel  were  over  and  the  physical 
frontier  was  almost  gone.  Many  who  went  west  remained  only  a  short 
time,  then  turned  back  to  settle  in  the  Middle  West,  or  to  resettle  in 
their  native  States  east  of  the  Mississippi.  Relatively  few  of  the  immi- 
grants found  the  quick  wealth  and  happiness  they  had  sought.  Through 
the  years  the  migrations  grew  steadily  smaller;  they  have  not  yet 
stopped,  though  there  is  no  free  land  today. 

The  biological  genes  transmitting  the  characteristics  that  drained 
Europe  of  much  of  its  vitality  and  made  the  United  States  an  empire 
extending  from  coast  to  coast  have  not  been  bred  out. 


THE    OREGON    TRAIL 

US  30 

The  Missouri  River  to  the  Pacific 
2,110  miles 

Alternate  Route 

Nebraska-Wyoming 

570.4  miles 


CAVALRY  ESCORTING  THE  MAIL 


Smithsonian  Institution 


THE  MAIL 


•/\\J 


The  United  States  Illustrated 


INDEPENDENCE  COURTHOUSE,  MISSOURI  (1855) 


Missouri-Iowa 


Independence,  Mo. — Kansas  City — St.  Joseph — Council  Bluffs,   Iowa 
(Missouri  River) ;  218.1  m.  US  24,  US  71,  and  US  275. 

Burlington  Route  and  Missouri  Pacific  R.R.  roughly  parallel  route  between  Kansas 
City  and  Council  Bluffs. 

Paved  roadbed. 
Accommodations  chiefly  in  towns. 

".  .  .  from  this  river  is  time  reconed  &  it  matters  not  how  far  you 
you  have  come,  this  is  the  point  to  which  they  all  refer,  for  the 
question  is  never,  when  did  you  leave  home?  but,  when  did  you 
leave  the  Mississouri  river?" 

— Mrs.  Frizzell,  Across  the  Plains  to  California  in  1852. 

"Last  spring,  1846,"  wrote  Francis  Parkman  in  The  California  and 
Oregon  Trail,  "was  a  busy  season  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  Not  only 
were  emigrants  from  every  part  of  the  country  preparing  for  the  journey 
to  Oregon  and  California,  but  an  unusual  number  of  traders  were 
making  ready  their  wagons  and  outfits  for  Santa  Fe.  The  hotels  were 
crowded,  and  the  gunsmiths  and  saddlers  were  kept  constantly  at  work 
in  providing  arms  and  equipment  for  the  different  parties  of  travellers. 
Almost  every  day  steamboats  were  leaving  the  levee  and  passing  up  the 
Missouri,  crowded  with  passengers  on  the  way  to  the  frontier. 

"In  one  of  these,  the  Radnor,  ....  my  friend  and  relative,  Quincy 
A.  Shaw,  and  myself  left  St.  Louis  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  April  on  a 
tour  of  curiosity  and  amusement  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  boat  was 
loaded  until  the  water  broke  alternately  over  her  guards.  Her  upper 
deck  was  covered  with  large  wagons  of  a  peculiar  form,  for  the  Santa 
Fe  trade,  and  the  hold  was  crammed  with  goods  for  the  same  destina- 
tion. There  were  also  the  equipments  and  provisions  of  a  party  of 
Oregon  emigrants,  a  band  of  mules  and  horses,  piles  of  saddles,  and  a 
multitude  of  nondescript  articles,  indispensable  on  the  prairies. 

".  .  .  .  In  five  or  six  days  we  began  to  see  signs  of  the  great  western 
movement  that  was  taking  place.  Parties  of  emigrants,  with  their  tents, 
and  wagons,  were  encamped  on  open  spots  near  the  bank,  on  their  way 
to  the  common  rendezvous  at  Independence." 

Section  1.  Independence  to  Council  Bluffs  (Missouri  River), 
218.1  m.  US  24,  US  71,  and  US  275. 

INDEPENDENCE,  0  m.  (949  alt.,  15,296  pop.),  is  a  pleasant  resi- 
dential and  manufacturing  suburb  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  lying  about 
five  miles  south  of  the  Missouri  River  and  a  dozen  miles  west  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Kansas.  There  is  little  in  its  appearance  today  to  suggest 

37 


38  The  Oregon  Trail 

that  it  was  at  one  time  the  busiest  town  in  the  United  States  west  of 
St.  Louis. 

A  few  settlers  appeared  in  the  area  after  1808,  when  little  Fort 
Osage  was  established  some  miles  to  the  east;  it  was  chiefly  a  Govern- 
ment trading  post.  Missouri  became  a  State  in  1821  but  Independence 
was  not  organized  until  1827,  after  the  Indians  occupying  the  territory 
had  been  sent  (1825)  west  of  the  State  Line,  and  Fort  Leavenworth, 
some  miles  up  the  Missouri,  had  been  garrisoned. 

Traders  and  trappers  from  the  United  States  were  roaming  toward 
the  Rockies  soon  after  the  Louisiana  Purchase  was  made.  A  few  pene- 
trated to  Santa  Fe,  then  under  Spanish  rule,  though  the  Mexicans  were 
attempting  to  obtain  independence.  These  early  traders  in  the  Southwest 
were  treated  with  suspicion  and  hostility  by  the  Spanish.  In  the  fall  of 
1821  a  party  of  20  traders  and  trappers  went  up  the  Arkansas,  crossed 
to  and  explored  the  headwaters  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  in  the  following 
summer  returned  to  Missouri  by  a  route  to  some  extent  approximating 
the  later  Santa  Fe  Trail;  this  was  called  the  Fowler  expedition  for 
Jacob  Fowler,  second  in  command,  who  reported  the  results  of  the 
explorations.  Not  long  after  this  expedition  started  out  William  Beck- 
nell,  a  trader,  returned  from  Santa  Fe  with  the  report  that  the  Mexicans 
were  free  from  Spanish  domination  and  eager  for  trade  with  the  United 
States.  In  1825-27,  through  the  effort  of  Thomas  Hart  Benton,  an 
expansionist  and  Missouri's  first  Senator,  three  United  States  commis- 
sioners were  sent  out  to  survey  a  trail  to  the  Southwest;  since  the 
area  that  is  now  New  Mexico  was  then  Mexican  territory,  they  did  not 
work  beyond  the  United  States  boundary,  but  as  far  as  they  went  they 
laid  out  the  Santa  Fe  Trail.  Though  the  route  nominally  started  at 
Fort  Osage,  Independence  soon  became  the  headquarters  of  the  South- 
west traders.  It  maintained  its  importance  in  this  capacity  until  after 
1868,  when  construction  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Ry.  began. 

This  area,  rather  than  St.  Louis,  became  the  jumping-off -place  for 
the  West  and  the  Southwest  because  traders  could  avoid  250  miles  of 
travel  over  mire  and  rough  roads  by  traveling  up  the  Missouri  River  to 
the  point  where  it  made  a  sharp  bend  at  the  beginning  of  its  long  swing 
north.  By  1830  the  town  had  a  busy  blacksmith  shop  and  other  facilities 
needed  by  those  setting  off  on  long  journeys  overland  through  unsettled 
territory. 

The  earliest  traders  along  the  Santa  Fe  Trail  used  pack  horses,  but 
they  soon  acquired  mules,  which  were  abundant  in  Mexico  and  had  a 
reputation  for  sturdiness,  sure-footedness,  and  ability  to  carry  heavy 
loads.  Later  traders  found  oxen  even  better  for  the  purpose.  The  first 
wagons  used  on  the  Santa  Fe  Trail  were  made  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  but 
"Murphy  wagons,"  originally  made  by  a  man  of  that  name  in  St.  Louis, 
soon  became  popular.  Later  Samuel  Weston  and  other  local  men  manu- 
factured trail  wagons,  and  in  the  last  years  of  the  prairie-schooner  traf- 
fic there  were  wagonmakers  in  a  number  of  nearby  towns. 


Missouri-Iowa  39 

A  loaded  wagon  weighed  from  three  to  seven  thousand  pounds.  Ten 
or  twelve  mules,  or  six  yoke  of  oxen,  were  needed  to  pull  each  wagon; 
reserve  animals  were  driven  with  the  train  to  take  the  places  of  those 
that  gave  out. 

In  the  thirties  and  forties  a  trip  or  two  to  Santa  Fe  was  the  popular 
means  of  occupying  the  "Wander jahr"  before  young  men  settled  down 
to  business  and  family  life;  those  who  could  afford  it  went  as  traders 
and  the  rest  took  employment  with  the  trains.  The  skilled  employees 
were  the  packers  and  drivers,  who  received  each  month  between  $25  and 
$50  and  "found."  Wealthy  young  men  often  accompanied  the  trains  as 
tourists,  paying  for  their  own  equipment  and  sometimes  paying  also  for 
protection  on  the  route.  Yet  others  accompanied  the  trains  for  only  a 
hundred  miles  or  so. 

Josiah  Gregg,  the  trader  who  made  his  first  trip  on  the  trail,  as  a 
health  seeker,  in  his  Commerce  of  the  Prairies  (1844)  related  that 
"among  the  concourse  of  travellers  at  this  'starting  point,'  besides 
traders  and  tourists,  a  number  of  pale-faced  invalids  are  generally  to  be 
met  with.  The  Prairies  have,  in  fact,  become  very  celebrated  for  their 
sanative  effects — more  justly  so,  no  doubt,  than  the  most  fashionable 
watering-places  of  the  North.  Most  chronic  diseases,  particularly  liver 
complaints,  dyspepsias,  and  similar  affections,  are  often  radically 
cured;  owing,  no  doubt  to  the  peculiarities  of  diet,  and  the  regular 
exercise  incident  to  prairie  life,  as  well  as  to  the  purity  of  the  atmos- 
phere of  those  elevated  unembarrassed  regions.  An  invalid  myself,  I 
can  answer  for  the  efficacy  of  the  remedy,  at  least  in  my  own  case. 
Though,  like  other  valetudinarians,  I  was  disposed  to  provide  an  ample 
supply  of  such  commodities  as  I  deemed  necessary  for  my  comfort  and 
health,  I  was  not  long  upon  the  prairies  before  I  discovered  that  most 
of  such  extra  preparations  were  unnecessary,  or  at  least  quite  dispen- 
sable. A  few  knick-knacks,  as  a  little  tea,  rice,  fruits,  crackers,  etc., 
suffice  very  well  for  the  first  fortnight,  after  which  the  invalid  is  gen- 
erally able  to  take  the  fare  of  the  hunter  and  teamster.  Though  I  set 
out  myself  in  a  carriage,  before  the  close  of  the  first  week  I  saddled 
my  pony;  and  when  we  reached  the  buffalo  range,  I  was  not  only  as 
eager  for  the  chase  as  the  sturdiest  of  my  companions,  but  I  enjoyed 
far  more  exquisitely  my  share  of  the  buffalo,  than  all  the  delicacies 
which  were  ever  devised  to  provoke  the  most  fastidious  appetite." 

At  the  time  Gregg  wrote  his  book,  the  transient  population  of  In- 
dependence had  been  augmented  by  emigrants,  missionaries,  tourists, 
journalists,  and  traders  bound  for  Oregon  and,  in  some  cases,  for  Cali- 
fornia. After  1838,  when  Washington  Irving's  books  on  the  West  were 
becoming  popular  and  Jason  Lee  made  his  lecture  tour  through  the 
States  bordering  on  the  Mississippi,  the  Oregon  fever  burned  higher 
annually.  One  of  Lee's  converts,  Thomas  J.  Farnham,  a  lawyer  who 
a  few  years  earlier  had  migrated  from  Vermont  to  Illinois,  became 
very  enthusiastic;  he  was  going  to  trade  in  the  Oregon  country  and 


40  The  Oregon  Trail 

take  possession  of  it  for  the  United  States.  He  reached  Independence 
early  in  1839  with  others  who  wanted  to  join  him  in  the  venture,  and 
was  elected  leader  of  the  company,  which  called  itself  the  Oregon  Dra- 
goons and  carried  a  flag  embroidered  by  Mrs.  Farnham  with  the  slogan 
"Oregon  or  the  Grave."  The  group  was  poorly  equipped,  each  member 
having  contributed  only  $160  to  the  enterprise.  Despite  the  fact  that 
there  were  no  experienced  hunters  in  the  party,  the  supplies  were  suf- 
ficient for  only  400  miles  of  travel;  Farnham  had  believed  they  could 
live  on  game.  (The  naive  belief  that  the  trip  overland  could  be  made 
with  limited  facilities  and  equipment  was  not  singular  to  this  group; 
many  of  the  tragedies  of  the  trail  resulted  from  ignorance  of  the  fact 
that  a  man  had  to  be  reasonably  well-to-do  to  make  the  journey.) 
Farnham's  experiences  are  described  in  his  Travels  in  the  Great  Western 
Prairies  (1841). 

Each  year  thereafter  emigrants  straggled  into  Independence  and 
the  towns  farther  north,  alone  or  in  small  groups;  some  reached  the 
town  early  in  April,  and  joined  those  who  in  the  previous  year  had 
arrived  too  late  to  start.  May  was  considered  the  best  month  for  de- 
parture. Because  of  the  danger  of  Indian  attacks  and  lootings,  emi- 
grants and  other  travelers  usually  endeavored  to  find  or  organize  a 
party  in  the  Missouri  outfitting  towns  with  which  they  could  travel. 
Despite  the  seriousness  of  the  business  of  making  the  last  arrange- 
ments, of  buying  equipment  and  foodstuffs,  of  having  wagons  repaired 
and  horses  shod,  and  of  finding  suitable  fellow  travelers,  there  was 
generally  a  festive  air  along  the  Missouri  in  the  spring.  The  newcomers 
collected  information  and  misinformation,  made  friends  and  enemies, 
changed  proposed  destinations,  and  behaved  in  general  as  though  they 
were  on  a  picnic.  The  children  frolicked  and  the  women  cooked,  sewed, 
gossiped,  and  did  the  family  washings. 

When  a  wagon  train  had  been  assembled,  a  quasi-military  organi- 
zation was  formed.  Instructions  were  given  by  Capt.  R.  B.  Marcy  in 
the  Prairie  Traveler:  "After  a  particular  route  has  been  selected  to 
make  the  journey  across  the  plains,  and  the  requisite  number  have  ar- 
rived .  .  .  their  first  business  should  be  to  organize  themselves  into  a 
company  and  elect  a  commander.  The  company  should  be  of  sufficient 
magnitude  to  herd  and  guard  animals,  and  for  protection  against  In- 
dians. ...  In  the  selection  of  a  captain,  good  judgment,  integrity  of 
purpose  and  practical  experience  are  the  essential  requisites.  .  .  .  His 
duty  should  be  to  direct  the  order  of  march,  the  time  of  starting  and 
halting,  to  select  the  camps,  detail  and  give  orders  to  guards,  and, 
indeed,  to  control  and  superintend  all  the  movements  of  the  company. 
An  obligation  should  be  drawn  up  and  signed  by  all  the  members  of 
the  association,  wherein  each  one  should  bind  himself  to  abide  in  all 
cases  by  the  orders  and  decisions  of  the  captain  and  to  aid  him  by 
every  means  in  his  power  ....  and  they  should  also  obligate  them- 


Missouri-Iowa  41 

selves  to  aid  each  other,  so  as  to  make  the  individual  interest  of  each 
member  the  common  concern  of  the  whole  company." 

A  typical  pact  made  by  emigrants  is  found  in  Silas  Newcomb's 
Journal  (1850-1): 

"At  a  meeting  of  a  Company  of  Californians  on  the  Banks  of  the 
Missouri,  May  6th,  1850,  the  following  Preamble  and  Resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted: 

"Whereas  we  are  about  to  leave  the  frontier,  and  travel  over  In- 
dian Territory,  exposed  to  their  treachery,  and  knowing  their  long  and 
abiding  hatred  of  the  whites;  also  many  other  privations  to  meet  with. 
We  consider  it  necessary  to  form  ourselves  into  a  Company  for  the 
purpose  of  protecting  each  other  and  our  property,  during  our  journey 
to  California. 

"Therefore  Resolved,  That  there  shall  be  one  selected  from  the  Com- 
pany, suitable  and  capable  to  act  as  Captain  or  Leader. 

"Resolved,  That  we,  as  men,  pledge  ourselves  to  assist  each  other 
through  all  the  misfortunes  that  may  befall  us  on  our  long  and  dan- 
gerous journey. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Christian  Sabbath  shall  be  observed,  except 
when  absolutely  necessary  to  travel. 

"Resolved,  That  there  shall  be  a  sufficient  guard  appointed  each 
night  regularly,  by  the  Captain. 

"Resolved,  That  in  case  of  a  member's  dying,  the  Company  shall 
give  him  a  decent  burial." 

The  reason  for  this  last  pledge  is  easily  found.  In  1830  Asiatic 
cholera  had,  with  the  aid  of  a  Mecca  pilgrimage,  spread  into  Europe, 
and  by  1832  had  appeared  to  a  serious  extent  in  American  port  cities, 
particularly  New  Orleans.  By  1833  it  had  moved  up  the  Mississippi  and 
some  of  its  tributaries.  The  bacteria  causing  the  disease  live  in  human 
discharges  and  are  transmitted  chiefly  through  infected  water  and  food- 
stuffs. Europe  was  experiencing  a  second  serious  cholera  epidemic  in 
1847-8,  when  a  wave  of  emigration  to  the  United  States  brought  thou- 
sands eager  to  settle  in  the  lands  newly  acquired  in  the  Far  West.  Many 
of  these  European  immigrants  brought  cholera  with  them,  and  infected 
those  who  followed  them  up  the  Mississippi  and  down  the  Ohio.  By 
the  middle  of  June,  1848,  Dearborn  County,  Ind.,  with  a  population  of 
two  thousand,  was  burying  14  people  a  day.  In  January,  1849,  more 
than  a  hundred  victims  of  cholera  were  landed  at  St.  Louis;  in  that 
year  4,500  to  6,000  died  of  the  disease  in  that  city  alone.  Fleeing  west- 
ward from  the  plague-stricken  city,  the  emigrants  carried  the  disease 
with  them.  In  1849  nearly  sixty  thousand  people  passed  through  Inde- 
pendence and  other  outfitting  towns  north  of  it  along  the  river,  most 
of  them  with  California  as  their  goal.  They  carried  death  across  the 
country. 

The  early  symptoms  of  cholera  often  pass  unrecognized  and  many 
who  thought  they  were  escaping  from  the  disease  had  already  con- 


42  The  Oregon  Trail 

traded  it;  they  polluted  the  campgrounds  along  the  Platte,  and  those 
who  came  behind  them  picked  up  the  bacteria  far  from  the  stricken 
centers.  The  onset  of  the  acute  stage  of  the  infection  is  sudden  and  ter- 
rifying; some  who  started  the  day's  journey  on  the  trail,  apparently  in 
good  health,  were  writhing  with  pain  by  noon,  and  were  in  graves  by 
sundown.  Lacking  any  knowledge  of  the  cause  of  this  horror,  fellow 
travelers,  pressing  handkerchiefs  to  their  noses,  fled  from  those  who 
became  ill,  often  leaving  people  to  die  alone.  Some  who  fled  were  like- 
wise deserted  in  a  day  or  two.  "It  is  sometimes  just  a  case  of  Death 
snapping  his  finger  at  you  and  you  are  gone,"  wrote  one  forty-niner. 
The  disease  spread  to  the  Indians,  who,  believing  that  the  whites  were 
poisoning  them,  retaliated  by  senseless  attacks.  In  1849  cholera  was 
carried  as  far  west  as  the  Mormon  Ferry  on  the  North  Platte.  The  epi- 
demic was  not  so  acute  in  1850-1,  but  there  was  a  resurgence  in  1852. 

Mercifully,  the  period  of  suffering  with  cholera  was  brief;  though 
the  death  toll  on  the  trail  can  never  accurately  be  estimated,  it  was 
probably  lower  there  than  in  some  of  the  worst-infected  cities  and  the 
death  rate  did  not  raise  a  barrier  of  fear  against  further  migrations; 
even  in  the  epidemic  years  many  thousands  made  rollicking  starts  from 
the  frontier. 

Those  who  left  it  in  the  neighborhood  of  Independence  followed  the 
Santa  Fe  Trail  for  about  40  miles,  passing  through  Westport  and  cross- 
ing into  the  Indian  lands.  They  then  turned  northwestward  and  crossed 
the  Kansas  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  present  Topeka. 
There  the  caravans  usually  stopped  to  consider  plans  and  reorganize 
their  companies.  Some  would-be  emigrants  had  had  enough  of  frontier 
life  when  they  reached  this  point,  and  turned  back.  From  Kansas  the 
trail — early  called  the  Oregon  and  later  the  California — continued 
northwestward  in  the  general  direction  of  Grand  Island  in  the  Platte 
River,  at  intervals  meeting  feeders  from  other  towns  along  the  Missouri. 

The  inhabitants  of  Independence  early  attempted  to  divert  the  flow 
of  business  from  other  settlements  that  were  growing  up  near  the  river. 
By  1846  they  had  laid  a  rock  road  to  the  bank  of  the  Missouri  and 
established  stores  near  the  wharf. 

The  year  1850  saw  the  first  overland  mail  and  stagecoaches  leave 
this  town  for  Salt  Lake  City,  by  Government  contract  with  Samuel  H. 
Woodson ;  in  the  following  year  a  summer  service  was  extended  to  Cali- 
fornia. The  coaches  first  ran  on  a  monthly  schedule;  in  the  early  sixties 
the  overland  stage  left  each  day.  The  Missouri  Commonwealth  for  July 
1860,  described  the  new  mail  and  passenger  coaches  as  "in  elegant  style, 
each  arranged  to  convey  eight  passengers.  The  bodies  are  beautifully 
painted  and  made  water-tight,  with  a  view  of  using  them  as  boats  in 
ferrying  streams."  There  were  six  mules  to  each  coach.  The  mail  was 
guarded  by  eight  armed  men. 

Until  after  the  railroads  had  been  built  there  was  a  steady  stream 
of  private  vehicles  on  the  trail  in  summer;  a  few  emigrants  of  the 


Missouri-Iowa  43 

gold-rush  period  rode  horseback,  traveling  without  wagons,  and  others 
pushed  or  pulled  their  belongings  in  carts. 

The  rush  in  the  'fifties  was  so  great  that  supplies  often  ran  low  and 
prices  advanced.  Repeated  orders  were  sent  to  St.  Louis  but  river  boats 
bringing  provisions  also  brought  additional  people  eager  to  begin  the 
westward  trek.  Cargoes  arrived  here  for  points  along  the  trails  as  well 
as  for  local  consumption  and  for  the  caravans.  On  the  riverbanks  were 
unloaded  boxes,  barrels,  hogsheads,  and  crates  filled  with  sugar,  dry 
goods,  bacon,  rice,  dishes,  and  glassware;  there  were  also  barrels  of 
liquor  from  Kentucky  and  occasional  casks  of  brandy  from  France. 
Local  freighting  finally  became  so  heavy  that  Independence  men  formed 
a  company  to  build  a  railroad  from  the  landing  to  the  town.  The  train 
used  on  this  road  consisted  of  Independence-built  flatcars  drawn  by 
mules,  and  it  ran  along  three  or  four  miles  of  hand-hewn  hardwood 
rails.  In  the  late  fifties  river  commerce  turned  to  the  new  City  of  Kansas, 
which  offered  a  better  landing  place;  and  Independence  gradually  lost 
its  commercial  importance. 

Mormonism  was  introduced  into  Independence  in  1830,  when  five 
elders  of  that  faith  arrived  to  spread  their  gospel  among  the  Indians. 
Discouraged  in  their  attempt,  they  sent  one  of  their  number  back  to 
report  defeat.  But  Joseph  Smith  had  a  vision  in  which  he  saw  Inde- 
pendence as  the  City  of  Zion,  and  sent  other  elders  into  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  Valleys  to  seek  converts  and  bring  them  here.  Smith  him- 
self with  other  officials  of  the  church  arrived  in  the  summer  of  1831 
and  bought  40  acres  of  land.  Two  years  later  the  Mormon  Evening  and 
Morning  Star  reported  that  Mormons  and  their  families  living  here 
numbered  more  than  1,200,  about  a  third  of  the  total  population  of  the 
county.  Many  gentiles  resented  the  influx,  and  their  bitterness  increased 
as  the  Mormon  influence  grew.  There  were  minor  persecutions ;  the  Mor- 
mon newspaper  editor  was  tarred  and  feathered;  then  came  mob  vio- 
lence, and  in  1834  the  Mormons  agreed  to  move  to  Clay  County.  But 
they  found  themselves  equally  unwelcome  in  other  parts  of  Missouri; 
in  1838  Gov.  Lilburn  Boggs  asked  Gen.  John  B.  Clark  to  take  command 
and  subdue  the  Mormons.  After  further  imprisonments  and  disturb- 
ances, the  Saints  left  the  State  and  in  time  built  up  Nauvoo,  111.,  as 
their  headquarters. 

In  COURTHOUSE  SQUARE  is  the  brick  JACKSON  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE, 
part  of  which  was  erected  in  1836.  While  Independence  is  the  seat  of 
Jackson  County,  the  courthouse  here  serves  only  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county;  that  in  Kansas  City  serves  the  western  part. 

The  FIRST  JACKSON  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE  (open  weekdays  8  a.m.- 
6  p.m.),  107  W.  Kansas  Ave.,  was  built  in  1827  at  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  Lynn  St.  and  Lexington  Ave.  The  building  cost  $150,  and  is  of 
white-oak  and  walnut  logs  cut  by  a  slave.  Weatherboarding,  put  on  the 
west  end  to  preserve  the  structure,  and  a  porch  have  been  added. 

Construction  on  the  AUDITORIUM,  south  side  of  W.  Walnut  St.  be- 


44  The  Oregon  Trail 

tween  S.  River  Blvd.  and  Grand  Ave.,  was  begun  in  1926;  it  belongs 
to  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints.  When 
the  building  is  completed  its  cost  is  expected  to  exceed  $1,500,000.  The 
structure,  of  massive  proportions,  was  designed  by  Henry  C.  Smith 
of  Independence.  The  circular  main  arena,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
seven  thousand,  is  topped  with  a  large  elliptical,  unsupported  dome. 
West  from  Independence  on  US  24. 

KANSAS  CITY,  9  m.  (963  alt.,  399,746  pop.)  (see  MISSOURI 
GUIDE). 

Railroad  Station.  Union  Station,  24th  and  Main  Sts.,  for  Chicago  &  Alton 
R.R.;  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.R.;  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe 
Ry.;  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  R.R.;  Kansas  City  Southern  Ry.;  Missouri, 
Kansas  &  Texas  R.R.;  Missouri  Pacific  R.R.;  St.  Louis-San  Francisco  Ry.;  Union 
Pacific  R.R.;  Wabash  Ry.;  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Ry.;  Chicago  Great 
Western  R.R.;  and  Kansas  City,  Kaw  Valley  &  Western  R.R. 

Accommodations.  Numerous  first-class  hotels  with  standard  rates. 

Points  of  Interest.  Municipal  Auditorium,  Liberty  Memorial,  Nelson  Gallery  of 
Art  and  Atkins  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  and  Livestock  Exchange. 

Kansas  City  embraces  the  early  town  of  Westport,  which  was  built 
just  east  of  the  Missouri  Line,  four  miles  south  of  the  Missouri  River. 
Westport  is  now  bounded  by  Main,  Thirty-fifth,  and  Forty-seventh  Sts. 
Westport  Avenue,  once  part  of  the  Santa  Fe  Trail,  is  a  short  distance 
south. 

Before  settlers  arrived  at  this  place  it  was  a  camping  ground  of 
traders.  In  1831  the  Rev.  Isaac  McCoy  entered  a  claim  for  a  tract  of 
land  here  and  in  the  following  year  John  C.  McCoy,  his  son,  opened  a 
store  and  platted  the  townsite. 

John  McCoy  was  canny  in  opening  a  store  at  this  point,  since  the 
Santa  Fe  Trail  ran  by  his  door  and  he  could  cater  to  the  most  urgent 
needs  of  those  returning  from  Santa  Fe  and  the  wilderness  and  catch 
some  of  the  outfitting  overflow  from  Independence.  The  first  consign- 
ments of  goods  came  to  McCoy  through  Independence;  but  he  soon 
found  a  rocky  ledge  along  fairly  deep  water  in  the  Missouri  within  a 
few  miles  of  his  land,  and  in  the  fall  of  1832  the  John  Hancock  chugged 
up  to  land  goods  there. 

Four  years  later  Missouri  was  increased  by  two  million  acres  by 
"extinguishing  the  Indian  title"  to  the  triangle  formed  by  the  Missouri 
River,  the  western  extension  of  the  State's  northern  boundary,  and  the 
extension  of  the  western  boundary.  This  addition  to  slave  territory  was 
immediately  thrown  open  to  settlement  and  both  Westport  and  Inde- 
pendence, at  the  inverted  apex,  benefited  by  the  rush  of  immigrants. 
Before  many  years  local  workshops  were  turning  out  wagons,  harnesses, 
saddles,  tents,  covers  for  prairie  schooners,  yokes  and  bows  for  oxen, 
candles,  and  other  commodities. 


Missouri-Iowa  45 

The  gold  rush  brought  on  a  further  boom ;  here,  as  elsewhere  along 
the  river,  stores  of  foodstuffs  and  equipment  were  quickly  exhausted. 
Orders  rushed  to  St.  Louis  and  other  wholesale  markets  could  not  be 
filled  rapidly  enough  to  meet  the  demand.  The  goods  available  sold  at 
fantastic  prices  as  the  fortune  hunters  sought  to  hurry  their  departures 
in  order  to  overtake  and  pass  those  who  had  already  left  for  California. 

In  the  fall  of  1849  cholera  broke  out  among  Mormon  immigrants 
camped  on  the  edge  of  the  town;  soon  afterward  many  Westport  in- 
habitants became  victims  of  the  disease  and  others  left  the  town,  never 
to  return.  For  a  time  the  normal  activity  of  the  area  was  paralyzed. 

In  spite  of  the  competition  being  offered  by  the  City  of  Kansas, 
Westport  continued  to  thrive  and  was  particularly  prosperous  between 
1855-60.  It  was  incorporated  in  1857. 

The  HARRIS  HOME  (open  on  request),  4000  Baltimore  Ave.,  West- 
port's  social  center  in  the  early  1850's,  was  removed  in  1922  from  its 
original  site  at  the  corner  of  Main  St.  and  Westport  Ave.  This  build- 
ing was  used  as  a  nursing  home  for  wounded  Civil  War  soldiers  on 
both  sides  after  the  Battle  of  Westport. 

The  REARDON  HOME  (private),  4260  Clark  Ave.,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
structures  in  the  former  Westport.  It  was  built  of  logs  by  an  early-day 
blacksmith  for  his  Irish  bride.  The  logs  have  been  covered  with  weather- 
boards. 

The  JOSEPH  STEGMILLER  HOME  (private),  708  Westport  Rd.,  was 
built  in  the  early  1850's  by  one  of  the  pioneer  wagonmakers. 

The  SITE  OF  THE  DEATHPLACE  (1881)  OF  JIM  BRIDGER,  the  trapper 
and  scout,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Westport  and  Pennsylvania  Aves., 
is  now  occupied  by  a  red-brick  liquor  store.  Bridger  settled  late  in  life 
on  a  farm  that  was  here. 

The  SITE  OF  THE  HARRIS  HOUSE,  a  widely  known  hostelry  run  by 
Col.  and  Mrs.  John  Harris,  is  at  Fortieth  and  Main  Sts.  Among  its 
famous  guests  was  John  C.  Fremont,  who  in  1843  started  on  his  sec- 
ond western  exploring  expedition  from  nearby  Kansas  Landing  on  the 
Kansas  River. 

Fremont,  who  was  born  in  1813,  had  as  a  lad  gained  many  friends 
by  his  alert  mind  and  personal  charm;  one  of  these  friends  obtained 
an  appointment  for  him  in  the  U.S.  Topographical  Corps,  where  he 
became  a  protege  of  the  distinguished  Frenchman,  Jean  Nicholas  Nicol- 
let,  whom  he  accompanied  in  1838  on  an  exploring  expedition  to  the 
western  tributaries  of  the  Mississippi.  This  expedition  gave  him  social 
entree  in  Washington  during  his  work  on  the  Nicollet  report.  He  soon 
met  Jessie,  the  delightful  and  intelligent  daughter  of  the  Missouri  war- 
horse,  Sen.  Thomas  Hart  Benton,  and  the  young  people  before  long 
evaded  Benton's  opposition  to  what  seemed  an  undistinguished  match 
by  eloping.  Benton  swallowed  his  resentment  and  immediately  began 
to  further  his  expansionist  dreams  by  promoting  his  son-in-law's  ex- 
ploration ambitions.  In  1842  the  young  man  was  sent  on  a  preliminary 


46  The  Oregon  Trail 

reconnaissance  along  the  Platte  River  to  the  Rockies;  the  object  of  his 
activities,  as  conceived  by  the  powerful  Benton,  was  to  provide  a  guide- 
book for  settlers  who  would  take  possession  of  Oregon  for  the  United 
States,  and  maps  for  the  use  of  military  expeditions  that  might  be 
needed  to  complete  the  work  if  the  settlers  failed. 

When  Fremont  returned  from  this  journey  he  found  to  his  dismay 
that  it  was  beyond  his  powers  to  write  the  kind  of  report  that  he  and 
Senator  Benton  wanted — one  that  would  stir  the  imagination  as  had 
Irving's  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville  (1837).  His  18-year-old  wife, 
an  unusually  gifted  person,  supplied  the  skill  he  lacked;  Fremont  dic- 
tated to  her  daily  and  his  report  was  published  by  Congress  early  in 
1843,  about  the  time  he  left  on  his  second  expedition,  which  was  to  carry 
him  to  Oregon  and  California.  The  report  added  to  his  prestige  in  the 
Capital.  His  wife  and  her  parents  traveled  west  to  St.  Louis  with  him, 
and  before  continuing  his  journey  he  asked  her  to  open  all  mail  ad- 
dressed to  him.  He  was  still  completing  his  preparations  here  in  West- 
port  when  he  received  a  letter  from  his  wife,  sent  by  special  messenger ; 
without  explanation  it  told  him  to  leave  immediately.  Fremont's  faith 
in  Jessie  was  such  that  he  did  not  question  the  command;  writing 
"Good-bye.  I  trust  and  GO,"  he  hastily  set  out  the  next  morning  on  the 
two-year  expedition  that  was  to  determine  his  future  career  and  help 
to  fulfill  his  father-in-law's  schemes.  Not  until  after  his  return  did  he 
learn  that  Jessie  had  sent  her  peremptory  letter  because  she  had  opened 
an  order  from  the  War  Department  instructing  him  to  return  immedi- 
ately to  Washington  to  explain  why  he  was  taking  a  howitzer  with  him 
into  Oregon  and  into  Mexican  territory.  Jessie  attributed  the  order  to 
jealousy  on  the  part  of  Fremont's  chief,  who,  she  believed,  wanted  to 
send  his  son  as  leader  of  the  glory-giving  western  expedition. 

Francis  Parkman  also  lived  at  the  Harris  House  while  preparing  to 
go  west  in  1846.  Parkman  wrote:  "Westport  was  full  of  Indians,  whose 
little,  shaggy  ponies  were  tied  by  the  dozen  along  the  houses  and  fences. 
Sacs  and  Foxes,  with  shaved  heads  and  painted  faces;  Shawnees  and 
Delawares  fluttering  in  calico  frocks  and  turbans;  Wyandottes  dressed 
like  white  men,  and  a  few  wretched  Kanzas  wrapped  in  old  blankets, 
were  strolling  about  the  streets  or  lounging  in  and  out  of  the  shops  and 
houses."  He  then  added  this  observation:  "Whiskey,  by  the  way,  cir- 
culates more  freely  in  Westport  than  is  altogether  safe  in  a  place  where 
every  man  carries  a  loaded  pistol  in  his  pocket." 

On  US  24  (Independence  Ave.)  in  downtown  Kansas  City  is  the 
junction  with  US  71-69;  R.  here  on  US  71-69,  which  leads  north,  cross- 
ing a  free  bridge  over  the  Missouri  River.  US  71  (L)  leaves  US  69  (R) 
in  North  Kansas  City,  swinging  northwest  toward  the  Missouri  River. 

At  TRACY,  41.2  m.  (777  alt.,  169  pop.) ,  is  a  junction  with  Mo.  92. 

Left  on  this  paved  road  and  across  the  Missouri  River,  in  the  center  of  which 
is  the  Kansas  Line,  6.8  m.  At  7  m.  is  the  FORT  LEAVENWORTH  MILITARY 
RESERVATION. 


Missouri-Iowa  47 

Soon  after  the  establishment  of  Fort  Atkinson  (see  SECTION  2),  the  first  mili- 
tary post  of  importance  along  the  Missouri  River,  the  War  Department  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  post  should  have  been  placed  nearer  Independence,  then 
the  outfitting  point  for  those  setting  out  for  the  West.  Fort  Leavenworth  was  estab- 
lished on  March  7,  1827,  and  the  older  fort  to  the  north  was  abandoned  three 
months  later.  In  the  early  decades  of  the  post's  existence,  the  chief  function  of 
its  commander  was  to  police  the  nearby  Indian  reservations.  Later  he  occasionally 
provided  military  protection  for  trading  expeditions.  Fort  Leavenworth,  now  the 
seat  of  the  Command  and  General  Staff  School  of  the  U.S.  Army,  is  garrisoned 
by  demonstration  troops  of  several  branches  of  the  Army. 

Grant  Avenue  is  the  main  thoroughfare  of  the  reservation.  Behind  the  old,  wide- 
spreading  trees  that  line  the  streets  are  well-kept  lawns  and  clusters  of  trim  build- 
ings. 

Frontier  garrisons  were  often  lax  in  discipline.  The  situation  became  so  criti- 
cal here  that  on  April  28,  1832,  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  ordered:  "Every  soldier  or 
ranger  who  shall  be  found  drunk  or  insensibly  intoxicated  after  the  publication 
of  this  order  will  be  compelled,  as  soon  as  his  strength  will  permit,  to  dig  his 
grave  at  a  suitable  burying  place  large  enough  for  his  own  reception,  as  such  grave 
cannot  fail  to  be  wanted  for  the  drunken  man  himself  or  for  some  drunken  com- 
panion." 

In  1834  the  efficiency  of  the  fort  was  increased  by  the  arrival  of  the  First 
Dragoons,  which  had  been  organized  the  preceding  year  at  Jefferson  Barracks  in 
Missouri.  This  was  the  first  cavalry  regiment  of  the  Army  and  was  formed  as  an 
experiment;  Congress  had  been  reluctant  to  establish  many  military  posts  in  the 
West,  and  the  infantry  could  not  be  moved  with  the  speed  requisite  for  the  pur- 
suit of  well-mounted  nomads.  Military  advisers  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
demonstration  parades  of  a  well-equipped  cavalry  regiment  might  impress  the 
Indians  living  in  remote  places  with  the  might  of  the  Federal  Government  and 
frighten  them  into  keeping  the  peace.  The  Dragoons  left  Fort  Leavenworth  on 
May  29,  1835,  and  followed  the  Platte  to  the  Rockies.  The  commander  held  coun- 
cils with  the  Otoe,  the  Omaha,  and  the  Pawnee,  admonishing  them  that  they  must 
behave;  their  leaders  were  placated  with  presents.  Other  conferences  were  held 
in  Colorado.  The  troopers  returned  to  this  post  in  the  fall  in  good  condition  after 
a  1,600-mile  journey  on  horseback. 

Later  the  fort  became  the  principal  point  of  departure  for  troops  and  supplies 
being  sent  to  posts  farther  west,  and  was  stocked  with  large  numbers  of  horses, 
mules,  oxen,  and  wagons.  It  was  an  outfitting  point  for  troops  during  the  Mexican 
War.  A  host  of  officers  later  well  known  acquired  their  training  during  service  at 
this  post. 

Although  Congress  originally  designated  Fort  Leavenworth  as  the  temporary 
capital  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  it  heeded  objections  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
that  suitable  quarters  were  not  available.  Andrew  H.  Reeder,  first  Territorial  Gov- 
ernor, arrived  here  October  7,  1854,  on  a  river  steamer,  Polar  Star,  accompanied 
by  his  secretary  and  the  U.S.  Attorney  for  the  Territory. 

At  the  south  end  of  Scott  Ave.  is  the  COMMAND  AND  GENERAL  STAFF  SCHOOL, 
housed  in  Sheridan,  Grant,  Sherman,  and  Wagner  Halls. 

The  STONE  WALL,  part  of  the  defenses  erected  by  Col.  Henry  H.  Leavenworth, 
is  near  the  junction  of  Scott  and  Grant  Aves. 

On  the  northwest  corner  of  McPherson  and  Riverside  Aves.  is  the  U.S.  PRISON 
ANNEX,  formerly  the  U.S.  Military  Prison  and  Disciplinary  Barracks,  opened  in 
1875  for  military  prisoners,  who  had  previously  been  confined  with  civilian  convicts. 
The  walls  and  buildings  are  of  gray  stone  quarried  on  the  reservation.  During 
the  World  War  this  prison  confined  a  large  number  of  prisoners  who  had  been 
convicted  of  publicly  opposing  the  Government's  participation  in  the  war  and 
refusing  on  non-religious  grounds  to  obey  the  Selective  Service  Act;  it  also  con- 
tained a  number  of  people  convicted  of  espionage. 

In  1929  the  prison  was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Department  of 
Justice,  which  had  once  previously  (1895-1906)  used  the  building  as  a  Federal 


48  The  Oregon  Trail 

prison.  The  old  prison,  now  an  annex  of  the  LEAVENWORTH  FEDERAL  PENITENTIARY, 
is  used  principally  for  the  confinement  of  narcotic  addicts. 

The  NATIONAL  CEMETERY  (open  9  a.m.-4  p.m.),  Biddle  Ave.,  contains 
hundreds  of  neatly  aligned  small  stone  markers  over  the  graves  of  soldiers  who 
served  in  various  American  wars.  Here  is  the  GRAVE  OF  GEN.  HENRY  H.  LEAVEN- 
WORTH,  the  fort's  founder,  who  died  July  21,  1834,  while  leading  an  expedition 
against  the  Pawnee.  His  body  was  first  buried  at  Delhi,  N.  Y. 

South  from  the  military  reservation  on  US  73E. 

LEAVENWORTH,  9.7  m.  (760  alt.,  17,466  pop.)   (see  KANSAS  GUIDE). 

After  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill  in  1854,  large  numbers  of  squat- 
ters moved  across  the  river  to  settle  on  this  spot;  the  land,  which  had  been  part 
of  the  Delaware  Indian  territory,  was  to  have  been  platted  and  sold  to  the  highest 
bidders,  a  fact  that  the  newcomers  did  not  realize  until  after  they  had  organized 
a  company  and  platted  the  town.  Leavenworth  was  not  legally  organized  until 
1857.  In  the  meantime  William  H.  Russell,  Alexander  Majors,  and  W.  B.  Waddell 
had  organized  a  freighting  company  with  headquarters  here,  close  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth.  This  soon  became  the  leading  firm  of  its  kind  operating  in  the  West,  owing 
its  prosperity  in  large  part  to  contracts  for  freighting  military  supplies.  Business 
boomed  in  1857  when  the  firm  obtained  the  contract  to  transport  supplies  for  the 
troops  sent  to  Utah  Territory.  The  freighting  operations  alone  would  have  brought 
local  prosperity.  The  streets  were  constantly  filled  with  dust  raised  by  the  moving 
freight  trains,  and  with  shouting,  free-spending  teamsters. 

The  members  of  the  freighting  firm  were  ambitious;  in  April,  1859,  when  the 
banks  of  the  river  were  again  filled  with  frantic  hordes  of  gold  seekers,  this  time 
with  wagons  labeled  "Pike's  Peak  or  Bust,"  they  enlarged  their  services  to  include 
stage  transportation  to  the  mining  area.  In  May,  Russell,  of  the  freighting  firm, 
united  with  John  S.  Jones  and  others  to  establish  the  Leavenworth  and  Pike's  Peak 
Stage  and  Express,  with  weekly  service  over  a  route  running  almost  directly  west. 
At  first  the  coaches  traveled  in  pairs  for  protection;  the  first  ones  westbound 
reached  Denver  in  19  days.  Soon  the  firm  obtained  the  Missouri  River-Salt  Lake 
City  mail  contract  and  transferred  its  stages  to  the  Oregon  Trail;  coaches  bound 
for  Denver  left  the  route  at  Julesburg  (see  SECTION  4). 

Early  in  1860  the  Central  Overland  California  and  Pike's  Peak  Express  Com- 
pany, an  outgrowth  of  the  Russell,  Majors,  and  Waddell  firm,  was  chartered  by 
the  Kansas  Territorial  Legislature. 

Horace  Greeley  in  his  Overland  Journey  thus  describes  the  establishment  at 
Leavenworth:  "Russell,  Majors  &  Waddell's  transportation  establishment,  between 
the  fort  and  the  city,  is  the  great  feature  of  Leavenworth.  Such  acres  of  wagons! 
such  pyramids  of  extra  axletrees!  such  herds  of  oxen!  such  regiments  of  drivers 
and  other  employees!  No  one  who  does  not  see  can  realize  how  vast  a  business 
this  is,  nor  how  immense  are  its  outlays  as  well  as  its  income.  I  presume  that 
great  firm  has  at  this  hour  two  millions  of  dollars  invested  in  stock,  mainly  oxen, 
mules  and  wagons.  (They  last  year  employed  six  thousand  teamsters,  and  worked 
45,000  oxen.)" 

The  new  stage  company  gradually  bought  up  competing  lines.  Having  a  prac- 
tical  monopoly  on  all  overland  transport  and  freighting,  Russell  was  anxious  to 
obtain  an  overland  mail  contract  from  the  Government  for  daily  service.  To  do 
this,  he  felt.that  it  was  necessary  first  to  demonstrate  the  practicality  of  the  central 
route  he  proposed  to  use.  The  idea  of  the  Pony  Express  (see  below)  was  there- 
fore hit  upon.  Sen.  W.  M.  Gwin  of  California,  whose  constituents  were  in  favor 
of  a  central  rather  than  a  southern  mail  route,  was  the  most  important  backer 
of  the  plan.  The  Central  Overland  California  and  Pike's  Peak  Express  Company 
was  operated  successfully  for  two  years,  but  the  costly  Pony  Express  demonstra- 
tion and  the  company's  failure  to  obtain  the  overland  mail  contract  sent  it  into 
bankruptcy.  In  March,  1862,  Ben  Holladay  bought  the  line  at  public  sale.  He  reor- 
ganized the  firm  and  named  it  the  Overland  Stage  Line. 

North  from  Tracy  on  US  71. 


Missouri-Iowa  49 

ST.  JOSEPH,  76.1  m.  (814  alt.,  80,935  pop.)  (see  also  MISSOURI 
GUIDE),  generally  known  as  "St.  Joe,"  is  built  on  the  bluffs  above  the 
Missouri  River.  Joseph  Robidoux,  later  an  employee  of  Astor's  Ameri- 
can Fur  Company,  opened  a  trading  post  here  in  1803.  Prior  to  the 
Platte  Purchase  in  1836,  "Uncle  Joe,"  as  Robidoux  was  called,  had 
practically  no  competition  and  few  neighbors;  after  the  Indians  had 
been  expelled  he  had  both.  In  1842  he  platted  the  town  and  named  it 
for  his  patron  saint. 

St.  Joseph  soon  became  the  leading  freight  depot  in  the  district  de- 
spite the  fact  that  the  trails  between  the  town  and  the  junction  with  the 
Oregon  Trail  lay  through  rugged  country  with  few  watering  places.  The 
town  increased  rapidly  in  size,  being  one  of  the  chain  that  shared  pros- 
perity as  outfitting  points  for  westbound  travelers. 

Eleaser  Ingalls'  Journal  (1850-1),  in  describing  the  community  he 
found  here,  voiced  a  complaint  made  of  all  the  river  towns :  "St.  Joseph 
is  quite  a  village,  and  doing  quite  a  great  deal  of  business  at  this  time; 
but  the  way  they  fleece  the  California  emigrants  is  worth  noticing.  I 
should  advise  all  going  to  California  by  the  Overland  Route  to  take 
everything  along  with  them  that  they  can,  as  every  little  thing  costs 
three  or  four  times  as  much  here  as  at  home.  The  markets  are  filled 
with  broken  down  horses  jockeyed  up  for  the  occasion,  and  unbroken 
mules  which  they  assure  you  are  handy  as  sheep.  It  is  the  greatest  place 
for  gambling  and  all  other  rascality  that  I  was  ever  in.  We  had  to  stand 
guard  on  our  horses  as  much  as  if  we  were  in  the  Indian  Country.  It 
is  said  that  one  or  two  men  have  been  shot  by  the  Emigrants,  while  in 
the  act  of  stealing." 

In  the  same  year  Silas  Newcomb  wrote:  "This  place  contains  some 
two  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants  and  at  present  is  a  very  busy 
place  on  account  of  the  California  emigration  which  seems  to  centre 
here;  hills  and  dales  are  white  with  their  camps.  Many  have  crossed 
the  river  and  encamped  on  the  west  side  in  the  Indian  Territory.  Find 
all  classes  well  represented  here  and  to  find  a  drunken  Indian  at  every 
square  is  nothing  uncommon.  Place  contains  four  good  sized  Hotels, 
about  twenty  Stores  and  the  residue  is  made  up  of  groceries,  bak- 

•  <?  f    5? 

eries,  &L. 

By  1851,  when  the  gold  fever  was  abating,  the  community's  busi- 
nessmen began  shipping  supplies  overland  to  the  thousands  who  had 
recently  passed  through  on  their  way  to  the  Pacific  coast.  Many  herds 
of  cattle  were  driven  from  this  town  across  the  country  to  California, 
where  they  were  rested  and  fattened  before  being  placed  on  sale.  From 
the  early  freighting  business  developed  the  present  wholesale  activities 
of  the  city. 

On  February  13,  1859,  Joseph  Robidoux  drove  the  last  spike,  a 
golden  one,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  day,  to  complete  the  Han- 
nibal &  St.  Joseph  R.R.  line  whose  advent  gave  impetus  to  the  town's 
development. 


50  The  Oregon  Trail 

In  St.  Joseph  on  the  evening  of  April  3,  1860,  a  rider,  generally  be- 
lieved to  have  been  Johnny  Frey,  mounted  a  pony  in  the  Pike's  Peak 
stable  and  started  westward,  thereby  inaugurating  the  Pony  Express. 
At  about  the  same  time  Harry  Hoff  took  off  from  Sacramento,  Calif. 
(see  above).  This  first  relay  race  to  the  West  required  10  days.  The  St. 
Joseph  Gazette  of  April  4,  1860,  described  the  event:  "Yesterday  eve- 
ning at  7:00  and  fifteen  minutes,  the  first  carrier  of  the  Pony  Express 
left  the  office  of  the  company  in  this  city.  ...  At  the  hour  of  starting, 
an  immense  crowd  had  gathered  around  the  Express  office  to  witness 
the  inaugurating  of  the  novel  and  important  enterprise — Mayor  Thomp- 
son, in  a  few  remarks  to  the  spectators,  briefly  alluded  to  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  Express  from  our  city  over  the  Central  Route.  Mr.  Majors, 
being  loudly  called  for,  responded  in  a  speech  characterized  by  his 
usual  practical  manner  of  thought,  in  which  he  reviewed  the  rapid 
changes  which  have  taken  place  in  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the 
West,  predicting  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  other  and  power- 
ful communities  will  spring  up  in  the  shadow  of  the  mountains,  a  region 
lately  regarded  as  wild  and  sterile  beyond  the  power  or  desire  of  recla- 
mation .  .  .  But  a  dozen  years  ago  the  entire  season  was  thought 
scarcely  time  enough  to  make  the  trip  from  Missouri  to  California,  and 
companies  of  a  less  number  than  fifty,  armed  and  organized,  were 
deemed  too  weak  to  venture  on  the  perilous  route.  Now  a  single  man, 
aye,  a  defenseless  woman,  so  far  as  Indians  were  concerned,  need  fear 
no  ev,il."  (Mr.  Majors  could  not  foresee  the  uprisings  of  the  following 
decade.) 

Another  St.  Joseph  newspaper  of  the  same  date,  the  Weekly  West, 
contained  the  following:  "The  rider  is  a  Mr.  Richardson,  formerly  a 
sailor,  and  a  man  accustomed  to  every  degree  of  hardship,  having  sailed 
for  years  amid  the  snow  and  icebergs  of  the  Northern  ocean.  He  was 
to  ride  last  night  the  first  stage  of  forty  miles,  changing  horses  once 
in  five  hours ;  and  before  this  paragraph  meets  the  eyes  of  our  readers, 
the  various  dispatches  will  have  reached  the  town  of  Marysville  on  the 
Big  Blue,  one  hundred  and  twelve  miles  distant,  an  enterprise  never 
before  accomplished,  even  in  this  proverbially  fast  portion  of  a  fast 
country." 

Most  old-timers,  however,  agreed  that  the  Weekly  West  reporter  was 
in  error  as  to  the  identity  of  the  rider. 

During  the  16  months  of  the  Pony  Express  service,  such  men  as 
Bob  Haslem  and  Jack  Keetley  carried  the  mail.  There  were  about  180 
riders;  relay  stations  were  usually  about  9  to  15  miles  apart.  Some  of 
the  riders  were  attacked  by  Indians  and  had  narrow  escapes;  several 
keepers  of  relay  stations  were  killed,  but  only  once  was  a  mail  pouch 
lost  and  not  recovered.  Letters  had  to  be  written  on  thin  paper,  and 
transcontinental  delivery  for  the  thinnest  cost  $5.  In  1861  the  service 
came  to  an  end  upon  the  completion  of  the  first  transcontinental  tele- 
graph line. 


Missouri-Iowa  51 

One  of  the  most  picturesque  tourists  who  ever  traveled  west  through 
St.  Joseph  was  Richard  Burton,  English  scholar,  adventurer,  diplomat, 
and  later  the  translator  of  the  Arabian  Nights.  During  his  travels  in  the 
Near  East,  Burton  had  developed  a  lively  curiosity  about  polygamy  and 
came  to  America  in  1860  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  "City 
of  the  Saints,"  which  became  the  title  of  his  report  of  the  journey.  As 
a  traveler  of  wide  experience  in  primitive  lands  he  was  equipped  for 
every  emergency;  in  addition  to  the  usual  supplies  he  carried  a  rifle,  a 
brace  of  revolvers,  a  Bowie  knife,  a  whistle  for  stopping  railway  trains 
as  was  the  custom  in  rural  England  of  the  day,  reference  books,  an  air 
gun  to  entertain  the  aborigines,  opium  to  relieve  the  tedium  of  the 
plains  journey,  and  patent  notebooks;  he  also  carried  a  top  hat,  a 
morning  coat,  and  a  silk  umbrella  to  enable  him  to  call  on  Brigham 
Young  in  formal  attire. 

The  EUGENE  FIELD  HOME  (private),  425  N.  llth  St.,  is  a  two-story 
gray-brick  house,  where  the  poet  and  his  bride  lived  when  he  was  editor 
of  the  St.  Joseph  Gazette  (1876-80). 

The  JOSEPH  ROBIDOUX  HOUSE  (private),  219-25  Poulin  St.,  is  part 
of  Robidoux  Row;  here  the  founder  of  St.  Joseph  lived  at  the  time  of 
his  death  in  1868.  It  is  a  long  story-and-a-half  brick  structure  with  a 
stone  foundation. 

The  JESSE  JAMES  HOUSE  (open  daily  9  a.m.-5  p.m.;  adm.  10$), 
1318  Lafayette  St.,  is  a  small  shabby  one-story  frame  cottage.  Here,  on 
April  3,  1882,  the  outlaw  was  killed  by  Bob  Ford.  James  had  been 
living  here  under  the  name  of  Howard. 

North  of  St.  Joseph  US  71  is  united  with  US  275-59.  At  90  m. 
L.  from  US  71  on  US  59-275. 

At  164.1  m.  US  275  crosses  the  Iowa  Line  and  runs  through  an 
area  of  large  vineyards.  About  September  acres  of  blue  Concord  grapes 
are  seen  from  the  highway. 

COUNCIL  BLUFFS,  218.1  m.  (984  alt.,  42,045  pop.)  (see  IOWA 
GUIDE). 

Railroad  Stations.  1115  W.  Broadway  for  Chicago  &  North  Western  Ry.,  Union 
Pacific  R.R.,  and  Wabash  Ry.;  1216  W.  Broadway  for  Illinois  Central  R.R.;  1201 
S.  Main  St.  for  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Ry.,  and  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St. 
Paul  &  Pacific  R.R.;  900  S.  Main  St.  for  Chicago  Great  Western  R.R.;  and  407 
Eleventh  Ave.  for  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  R.R. 

Accommodations.  First-class  hotels  with  standard  year-round  rates. 

Points  of  Interest.  Mormon  Trail  Memorial,  Father  DeSmet  Memorial,  and 
Lewis  and  Clark  Monument. 

Council  Bluffs  is  one  of  the  most  important  railroad  transfer  points 
in  the  United  States.  Manufacturing  plants  here  produce  a  wide  range 


The  Oregon  Trail 


of  articles,  including  playground  equipment,  apiarists'  supplies,  artifi- 
cial limbs,  batteries,  candy,  and  wheels. 

In  1804  Lewis  and  Clark  held  council  with  the  Indians  on  a  bluff 
some  distance  up  the  river  and  called  the  area  Council  Bluff.  In  1827 
Francis  Guittar  was  appointed  agent  of  the  American  Fur  Company  to 
establish  a  post  here  that  was  called  Hart's  Bluff. 

Father  Pierre  DeSmet  in  1838  wrote  of  the  place:  "We  arrived 
among  the  Pottawattamies  on  the  afternoon  of  May  31.  Nearly  2,000 
savages,  in  their  finest  rigs  and  carefully  painted  in  all  sorts  of  pat- 
terns, were  awaiting  the  boat  at  the  landing.  I  had  not  seen  so  imposing 
a  sight  nor  such  fine-looking  Indians  in  America."  The  Jesuit  mission- 
ary and  his  companions  went  at  once  to  talk  with  the  half-breed  chief, 
Billy  Caldwell,  who  was  happy  to  have  the  white  teachers  come  among 
his  people.  For  three  years  a  mission  was  operated  here. 

A  military  post,  Fort  Croghan,  was  established  on  the  site  in  1842 
to  keep  the  Indians  in  order  while  they  were  being  removed  to  lands 
farther  west.  Few  were  left  when  the  vanguard  of  the  Mormons  arrived 
in  the  early  summer  of  1846.  After  an  Illinois  mob  had  killed  Joseph 
Smith,  the  Mormons  at  Nauvoo  lived  under  constant  threat  of  violence. 
Brigham  Young,  who  soon  became  their  leader  because  of  his  executive 
ability,  was  convinced  that  it  was  useless  for  the  Latter-Day  Saints  to 
attempt  to  establish  themselves  permanently  in  the  East  or  the  Middle 
West;  so  he  made  plans  to  evacuate  the  settlement  on  the  Mississippi 
and  salvage  what  he  could  of  the  local  property  by  sale.  He  sent  scout- 
ing groups  ahead  to  examine  routes  through  Iowa,  and  at  the  end  of 
February,  1846,  started  off  with  the  first  of  the  emigrants  —  men,  women, 
and  children.  The  weather  was  bitterly  cold  and  the  people  suffered 
greatly  ;  but,  comforting  each  other  and  sure  that  they  were  acting  under 
divine  guidance,  they  managed  to  maintain  an  amazing  cheerfulness. 
As  they  plowed  through  the  snow  and  mud,  a  brass  band  led  by  the 
English  Captain  Pitts  provided  lively  music.  Their  provisions  were  lim- 
ited, but  the  inhabitants  of  the  scattered  settlements  showed  tolerance 
toward  them  and  paid  willingly  for  evening  entertainment  by  the  band. 
Young  established  several  relay  stations  along  the  route  in  Iowa,  leav- 
ing small  groups  to  plant  crops  for  the  provisioning  of  later  Mormon 
migrants. 

When  the  vanguard  reached  this  place  it  was  too  late  in  the  season 
to  start  the  overland  trip  to  an  undetermined  goal.  Young  therefore  de- 
cided to  spend  the  winter  in  this  area  and  prepare  for  the  arrival  of 
other  refugees.  A  second  factor  entering  into  his  decision  was  the  for- 
mation of  the  Mormon  Battalion  ;  soon  after  the  group  had  arrived  here 
a  U.S.  Army  captain  visited  them  to  recruit  for  the  Mexican  War.  Young 
made  an  agreement  that  the  Mormons  should  enlist  but  merely  perform 
guard  service  in  California  and  not  be  sent  to  the  front.  He  was  forced 
to  this  decision  by  the  dire  need  of  his  followers,  who  had  limited  op- 
portunities for  employment  that  would  add  to  the  community  funds. 


WAGON  TRAINS  (c.  1871) 


BLOCK  HOUSE  NEAR  OMAHA 


Missouri-Iowa  53 


The  headquarters  of  the  Mormon  colony  here  was  near  the  old  fort 
at  a  place  called  Miller's  Hollow;  this  later  became  a  semipermanent 
Mormon  relay  station  and  was  called  Kanesville  for  Thomas  L.  Kane, 
a  U.S.  Army  officer  who  was  long  helpful  to  the  Saints.  The  community 
was  also  known  as  Winter  Quarters,  as  was  the  camp  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  at  this  point  (see  SECTION  2).  Ruling  over  the  commu- 
nity was  Orson  Hyde,  priest,  editor,  lawyer,  and  one  of  the  leaders 
among  the  Twelve  Apostles  of  the  Church. 

During  the  California  gold  rush  of  1849,  westward  travel  over  the 
trail  on  the  north  side  of  the  Platte  increased  greatly,  and  Kanesville 
became  one  of  the  jumping-off-places.  The  Mormon  population  in  this 
district  reached  its  peak  in  1848,  but  there  were  still  several  thousand 
here  in  1852,  when  word  came  that  all  the  faithful  should  go  on  to 
Utah.  Farms,  cabins,  and  stores  were  immediately  sold  to  the  incoming 
settlers,  often  at  a  great  sacrifice.  A  few  Mormons  remained  to  provide 
assistance  to  the  Saints  who  had  been  recruited  abroad  to  fill  up  the 
Promised  Land. 

After  the  Mormon  departure,  Kanesville  was  for  a  time  without  gov- 
ernment, for  the  Mormons  had  ruled  not  only  the  church  but  also  the 
town.  The  remaining  inhabitants  adopted  the  name  of  Council  Bluffs. 

In  1863  the  town  was  chosen  as  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.  Actual  construction  of  the  railroad  to  the  West  was  begun 
in  1866.  By  1870  five  railroads  had  made  connections  with  the  Union 
Pacific  here. 

Thomas  Beer  (1889-  ),  best  known  for  his  Mauve  Decade  (1926) 
and  a  biography  of  Stephen  Crane  (1923) ,  was  born  here.  Amelia  Jenks 
Bloomer  (1818-1894),  active  in  the  women's  rights  movement,  lived 
in  the  town  from  1855  until  her  death.  Mrs.  Bloomer,  an  advocate  of 
dress  reform,  while  serving  as  editor  (1848-54)  of  The  Lily  advertised 
a  costume  designed  by  Elizabeth  Smith  Miller.  The  public  has  since 
associated  her  name  with  the  baggy  lower  part  of  the  costume,  dubbed 
"bloomers." 

In  Council  Bluffs  is  the  junction  with  US  30- Alt.  Left  on  it,  cross- 
ing the  Missouri  River  on  the  Douglas  St.  toll  bridge  (car  and  driver 
15$,  passengers  5$  each)  ;  in  the  middle  of  the  river  is  the  Nebraska 
Line. 


Nebraska 


Omaha   (Missouri  River) — Fremont — Grand  Island — Kearney — North 
Platte— Sidney— Kimball— Wyo.  Line;  460.8  m.  US  30- Alt.  and  US  30. 

Union  Pacific  R.R.  and  United  Air  Lines  parallel  route  throughout. 

Union  Pacific,  Chicago  &  North  Western,  Interstate  Transit,  and  Burlington  Trail- 
ways  buses  follow  route. 

Accommodations  available  at  short  intervals  in  eastern  section,  less  frequently  in 
western  section;  hotels  chiefly  in  cities. 

Road  hard-surfaced  throughout. 

Change  between  Central  Standard  and  Rocky  Mountain  time  at  western  limit  of 
North  Platte. 

US  30  is  the  chief  east-west  road  traversing  Nebraska.  The  eastern 
two-thirds  of  it  follows  the  long  curves  of  the  Platte  River  on  the  north 
bank;  at  the  confluence  of  the  North  and  South  Platte  Rivers  US  30 
crosses  to  the  north  bank  of  the  South  Platte,  follows  it  for  a  time,  and 
then  runs  almost  directly  west.  The  Platte,  which  one  writer  described 
as  "a  thousand  miles  long  and  six  inches  deep"  and  Washington  Irving 
called  "the  most  magnificent  and  most  worthless"  of  streams,  was  im- 
portant in  western  history  because  it  formed  a  natural  guide  for  the 
emigrant  routes. 

The  east-bound  Astorians  (1812-13)  were  the  first  known  white  men 
to  follow  the  north  banks  of  the  North  Platte  and  Platte  Rivers  to  a 
point  below  Grand  Island;  there  they  obtained  a  canoe  from  the  In- 
dians to  complete  the  wearisome  journey  they  had  been  pursuing  on 
foot  with  a  single  pack  horse.  Ashley's  men  (1824-25)  traveled  along 
the  north  bank  of  the  Platte,  and  switched  to  the  north  bank  of  the 
South  Platte,  as  US  30  now  does,  instead  of  following  what  later  became 
the  major  emigrant  trail. 

The  Long  party  (1819-20)  approached  the  Platte  River  from  the 
south  near  the  center  of  the  State  and  followed  the  south  banks  of  the 
Platte  and  South  Platte  Rivers.  Wyeth's  party  (1832-33),  on  its  way 
west,  also  reached  the  Platte  near  the  center  of  the  State. 

The  first  large  group  of  emigrants  to  travel  west  along  the  north 
bank  of  the  Platte  and  of  the  North  Platte  were  the  Mormon  Pioneers 
of  1847.  Thousands  of  Mormons  and  non-Mormons  followed  the  route 
in  the  next  decade.  The  Oregon  Trail  was  south  of  the  Platte,  and  most 
of  its  feeders  from  the  Missouri  reached  the  river  near  Grand  Island; 
it  followed  the  south  bank  of  the  North  Platte  to  Fort  Laramie  in 
Wyoming,  where  the  Mormon  Trail  joined  it. 

In  only  a  few  places — where  natural  conditions  forced  traffic  into 
a  single  track — were  the  emigrant  trails  anything  but  broad  general 
courses.  Succeeding  parties  drove  to  the  right  or  left  of  tracks  left  by 

54 


Nebraska  55 

earlier  trains,  in  order  to  avoid  dust,  to  find  grass  and  fuel,  or  to  find 
drinking  water  and  camp  sites  unpolluted  by  their  predecessors.  Every 
train  had  a  few  companies  that  attempted  short  cuts,  hoping  to  reach 
the  day's  camp  first  and  occupy  the  best  places.  After  the  big  migration 
had  begun,  those  who  started  late  constantly  attempted  short  cuts,  fear- 
ing that  the  hordes  ahead  of  them  would  pre-empt  all  the  desirable  land 
before  they  arrived;  some  of  the  worst  tragedies  of  the  trail  were  the 
result  of  these  breaks  from  the  beaten  path. 

US  30  runs  through  one  general  type  of  country — prairie ;  and  there 
is  little  if  any  contrast  between  the  undulating  hills  of  eastern  Nebraska 
and  the  flat  land  of  the  central  and  western  sections.  The  highway 
touches  the  edge  of  the  sand  hills  west  of  Gothenburg. 

Section  2.  Omaha  (Missouri  River)  to  Kearney,  191.1  m.  US  30- Alt. 
and  US  30. 

US  30-Alt.  leads  west  from  the  Nebraska  Line,  0  m.  Below  the 
bridge  rolls  the  "Big  Muddy,"  useless  from  the  standpoint  of  modern 
navigation,  though  the  channel  is  now  being  deepened  in  the  hope  of 
making  the  stream  again  navigable.  Between  its  banks  at  this  point 
passed  the  white  traders  and  explorers  who  gradually  toiled  farther  and 
farther  upstream  until  they  arrived  at  the  western  end  of  what  is  now 
North  Dakota.  Up  this  river  went  Meriwether  Lewis  and  William  Clark 
with  the  party  that  was  to  make  the  first  and  second  transcontinental 
journeys  across  the  broadest  part  of  North  America.  Up  and  down  the 
river  went  Manuel  Lisa  and  Andrew  Henry  on  the  earliest  trading  ex- 
peditions carried  on  west  of  the  Mississippi  by  citizens  of  the  United 
States ;  and  up  this  river  went  the  Astorians.  The  stream  has  also  borne 
most  of  the  other  men  famous  in  the  western  fur  trade,  from  Ashley, 
Smith,  and  Fitzpatrick  to  Hugh  Glass  and  Mike  Fink. 

The  Missouri,  like  the  Mississippi,  changes  its  course  with  a  fre- 
quency that  is  exasperating  to  those  who  hopefully  built  on  its  banks. 
The  lower  part  of  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  was  swampy  river  bottom  less 
than  a  century  ago;  a  third  of  the  blunt  peninsula  that  is  the  north- 
eastern part  of  Omaha  is  still  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Iowa,  though 
cut  off  completely  from  that  State  by  the  river  and  surrounded  on  the 
other  sides  by  Omaha. 

OMAHA,  0  m.  (1,040  alt.,  214,006  pop.)  (see  NEBRASKA 
GUIDE). 

Railroad  Stations.  Union  Station,  10th  &  March  Sts.,  for  Union  Pacific  R.R.; 
Burlington  Route;  Chicago  &  North  Western  Ry.;  Chicago  Great  Western  R.R.; 
Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul,  &  Pacific  R.R. ;  Rock  Island  Ry. 

Points  of  Interest.  Creighton  University,  Omaha  Municipal  University,  Joslyn 
Memorial  Art  Gallery,  Douglas  County  Courthouse,  South  Omaha  Stockyards,  and 
others. 


56  The  Oregon  Trail 

The  early  journalist,  J.  Hanson  Beadle,  wrote  in  the  Undeveloped 
West:  "Omaha  was  laid  out  in  1854,  soon  after  the  organization  of 
Nebraska  Territory,  and  for  several  years  gave  little  promise  of  future 
greatness;  in  fact,  it  was  quite  outrun  by  the  little  settlement  of  Flor- 
ence, six  miles  north,  of  which  the  Omahas  now  speak  patronizingly 
as  a  'very  pretty  suburb',  destined  in  their  sanguine  view  to  be  the 
Spring  Grove  or  Brooklyn  to  their  future  Gotham.  .  .  .  Omaha  con- 
tained, in  1860,  two  thousand  people;  in  1864,  four  thousand;  then  the 
Union  Pacific  got  fairly  under  way,  and  in  three  years  the  population 
doubled.  A  census  taken  by  the  city  authorities  a  few  days  before  my 
arrival  (June,  1868)  returned  the  population  at  17,600,  and  the  next 
year  they  made  it  25,000.  One  year  thereafter  came  a  fearful  epidemic 
and  swept  away  12,000  of  these — at  least,  that  strikes  me  as  the  easiest 
explanation,  for  the  National  Census  of  1870  only  credited  Omaha  with 
some  13,000  people.  .  .  . 

"The  growth  of  Omaha  was  encouragingly  rapid;  but  the  Western 
mind  is  queerly  constructed,  and  great  on  anticipation.  The  air  is  light, 
dry  and  healthy,  and  the  world  looks  big  west  of  the  Missouri;  every 
man  feels  that  the  range  of  all  outdoors  is  his  pasture,  and  is  hopeful 
as  a  millionaire  if  we  have  a  few  corner  lots,  and  ten  dollars  in  his 
pocket.  Hence  magnified  reports,  and  glowing  promises  of  more  rapid 
growth  in  the  next  two  years;  ancf  thousands  of  young  men  in  the 
Northern  and  Eastern  States  imagined  that  all  they  had  to  do  was  to 
come  to  Omaha,  and  fortune  would  shower  her  favors  on  them.  There 
was  an  immense  immigration  in  1868,  of  just  such  material  as  a  new 
State  does  not  want,  and  for  every  clerk's  or  bookkeeper's  position 
there  were  a  hundred  applicants.  .  .  .  But  each  of  the  disappointed 
wrote  to  his  friends  or  to  the  press,  and  for  the  rest  of  that  year  Omaha 
was  the  best  abused  city  in  the  West.  .  .  ."  (For  Omaha9 s  fulfillment 
of  the  early  hopes,  see  NEBRASKA  GUIDE.) 

Right  from  Omaha  5  m.  on  US  73  to  the  SITE  OF  WINTER  QUARTERS,  in 
the  Florence  section  of  Omaha.  When  the  first  section  of  the  Camp  of  Israel,  as 
the  Mormons  called  their  emigrant  train,  reached  the  Missouri  in  midsummer  of 
1846,  it  camped  on  the  Council  Bluffs  side  of  the  river  to  make  preparations  for 
the  long  trip  west  (see  SECTION  1) .  Brigham  Young,  one  of  the  most  farsighted 
leaders  in  the  history  of  mass  migrations,  was  planting  a  colony  at  Kanesville  to 
provide  shelter  and  foodstuffs  for  the  later  emigrants.  As  other  Saints  arrived  he 
sent  them  across  the  Missouri  to  form  a  camp  here;  one  of  the  chief  advantages 
of  establishing  a 'camp  on  the  western  bank  was  that  the  crossing  of  the  broad 
river  with  wagons,  cattle,  and  people — always  a  problem — would  be  over  when  the 
first  spring  day  favorable  for  travel  should  arrive. 

The  winter  of  1846-7  was  unusually  severe,  and  a  lack  of  proper  food  caused 
scurvy  and  other  diseases.  Some  Saints  were  smothered  to  death  by  snow  that 
crushed  the  roofs  of  their  dwellings. 

Early  in  1847  the  Pioneers,  as  the  first  party  was  called,  had  completed  their 
preparations.  On  April  7  a  small  band  set  out  for  a  rendezvous  on  the  Elk  Horn, 
25  or  more  miles  west.  In  the  following  week  there  was  a  busy  rushing  back  and 
forth  between  this  camp  and  Winter  Quarters;  the  personnel  of  the  advance  party 
changed  daily. 


Nebraska  57 

Appleton  Harmon  wrote  on  April  13:  "Brother  Kimball  said  to  me  last  night 
that  he  wanted  that  I  should  git  readey  and  go  with  the  Pioneers  &  drive  an  ox 
team  for  him.  I  consulted  my  Father,  left  my  wife  and  child  in  as  good  circum- 
stances as  I  could  which  was  but  poor  as  best  got  my  clothes  readey  and  started 
about  4  A.M.  in  company  with  Br  Everett  Jacobs  &  traveled  4  miles  camped  in 
hollow  for  night." 

On  April  14  William  Clayton,  Clerk  of  the  Camp  of  Israel,  wrote  in  his 
Journal: 

"This  morning  severely  pained  with  rheumatism  in  my  face.  ...  At  11:00  a.m. 
Brigham  and  Dr.  Richards  came.  Brigham  told  me  to  rise  up  and  start  with  the 
pioneers  in  half  an  hour's  notice.  I  delivered  to  him  the  records  of  the  K.  of  G. 
and  set  my  folks  to  work  to  get  my  clothes  together  to  start  with  the  pioneers. 
At  two  o'clock  I  left  my  family  and  started  in  Heber's  carriage.  .  .  .  We  went 
about  19  miles  and  camped  on  the  prairie." 

The  spring  of  1863  saw  the  last  Mormon  wagon  train  leave  Florence.  The 
place  was  also  used  by  the  forty-niners  as  an  outfitting  station  and  camping  place. 

US  73  continues  north  to  FORT  CALHOUN,  15.8  m.  (100  alt.,  309  pop.), 
a  sedate,  tree-shaded  community  on  a  bluff  above  the  Missouri.  It  is  near  this 
spot  that  in  1804  Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  and  Lt.  William  Clark  held  a  confer- 
ence with  Indians  and  named  the  place  Council  Bluff.  John  C.  Calhoun,  Secretary 
of  War,  in  1818  planned  to  send  a  military  expedition  up  the  Missouri  to  advance 
the  interest  of  the  fur  traders  by  enforcing  the  law  forbidding  foreigners — that 
is,  British  subjects — to  trade  for  furs  in  the  United  States  (see  WHY  A  TRAIL 
TO  OREGON?),  and  to  push  trade  to  the  Pacific.  The  expedition,  under  Col. 
Henry  Atkinson,  reached  this  place  in  September,  1819,  and  established  what  was 
called  Camp  Missouri.  A  grandiose  plan  for  military  penetration  to  the  Columbia 
was  eventually  dropped  and  in  1820  the  camp  was  moved  a  mile  south  and  became 
a  permanent  army  post,  Fort  Atkinson.  After  the  fort  had  been  abandoned  in 
1827,  the  settlement  disappeared  for  nearly  25  years;  when  a  new  one  appeared 
it  was  named  in  honor  of  Calhoun. 

Right  from  Fort  Calhoun  on  Court  St.  0.5  m.  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  ATKIN- 
SON, now  a  farm.  There  are  no  traces  of  the  fort,  which  during  its  brief  life  had 
barracks  for  a  thousand  men,  a  brickyard,  a  limekiln,  a  sawmill,  a  gristmill,  and 
other  facilities. 

US  30-Alt.  follows  Dodge  St.  in  Omaha. 

As  the  highway  moves  westward  the  tracks  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R., 
which  curves  southward  to  leave  the  city,  again  near  it.  The  building 
of  this  railroad  was  one  of  the  dramatic  flourishes  in  the  history  of  the 
United  States.  Though  there  had  been  agitation  from  the  late  1830's  on 
for  the  construction  of  a  railroad  to  connect  the  East  with  the  Pacific 
Coast,  and  though  there  was  general  agreement  that  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment should  help  to  finance  it,  action  was  long  delayed  by  sectional 
jealousies  and  political  logrolling.  A  survey  of  possible  routes  was  au- 
thorized in  1853.  It  was  not  until  1862,  however,  when  southern  oppo- 
nents of  northern  routes  had  been  removed  from  Congress  by  the  seces- 
sion of  the  southern  States,  that  a  route  was  finally  decided  on  and  the 
Pacific  Railway  Act  was  passed.  Two  years  later  a  second  act  increased 
the  munificent  subsidies  to  the  builders  and  gave  the  Government  merely 
a  second  mortgage  on  the  road. 

The  Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company  was  to  build  westward  to  the 
borders  of  Nevada  and  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  Company  was  to 
build  eastward  from  the  Pacific  Coast  to  meet  the  Union  Pacific.  The 


58  The  Oregon  Trail 

Union  Pacific  was  granted  a  two-hundred-foot  right-of-way,  land  for 
all  necessary  buildings,  and  the  right  to  take  earth,  stone,  timber,  and 
"other  materials"  from  the  public  lands  for  construction  purposes.  In 
addition,  "for  the  purpose  of  aiding  construction  .  .  .  and  to  secure 
the  safe  and  speedy  transportation  of  mails,  troops,  munitions  of  war, 
and  public  stores  thereon,"  the  company  was  granted  "every  alternate 
section  of  public  land  ...  to  the  amount  of  five  alternate  sections  per 
mile  on  each  side  of  said  railroad,  on  the  line  thereof  and  within  the 
limit  of  ten  miles  on  each  side  of  said  road."  The  Government  also 
issued  bonds  of  $1,000  each  at  the  ratio  of  16  bonds  to  a  mile.  Because 
of  the  higher  cost  of  construction  in  the  mountains,  the  number  of 
bonds  issued  per  mile  to  the  Central  Pacific  Company  for  some  sec- 
tions of  the  route  was  doubled  or  trebled.  The  Union  Pacific  obtained 
4,846,108  acres  of  land  in  Nebraska  alone. 

The  building  of  the  Union  Pacific  began  in  earnest  on  July  10,  1865, 
at  the  time  the  Indians  were  becoming  frantic  in  the  face  of  white  inva- 
sion (see  WHY  A  TRAIL  TO  OREGON?)-,  the  road  builders  were 
special  targets  of  attack.  According  to  the  chief  engineer  of  the  road, 
"every  mile  had  to  be  surveyed  and  built  within  range  of  the  rifle  and 
under  military  protection." 

The  thousands  of  railroad  workers  were  housed  in  tents  and  port- 
able shacks;  every  few  weeks  the  shelters  and  facilities  were  packed 
upon  freight  cars  and  moved  westward  to  the  end  of  the  completed 
section.  And  in  their  wake  followed  gamblers,  whiskey  vendors,  sneak 
thieves,  and  unattached  women,  who  earned  for  the  camp  the  nickname 
of  Hell-on-Wheels.  Occasionally  the  portable  community  left  behind  it 
the  germ  of  a  settlement,  such  as  Cheyenne  or  Laramie;  but  for  the 
most  part  only  a  series  of  rubbish  dumps  and  trampled  ground  re- 
mained to  mark  its  progress  across  the  plains. 

Rivalry  soon  developed  between  the  workers  of  the  two  companies; 
the  westward  line  advanced  250  miles  in  1866,  240  miles  in  1867,  and 
425  miles  in  1868.  When  the  two  sets  of  rails  met  at  Promontory,  Utah, 
on  May  10,  1869,  the  whole  country  had  been  whipped  into  a  state  of 
frantic  excitement  by  the  race. 

The  railroad  companies  were  in  excellent  position  to  profit  by  the 
settlement  of  the  area,  because  the  acres  nearest  the  long  thin  strip  of 
rails  were,  inevitably,  the  ones  most  desired  by  pioneers;  those  nearest 
railroad  stations  brought  top  prices.  The  companies  were  little  discom- 
moded by  the  proviso  designating  alternate  sections  as  public  lands 
open  to  settlement  under  the  Homestead  Act  of  1862;  dummy  home- 
steaders and  obliging  local  officials  usually  remedied  the  Congressional 
obtuseness  on  this  point.  The  boom  literature  of  the  homesteading  pe- 
riod of  the  West  makes  the  more  recent  Florida  boom  literature  seem 
sedate. 

Many  settlers  who  had  cherished  visions  of  fine  landed  estates  en- 
gendered in  the  days  when  "Vote  yourself  a  farm"  was  a  political  cam- 


Nebraska  59 

paign  slogan,  rushed  west  without  carefully  investigating  the  fertility 
and  advantages  of  the  advertised  areas;  their  disillusionment  was  pro- 
portionate to  the  magnitude  of  their  dreams. 

WATERLOO,  21.2  m.  (1,122  alt.,  432  pop.),  is  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Elkhorn  River.  The  place  was  laid  out  in  1871  and  named  by 
the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  for  the  Belgian  battlefield. 

VALLEY,  24.8  m.  (1,140  alt.,  1,039  pop.),  was  first  named  in 
1867  by  John  Sanders  for  himself.  The  town  was  later  called  Platte 
Valley  by  the  citizens,  but  when  it  was  incorporated  the  first  part  of 
the  name  was  accidentally  omitted,  and  the  name  became  simply  Valley, 
though  the  precinct  is  still  called  Platte  Valley.  Railroad  officials  called 
the  place  Valley  Station  because  it  was  the  first  station  established  on 
the  Union  Pacific  in  the  valley  of  the  Platte  River.  At  Valley  are  stock 
and  feed  yards;  here  cattle  in  transit  to  Omaha  are  fed  and  watered. 

At  38.4  m.  is  FREMONT  (1,195  alt.,  11,407  pop.),  a  college  town 
and  agricultural  trading  center  on  the  north  bank  of  the  wide,  muddy 
Platte  River  just  opposite  Fremont  Island.  The  city  is  a  distributing 
center  for  the  rich  Elkhorn  Valley  farm  land.  It  once  gave  promise  of 
becoming  an  industrial  town,  but  the  hopes  of  the  citizens  on  this  point 
early  disappeared;  nonetheless  the  town  has  poultry-packing  plants, 
creameries,  and  incubator  factories. 

On  August  23,  1856,  the  first  claim  stake  was  driven  for  "Pinney, 
Barnard,  &  Co.'s  Town  Site."  Since  no  surveyor's  chain  was  handy  when 
the  town  was  laid  out,  a  rope,  which  may  have  stretched,  was  used. 
That,  at  least,  has  been  offered  as  the  explanation  of  some  for  the  ir- 
regularities in  the  first  plat.  The  town  was  named  Fremont  in  honor 
of  John  C.  Fremont,  who  was  then  Republican  candidate  for  the  Presi- 
dency; it  is  said  that  this  was  the  company's  answer  to  some  Democrats 
25  miles  to  the  west,  who  had  named  a  town  Buchanan.  Fremont  had 
many  admirers  among  the  settlers  because  of  his  valuable  maps  and 
reports.  A  resolution  passed  in  1856  by  the  Fremont  Town  Association, 
which  developed  from  the  earlier  company,  provided  that  two  lots  be 
given  anyone  erecting  a  hewn-log  house  16  by  20  feet  and  a  story  and 
a  half  high  within  the  following  six  months.  The  association  agreed  to 
furnish  timber  for  the  cabins,  as  well  as  firewood  for  a  year. 

The  town  prospered  even  before  the  railroad  arrived.  It  was  on  the 
military  road  between  Omaha  and  Fort  Kearney — a  fact  commemo- 
rated in  the  name  of  the  town's  main  street — Military  Avenue — and 
provided  a  convenient  supply  point  for  soldiers  and  emigrants.  During 
the  Pikes  Peak  gold  rush  of  1858-9  there  was  a  steady  stream  of 
through  travelers.  Merchants  were  able  to  make  extra  profits  as  dis- 
appointed miners  sold  their  outfits  cheaply  on  their  way  home;  these 
could  be  resold  at  high  prices  to  the  next  westbound  group. 

Encouraged  by  the  prospect  opening  before  their  city  when  the 
Union  Pacific  R.R.  routed  its  line  through  Fremont  in  1866,  the  citi- 


60  The  Oregon  Trail 

zens  established  the  Fremont  Tribune.  In  1869  the  rails  of  the  Sioux 
City  &  Pacific  R.R.  joined  those  of  the  Union  Pacific  at  this  point.  This 
was  an  occasion  for  bell  ringing,  parades,  and  speeches  on  the  future 
of  Fremont  and  the  Elkhorn  Valley.  Of  even  more  importance  was  the 
building  of  the  Elkhorn  Valley  R.R.  branch,  which  was  begun  in  1870. 
The  town  was  incorporated  a  year  later. 

Here  is  MIDLAND  COLLEGE,  coeducational,  so  named  because  it  is 
near  the  center  of  the  country.  The  institution,  established  at  Atchison, 
Kan.,  in  1887,  was  the  only  college  founded  directly  by  the  Board  of 
Education  of  the  General  Synod  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  now  the  United 
Lutheran  Church  in  America.  In  1919  the  campus  and  buildings  of 
the  Fremont  Normal  School  and  Business  College  were  purchased  by 
the  college,  with  the  help  of  liberal  subscriptions  from  Nebraska  Lu- 
therans and  Fremont  citizens.  The  present  10-acre  campus  holds  six 
buildings. 

It  was  not  far  from  Fremont  that  the  Mormon  Pioneers  made  their 
final  arrangements  for  the  overland  trip.  The  company  included  143 
men,  3  women,  and  2  children.  They  had  72  wagons,  93  horses,  52 
mules,  66  oxen,  19  cows,  17  dogs,  and  a  number  of  chickens,  in  addi- 
tion to  supplies  of  food,  clothing,  agricultural  and  craft  implements, 
books,  musical  instruments,  and  furniture.  For  real  as  well  as  psycho- 
logical security  the  party  carried  one  cannon.  The  men  were  organized 
into  companies  with  "Captains  of  100's,"  "Captains  of  50's,"  and  "Cap- 
tains of  10's,"  following  good  biblical  precedent,  as  they  started  west 
"to  find  a  home  where  the  Saints  can  live  in  peace  and  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  their  labors,"  and  where  they  would  "not  be  under  the  dominion  of 
gentile  governments,  subject  to  the  wrath  of  mobs,"  as  Clayton  wrote. 
Clayton  carried  on  the  duties  assigned  to  him,  though  suffering  acutely 
from  the  "rheumatism"  in  his  face. 

BARNARD  PARK,  formerly  called  Dead  Man's  Park,  was  the  cemetery 
of  the  settlers. 

FREMONT  CITY  PARK  was  planned  when  the  town  was  laid  out.  In 
it  are  two  monuments,  one  honoring  Abraham  Lincoln  and  the  other 
commemorating  Fremont  soldiers  killed  in  the  World  War. 

At  Fremont  US  30-Alt.  joins  US  30,  which  crosses  the  Missouri  some 
miles  north  of  Omaha. 

At  42.4  m.  (L)  are  the  wooded  FREMONT  STATE  RECREA- 
TION GROUNDS  (adm.  free;  camping  facilities;  fishing  permitted 
4  a.m.-lOp.m.).  Here  are  15  sand-pit  lakes  stocked  with  bass,  crappies, 
sunfish,  catfish,  and  bullheads.  Signs  indicate  the  varieties  of  fishes 
found  in  each  lake  and  the  legal  limits  of  each  catch. 

At  43  m.  (L)  is  the  NEAPOLIS  MARKER,  a  white  stone  monument 
almost  obscured  by  bushes;  it  is  a  reminder  of  the  establishment  of  the 
capital  of  Nebraska  Territory  at  Neapolis,  two  miles  south  of  this  point, 
in  January,  1858. 

In  spite  of  the  slow  steady  rise  of  the  land  from  east  to  west  the 


Nebraska  61 

country  through  which  US  30  runs  in  Nebraska  has  a  monotonous 
flatness  that  is  depressing  to  people  born  among  the  hills  and  mountains 
of  the  East  and  West.  But  overland  travelers  of  early  days  were  grateful 
for  the  easy  passage  it  offered.  They  even  spoke  of  these  plains  with 
affection  because  on  westbound  journeys  they  usually  crossed  them  at 
the  time  of  the  year  when  the  grass  was  fresh  and  green  and  meadow 
larks  were  crying  their  triumphant  "Spring  is  here."  The  people  who 
chose  to  settle  along  the  Platte  and  force  livings  from  the  land  had  to 
face  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  floods,  prairie  fires,  blizzards,  hail- 
storms, drought,  lack  of  wood,  and  great  loneliness.  Only  the  hardiest 
remained.  The  little  towns  along  the  route,  the  solid  farm  buildings, 
and  the  occasional  schools  and  public  institutions  are  the  results  of 
unremitting  toil.  The  groves  about  farmhouses  and  the  trees  in  public 
parks  and  along  streets  are  not  gifts  of  nature;  every  single  one  has 
been  coaxed  and  coddled  into  growth. 

AMES,  45  m.  (1,231  alt.,  500  pop.),  was  named  for  an  official  of 
the  Union  Pacific  R.R.,  probably  Oakes  Ames.  About  1880  the  Standard 
Cattle  Company  had  a  cattle-feeding  station  here. 

For  about  a  mile  between  Ames  and  North  Bend  the  highway  runs 
past  tall  trees. 

NORTH  BEND,  53.2  m.  (1,275  alt.,  1,108  pop.),  was  settled  on 
July  4,  1856,  by  several  Scottish  families  from  Illinois.  Not  far  from 
this  place  Clayton  decided  that  his  facial  "rheumatism"  came  from  a 
decayed  tooth.  He  asked  Brother  Luke  Johnson  to  pull  it,  but  before 
this  could  be  done  the  amateur  dentist  was  told  to  take  the  Revenue 
Cutter  to  a  nearby  lake  for  the  use  of  Pioneer  fishermen.  (The  Revenue 
Cutter  was  a  bullboat,  a  tub-shaped  craft  made  of  leather.  "Brother 
Johnson  drives  the  team  which  draws  the  boat,"  Clayton  explained, 
"and  rides  in  the  boat  as  in  a  wagon.")  Clayton  decided  to  go  with  the 
fishermen  and  on  the  trip  discussed  the  possibility  of  constructing  an 
instrument  to  measure  mileages.  The  Pioneers  were  eager  to  leave 
signboards  for  the  benefit  of  the  Saints  behind  them;  the  guesses  on 
distances  traversed  had  been  so  divergent  that  Clayton,  to  obtain 
exact  mileages,  had  resorted  to  the  tedious  device  of  counting  the  revo- 
lutions of  a  wagon  wheel.  There  was  no  time  to  draw  the  tooth  when 
the  fishermen  returned,  and  the  clerk  spent  another  sleepless  night  and 
day  before  he  could  again  ask  Brother  Luke's  services.  Unfortunately 
the  nippers  extracted  only  half  the  tooth  and  Clayton  had  to  endure 
many  more  days  of  pain. 

SCHUYLER,  68.2  m.  (1,350  alt,  2,588  pop.),  seat  of  Colfax 
County,  was  named,  as  was  the  county,  for  Schuyler  Colfax,  Vice  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  in  1869  when  the  town  was  platted.  Schuyler 
was  the  first  shipping  point  on  the  Union  Pacific  for  cattle  driven  north 
from  Texas. 


62  The  Oregon  Trail 

At  81.8  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  country  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  the  COLUMBUS  POWER  HOUSE  of  the  Loup  River  Project 
(see  below) ,  1.8  m.,  where  three  turbines  under  a  112-foot  head  of  water  develop 
39,900  kilowatts. 

COLUMBUS,  86  m.  (1,447  alt.,  6,898  pop.),  seat  of  Platte  County, 
was  founded  in  1856  by  a  group  from  Columbus,  Ohio.  It  was  settled 
10  years  before  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  reached  this  point  and  was  a 
stopping  point  for  emigrants  traveling  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Platte. 
The  population  is  in  part  of  German,  Swiss,  and  Polish  descent. 

Most  of  the  town's  26  industrial  plants  are  typical  of  those  found 
in  midwestern  towns  of  this  size.  A  SHOE  FACTORY  makes  wooden-soled 
shoes  for  use  in  packing  houses,  foundries,  steel  mills,  and  other  places 
where  leather  and  composition  soles  disintegrate  rapidly.  At  the  LIVE- 
STOCK SALES  PAVILION  a  sale  is  conducted  every  Saturday,  beginning 
at  1  p.m.  and  often  lasting  until  midnight. 

The  town,  which  is  on  the  Loup  River  near  its  confluence  with  the 
Platte,  is  the  headquarters  of  the  LOUP  RIVER  PUBLIC  POWER  DIS- 
TRICT PROJECT,  first  called  the  Columbus-Genoa  Project.  In  1936 
the  State's  three  major  power  and  irrigation  projects  were  co-ordinated 
into  what  has  been  called  a  little  TVA,  extending  200  miles  across  cen- 
tral Nebraska.  The  main  purpose  of  the  Loup  River  Project  is  power 
development;  it  is  intended  to  augment  a  system  supplying  Columbus, 
Fremont,  Norfolk,  Lincoln,  Omaha,  Sioux  City,  and  other  points.  A 
35-mile  canal,  supplied  by  a  diversion  dam  at  Genoa,  is  tapped  at  the 
Columbus  Power  House  (see  above]  and  at  the  Monroe  Power  House. 

At  Columbus  the  Mormon  Pioneers  left  the  bank  of  the  Platte  to 
follow  for  a  time  the  north  bank  of  the  Loup,  which  runs  directly  west, 
not  far  from  the  Platte,  and  is  hard  to  ford  near  its  mouth.  The  cross- 
ing of  streams  was  always  a  major  and  time-consuming  chore  in  the 
ox-cart  days.  In  some  places  wagons  could  be  taken  through  the  waters 
without  danger  to  the  contents,  but  in  others  the  goods  had  to  be  re- 
moved and  ferried  over  on  rafts.  On  the  plains  it  was  often  difficult  to 
find  wood  to  make  the  rafts,  so  in  time  the  beds  of  some  emigrant 
wagons  were  made  with  calked  seams,  in  order  that  they  might  be 
turned  into  clumsy  barges. 

The  country  for  hundreds  of  miles  north  and  northwest  of  the  Platte, 
and  the  Platte  itself — though  farther  upstream — provided  the  stage  for 
the  saga  of  Hugh  Glass.  Glass  was  a  member  of  the  party  with  which 
Andrew  Henry  started  for  the  Yellowstone  Valley  in  the  fall  of  1823, 
traveling  up  the  Missouri  and  then  the  Grand,  which  is  in  the  north- 
eastern section  of  what  is  now  South  Dakota.  One  day  Glass,  who  was 
a  hunter  and  often  traveled  somewhat  in  advance  of  the  main  party, 
found  himself  suddenly  confronted  by  a  grizzly  bear  and  her  cubs. 
(The  grizzly  is  one  of  the  most  ferocious  and  dangerous  animals  in  the 
world — as  some  San  Francisco  gamblers  proved  long  ago  when  they 
staged  a  fight  between  a  grizzly  and  a  tiger;  the  tiger  was  dead  in  a 


Nebraska  63 

few  seconds.)  Before  Glass  could  shoot  or  retreat,  the  animal  had 
seized  him  and  bitten  out  a  large  chunk  of  his  flesh,  which  she  dropped 
to  her  younglings.  Glass  screamed  for  his  fellows  but  before  they  could 
kill  the  bear  he  had  been  mangled  from  head  to  foot. 

Though  he  was  not  yet  dead,  his  injuries  were  so  frightful  that 
Henry  and  his  followers  did  not  believe  it  possible  for  him  to  survive; 
they  could  not  carry  him  with  them,  and  because  of  the  approach  of 
winter  they  did  not  dare  stay  with  him  till  he  died.  With  the  aid  of 
a  purse  of  $80,  two  men  were  persuaded  to  stay  with  Glass  to  bury 
him  decently.  But  Glass  lingered,  and  on  the  fifth  day  his  volunteer 
nurses,  fearful  lest  they  be  left  too  far  behind  their  companions,  de- 
termined to  leave  him;  slipping  away,  they  took  with  them  all  his  be- 
longings— his  gun,  knife,  flint,  and  other  essentials  of  wilderness  life. 
These  they  gave  to  Henry,  and  asserted  that  Glass  had  died. 

When  Glass  awoke  and  realized  that  he  had  been  deserted,  he  was 
filled  with  a  rage  that  provided  the  vitalizing  will  to  live.  For  a  short 
period  he  lay  in  the  thicket,  subsisting  on  fruits  and  berries;  then,  still 
unable  to  stand,  he  started  to  drag  himself  to  the  nearest  post,  Fort 
Kiowa,  on  the  Missouri  a  hundred  miles  away.  At  a  time  when  it 
seemed  that  he  could  not  reach  the  river  because  of  lack  of  food,  he 
had  a  bit  of  luck;  he  came  upon  wolves  attacking  a  buffalo  calf  and, 
as  the  wind  was  toward  him,  the  wolves  did  not  scent  his  approach. 
As  soon  as  the  cowardly  animals  had  killed  the  calf,  he  frightened 
them  away  and,  lacking  a  knife  and  flint,  ate  the  flesh  raw.  Resuming 
his  dogged  journey  he  took  part  of  the  calf  with  him 

The  day  he  arrived  at  the  post  he  met  another  trapping  party  on  its 
way  up  to  the  Yellowstone  and,  in  spite  of  his  condition,  set  off  post- 
haste with  it.  Some  distance  north  of  the  present  Bismarck,  N.D.,  the 
trappers  were  attacked  by  Aricaras;  all  were  killed  but  Glass,  who  was 
rescued  by  Mandans  and  taken  to  nearby  Fort  Tilton. 

The  same  day  he  started  again  on  his  interrupted  journey,  this  time 
traveling  alone,  though  with  a  kit.  He  arrived  at  the  Big  Horn  post,  in 
the  present  Montana,  38  days  later,  only  to  find  that  those  on  whom 
he  planned  to  take  revenge  had  left  for  Fort  Atkinson  (Council  Bluff). 
Off  went  Glass,  joining  a  party  of  four  carrying  a  report  to  that  place. 
The  couriers  followed  the  Powder  River  south,  crossed  to  the  North 
Platte,  where  they  built  bullboats  of  buffalo  hide,  and  started  down 
stream.  Somewhere  along  the  river  they  met  a  band  of  Aricaras  whose 
chief  had  been  killed  a  year  before  in  a  brush  with  trappers;  the  In- 
dians seemed  friendly,  however,  and  invited  them  into  the  current  chief's 
tepee.  Too  late  the  whites  realized  that  they  had  walked  into  a  trap. 
Two  of  them  were  killed  and  the  others  escaped  independently. 

Glass  was  once  more  alone.  Though  he  had  lost  the  rest  of  his  out- 
fit, including  his  gun,  he  still  had  his  flint  and  knife.  As  he  said  later, 
"These  little  fixin's  make  a  man  feel  right  pert  when  he  is  three  or  four 
hundred  miles  from  anybody  or  anywhere."  He  started  again  for  Fort 


64  The  Oregon  Trail 

Kiowa,  to  the  northeast.  By  this  time  spring  had  arrived;  weak-legged 
young  buffalo  calves  were  numerous  in  the  region,  so  he  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  finding  food.  Reaching  Fort  Kiowa  he  immediately  started  off 
down  river.  In  June  he  walked  into  the  fort  at  last  to  face  those  who 
had  deserted  him.  Reports  of  his  superhuman  journey  and  vengeful  de- 
sire had  already  reached  the  fort;  he  was  received  with  awe  and  expec- 
tation, but  his  rage  had  been  completely  exhausted  by  the  nine-month 
trek.  Nothing  happened. 

DUNCAN,  94.1  m.   (1,495  alt.,  241  pop.),  laid  out  in  October, 
1871,  was  first  named  Jackson. 

Left  from  Duncan  on  a  marked  graveled  road  to  the  KUENZLI  MUSEUM,  2.5  m. 
(open  7  a.m.-6  p.m.;  adm.  154,  children  10$),  owned  by  Dr.  Frank  Kuenzli  and 
his  son,  Lindo.  Dr.  Kuenzli,  a  Swiss,  came  to  America  with  his  father  in  1879  and 
studied  to  become  a  veterinarian.  His  interest  in  animal  and  plant  life  early  led 
him  to  preserve  specimens.  In  the  museum  are  hundreds  of  curious  articles  from 
all  parts  of  the  world:  reptiles,  octopi,  Australian  birds  and  butterflies,  pioneer  and 
Indian  relics,  and  military  equipment.  Free  lectures  on  the  collections  are  given 
daily.  On  Sundays  and  holidays  the  lectures  are  often  continuous. 

CLARKS,  115.8  m.   (1,623  alt.,  540  pop.),  was  named  for  Silas 
Clark,  a  Union  Pacific  R.R.  official.  The  town's  first  white  settler  came 
in  1867,  and  found  the  Pawnee  quite  friendly. 
At  118.5  m.  is  a  junction  with  State  16. 

Left  on  this  graveled  road  and  across  the  river  to  the  Dexter  farm,  2  m., 
on  which  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  GRAND  PAWNEE  HUNTING  AND  BURIAL 
GROUNDS,  as  well  as  the  SITE  OF  A  PAWNEE  VILLAGE.  A  second  village 
site  lies  southwest  of  the  farm.  A  hundred  years  ago  the  course  of  the  Platte  River 
was  a  mile  farther  south  than  it  now  is,  and  the  two  villages  stood  on  the  former 
riverbank.  Neither  village  site  has  been  excavated  or  investigated  to  any  great 
extent,  as  the  land  is  now  under  cultivation.  Traces  of  the  houses  can  be  found 
by  examining  the  banks  of  the  ditches  where  the  charred  remains  of  the  house 
poles  and  posts  are  imbedded  in  the  soil.  Burnt  clay  and  charcoal  from  the  fire- 
places are  also  present.  Such  relics  as  arrowheads,  hoes,  axes,  pipes,  tomahawks, 
and  flintlock  muskets  have  been  unearthed. 

At  127.1  m.  is  CENTRAL  CITY  (1,699  alt.,  2,474  pop.).  Years  ago 
this  section  was  a  wide  tract  of  rolling  prairie  with  little  vegetation 
and  few  trees;  some  miles  away  from  this  spot  stood  a  lone  giant  cot- 
tonwood  that  served  as  a  landmark  for  travelers  on  the  trail.  This  tree, 
10  or  12  feet  in  circumference  at  its  base,  stood  tall  and  straight  and 
was  easily  discernible  for  miles.  In  1858  a  ranch,  known  as  the  Lone 
Tree,  was  established  here;  it  later  became  one  of  the  "20-mile  stop- 
ping places"  of  the  stage  on  its  weekly  trips.  Later,  when  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.  station  was  built  three  miles  from  the  ranch,  a  station  was 
established  here  and  called  Lone  Tree. 

A  settlement  grew  up  around  the  Lone  Tree  station — a  town  of 
three  stores,  six  houses,  and  a  tavern  owned  by  a  man  named  Parker, 


Nebraska  65 

who  claimed  the  land  around  the  lone  tree.  Later  the  town  of  Central 
City  was  laid  out  around  the  railroad  station  and  the  Lone  Tree  settlers 
moved  to  it. 

Right  on  Avenue  C  and  its  graveled  continuation  to  NEBRASKA  CENTRAL  COL- 
LEGE, 2.5  m.,  a  small  coeducational  school  established  in  1899  by  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends. 

At  127.7  m.  is  a  junction  with  River  Road. 

Left  on  this  dirt  road  to  the  LONE  TREE  MONUMENT,  3  m.  (L).  This  stone 
monument,  about  10  feet  tall,  resembles  the  trunk  of  a  tree.  The  pioneer  passion 
for  carving  names  on  everything  in  sight  caused  the  death  of  the  original  giant 
cottonwood  tree,  which  was  blown  down  in  1865.  The  region  along  the  Platte 
River  is  now  well  wooded. 

CHAPMAN,  135.2  m.  (283  pop.),  was  named  by  the  local  section 
boss,  who  was  also  the  first  postmaster,  for  his  superior  officer,  the  road- 
master  of  this  section  of  the  Union  Pacific. 

LOCKWOOD,  143  m.,  only  a  point  on  the  railroad,  is  distinguished 
by  a  marker  alongside  the  right-of-way. 

Left  from  Lockwood  on  a  graveled  road  to  a  junction  at  0.7  m.;  L.  here  to 
the  GOTTSCH-TRAMM  GRAVES,  1.2  m.,  on  the  farm  of  William  Johnson  (visitors 
welcome).  Early  in  January,  1868,  when  the  Loup  River  was  frozen  solid  and 
snow  covered  the  ice,  two  men  went  off  to  hunt  deer,  accompanied  by  two  boys, 
Christian  Gottsch  and  Christian  Tramm.  On  the  second  day  the  men  left  camp 
alone,  leaving  the  boys  in  charge  of  the  supplies.  When  the  men  returned,  they 
found  that  the  boys  had  been  killed,  presumably  by  Indians;  the  team,  blankets, 
robes,  and  other  supplies  were  missing.  The  boys  were  buried  on  the  Gottsch 
homestead. 

GRAND  ISLAND,  149  m.  (1,861  alt.,  18,041  pop.),  was  named 
for  the  narrow,  42-mile-long  strip  of  land  lying  nearby  between  two 
channels  of  the  Platte.  French  trappers  first  called  this  strip  La  Grande 
Isle.  In  1856  a  detachment  of  cavalry  killed  10  Cheyenne  on  the  island 
in  reprisal  for  an  attack  the  Cheyenne  had  made  on  a  carrier  of  the 
U.S.  mail. 

In  1857  a  group  of  Germans  from  Davenport,  Iowa,  started  a  west- 
ward trek  in  the  general  direction  of  the  present  Grand  Island,  believ- 
ing that  the  national  capital  would  be  moved  to  the  center  of  the  country 
and  wanting  to  be  early  settlers  in  such  a  region.  The  three  leaders  of 
the  band  traveled  with  a  four-mule  team,  while  the  others  followed  in 
five  covered  wagons  drawn  by  oxen.  They  settled  here. 

During  the  sixties  the  Union  Pacific  reached  the  settlement,  a  post 
office  and  flour  mills  were  established,  and  a  General  Land  Office  opened. 
It  was  not  until  1872,  however,  that  the  town  was  incorporated. 

The  town  is  a  distribution  and  shipping  point  for  a  large  agricul- 


66  The  Oregon  Trail 

tural  area.  Old  buildings,  showing  the  German  predilection  for  elabo- 
rate architecture,  contrast  with  more  recent  structures;  the  economy 
and  thrift  of  the  early  German  inhabitants  are  exemplified  in  the  neat, 
narrow,  downtown  streets.  The  town  is  flanked  by  railroads  and  dotted 
with  manufacturing  plants. 

The  agriculture  of  the  territory  surrounding  Grand  Island  is  of  a 
diversified  nature.  Although  this  region  has  been  counted  as  part  of  the 
Wheat  Belt,  large  crops  of  sugar  beets,  rye,  oats,  barley,  and  corn  are 
also  grown. 

One  of  the  outstanding  commercial  activities  of  the  town  is  its  horse 
market.  There  are  two  good-sized  livestock  markets. 

The  AMERICAN  CRYSTAL  SUGAR  COMPANY  PLANT  (open  to  the  pub- 
lic) was  one  of  the  first  beet-sugar  factories  in  the  Plains  States. 
Though  in  February,  1873,  the  Grand  Island  Independent,  in  an  article 
on  the  beet-sugar  industry  in  Europe,  made  the  suggestion  that  beets 
could  be  grown  in  Nebraska,  it  was  not  until  1887  that  any  practical 
action  was  taken.  In  that  year  Nebraska  soil  was  tested  and  found  adapt- 
able to  the  culture  of  sugar  beets;  seed  was  imported  from  France  and 
Germany,  and  $100,000  raised  by  subscription  for  the  new  factory. 

PIONEER  PARK  was  the  site  of  the  first  Hall  County  Courthouse. 

Twenty-five  miles  or  so  northeast  of  Grand  Island  the  Mormon  Pio- 
neers, on  April  24,  1847,  began  to  raft  their  belongings  across  the 
Loup.  Not  far  away  they  saw  the  remains  of  a  large  Indian  village. 
Indians  were  several  times  found  lurking  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Mormon 
camp  in  this  area,  but  thanks  to  the  vigilance  of  Brigham  Young's  well- 
organized  guard  the  emigrants  were  not  molested.  Once  or  twice  men 
on  guard  were  caught  asleep;  but  though  Young  severely  reprimanded 
them  for  endangering  their  fellows  by  such  laxness,  Clayton  made  ex- 
cuses, commenting  that  it  was  hard  for  men  who  had  been  driving  and 
walking  all  day  in  the  open  air  to  keep  from  nodding. 

While  by  this  time  of  the  year  travel  by  ox-cart  was  fairly  comfort- 
able on  the  prairie,  it  was  never  entirely  so  for  long.  Many  pioneers 
felt  at  times  as  Clayton's  mother  had  in  crossing  Iowa  on  the  flight 
from  Nauvoo;  Clayton  had  noted  in  his  Journal  that  she  felt  too  sick 
to  ride  in  the  wagon  and  had  walked  all  day  in  the  rain. 

It  was  perhaps  in  part  a  memory  of  the  extreme  discomfort  some- 
times experienced  when  riding  in  the  jolting,  lurching  wagons  and  of 
the  number  of  emigrants  who  preferred  to  walk  that  caused  Brigham 
Young  in  1855  to  plan  the  handcart  expeditions  across  the  plains  to 
Salt  Lake  City.  Between  50,000  and  60,000  people  had  reached  Utah 
by  1855,  many  of  them  Mormons  who  had  followed  the  route  laid  out 
by  the  Pioneers.  Perhaps  the  majority  were  converts  recruited  in  north- 
western Europe,  chiefly  in  the  British  Isles.  While  Young  made  great 
effort  to  have  the  emigrants  finance  their  own  journeys  to  Utah,  the 
Saints  in  the  West  had  made  heavy  contributions  to  the  Immigration 
Fund.  Utah  crops  were  very  bad,  however,  in  1855,  and  early  in  1856 


Nebraska  67 

a  large  company  of  new  Saints  left  Liverpool.  Since  the  Utah  Saints 
could  give  little  toward  outfitting  the  many  hundreds  of  converts  with 
ox-carts  and  supplies  for  the  trip  west,  it  was  determined  that  two- 
wheeled  carts  should  be  built  to  carry  the  smallest  children  and  rigidly 
limited  amounts  of  food  and  clothing;  the  men  and  women  were  to  pull 
them  from  the  Missouri  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

The  Handcart  Expedition  left  in  five  brigades  for  the  thousand- 
mile  walk;  those  in  charge  of  arrangements  along  the  Missouri  lacked 
Young's  foresightedness  and  were  not  prepared  to  send  off  the  final 
groups  until  very  late  in  the  travel  season.  The  brigades  that  started 
early  reached  Salt  Lake  City  without  serious  hardship,  though  many 
went  through  a  painful  period  while  their  muscles  and  feet  were  harden- 
ing. Those  leaving  late  underwent  severe  trials,  walking  over  the  prairies 
during  the  hottest  part  of  the  year  and  reaching  the  mountains  after 
the  weather  had  become  bitterly  cold.  In  one  division  of  401  people, 
67  froze  or  starved  to  death.  When  word  of  the  situation  reached 
Utah,  ox-carts  were  commandeered  and  sent  to  meet  the  last  division. 
Young  repeated  the  handcart  experiment  in  the  following  year  to  prove 
that  the  plan  was  sound,  but  after  1857  the  Saints  went  west  with  teams. 

ALDA,  156.7  m.  (1,916  alt.,  153  pop.),  was  named  for  an  emi- 
grant's child  born  here  in  1860.  On  the  site  of  the  town  was  once  a 
Pawnee  Indian  village. 

At  164  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  Howe  Farm,  1  m.;  R.  on  a  private  dirt  road  leading 
across  the  field  to  a  decaying  elm  tree,  2  m.,  on  the  banks  of  Wood  River,  that 
marks  the  SITE  OF  A  PIONEER  TRAGEDY.  The  Smith  and  the  Anderson  families 
came  to  the  Platte  River  Valley  in  January,  1862.  One  morning  Smith,  his  sons, 
and  an  Anderson  boy  started  to  the  Platte  to  fell  trees  for  the  construction  of 
cabins.  At  noon  Anderson  arrived  and  saw  Smith's  wagon  standing  in  the  willows. 
The  men  and  horses  were  gone.  In  the  sand  of  the  river  bed  lay  Anderson's  son, 
face  downward,  his  body  filled  with  arrows,  while  a  few  feet  away  was  Smith, 
grasping  the  hands  of  his  sons.  All  had  been  killed,  presumably  by  the  Sioux. 
The  surviving  members  of  the  families  returned  to  their  former  home. 

When  WOOD  RIVER,  164.6  m.  (1,967  alt.,  751  pop.),  was  laid 
out  in  1874  by  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.,  it  had  already  been  settled  for 
two  or  three  years.  The  moving  of  the  railroad  station  resulted  in  the 
moving  of  the  town. 

SHELTON,  172  m.  (927  pop.),  grew  from  a  settlement  known  as 
Wood  River  Center  that  stood  several  miles  east  of  the  present  town. 
A  Mormon  party  from  England,  led  by  Edward  Oliver,  was  traveling 
to  Salt  Lake  City  when  a  broken  axle  forced  them  to  camp  and  attempt 
to  repair  the  break.  The  wagon  was  irreparably  damaged,  and  Mrs. 
Oliver  persuaded  her  husband  to  turn  back.  The  family  spent  the  winter 
in  a  log  hut  on  the  banks  of  Wood  River  and  decided  to  remain;  Oliver 


68  The  Oregon  Trail 

built  the  first  store.  The  community  that  grew  up  near  them  was  later 
named  Shelton  in  honor  of  Nathaniel  Shelton,  another  settler. 

In  Shelton  is  the  SITE  OF  A  LOG  STOCKADE,  once  used  as  a  shelter 
against  Indians  and  as  a  depot  for  the  Great  Western  Stage,  which  ran 
through  the  town.  The  town  had  a  newspaper,  the  Huntsman  s  Echo,  in 
1858. 

GIBBON,  178.2  m.  (2,000  alt.,  825  pop.),  came  into  existence  as 
a  soldiers'  colony.  The  cheap  land  offered  by  the  Homestead  Act  of 
1862  and  the  advance  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  caused  Col.  John  Thorp 
of  West  Farmington,  Ohio,  to  advertise  and  promote  a  colonization  plan 
with  the  co-operation  of  the  Union  Pacific  and  the  War  Department. 
Offers  included  free  home  sites  along  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  and  re- 
duced railroad  fares  to  these  points.  Soldier  colonists  were  recruited, 
largely  from  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  Massachusetts.  The 
men  arrived  here  on  April  7,  1871.  Each  soldier  was  entitled  to  file 
claim  on  a  quarter  section  of  land,  and  61  such  claims  were  drawn  up. 
At  the  time  of  the  drawing  for  lands,  numbers  from  1  to  61  were  placed 
in  a  hat  which  was  shaken.  The  drawings  were  made  for  choice  rather 
than  for  prescribed  lands — that  is,  number  1  had  first  choice,  number 
2  had  second,  and  so  on.  Until  they  established  their  homesteads,  the 
colonists  lived  in  freight  cars. 

When  the  colony  reached  its  twentieth  birthday  the  settlers  held  a 
celebration;  though  the  last  member  of  the  original  group  has  died,  a 
"reunion"  has  since  been  held  every  year  on  April  7. 

At  180  m.  US  30  traverses  the  FORMER  JAMES  E.  BOYD  RANCH, 
which  was  earlier  called  Nebraska  Center.  The  ranch  became  a  caravan 
stop  and  supply  station;  Boyd,  who  later  served  as  Governor  of  Ne- 
braska (1891-1892),  acquired  the  ranch  about  1858.  Doubtless  the  ear- 
liest settler  felt  that  this  site — about  3  miles  from  the  Platte  and  12 
or  13  miles  northeast  of  Fort  Kearney — would  have  some  measure  of 
protection  from  Indian  attacks,  and  offer  opportunities  for  trade  with 
emigrants. 

The  ranch  had  the  first  brewery  in  this  region.  The  small  plant,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Wood  River,  made  about  10  kegs  of  beer  at  a  time, 
which  were  sold  near  the  fort  and  at  Dobytown  for  $6  to  $8  each. 
There  was  also  an  icehouse  here;  the  storage  hole  can  be  seen  from 
the  highway. 

KEARNEY,  191.1  m.  (2,146  alt.,  8,575  pop.),  seat  of  Buffalo 
County,  lies  on  a  flat  plain  on  the  north  side  of  the  Platte  River.  The 
town  was  named  for  Fort  Kearney,  known  originally  as  Fort  Childs; 
the  misspelled  name  of  the  fort  honored  Gen.  Stephen  Watts  Kearny. 
The  first  settlement  on  the  present  townsite  was  called  Kearney  Junc- 
tion. The  Union  Pacific  R.R.  and  the  Burlington  &  Missouri  River  R.R. 
(now  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy)  had  received  grants  of  land 
from  the  Government,  and  the  charter  of  the  Burlington  required  that 


THE  PLATTE  FERRY 


%k**j 


1 


PONY  EXPRESS  STATION,  GOTHENBURG,  NEB. 


Nebraska  69 

it  make  connection  with  the  Union  Pacific  somewhere  east  of  the  100th 
meridian.  They  met  at  this  point  and  the  plat  of  the  town  was  filed 
on  October  27,  1871. 

At  one  time  it  was  hoped  that  because  of  its  central  geographical 
position  Kearney  might  become  the  capital  of  Nebraska.  Local  boosters 
once  held  a  convention  in  St.  Louis  to  launch  a  drive  for  making 
Kearney  the  capital  of  the  United  States.  The  population  was  larger 
during  the  eighties  and  nineties  than  it  is  today. 

Surrounded  by  a  fertile,  irrigated  region,  Kearney  is  an  important 
shipping  point  for  grains  and  livestock.  Industrial  plants  include  a 
cigar  factory,  a  candy  factory,  and  flour  mills. 

Here  are  a  STATE  HOSPITAL  with  accommodations  for  160  tuber- 
cular patients,  and  a  STATE  TEACHERS  COLLEGE,  which  has  an  enroll- 
ment of  more  than  two  thousand.  Both  institutions  are  at  the  western 
end  of  the  town  (R). 

Kearney  is  near  the  western  end  of  the  long  low  strip  of  land,  called 
Grand  Island,  that  divides  the  Platte  for  many  miles. 

The  several  eastern  feeders  of  the  emigrant  route  best  known  as  the 
Oregon  Trail  united — insofar  as  any  trails  united  on  the  prairies — on 
the  south  shore  of  the  Platte  near  the  head  of  Grand  Island.  Endless 
confusion  has  resulted  from  the  fact  that  the  names  of  the  emigrant 
roads  were  popular,  rather  than  official;  that  the  same  general  section 
of  an  overland  route  might  bear  different  names  at  different  periods, 
as  the  goals  of  the  major  migrations  changed;  and  that  the  routes 
themselves  might  move  a  hundred  miles  to  the  right  or  to  the  left  within 
a  year's  time.  One  foresighted  forty-niner  predicted  this,  saying  that 
future  generations  would  not  realize  how  slight  the  things  were  that 
brought  major  switches  in  the  directions  taken  by  succeeding  wagon 
trains,  even  in  the  same  year.  The  establishment  of  a  new  trading  post 
or  a  ranch,  the  drying  up  of  a  spring  or  the  finding  of  a  new  one,  the 
outbreak  of  an  epidemic  at  a  camp  site,  a  prairie  fire,  the  pollution  of 
a  watering  spot,  the  creation  of  a  slough  around  a  ford — any  one  of 
these  was  sufficient  to  turn  the  course  of  thousands  of  wagons.  As  a  re- 
sult, hundreds  of  towns  in  a  very  wide  band  have  erected  markers  indi- 
cating that  they  were  on  the  Oregon  Trail,  and  old-timers,  upholding 
their  towns'  right  to  the  honor,  tell  of  ruts  they  saw  in  the  early  days. 
Many  emigrants  bound  for  Oregon  and  California  used  the  trail  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Platte,  known  as  the  Mormon  Trail  because  the 
first  large  groups  to  use  it  were  Saints;  but  some  Mormons  also  used 
the  route  on  the  south  bank.  Emigrants  bound  for  the  West  traveled  on 
the  north  or  south  bank  of  the  Platte  according  to  where  they  crossed 
the  Missouri. 

Left  from  Kearney  on  State  10,  a  paved  road,  crossing  the  Platte  to  FORT 
KEARNEY  STATE  PARK,  7  m.  (camping  free;  picnicking  and  other  recrea- 
tional facilities}.  The  park  includes  80  acres  of  grass  and  giant  cottonwoods,  on 
the  site  of  the  famous  frontier  military  post.  Still  visible  on  the  grounds  are  rifle 


70  The  Oregon  Trail 

pits  and  other  earthworks,  one  of  the  corner  blockhouses,  and  a  grass-covered 
mound  that  was  the  magazine  in  which  munitions  were  stored  for  use  along  the 
trail  between  this  point  and  Fort  Laramie. 

The  first  Fort  Kearney  was  a  blockhouse  on  the  Missouri  River  at  what  is  now 
Nebraska  City;  it  was  built  and  occupied  in  1846-1847.  The  post  was  transferred 
to  this  place  in  order  to  give  emigrants  protection  against  Indian  attacks. 

Lt.  Daniel  P.  Woodbury,  who  chose  the  site,  returned  here  from  the  first  Fort 
Kearney  in  June,  1848,  with  175  men,  who  began  the  construction  of  the  post, 
first  making  adobe  blocks;  they  also  set  up  a  sawmill  and  erected  sod  stables. 
Plans  drawn  in  1852  show  that  the  fort  included  two  two-story  corner  blockhouses 
of  heavy  timbers,  powder  and  guard  houses,  a  lookout  accessible  by  ladder,  extend- 
ing along  the  entire  ridge,  and  officers'  quarters.  Numerous  barracks  and  other 
facilities  were  added  in  succeeding  years. 

During  the  Civil  War  regular  troops  were  withdrawn  and  the  fort  was  manned 
by  volunteers  that  included  a  number  of  former  Confederate  soldiers,  called  Gal- 
vanized Yankees.  In  1865  Pawnee  were  enlisted  to  help  hold  the  Sioux  in  check, 
and  they  continued  to  serve  during  the  building  of  the  railroad.  When  the  railroad 
displaced  the  wagon  trains,  the  fort  was  no  longer  needed.  It  was  abandoned  in 
1871,  and  a  few  years  later  the  military  reservation  was  thrown  open  to  settlement. 

Section  3.  Kearney  to  Ogallala,  145.4  m.  US  30. 

West  of  KEARNEY,  0  m.,  US  30  follows  Watson  Boulevard 
through  an  archway  of  trees  so  dense  that  it  is  almost  like  a  tunnel. 

At  2.3  m.  is  the  STATE  INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOL  (R),  which  occupies 
11  buildings  and  is  equipped  to  care  for  210  boys. 

It  was  in  this  area  that  the  Mormon  Pioneers  saw  their  first  herds 
of  buffalo,  an  event  always  eagerly  anticipated  by  emigrants.  For  sev- 
eral days  before  the  animals  were  seen,  the  travelers  had  noted  buffalo 
tracks  and  on  April  30,  1847,  had  started  using  dried  buffalo  dung — 
chips,  in  emigrant  parlance — for  fuel.  Brother  Heber  Kimball  imme- 
diately invented  an  efficient  method  of  obtaining  the  maximum  heat  from 
the  chips  by  burning  them  in  the  middle  of  three  pits  with  ventilating 
holes  between  them  to  create  a  draught.  On  the  first  of  May  the  com- 
pany sighted  three  buffalo  through  their  telescopes,  and  three  of  the  Pio- 
neers started  off  on  horseback  in  the  hope  of  augmenting  the  dwindling 
food  supply.  After  proceeding  a  few  miles  farther  the  travelers  saw 
a  herd  "about  eight  miles  away."  Clayton  said  he  counted  72  through 
his  glass  and  Orson  Pratt  74.  Another  and  larger  herd  was  seen  later 
in  the  day.  Clayton  noted  that  the  view  of  the  animals  "excited  con- 
siderable interest  and  pleasure  in  the  breasts  of  the  brethren,  and  as 
may  be  guessed,  the  teams  moved  slowly  and  frequently  stopped  to 
watch  their  movement."  Clayton's  Journal  was  fat  for  several  days 
thereafter  with  details  of  the  hunts. 

There  was  one  other  exciting  event  for  the  Pioneers  in  this  area. 
Three  wagons  were  observed  on  the  south  bank  of  the  broad,  shallow 
Platte  River.  Though  the  Mormons  did  not  dare  attempt  to  cross  the 
river,  a  member  of  the  other  party  came  to  talk  with  the  Mormons. 
He  said  that  the  wagons  carried  nine  fur  traders  on  their  way  back 
from  Fort  Laramie.  The  Pioneers  inquired  eagerly  about  the  condition 


Nebraska  71 

of  the  road  ahead  and  then  requested  that  he  carry  letters  back  to 
the  Missouri  for  them. 

At  4.8  m.  US  30  passes  the  former  1733  RANCH  HOUSE,  now  a 
roadhouse  with  an  electric  sign,  "1733."  At  one  time  there  was  a  marker 
on  the  section  line  at  this  point  reading,  "1733  miles  to  San  Francisco, 
1733  miles  to  Boston";  hence  the  name  of  the  farm.  The  original  1733 
Ranch,  which  contained  eight  thousand  acres,  has  been  broken  up  into 
many  smaller  farms  since  the  death  of  its  owner,  H.  D.  Watson,  who 
was  the  first  promoter  of  alfalfa  as  a  Nebraska  crop. 

By  May  6  the  excitement  over  buffalo  hunting  was  beginning  to  im- 
pede Pioneer  progress.  Appleton  Harmon  recorded  that  "about  8  o'clock 
the  camp  was  called  togeather  by  Pres*  Young  ...  he  also  instructed 
the  captains  of  tens  to  Stay  by  their  teams  in  times  of  traveling.  .  .  . 
He  also  said  that  thair  should  be  no  more  game  killed  until  such  time 
as  it  should  be  needed  for  it  was  a  Sin  to  waste  life  &  flesh." 

ELM  CREEK,  15.8  m.  (2,266  alt.,  708  pop.),  settled  by  a  few 
families  in  1873,  has  had  a  history  marked  by  misfortune.  Blizzard 
followed  blizzard  in  the  eighties,  killing  many  cattle  and  sweeping  away 
most  of  the  possessions  of  the  inhabitants.  The  town  was  rebuilt,  but 
it  was  almost  wiped  out  again  in  1906  by  a  fire  that  destroyed  every 
building  along  the  main  street. 

The  town  is  now  a  shipping  point  for  prairie  hay.  It  lies  in  an  irri- 
gated region  producing  alfalfa,  corn,  sugar  beets,  potatoes,  livestock, 
and  dairy  products. 

On  May  8,  as  the  Mormon  Pioneers  moved  westward,  Harmon  wrote: 
"had  to  drive  the  buffalo  out  of  the  way  whare  we  halted  the  buffalo 
seemed  to  form  a  complete  line  from  the  river  their  watering  place 
to  the  bluffs  as  far  as  I  could  se  which  was  at  least  4  m.  they  stood 
their  ground  appurently  amased  at  us  until  within  30  rods  of  the 
wagons  when  their  line  was  broken  down  by  some  taking  fright  & 
runing  off  others  to  satisfy  thar  curiosity  came  closer  within  gun  shot 
of  the  camp  snuffing  and  shaking  their  Shaggy  heads,  but  being  pur- 
sued by  the  dogs  ran  off,  at  this  time  I  could  stand  on  my  waggon  & 
see  more  than  10,000  Buffalo  from  the  fact  that  the  Plain  was  purfectly 
black  with  them  on  both  sides  of  the  river  &  on  the  bluff  on  our  right 
which  slopes  off  gradualy." 

LEXINGTON,  34.9  m.  (2,385  alt.,  2,962  pop.),  a  market  town,  is 
the  successor  of  a  Pony  Express  station  and  trading  post  called  Plum 
Creek  that  stood  on  the  Oregon  Trail,  south  of  the  river.  After  the  com- 
ing of  the  railroad  the  inhabitants  of  the  settlement  moved  across  the 
river,  and  the  name  was  changed  to  one  commemorating  the  Battle  of 
Lexington.  Plum  Creek  was  once  a  rendezvous  for  gamblers,  thieves, 
and  hold-up  men,  who  preyed  upon  miners  having  gold  or  silver.  Even 
after  legal  bodies  had  been  established,  they  were  ineffective  against  the 


72  The  Oregon  Trail 

well-organized  outlaw  gangs;  eventually  the  citizens  formed  a  vigilante 
committee  that  drove  out  most  of  the  lawbreakers. 

In  1867  the  Cheyenne — aroused  by  the  building  of  the  railroad 
through  their  hunting  grounds  and  the  patrolling  activities  of  Maj. 
Frank  North  and  his  Pawnee  scouts — led  by  their  chief,  Turkey  Leg, 
tore  up  a  culvert  four  miles  west  of  this  place  and  wrecked  the  train, 
a  west-bound  freight.  They  scalped  the  crew,  broke  open  the  boxcars, 
and  stole  the  contents;  some  of  them  took  bolts  of  bright-colored  calico, 
which  they  tied  to  the  tails  of  their  ponies  to  make  a  brave  display  as 
they  fled  across  the  plains. 

In  the  early  days,  travel  on  railroads  was  quite  as  dangerous  as 
travel  on  steamboats  had  been  and  even  more  hazardous  than  flying 
was  to  be.  Most  cars,  locomotives,  roadbeds,  and  bridges  were  jerry- 
built  and  were  likely  to  fall  apart  with  or  without  unusual  strain.  The 
engineers  treated  the  locomotives  as  personal  possessions,  decorating 
them  to  suit  their  fancies  and  speeding  them  up,  backing  them,  and 
stopping  them  as  they  pleased.  One  early  Mormon  autobiography  tells 
how  the  engineer  of  a  train  carrying  a  group  of  emigrants  to  the  point 
where  they  were  to  start  westward  in  oxcarts  "swore  he  would  drive  the 
Mormons  to  Hell  and  opened  the  throttle  to  verify  his  threat.  The  train 
was  roaring  across  the  plains  .  .  .  when  someone  noticed  the  baggage 
car  was  aflame.  The  engineer  stopped  the  train,  put  it  in  reverse  and 
backed  seven  miles  to  the  nearest  watering  station  where  the  fire  was 
extinguished.  The  baggage  car  was  a  charred  mass  of  wreckage." 

Such  fires,  caused  by  sparks  from  the  locomotives,  were  common 
and  not  confined  to  the  baggage  cars,  for  both  they  and  the  coaches 
were  made  of  wood.  The  railroad  death  toll  was  frightful  until  well 
after  the  Civil  War,  when  the  increasing  number  of  damage  suits  moved 
the  companies  to  adopt  safety  measures  and  devices.  A  typical  cartoon 
in  Harper's  Weekly  of  1859  depicted  a  frightened  traveler  in  a  berth 
listening  to  a  conversation  between  a  brakeman  and  a  conductor :  "Jim, 
do  you  think  the  Millcreek  Bridge  safe  tonight?"  The  answer  was,  "If 
Joe  cracks  on  the  steam,  I  guess  we'll  get  the  Engine  and  Tender  over 
all  right.  I'm  going  forward." 

COZAD,  48.7  m.  (2,486  alt.,  1,813  pop.),  a  hay-shipping  center, 
is  in  a  region  where  in  summer  the  acres  of  alfalfa  and  fields  full  of 
haystacks  line  the  highway.  Several  alfalfa  mills  and  feed-making 
plants  are  near  US  30  in  this  town. 

Whereas  the  Mormon  Pioneers  seldom  traveled  more  than  10  or  15 
miles  a  day  even  in  this  level  country,  later  emigrants  were  sometimes 
able  to  do  20,  provided  the  weather  was  dry.  The  rate  of  travel  of  the 
Mormon  handcart  brigades  was  painfully  slow.  An  emigrant  who  drove 
past  them  wrote:  "We  met  two  trains,  one  of  thirty  and  the  other  of 
fifty  carts,  averaging  about  six  to  the  cart.  The  carts  were  generally 
drawn  by  one  man  and  three  women  each,  though  some  carts  were 


Nebraska  73 

drawn  by  women  alone.  There  were  about  three  women  to  one  man, 
and  two-thirds  of  the  women  single.  It  was  the  most  motley  crew  I  ever 
beheld.  Most  of  them  were  Danes,  with  a  sprinkling  of  Welsh,  Swedes, 
and  English,  and  were  generally  from  the  lower  classes  of  their  coun- 
tries. Most  could  not  understand  what  we  said  to  them.  The  road  was 
lined  for  a  mile  behind  the  train  with  the  lame,  halt,  sick,  and  needy. 
Many  were  quite  aged,  and  would  be  going  slowly  along,  supported 
by  a  son  or  daughter.  Some  were  on  crutches;  now  and  then  a  mother 
with  a  child  in  her  arms  and  two  or  three  hanging  hold  of  her,  with 
a  forlorn  appearance,  would  pass  slowly  along;  others,  whose  condition 
entitled  them  to  a  seat  in  a  carriage,  were  wending  their  way  through 
the  sand.  A  few  seemed  in  good  spirits." 

At  59  m.  is  GOTHENBURG  (2,561  alt.,  2,322  pop.),  in  whose  park 
stands  a  FUR  TRADING  POST  HOUSE  (adm.  free]  that  was  erected  in 
1854  on  the  Oregon  Trail  four  miles  east  of  Fort  McPherson.  In  1860-1 
it  was  the  Fred  Machette  Pony  Express  station;  later  it  was  an  Over- 
land Stage  station,  and  after  the  coming  of  the  railroads  became  a  ranch 
building. 

Left  from  Gothenburg  on  State  47,  a  graveled  road  that  crosses  the  Platte  and 
passes  the  GOTHENBURG  GUN  CLUB  GAME  PRESERVE  (L) ;  at  2.7  m.  is  (R)  an 
Oregon  Trail  marker. 

Left  from  the  marker  to  the  first  dirt  road;  L.  here  to  the  LOWER  96  RANCH, 
6  m.  (visitors  welcome).  A  lean-to  of  the  tree-shaded  black  and  white  ranch 
house  is  a  former  Pony  Express  station,  a  log  cabin  in  good  condition;  the  crevices 
between  the  logs  have  been  cemented.  This  old  house  was  known  as  the  Pat 
Mullaly  station.  There  is  a  black  "96"  painted  on  the  big  concrete  silos  of  the 
ranch. 

Right  from  Lower  96  Ranch  to  the  SITE  OF  THE  GILMAN  RANCH  HOUSE,  10  m., 
•where  stage  riders  used  to  stop  and  Pony  Express  riders  came  when  off  duty. 
Mark  Twain  stopped  here  on  the  trip  across  the  plains  described  in  Roughing  It. 

The  story  of  the  western  migration  has  usually  been  told  in  terms 
of  those  who  made  mistakes — of  those  who  suffered  Indian  attack  be- 
cause they  chose  to  travel  in  small  groups  or  failed  to  maintain  guards 
at  night;  who  made  unsuccessful  attempts  to  short-cut  the  well-known 
routes;  who  started  with  inadequate  equipment  and  supplies;  or  who 
set  out  on  the  journey  in  advanced  stages  of  ill  health.  But  for  every 
person  who  became  a  symbol  of  pioneer  tragedy  there  were  thousands 
who  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  overland  journey.  One  emigrant  who  be- 
came wealthy  remarked  wryly  in  his  later  years  that  he  suffered  more 
and  had  less  enjoyment  on  de  luxe  hunting  trips  than  he  had  on  his 
oxcart  journey  across  the  plains.  A  Utah  woman  who  had  crossed  the 
country  about  1850  remembered  the  trip  as  a  picnic  from  beginning  to 
end;  how  she  ran  beside  the  slow-moving  cart  with  her  arms  full  of 
wild  flowers;  how  she  and  her  playmates  played  hide-and-seek  around 
the  wagons;  how  her  mother  knitted  placidly,  day  in  and  day  out,  and 


74  The  Oregon  Trail 

always  had  time  to  tell  stories;  how  in  the  evening  the  children  ran 
from  one  campfire  to  the  other  while  their  parents  gossiped  and  sang. 
People  quarreled,  made  love,  played  cards,  danced,  wrote  poetry  and 
letters,  honeymooned,  joked,  and  carried  on  other  normal  activities 
under  conditions  that  gave  them  added  zest. 

The  migrant  was  able  to  indulge  his  passion  for  writing  or  chipping 
his  name  on  every  available  surface — the  old-fashioned  equivalent  for 
the  postcard  writing  of  the  modern  tourist — even  on  the  plains;  in  this 
area  he  smeared  names  and  messages  with  axle  grease  on  the  skulls  and 
long  bones  of  the  buffalo  skeletons  lining  the  routes. 

C.  S.  Abbott,  who  traveled  overland  to  California  shortly  after  the 
gold  rush  started,  wrote  of  the  reason  for  the  prevalence  of  buffalo 
skeletons:  "There  were  wagon-trains  all  along  the  road  and  everybody 
was  banging  away  at  the  buffalo,  scaring  them  away,  or  killing  them 
and  cutting  out  choice  pieces  and  leaving  the  rest  to  rot,  while  the  In- 
dians were  starving.  It  was  the  most  flagrant  injustice  this  Government 
ever  permitted  its  people  to  practice.  The  lines  between  the  different 
tribes  were  as  distinctly  marked  as  the  boundaries  between  the  differ- 
ent States  of  the  Union,  each  of  these  tribes  claiming  the  ownership  of 
all  the  game  within  its  borders,  and  they  looked  upon  the  emigrants  as 
a  white  tribe  infringing  upon  their  rights.  .  .  .  We  shudder  at  the 
massacre  of  the  whole  nation  of  Armenians  by  the  Turks,  but  no  pen 
can  describe  the  misery  and  despair  of  a  Pawnee  village, — of  men, 
women  and  children  dying  of  hunger, — while  the  white  tribe  was  kill- 
ing, or  scaring  their  game  off  into  the  mountains,  and  I  say  that  our 
Government  here  caused  as  much  misery  by  negligence  as  the  Turks 
have  by  savagery." 

At  72.5  m.  is  BRADY  (387  pop.). 

Left  from  Brady  on  a  graveled  road  that  crosses  the  river  to  a  junction  at 
4  m.;  R.  to  the  UPPER  96  RANCH,  9  m.,  now  the  property  of  V.  H.  Davis.  A 
monument  here  commemorates  the  Pony  Express  riders.  The  blacksmith  shop, 
built  of  red  cedar  logs,  belonged  to  the  Fred  Machette  Pony  Express  station;  the 
station  itself  has  been  moved  to  the  Gothenburg  City  Park  (see  above). 

The  highway  crosses  the  North  Platte  River  near  its  confluence  with 
the  South  Platte  at  the  eastern  end  of  NORTH  PLATTE,  94.7  m. 
(2,821  alt.,  12,061  pop.),  seat  of  Lincoln  County. 

The  Sioux,  Cheyenne,  and  Arapaho  occupied  this  territory ;  the  forks 
of  the  Platte  were  near  the  border  line  between  the  hunting  range  of 
these  tribes  and  that  of  the  Pawnee. 

In  the  1860's  William  Peniston  and  Andrew  J.  Miller  were  running 
a  trading  post  at  Cold  Water,  some  30  miles  east  of  this  point.  While 
in  Omaha,  Miller  learned  that  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  was  going  to 
establish  a  station  at  the  Fork  of  the  Platte.  The  men  opened  a  post 
here  on  November  9,  1866,  with  merchandise  fitted  to  the  needs  of  the 


Nebraska  75 

railroad  builders,  after  Gen.  G.  M.  Dodge  had  established  North  Platte 
for  the  Union  Pacific.  The  population  increased  to  more  than  two  thou- 
sand during  the  winter  of  1866-67.  By  June,  1867,  the  railroad  had 
reached  Julesburg,  Colo.,  and  construction  headquarters  was  moved  to 
that  point,  leaving  behind  it  a  settlement  of  only  three  hundred  people. 
Everything  had  been  moved — business  houses,  barracks,  even  the  town's 
newspaper.  Only  20  structures  remained.  But  that  same  year  North 
Platte  was  made  a  division  point  on  the  line,  and  the  Union  Pacific 
built  machine  shops,  a  20-stall  roundhouse,  and  a  hotel.  Thereafter  the 
increase  in  population  was  steady;  the  city  is  the  leading  trade  center 
of  western  Nebraska. 

On  April  7,  1893,  a  prairie  fire  struck  the  city,  destroying  many 
houses,  barns,  outbuildings,  fences,  farm  implements,  and  stock.  Other 
prairie  fires  wrought  damage  in  1910  and  in  1915. 

A  tense  period  in  local  history  was  reached  in  1902,  when  ma- 
chinists and  boilermakers  employed  by  the  Union  Pacific  struck  in 
opposition  to  the  introduction  of  the  piecework  system.  The  machinists 
quit  on  June  30,  joining  the  boilermakers,  who  had  struck  the  week 
before.  The  company  brought  in  carloads  of  strikebreakers;  the  boiler 
shop  and  several  boxcars  were  fitted  with  bunks  and  utilized  as  living 
quarters  for  them,  and  they  were  protected  by  armed  guards.  A  request 
that  the  Governor  send  troops  was  denied.  The  strike  lasted  for  nearly 
a  year,  and  workmen  looked  for  employment  elsewhere.  The  pickets 
grew  lax  and  finally  gave  up.  Local  sympathy  was  with  the  strikers 
from  the  beginning;  merchants  would  sell  nothing  to  the  strikebreakers, 
barbers  would  not  shave  them,  and  landlords  refused  to  rent  houses  to 
them.  After  a  time,  however,  they  were  accepted  by  the  town  and  the 
strike  seemed  lost.  But  on  June  8,  1903,  the  strike  was  settled ;  the  ques- 
tion of  piecework  was  ignored,  and  the  strikers  returned  to  their  old 
jobs  with  a  small  hourly  pay  increase.  A  request  that  all  strikebreakers 
be  discharged  was  denied,  but  within  three  months  nearly  all  of  them 
had  left. 

Following  the  drought  of  1890,  I.  A.  Fort  of  North  Platte  converted 
Congressman  William  Neville  of  North  Platte  to  his  plan  of  "enlarged 
homesteads"  as  a  way  of  settling  this  region.  Estimating  that  it  would 
take  two  square  miles  for  a  rancher  to  support  a  family  and  not  let  his 
stock  overgraze  the  land,  Fort  advocated  two-square-mile  homesteads. 
Although  Neville  introduced  a  bill  to  this  effect  in  1900,  it  was  not 
enacted  into  law  until  Congressman  Moses  Kinkaid  of  O'Neill  brought 
it  forward  again  in  1904.  The  Kinkaid  Act  was  successful  in  its  purpose 
and  the  homesteaded  land  was  used  mainly  for  cattle  raising.  Irriga- 
tion, which  was  begun  in  1866,  makes  possible  some  crop  raising,  espe- 
cially of  sugar  beets. 

On  the  second  floor  of  the  LINCOLN  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE  are  many 
relics  of  pioneer  days,  among  them  a  battered  chariot  presented  to 
"Buffalo  Bill"  Cody  by  Queen  Victoria. 


76  The  Oregon  Trail 

North  Platte  lies  at  the  tip  of  a  long  narrow  delta  between  the 
mouths  of  the  North  and  South  Platte  Rivers;  the  bluffs  that  line  the 
Platte  more  than  halfway  across  Nebraska  here  spread  somewhat  apart. 
From  this  point  the  Mormon  Pioneers  continued  west  along  the  north 
bank  of  the  North  Platte.  Travelers  of  early  days  who  had  followed  the 
trail  on  the  south  bank  of  the  main  stream  to  this  point  usually  con- 
tinued westward  for  some  distance  on  the  south  bank  of  the  South 
Fork  before  crossing  the  stream,  though  some  forded  it  near  the  con- 
fluence. 

(At  the  western  limit  of  North  Platte  the  time  changes  from  Cen- 
tral Standard  to  Rocky  Mountain.) 

At  96.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  SCOUTS'  REST  RANCH,  0.5  m.  (adm.  free).  This  was  the 
home  of  "Buffalo  Bill"  Cody,  who  entertained  many  notables  here.  William  Fred- 
erick Cody  (1846-1917)  spent  his  boyhood  in  Leavenworth,  Kans.,  headquarters 
of  the  freighting  line  of  Russell,  Majors,  &  Waddell.  Young  Cody  first  appeared 
in  the  Platte  country  as  an  outrider  for  this  company — an  office  boy  on  horseback 
— and  is  believed  to  have  been  a  Pony  Express  rider  for  a  short  time.  He  served 
in  the  Civil  War  and  afterward,  when  the  Kansas  Pacific  (now  part  of  the  Union 
Pacific)  was  building  westward  from  Kansas  City,  he  contracted  to  furnish  buffalo 
meat  for  workers  on  the  Kansas  route.  Within  17  months  he  is  said  to  have  de- 
livered 4,280  animals. 

Later  he  went  on  the  stage  and  toured  the  United  States  in  a  production  called 
the  Prairie  Waif.  Out  of  this  experience  he  conceived  the  Wild  West  shows  that 
made  him  famous.  His  collection  of  Indians,  covered  wagons,  bronco-busters,  cow- 
boys, stagecoaches,  and  marksmen  did  much  to  build  up  the  popular,  romantic  mis- 
conceptions of  early  western  history. 

At  Scouts'  Rest  Ranch,  where  the  Wild  West  show  was  rehearsed,  are  a  solid 
ranch  house,  rebuilt  since  Cody's  day,  and  an  immense  barn,  shaded  by  cotton- 
woods.  The  eaves  of  the  ranch's  main  corral,  built  in  1887,  are  hewn  in  the  shape 
of  gunstocks,  and  the  cattle-stall  partitions  are  shaped  like  horses. 

The  plat  of  the  ranch  resembled  the  map  of  Nebraska. 

West  of  O'FALLONS,  111.6  m.,  the  bluffs  again  draw  near  the 
stream  and  here  the  early  Oregon  Trail,  like  a  branch  of  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.  today,  crossed  the  stream  to  the  south  bank  of  the  North 
Platte,  reaching  it  at  Ash  Creek.  After  the  establishment  in  1864  of 
Fort  Sedgwick  (see  SECTION  4) ,  near  the  present  Julesburg  in  north- 
eastern Colorado,  many  trains  following  the  route  of  the  Overland 
Stage,  dipped  down  to  the  fort  before  striking  northwest  to  Fort  Lara- 
mie,  the  next  point  providing  protection  and  supplies.  The  trail  was  on 
the  south  bank  of  the  South  Fork. 

SUTHERLAND,  114.6  m.  (2,959  alt.,  753  pop.),  was  named  for 
an  official  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  in  1869,  when  the  town  was  laid  out. 

Left  from  Sutherland  on  a  marked,  graveled  road  crossing  the  South  Platte 
to  a  junction  at  1.7  m.;  L.  here  to  the  SUTHERLAND  RESERVOIR,  3.5  m., 
a  natural  depression  of  five  thousand  acres,  walled  off  with  dikes.  Its  design  pro- 
vides for  a  maximum  height  of  80  feet,  and  the  impounding  of  two  hundred  thou- 


Nebraska  77 

sand  acre-feet  of  water.  A  tunnel  of  reinforced  concrete,  14  feet  in  diameter  and 
7,800  feet  long,  conducts  the  water  from  the  Kingsly  Diversion  Dam  under  the 
South  Platte  River. 

PAXTON,  127  m.  (3,054  alt.,  507  pop.),  was  named  for  W.  A. 
Paxton  of  Omaha. 

At  136  m.  is  a  marker  (L)  indicating  that  the  ALKALI  LAKE  PONY 
EXPRESS  STATION  was  south  of  the  South  Platte  at  this  point. 

OGALLALA,  145.4  m.  (3,211  alt.,  1,631  pop.),  the  seat  of  Keith 
County,  was  named  for  the  Oglala  (also  spelled  Ogallala,  scatter  one's 
own)  tribe  of  the  Teton  Sioux. 

After  the  Civil  War  disruption  of  the  cattle  market,  the  ranchers 
of  Texas  were  very  anxious  to  find  new  markets.  As  soon  as  the  Gov- 
ernment-financed railroads  had  been  carried  across  the  plains  the  cat- 
tlemen started  roundups  of  the  herds  on  the  vast  unfenced  range  and 
sent  the  animals  north  to  the  railroads  for  shipment  to  eastern  markets. 
Ogallala  became  an  important  cattle-shipping  point  of  the  early  years; 
the  first  herd  arrived  in  June,  1867,  in  charge  of  yippi-shouting  cow- 
punchers  who  had  been  fighting  Indians  and  stampedes  for  many  hun- 
dreds of  miles.  In  later  years  there  were  sometimes  15  outfits  camped 
along  the  South  Platte  by  the  middle  of  July.  The  physical  demands 
of  such  cattle  drives  were  great  and  the  punchers,  who  sometimes  had 
to  ward  off  sleep  by  plastering  their  eyelids  open  with  wet  tobacco, 
felt  that  they  had  a  right  to  celebrate  the  end  of  the  drives  as  long  and 
as  loudly  as  they  desired. 

Five  blocks  west  of  the  main  street  of  Ogallala  is  a  plot  of  ground 
that  rises  80  to  100  feet  above  the  river  level.  This  is  BOOT  HILL  CEM- 
ETERY, one  of  many  so  called  because  those  interred  in  them  died  and 
were  buried  with  their  boots  on  their  feet.  The  graveyard,  a  relic  of 
the  old  lawless,  gambling,  gun-blazing  town,  has  not  had  a  burial  since 
the  eighties.  Though  the  hill  bears  a  sign  with  the  name,  no  mounds 
are  visible  and  there  are  no  tombstones. 

In  a  park  at  the  western  edge  of  town  (R)  is  an  OREGON  TRAIL 
MEMORIAL,  and  next  to  it  is  a  round  yellow  CHISHOLM  CATTLE  TRAIL 
MARKER.  Chisholm  was  the  most  famous  of  the  cattle  trails  from  Texas 
to  Kansas,  running  in  the  neighborhood  of  US  81,  but  it  never  reached 
Nebraska. 

At  Ogallala  is  the  junction  with  US  26,  which  closely  parallels  the 
Oregon  and  Mormon  Trails  through  Fort  Laramie  (see  ALTERNATE 
ROUTE). 

Section  4.  Ogallala  to  Wyo.  Line,  124.3  m.  US  30. 

West  of  OGALLALA,  0  m.,  is  BRULE,  9  m.  (3,287  alt.,  329  pop.), 
named  for  the  Brule  (Fr.,  burned)  tribe  of  the  Teton  Sioux.  The  South 
Platte  River  bank  here  is  a  mass  of  tangled  undergrowth,  sand,  and 
trees. 


78  The  Oregon  Trail 

US  30,  westbound,  here  leaves  the  South  Platte,  which  turns  south- 
ward into  Colorado.  Travelers  following  the  Oregon  Trail  detour  that 
ran  through  Julesburg  crossed  the  river  at  several  points  between  Brule 
and  Julesburg.  These  were  the  Lower  and  Upper  California  Crossings. 

At  10  m.  (R)  is  a  marker  calling  attention  to  the  SITE  OF  THE 
DIAMOND  SPRINGS  PONY  EXPRESS  STATION,  which  was  eight  miles  south 
of  this  point. 

At  13  m.  (R)  is  CALIFORNIA  HILL,  where  the  Oregon  Trail  in 
the  early  Julesburg  days  turned  northwest  to  reach  the  North  Platte 
near  Courthouse  Rock  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  C) .  This  was  before  the  route 
that  followed  the  South  Platte  and  then  turned  north  on  the  Cherokee 
Trail  into  southern  Wyoming  was  developed  by  the  Overland  Stage. 
Holladay  in  July,  1862,  abandoned  the  trail  by  Fort  Laramie  and 
through  South  Pass  largely  because  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  and 
many  emigrants  followed  his  lead. 

At  18.2  m.  is  a  junction  with  US  138. 

Left  on  US  138,  through  BIG  SPRINGS,  2.2  m.  (595  pop.).  JULESBURG, 
Colo.,  11.8  m.  (3,468  alt.,  1,467  pop.),  is  a  respectable  successor  to  three  former 
towns  of  the  same  name,  each  of  which  was  important  in  its  day  because  of  its 
position  on  the  trail  to  the  West  and  to  Denver  and  the  Colorado  mines.  The 
present  town  was  founded  in  1881  when  the  Union  Pacific  branch  to  Denver  was 
projected.  Viewed  today  among  the  broken  hills  in  a  curve  of  the  South  Platte 
River,  the  quiet  town  gives  no  evidence  that  it  sprang  from  the  ashes  of  "the 
Wickedest  Little  City  East  of  the  Rockies." 

Left  from  Julesburg  1  m.  on  State  51  to  the  junction  with  a  side  road  (R) 
that  leads  to  the  ITALIAN'S  CAVE,  1.5  m.  (L),  a  natural  fissure  running  back 
into  a  hill,  open  at  both  ends  and  artificially  enlarged.  Broad  shelves  for  mangers 
and  storage  rooms  have  been  cut  in  the  rock.  At  the  mouth  of  the  cave  are  the 
ruins  of  a  two-story  stone  building  whose  walls,  more  than  two  feet  thick,  are 
pierced  with  loopholes.  A  primitive  but  effective  water  system  served  the  house. 
Many  maintain  that  this  was  once  the  hide-out  of  Jules  Reni,  founder  of  Old 
Julesburg.  The  truth  seems  to  be  that  the  house  was  built  by  Uberto  Gabello,  an 
Italian  miner,  reputed  to  have  amassed  a  fortune  in  the  gold  fields  at  Cripple 
Creek.  A  strange  man  was  Gabello,  who  dwelt  in  solitary  state  in  his  fantastic 
castle,  and  repulsed  all  the  well-meant  overtures  of  his  neighbors.  In  time  he 
came  to  be  regarded  as  a  madman  by  some,  and  feared  as  a  sorcerer  by  the  more 
superstitious.  After  his  death,  his  house  was  found  to  be  a  temple  to  the  sun; 
prayers  and  esoteric  symbols  were  carved  on  the  walls.  Unfortunately,  the  searchers 
considered  these  finds  of  insufficient  importance  for  preservation,  so  no  traces 
remain  today  to  give  a  clue  to  the  exact  nature  of  Gabello's  one-man  cult. 

The  dirt  side  road  continues  past  the  SITE  OF  THE  SECOND  JULESBURG, 
4  m.  (R),  which  sprang  up  immediately  following  the  destruction  of  the  first 
town  (see  below),  but  was  short  lived,  because  when  the  Union  Pacific  was  ex- 
tended into  Colorado  in  1867  this  town  was  off  the  route.  Of  the  three  early  Jules- 
burgs,  it  was  by  far  the  least  notorious,  having,  in  fact,  no  particular  history. 

West  of  the  second  town  is  the  SITE  OF  OLD  JULESBURG,  8  m.,  the  first 
of  that  name.  It  developed  as  an  important  Overland  Stage  station  and  was  a 
station  of  the  Pony  Express.  Old  Julesburg  was  the  rendezvous  of  traders,  Indian 
fighters,  buffalo  hunters,  and  adventurers  of  the  most  devil-may-care  kind,  as  well 
as  of  desperados  and  bandits  who  came  to  divide  their  loot  and  squander  it  in 
riotous  celebrations.  Jules  Reni,  the  French  Canadian  who  was  first  stage  station 


Nebraska  79 

master  here,  was  himself  reputed  to  have  been  the  leader  of  a  band  of  outlaws; 
this  may  have  been  merely  ill-natured  gossip,  however,  because  Jules  was  disliked 
by  those  who  were  jealous  of  his  influence  among  the  French  Canadians  of  the 
area.  At  the  time  wagon  trains  were  frequently  looted  and  burned  and  solitary 
travelers  murdered  in  this  area.  The  outrages  were  naturally  blamed  on  the  In- 
dians, but  the  presence  of  white  men  among  the  raiding  parties  was  testified  to 
by  more  than  one  survivor.  Released  prisoners  told  of  white  men  who  came  and 
went  freely  in  the  Indian  camps  and  shared  the  loot.  Rumor  grew  that  Jules  him- 
self was  at  the  bottom  of  the  business;  it  was  remarked  that  the  richest  trains 
were  almost  invariably  attacked  and  burned  after  leaving  Julesburg. 

Jack  Slade,  who  was  one  of  the  most  fearless  men  on  an  extremely  tough 
frontier,  was  division  superintendent  of  the  early  stage  route.  Slade  distrusted 
Reni,  and  Reni  resented  Slade's  methods  of  punishing  his  (Reni's)  cohorts.  The 
feud  came  to  a  head  when  Jules  suddenly  and  without  warning  filled  Slade  with 
enough  buckshot  to  have  killed  an  ordinary  man.  But  Slade  lived  and  from  his 
sickbed  warned  Jules  that  he  would  cut  off  his  ears  and  wear  them  as  watch 
charms.  Slade  had  to  go  to  St.  Louis  for  treatment  and  when  he  returned  to  this 
place  Jules  had  disappeared. 

After  Slade  returned  to  his  post  he  was  told  of  repeated  boasts  by  Reni  that 
he  would  come  back  to  finish  the  killing  he  had  attempted  unsuccessfully.  Slade 
was  at  Pacific  Springs,  at  the  western  end  of  his  division,  when  he  was  told  that 
Reni  was  hunting  him.  At  each  station,  as  he  traveled  back  to  Julesburg,  Slade 
received  a  fresh  warning.  Slade  did  not  meet  him  on  the  route  and  at  Fort  Laramie 
he  talked  over  the  situation  with  army  officers  because,  in  spite  of  many  stories 
to  the  contrary,  Slade  was  not  a  vicious  man  and  the  punishments  he  had  dealt 
out  were  merely  those  of  a  man  protecting  his  employers'  interests  in  a  lawless 
country.  The  army  men  advised  Slade  to  catch  Jules  and  kill  him,  because  there 
would  be  no  peace  for  the  stage  company  until  he  was  put  out  of  the  way.  Slade 
acted  on  the  advice  in  a  way  that  made  him  a  symbol  of  border  ruthlessness  for 
many  decades.  (See  ALTERNATE  ROUTE.) 

The  operations  of  the  white  renegades  and  desperados  have  led  to  search  for 
treasure  in  this  area.  Even  today  there  are  many  who  firmly  believe  that  the  trail 
robbers  buried  much  of  their  loot  in  some  secluded  place  near  the  old  town.  Slade 
himself  was  of  the  opinion  that  there  was  a  treasure  cache  nearby,  and  was  untir- 
ing in  his  search  for  it.  None  has  ever  been  found,  and  it  is  likely  that  the 
spoilers  squandered  their  wealth.  Old  Julesburg  passed  out  of  existence  in  1865, 
when  it  was  completely  destroyed  during  an  Indian  attack. 

At  9  m.  on  this  road  is  the  SITE  OF  FORT  SEDGWICK  (R),  a  military  trad- 
ing post  established  to  protect  travelers  from  marauding  Indians  and  white  robbers. 
The  post  was  built  in  1864  and  garrisoned  until  1871,  when  the  efforts  of  the  late 
sixties  resulted  in  the  subjugation  of  the  Plains  Indians.  A  few  traces  of  sod 
buildings  remain,  but  most  of  the  fort,  constructed  of  wood,  has  disappeared. 

CHAPPELL,  39.3  m.  (3,697  alt.,  1,061  pop.),  was  named  in  honor 
of  Charles  Chappell,  a  division  superintendent  of  the  Union  Pacific, 
who  assisted  in  laying  out  the  townsite.  It  is  a  trade  center  for  the 
chief  wheat-raising  area  in  Nebraska. 

West  of  Chappell  the  highway  follows  Lodgepole  Creek,  so  named 
because  several  Indian  tribes  procured  poles  for  their  tepees  near  the 
headwaters  of  the  stream.  The  gradual  rise  in  the  land  that  takes  place 
steadily  as  the  route  runs  westward  from  Omaha  becomes  more  ap- 
parent in  this  area.  The  growing  season  here  is  short  but  conditions  are 
favorable  for  the  raising  of  winter  wheat.  Some  corn  is  also  grown.  Irri- 
gation is  carried  on  in  the  valley  to  a  limited  extent. 


80  The  Oregon  Trail 

Soapweed  grows  on  the  hillsides;  its  ivory,  bell-shaped  blossoms 
rise  above  the  green  spike  leaves  in  May  or  June.  Cactus  is  also  seen, 
and  occasionally  a  coyote;  but  prairie  dogs,  prairie  owls,  and  rattle- 
snakes are  not  found  in  the  numbers  that  once  existed  here. 

LODGEPOLE,  48.7  M.  (3,832  alt.,  436  pop.),  is  the  scene  of 
the  Cheyenne  County  Old  Settlers'  Reunion,  held  annually  on  Labor 
Day.  Such  events  are  held  in  many  western  towns,  though  their  original 
character  has  changed  because  the  great  majority  of  the  participants 
cannot  be  considered  old  settlers. 

Numerous  fossils  found  in  the  Ogallala  formation  of  this  area  indi- 
cate how  great  a  change  has  taken  place  in  its  physical  condition.  Sev- 
eral million  years  ago  this  high  arid  country  was  swampy  lowland 
harboring  now  extinct  animals  such  as  three-toed  horses  and  rhinoc- 
eroses. 

SIDNEY,  66.5  m.  (4,085  alt.,  3,306  pop.),  seat  of  Cheyenne 
County,  was  named  for  Sidney  Dillon,  New  York  agent  of  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.  The  town  is  surrounded  by  high  rolling  plains,  broken 
here  and  there  by  imposing  cliffs.  High  bluffs  on  the  north  protect  it 
from  winter  winds. 

The  town  grew  up  around  FORT  SIDNEY,  which  was  originally  a 
sub-post  of  Fort  Sedgwick  in  Colorado  and  was  called  Sidney  Barracks; 
in  1870  it  was  made  an  independent  post.  The  fort  was  built  for  the 
protection  of  the  railroad  workers  and  of  the  wagon  trains  passing 
through  the  area.  Near  the  highway  is  a  20-foot  grassy  mound  that 
formed  part  of  the  rifle  range.  A  small  hexagonal  structure,  built  of 
limestone,  that  was  the  Fort  Sidney  ammunition  storehouse,  is  now  part 
of  a  residence.  Two  old  barracks  are  now  used  as  dwellings.  A  large 
well-preserved  building  opposite  them  was  the  officers'  quarters.  A  stone 
structure  now  serving  as  a  sales  pavilion  and  barn  is  said  to  have  been 
the  stable.  The  post  was  abandoned  in  1894. 

Most  of  the  gold  prospectors  on  their  way  to  the  Black  Hills  in 
1876  bought  their  supplies  in  this  town,  which  was  the  nearest  rail- 
road point  to  the  New  Eldorado.  In  those  boom  days  the  dance  halls, 
gambling  houses,  and  saloons  seldom  closed  their  doors.  There  were 
23  saloons  in  one  block  at  the  time  when  approximately  1,500  people 
were  passing  through  daily.  The  town  boasted  of  introducing  the  all- 
night  theater  to  the  world. 

Gun  fights  were  daily  events  that  caused  little  excitement.  One  night 
during  a  dance  one  of  the  participants  was  shot  to  death;  someone 
propped  him  up  in  a  corner  and  the  dancers  continued  to  whirl  past 
his  feet.  Later  another  man  was  shot  and  his  body  was  placed  beside 
the  first.  It  was  not  until  the  third  corpse  joined  the  group  that  the 
party  came  to  an  end. 

Lynchings  were  also  common  and  the  townspeople  were  exceedingly 
critical  of  the  conduct  of  the  victims.  One  who  gained  approval  was 


Nebraska  81 

Charlie  Reed.  He  had  been  living  with  Mollie  Wardner.  One  day  in  the 
spring  of  1879  several  citizens,  among  them  Henry  Loomis,  were  walk- 
ing past  Mollie's  house;  Mollie  called  to  Loomis,  "Come  in,  darling, 
and  bring  your  friends  along."  Loomis,  feeling  that  she  had  betrayed 
her  position  as  Reed's  consort,  shouted  at  her  indignantly,  telling  her  to 
go  back  into  the  house;  he  then  apologized  for  speaking  in  such  man- 
ner to  a  lady.  Gossips  eagerly  carried  word  of  the  rebuke  to  Reed,  but 
apparently  neglected  to  clarify  the  cause  of  Loomis'  rebuke.  Reed  im- 
mediately hunted  up  Loomis  and  shot  him.  By  the  time  Loomis  had 
died,  after  acute  suffering,  public  opinion  against  Reed  had  mounted 
and  a  mob  went  to  the  jail  with  a  rope.  Reed  accepted  the  situation  and 

fenerously  confessed  that  he  had  previously  killed  five  other  men  in 
exas;  he  added,  however,  that  three  of  the  shootings  had  been  in  self- 
defense.  Western  Union  telegraph  poles  were  popular  hanging  trees  in 
the  treeless  country ;  as  Reed  was  taken  to  a  ladder  that  had  been  placed 
against  one  he  was  asked  whether  he  preferred  to  jump  from  the  ladder 
or  to  have  it  pulled  from  under  him.  "I'll  jump  off,  gentlemen,  and 
show  you  how  a  brave  man  can  die,"  he  said.  "Goodbye,  gentlemen, 
one  and  all."  His  body  was  cut  down  two  or  three  days  later  and  put 
in  Boot  Hill  Cemetery.  Reed's  reply  became  a  popular  exit  line  that 
was  used  later  by  others. 

There  is  a  legend  that,  during  the  peak  of  the  boom,  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.  would  not  allow  its  passengers  to  risk  their  lives  by  getting 
off  the  train  during  a  stop  here. 

Opposite  the  Union  Pacific  depot  is  the  UNION  PACIFIC  HOTEL, 
built  at  the  time  the  railroad  was  under  construction.  Near  it  is  a  frame 
building  that  was  a  FREIGHT  HOUSE,  erected  in  the  days  when  this  was 
the  distributing  point  to  the  forts  and  Indian  agencies  to  the  north. 

West  of  Sidney  the  highway  is  level  and  nearly  straight.  In  former 
days  railroad  passengers  welcomed  such  flat  stretches  of  country  not 
only  because  the  trains  crossing  them  moved  with  fewer  bounces  and 
jerks  and  there  was  less  danger  of  a  wreck,  but  also  because  there  was 
less  chance  of  a  train  robbery.  Such  robberies  were  almost  daily  events 
in  the  early  days  of  the  West.  The  hold-up  men  sometimes  wrecked 
trains  in  order  to  loot  the  mail  cars  and  rob  the  passengers,  but  more 
often  they  merely  flagged  them  at  night  in  lonely  spots  and  took  what 
they  wanted  at  the  point  of  a  gun.  Trains  carrying  large  quantities  of 
gold  to  the  mints  were  particularly  marked  for  attack. 

At  80.5  m.  is  POINT  OF  ROCKS  (R) ,  which  provides  a  good  view 
of  the  craggy  and  pine-dotted  country.  From  this  point  the  Indians  are 
said  to  have  rolled  rocks  down  on  Union  Pacific  trains.  Air  currents  in 
this  area  cause  trouble  for  planes  flying  between  North  Platte  and 
Cheyenne,  Wyo.  An  airplane  beacon  is  on  top  of  the  rock. 

POTTER,  85  m.  (4,389  alt.,  515  pop.),  was  named  for  a  General 
Potter  who  at  one  time  commanded  troops  in  western  Nebraska.  Nearby, 


82  The  Oregon  Trail 

LODGEPOLE  CREEK  disappears  underground  and  reappears  several 
miles  downstream. 

KIMBALL,  103.2  m.  (4,709  alt.,  1,711  pop.),  a  wheat-  and  potato- 
shipping  center,  was  the  southern  terminus  of  the  old  stage  route  that 
passed  through  the  Wild  Cat  Range  to  Gering  on  the  North  Platte  River. 

BUSHNELL,  115.2  m.   (4,871  alt.,  341  pop.),  was  named  for  a 
civil  engineer  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R. 
At  124.3  m.  is  the  Wyoming  Line. 


Wyoming 


Neb.  Line — Cheyenne — Laramie — Rawlins — Rock  Springs — Granger — 
Kemmerer— Idaho  Line;  459.4  m.  US  30  and  US  SON. 

Union  Pacific  R.R.  parallels  route  throughout.  Union  Pacific  Stages  and  Burlington 
Trailways  follow  route  between  Cheyenne  and  Granger. 

Oiled  roadbed,  occasionally  closed  for  brief  periods  during  severe  blizzards. 
Accommodations  chiefly  in  towns. 

US  30  in  Wyoming  runs  through  a  land  often  referred  to  as  "the 
last  frontier."  The  stages  that  in  the  first  months  followed  the  Oregon 
Trail  (see  ALTERNATE  ROUTE)  through  central  Wyoming  were  in 
1862  rerouted.  In  March,  1862,  the  Sioux,  Cheyenne,  and  Arapaho,  in 
a  united  movement,  had  attacked  all  the  stage  stations  between  the 
Platte  and  Bear  Rivers,  burning  many  and  capturing  every  horse  in  the 
service.  Stage  passengers  were  not  molested  in  this  period,  but  many 
were  left  stranded  in  the  coaches  from  which  the  horses  had  been  taken. 

By  the  middle  of  1862  the  coaches,  after  leaving  Julesburg  (see 
SECTION  4) ,  continued  to  follow  the  South  Platte  until  they  reached 
the  Cherokee  Trail ;  after  Overland  stages  were  transferred  to  this  route, 
it  was  called  Overland  Trail.  The  Cherokee  Trail  came  north  from  Fort 
Smith  on  the  Arkansas  River  and  in  Colorado  followed  Cherry  Creek 
to  the  point  where  it  emptied  into  the  South  Platte,  gradually  swinging 
northwestward  to  cross  Laramie  Plains  and  then  westward  to  round 
the  northern  flank  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains;  it  crossed  the  Divide 
through  Bridger  Pass. 

The  Cherokee  Trail  was  a  natural  route  well  known  to  trappers. 
It  received  its  name  because  the  first  large  groups  to  follow  it  were  the 
Cherokee  on  their  way  to  California  in  the  gold  rush  of  1849-50.  The 
remnants  of  this  intelligent  and  able  tribe  of  the  Southeast,  which  had 
attempted  to  adopt  white  men's  ways  and  forms  of  government,  set- 
ting themselves  up  as  an  autonomous  nation,  had  been  forced  out  of 
Georgia  after  the  discovery  of  gold  on  their  lands.  Even  though  the 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court  had  recognized  their  sovereign  autonomy,  Presi- 
dent Andrew  Jackson  in  1838  refused  to  restrain  white  land-grabbers 
and  permitted  the  natives  to  be  herded  west  by  military  force.  The 
Cherokee  were  segregated  in  the  territory  that  is  now  the  States  of 
Arkansas  and  Oklahoma. 

Section  5.  Nebraska  Line  to  Laramie,  92.4  m.  US  30. 

US  30  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line,  0  m.,  just  east  of  PINE  BLUFFS, 
0.7  m.  (5,047  alt.,  670  pop.),  whose  name  is  descriptive  of  its  sur- 
roundings. This  was  near  the  center  of  the  hunting  grounds  over  which 

83 


84  The  Oregon  Trail 

the  Arapaho,  Cheyenne,  Ute,  Sioux,  Blackfeet,  and  other  tribes  wan- 
dered. 

West  of  Pine  Bluffs  US  30  runs  through  semi-arid  rolling  plains 
and  short-grass  country.  In  this  vicinity  are  grown  seed  potatoes,  many 
carloads  of  which  are  shipped  annually,  particularly  into  Texas  and 
the  Southwest. 

At  ARCHER,  33.8  m.,  is  a  STATE  EXPERIMENT  FARM  (L)  that  spe- 
cializes in  dry  farming  and  in  growing  altitude  grains. 

CHEYENNE,  41.6  m.  (6,062  alt.,  17,361  pop.)  (see  WYO. 
GUIDE). 

Railroad  Stations.  Union  Pacific  R.R.,  15th  St.  and  Capitol  Ave. ;  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  R.R.  and  Colorado  &  Southern  R.R.,  Capitol  Ave.  between  15th 
and  16th  Sts. 

Accommodations.  Good  hotels. 

Points  of  Interest.  State  Capitol,  State  Supreme  Court  Building,  Fort  Francis 
E.  Warren,  Frontier  Park,  U.S.  Horticultural  Field  Station,  and  others. 

West  of  Cheyenne  US  30  rises  1,773  feet  in  31  miles  to  cross  the 
Laramie  Mountains.  Colorado  snow  peaks,  60  miles  away,  are  plainly 
visible  (L) ;  rugged  pine-topped  ridges  and  mountains  form  the  back- 
ground (R). 

GRANITE  CANYON,  60.5  m.  (7,315  alt.),  has  springs  of  excep- 
tionally pure  water. 

BUFORD,  68.8  m.  (7,862  alt.),  is  a  loading  point  for  Sherman 
granite,  used  for  railroad  construction  and  other  purposes. 

At  71.9  m.  (R)  is  an  old  PINE  TREE  growing  out  of  a  large  granite 
rock.  It  was  kept  alive  in  early  days  by  firemen  of  the  Union  Pacific 
R.R.,  who  drenched  the  tree  daily  with  a  bucket  of  water. 

At  73.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Tie  Siding  road. 

Left  on  this  dirt  road  to  the  AMES  MONUMENT,  1  m.,  built  in  1881-2  at  a 
cost  of  $80,000  to  honor  Oliver  and  Oakes  Ames,  promoters  who  played  a  large 
part  in  financing  the  construction  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  It  is  a  pyramid  60 
feet  square  at  its  base  and  60  feet  high,  surmounted  with  an  oval  cap.  In  the 
center  of  one  side  is  a  medallion  of  Oliver  Ames,  and  on  another  one  of  his 
brother.  The  monument  was  erected  about  six  hundred  feet  from  the  original  rail- 
road bed  and  marked  the  highest  elevation  (8,235  feet)  reached  by  the  Union 
Pacific  in  the  Laramie  Range.  The  Ames  brothers  were  the  manufacturers  of  Ames 
shovels,  the  most  popular  implements  of  their  kind  in  the  days  of  the  gold  rush. 
In  the  1860's  the  brothers  became  heavily  involved  in  the  financing  of  the  first 
railroad  to  the  West.  Oliver  was  later  involved  in  the  Credit  Mobilier  scandal,  and 
received  heavy  public  censure,  though  his  practices  differed  little  from  those  of 
other  railroad  financiers  of  his  day. 

Near  the  monument  is  a  small  graveyard,  the  sole  remnant  of  old  Sherman  Sta- 
tion, a  construction  terminus  and  military  camp  in  1868  during  the  building  of 
the  railroad. 


ARAPAHO  (c.  1868) 


F.  S.  A.  Rothstein 


GREEN  RIVER  VALLEY 


Wyoming  85 

Nearby  are  several  large  piles  of  granite.  Soon  after  the  monument  had  been 
completed,  some  of  these  stones  were  used  for  advertising  purposes;  inscriptions 
were  painted  on  them,  such  as  "Plantation  Bitters"  and  "S.T.  1860."  An  ambitious 
agent  of  one  patent  medicine  manufacturing  concern  contracted  with  a  Wyoming 
newspaper  correspondent  to  have  an  advertisement  put  across  the  face  of  the 
monument  itself.  When  the  job  was  done,  the  newspaper  man  was  to  furnish  the 
Associated  Press  with  a  story  severely  censuring  the  vandalism,  thus  insuring  the 
wide  distribution  of  an  advertisement  of  the  nostrum.  One  morning  the  whole 
country  read  of  the  disfigurement  of  the  monument.  The  newspapers  denounced 
the  so-called  outrage,  naming  the  patent  medicine  as  the  agent  had  planned.  But 
the  campaign  of  indignation  was  short-lived;  the  correspondent  had  not  had  the 
sign  painted,  reasoning  that  if  people  merely  read  that  it  had  been  done,  the  same 
result  would  be  achieved. 

The  monument  was  again  the  subject  of  publicity  when  a  Laramie  justice  of 
the  peace  named  Murphy  learned  that  the  monument  had  been  placed  on  public 
land  instead  of  on  railroad  property;  he  hastened  to  file  a  homestead  claim  on  the 
site,  then  notified  the  railroad  company  to  take  the  pile  of  stone  from  his  property. 
A  railroad  representative  tried  to  arrange  a  settlement  with  Murphy,  who  insisted 
that  the  company  remove  the  monument  or  pay  an  exorbitant  price  for  his  home- 
stead. An  agreement  was  eventually  reached  whereby  the  company  gave  the  "home- 
steader" several  lots  in  Laramie  in  exchange  for  his  claim  to  the  land. 

A  FOREST  SERVICE  SHELTER  HOUSE  (open  to  public),  74.7  m.  (R), 
is  equipped  to  render  aid  during  storms.  (Blizzards  frequent  in  this 
vicinity  October  to  April;  usually  come  very  suddenly;  seek  shelter 
at  once.) 

At  81.6  m.  the  highway  crosses  the  crest  of  the  Sherman  Range 
(8,835  alt.).  Near  the  highway  at  this  point  are  bridle  paths  and  a 
ski  course.  Near  Summit  Tavern  is  a  wooden  OBSERVATION  TOWER  main- 
tained by  the  Forest  Service;  it  is  on  the  summit  of  Crow  Creek  Hill 
(8,877  alt.)  in  the  Pole  Mountain  District  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Forest. 
The  tower  commands  a  view  of  the  Laramie  Plains  to  the  west,  and  of 
most  of  the  drainage  area  of  the  Cache  La  Poudre  River  in  Colorado. 

West  of  this  point  US  30  drops  quickly  down  the  western  slope  of 
the  range,  descending  about  1,670  feet  in  nine  miles.  (Steep  grade  and 
almost  blind  curves;  keep  cars  in  gear.)  The  highway  traverses  pic- 
turesque TELEPHONE  CANYON. 

KIWANIS  SPRING  is  at  86.3  m.,  where  drinking  water  can  be  ob- 
tained. 

In  early  autumn  this  canyon  and  the  upper  hillsides  in  the  Laramie 
Mountains  are  brilliant  with  the  gold  of  the  aspens,  which  stand  out 
against  the  dark  green  of  the  lodgepole  pines. 

Emerging  from  the  western  end  of  the  canyon,  the  highway  runs 
across  a  stretch  of  sagebrush-covered  land. 

LARAMIE,  92.4  m.  (7,165  alt.,  8,609  pop.),  seat  of  Albany 
County,  lies  at  the  eastern  edge  of  an  extensive  plateau  known  as  the 
Laramie  Plains.  It  is  an  outfitting  point  for  hunting  and  fishing  excur- 
sions into  the  nearby  mountains  and  valley,  and  a  trade  center  for 
cattle  and  sheep  ranches  and  oil  fields.  The  town  was  named  for  Jacques 


86  The  Oregon  Trail 

La  Ramee,  a  French-Canadian  free  trapper  who  in  the  early  1800's 
operated  in  the  territory  that  is  now  Wyoming.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
killed  by  Arapaho  Indians  in  1820  or  1821.  His  name  appears  fre- 
quently in  the  American  Fur  Company  correspondence. 

The  Indians  of  various  tribes  that  formerly  roamed  over  this  area 
left  many  artifacts  behind  them;  in  the  city  are  a  number  of  extensive 
private  collections  of  primitive  weapons  found  in  the  neighborhood. 

By  1866,  when  Ben  Holladay's  stages  were  running  over  the  Chero- 
kee Trail  on  fairly  regular  schedules,  increasing  numbers  of  emigrants 
followed  the  ruts  worn  by  the  swaying  vehicles,  and  a  military  post, 
Fort  Sanders,  was  established  not  far  south  of  this  point  for  the  pro- 
tection of  travelers. 

When,  early  in  1868,  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  tracks  were  nearing 
the  big  Laramie  River,  a  small  settlement  appeared  at  his  place,  the 
inhabitants  living  in  tents,  sheds,  and  shanties,  or  in  the  open. 

In  April  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  Company  began  the  sale  of  lots; 
within  a  week  more  than  four  hundred  were  sold  or  contracted  for. 
Ten  days  later  more  than  five  hundred  structures  had  been  erected; 
some  were  built  of  logs,  some  of  crossties  with  canvas  tops,  and  some 
of  rough  lumber. 

On  May  9  the  rails  were  laid  through  the  town.  The  next  day  the 
first  train  clanked  in  and  iron  rails,  crossties,  ploughs,  scrapers,  tents, 
lumber,  and  provisions  were  unloaded.  Peddlers  also  arrived  with  packs 
of  notions,  cooking  stoves,  crockery,  tinware,  and  liquor.  On  the  same 
train,  riding  on  flatcars  with  their  household  goods,  came  men,  women, 
and  children. 

Within  three  months  Laramie's  population  was  about  five  thousand. 
A  temporary  town  government  had  been  organized  in  May  and  a  mayor 
and  trustees  elected.  After  three  weeks,  however,  the  mayor  had  resigned 
and  the  rest  of  the  government  disintegrated,  leaving  the  inhabitants 
free  to  settle  their  difficulties  with  revolvers  and  knives.  By  August,  20 
law-and-order  citizens  had  formed  a  vigilance  committee,  which  within  a 
week  hanged  a  young  desperado  called  "The  Kid."  The  hanging  merely 
served  to  stimulate  the  ruffians  to  new  endeavors;  they  boasted  that  they 
would  run  the  town  to  suit  themselves.  Violence  increased  and  a  new 
vigilance  committee  with  three  or  four  hundred  members  was  formed. 
They  planned  a  complete  cleanup,  to  be  accomplished  by  simultaneous 
raids  on  all  the  notorious  hell-holes  and  by  the  hanging  of  the  leaders 
of  the  peace-breakers.  On  October  18,  1868,  the  members  of  the  squads 
began  to  gather,  one  by  one,  in  the  saloons  and  dance  halls  to  which 
they  had  been  assigned.  Unfortunately,  an  impatient  vigilante  in  the 
group  sent  to  care  for  a  dance  house  called  the  Belle  of  the  West  fired 
a  shot  prematurely;  the  alert  ruffians  immediately  grasped  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  presence  of  those  who  ordinarily  shunned  their  company. 
In  the  ensuing  affray  three  men — one  from  each  faction  and  a  neutral — 
were  killed  and  15  were  wounded.  Three  of  the  leading  ruffians  were 


Wyoming  87 

captured  and  immediately  hanged  from  telegraph  poles;  the  next  day 
Big  Steve,  another  badman,  received  the  same  treatment.  After  this 
affray  many  of  the  desperados  moved  on  to  other  places,  but  a  few 
allied  themselves  with  the  forces  that  wanted  order  and  became  blatant 
advocates  of  public  virtue. 

Out  of  the  vigilance  committee  was  evolved  another  local  govern- 
ment. Late  in  1868  the  Legislature  of  Dakota  Territory,  of  which  Wyo- 
ming was  then  a  part,  approved  a  charter  for  Laramie  and  appointed  a 
mayor.  But  the  first  legal  government  was  no  more  successful  than  its 
predecessors,  and  in  1869  the  legislative  assembly  of  the  new  Territory 
of  Wyoming  revoked  the  charter  and  placed  the  town  under  the  direct 
jurisdiction  of  the  Federal  Government.  Under  this  regime  order  was 
established.  On  December  10,  1869,  the  Wyoming  Territorial  Legisla- 
ture enacted  a  law  granting  suffrage  to  women,  and  in  March,  1870, 
the  first  jury  panel  in  the  Territory  containing  women  members  was 
drawn  here.  Many  important  newspapers  and  periodicals  of  the  day 
sent  correspondents  and  special  artists  to  cover  the  event.  Five  women 
served  on  the  grand  jury  and  six  on  the  petit.  The  latter  jury  convicted 
a  man  of  manslaughter. 

In  1873  Laramie  was  re-incorporated  under  an  act  of  the  Wyoming 
Territorial  Legislature.  The  town's  position  aided  its  development  from 
a  terminal  camp  to  a  trade  and  industrial  center  of  importance  in 
the  area.  Four  oil  fields  are  operated  within  a  radius  of  50  miles. 
Today  Laramie  is  a  city  having  many  comfortable  homes  and  attractive 
gardens. 

At  the  corner  of  3rd  and  Gar  field  Sts.  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  BOOM- 
ERANG PLANT,  now  occupied  by  a  warehouse.  The  office  of  this  news- 
paper, which  was  founded  in  1881  by  Bill  Nye,  was  in  the  former  hay- 
loft of  a  livery  stable;  at  the  first-floor  entrance  was  a  sign  with  the 
direction:  "Twist  the  Tail  of  the  Gray  Mule  and  Take  the  Elevator." 
Nye,  whose  given  names  were  Edgar  Wilson,  came  to  Laramie  in  1876 
and  opened  a  law  office.  In  the  course  of  his  life  in  this  town  he  served 
as  justice  of  the  peace,  superintendent  of  schools,  councilman,  editor 
of  the  Sentinel,  and  postmaster.  The  Boomerang  was  founded  as  an 
organ  of  the  Republican  Party  in  the  State,  but  it  soon  became  na- 
tionally known  because  of  Nye's  brand  of  humor.  In  time  Nye  went  to 
work  on  the  New  York  World  and  later  formed  a  lecture  and  writing 
team  with  James  Whitcomb  Riley.  In  1886  the  two  men  produced  Nye 
and  Riley's  Railway  Guide.  The  authors  announced :  "What  this  country 
needs  is  a  railway  guide  which  shall  not  be  cursed  by  a  plethora  of 
facts  or  poisoned  with  information.  In  other  railway  guides  pleasing 
fancy,  poesy,  and  literary  beauty  have  been  throttled  at  the  very  thresh- 
old by  a  wild  incontinence  of  facts,  figures,  and  references  to  meal  sta- 
tions. For  this  reason  a  guide  has  been  built  at  our  own  shops  and 
on  a  new  plan.  It  will  not  permit  information  to  creep  in  and  mar  the 
reader's  enjoyment  of  the  scenery." 


88  The  Oregon  Trail 

The  UNIVERSITY  OF  WYOMING  occupies  a  96-acre  landscaped  campus 
on  a  rolling  hill  in  the  northeastern  section  of  town.  It  is  the  only  insti- 
tution of  higher  learning  in  the  State;  all  colleges  are  on  this  campus. 
The  university,  coeducational  from  the  beginning,  was  established  in 
1887,  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Col.  Stephen  W.  Downey,  a  Laramie 
attorney.  (See  also  WYOMING  GUIDE.) 

Section  6.  Laramie  to  Rawlins,  117.2  m.  US  30. 

US  30  runs  almost  due  north  from  LARAMIE,  0  m.  Near  the  city 
limits  is  an  excellent  view  of  the  surrounding  country,  with  snow- 
capped Medicine  Bow  Peak  (see  above)  in  the  Snowy  Range  30  miles 
distant  (L),  Corner  Mountain  to  the  north,  and  Sheep  Mountain  to  the 
south.  Pine-covered  PILOT  KNOB  tips  the  Laramie  Mountains,  just 
east  of  the  city.  It  was  a  landmark  for  those  crossing  the  Laramie  Plains 
in  the  days  of  migration  on  the  Cherokee  and  Overland  Trails.  In  sum- 
mer the  fields  north  of  Laramie  are  red  with  loco  weed  and,  in  spots, 
blue  with  lupine. 

BOSLER,  19.2  m.  (7,074  alt.,  75  pop.),  on  the  Laramie  Plains, 
bears  the  name  of  a  ranchman  who  formerly  owned  the  Diamond  Ranch 
(R).  The  ranch  was  for  some  time  the  headquarters  of  Tom  Horn, 
who  was  hanged  in  Cheyenne  in  1903,  charged  with  the  killing  of  little 
Willie  Nickell  near  Iron  Mountain,  Wyo.  Horn,  one  of  Bosler's  range 
riders,  was  alleged  to  have  shot  the  Nickell  boy  and  to  have  wounded 
the  boy's  father  during  a  range  war  between  the  cattlemen  and  sheep- 
men. It  was  believed  that  Horn  was  paid  by  some  of  the  big  cattlemen 
to  keep  the  range  clear  of  sheepmen. 

US  30  crosses  the  Laramie  River  at  Bosler  and  swings  northwest 
past  Cooper  Lake  (L) . 

At  ROCK  CREEK,  37  m.,  in  1865  Indians  attacked  a  camp  occu- 
pied by  members  of  a  train  of  75  wagons  with  which  an  English  family 
named  Fletcher  was  traveling.  The  Fletchers  were  camped  on  the  banks 
of  the  stream  a  short  distance  from  the  main  party;  the  Indians  killed 
the  mother  and  wounded  the  father.  The  two  daughters,  Mary,  13,  and 
Lizzie,  2,  were  captured  by  the  Indians,  while  the  three  sons  escaped. 
Mary,  who  had  been  wounded  by  several  arrows,  saw  an  Indian  seize 
Lizzie  and  ride  off  with  her.  Mary  was  carried  off  to  the  mountains, 
where  the  squaws  were  waiting;  from  the  Indian  camp  she  watched  the 
burning  of  the  wagons  in  the  valley  below.  The  girl  was  given  Indian 
garments  and,  like  other  prisoners,  had  to  care  for  ponies  and  gather 
firewood  for  the  squaws  of  her  captors. 

In  the  spring  of  1866  the  band  came  to  a  white  trading  camp  in 
charge  of  a  man  named  Hanger.  Despite  the  fact  that  she  had  been 
ordered  to  keep  out  of  sight  of  white  men,  Mary  Fletcher  walked  into 
Hanger's  tent  and  asked  in  English  if  he  had  any  soap.  An  Indian  who 


Wyoming  89 

overheard  her  knocked  her  to  the  floor  and  carried  her  away;  but  the 
squaws,  who  were  jealous  of  her,  aided  her  in  communicating  with 
Hanger.  He  gave  the  Indians  a  large  amount  of  cash,  a  good  horse,  and 
a  gun  to  obtain  her  release  and  placed  her  in  the  charge  of  an  Indian 
agent  who  took  her  to  Fort  Laramie.  She  was  soon  sent  to  friends  in 
Illinois.  In  later  years,  while  on  a  trip  to  Salt  Lake  City,  she  found  her 
father,  who  had  recovered  from  his  wounds. 

Thirty-five  years  after  the  Rock  Creek  raid,  some  Indians  from  the 
Wind  River  Reservation  came  to  Casper,  Wyo.  With  them  was  a  white 
woman  wearing  Indian  garb,  and  speaking  only  the  Arapaho  language. 
She  attracted  the  attention  of  some  Casper  citizens,  who  learned  from 
the  reservation  authorities  that  the  woman  had  been  captured  by  Indians 
when  she  was  two  years  old,  and  was  married  to  John  Brokenhorn,  an 
Arapaho.  This  story,  published  in  a  Casper  newspaper,  came  to  the 
attention  of  Mary  Fletcher,  who  went  to  the  Arapaho  reservation  and 
identified  Mrs.  Brokenhorn  as  her  sister;  the  white  woman  refused  to 
leave  her  Indian  home. 

Over  the  railroad  tracks,  (L)  north  of  Rock  Creek,  are  large  con- 
crete snow  sheds  that  were  erected  by  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  after  a 
severe  blizzard  in  1916  had  tied  up  overland  trains  at  this  point  for 
several  days. 

ROCK  RIVER,  39.2  m.  (6,892  alt.,  260  pop.),  is  a  livestock-ship- 
ping  point  and  a  trade  center  for  many  ranches.  Here  in  1916  two  cow- 
boys, while  excavating  a  caved-in  cellarway  on  property  owned  by  a 
man  named  Taylor,  unearthed  glass  jars  containing  several  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  old  gold  coins.  Taylor  claimed  the  money  and  recov- 
ered it  through  legal  proceedings  that  were  carried  to  the  Wyoming 
Supreme  Court.  According  to  one  theory,  the  money  had  been  hidden 
in  the  cellar  by  an  innkeeper  who  had  occupied  the  place  and  who 
was  not  seen  after  he  was  reported  to  have  left  for  a  visit  to  his  home- 
land, Germany.  Another  theory  was  that  the  coins  were  loot  from  a 
stagecoach  robbery. 

At  42  m.  (L)  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  WILCOX  ROBBERY  of  a  Union 
Pacific  train.  On  June  2,  1899,  two  men  flagged  an  express  train,  pointed 
revolvers  at  the  engineer,  and  ordered  him  to  take  the  train  across  the 
bridge  beyond  Wilcox  and  stop.  The  men  blew  up  the  bridge  with 
dynamite  in  order  to  prevent  the  arrival  of  the  second  section  of  the 
train,  which  was  due  in  10  minutes.  They  then  forced  the  engineer  to 
run  the  train  two  miles  farther  west,  where  they  looted  the  cars,  blew 
open  the  express  safe,  and  escaped  with  $60,000  in  unsigned  bank  notes. 
More  than  a  hundred  pounds  of  dynamite  were  found  near  the  scene 
on  the  following  day.  Though  pursued  by  a  posse,  the  robbers  made 
their  escape  on  horseback  into  Montana.  "Flat  Nose  George"  Currie 
was  supposed  to  have  been  responsible  for  the  crime. 

West  of  Rock  River  US  30  runs  through  rolling,  short-grass  coun- 


90  The  Oregon  Trail 

try  where  great  herds  of  buffalo  once  roamed.  Some  of  the  old  buffalo 
wallows  can  be  seen  from  the  highway. 

At  COMO  BLUFFS,  52.2  m.,  is  the  CREATION  MUSEUM,  in  a  store. 
Many  fossils  and  relics  are  on  display. 

Right  from  Como  Bluffs  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  COMO  BLUFFS  FOSSIL  BEDS  in 
the  bluffs,  1.3  m.,  from  which  in  1877  -was  taken  the  first  complete  dinosaur 
skeleton;  two  others  were  discovered  in  Colorado  the  same  year.  The  largest  her- 
bivorous dinosaur  skeleton  found  here  was,  when  assembled,  70  feet  long.  Four- 
teen complete  skeletons  have  been  recovered  here  since  1880;  they  have  been  sent 
to  the  leading  natural  history  museums  of  the  world. 

MEDICINE  BOW,  58.1  m.  (6,563  alt.,  264  pop.),  provided  the 
experiences  that  enabled  Owen  Wister  to  write  The  Virginian.  Wister 
had  ridden  the  range  with  the  Two  Bar  outfit  at  one  time.  The  first 
scene  in  the  book  was  laid  in  Medicine  Bow;  here  the  narrator  stepped 
off  the  train  and  was  met  by  the  Virginian.  Later  in  the  day  he  wit- 
nessed the  first  clash  between  the  Virginian  and  Trampas,  when  during 
a  card  game  Trampas  called  the  Southerner  a  name  that,  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  day,  was  omitted  from  the  book,  but  which  caused  the 
spectators  to  look  anxiously  for  cover.  The  Virginian  stared  at  his 
enemy  for  a  moment  and  then  drawled,  "When  you  call  me  that, 
smile,"  a  remark  that  entered  the  popular  speech  during  the  days  of 
the  book's  great  popularity. 

The  town  has  grown  little  since  the  days  when  Wister  knew  it  but 
local  life  is  now  quieter. 

1.  Right  from  Medicine  Bow  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  PETRIFIED  FOREST, 
30  m.,  covering  2,560  acres  and  judged  by  scientists  to  be  50  million  years  old. 

2.  Right  from  Medicine  Bow  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  EPSOM  SALT  BEDS, 
11  m.,  one  of  the  natural  wonders  of  the  State. 

West  of  Medicine  Bow  US  30  runs  through  country  occasionally 
dotted  with  bands  of  sheep  and  sheepherders'  wagons. 

HANNA,  78.2  m.  (6,777  alt.,  1,500  pop.),  is  owned  by  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.,  for  which  it  supplies  coal.  The  coal  deposits  of  the  area, 
discovered  by  Fremont  in  1843,  were  a  decisive  factor  in  determining 
the  course  of  the  railroad  in  this  area;  early  plans  routed  the  railroad 
along  the  Oregon  Trail.  The  coal  is  sub-bituminous  and  burns  so  freely 
that  locomotives  using  it  throw  out  cinders  that  have  frequently  set 
the  grass  of  the  plains  on  fire. 

Many  fossils,  including  the  bones  of  dinosaurs,  are  found  in  the 
rocks  west  of  Hanna;  they  belonged  to  the  last  of  the  species. 

Left  from  Hanna  on  a  partly  graveled  road  to  the  town  of  ELK  MOUNTAIN, 
17  m.  (7,100  alt.,  54  pop.),  on  the  Medicine  Bow  River.  The  town  is  picturesquely 


Wyoming  91 

situated  at  the  base  of  ELK  MOUNTAIN  (11,162  alt.),  a  landmark  of  the  covered- 
wagon  days.  What  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  band  of  sheep  brought  into 
Wyoming  was  trailed  from  California  to  the  Sederlin  ranch  south  of  the  town. 

a.  Right  from  Elk  Mountain  6  m.  on  an  improved  dirt  road  to  the  Quealey 
ranch,  the  SITE  OF  FORT  HALLECK,  established  in  July  1862;   it  was  named  for 
Maj.  Gen.  Henry  W.  Halleck,  who  was  appointed  commander  of  the  Missouri 
Department  of  the  U.  S.  Army  in  1861  and  became  General  in  Chief  in  1862. 
The  post  was  a  stage  and  express  station  of  the  Overland  stages.  It  was  situated 
at  a  strategic  point  and  consisted  of  several  substantial  buildings.  The  post  was 
constructed  when  the  mail  route  was  transferred  (see  Section  5).  Escorts  were  fur- 
nished from  the  fort  for  the  surveyors  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  route.  In  February 
1864,  the  post  store  was  turned  into  a  hospital  to  care  for  a  party  of  28  soldiers 
who  had  been  caught  in  one  of  the  worst  blizzards  of  the  area's  early  history. 
Two  of  the  men  died,  and  many  of  them  had  frozen  hands  and  feet. 

b.  Left  from  Elk  Mountain  about  1  m.  on  a  rough  road  to  a  point  near  the 
CABIN   OF  JOHN   SUBLETTE,  an  early  settler  believed   by   some  to   have   been  a 
nephew  of  William  L.  Sublette.  Hand-made  furniture  and  other  old  relics  remain 
in  the  cabin.  (Specific  directions  for  reaching  cabin  obtainable  in  Elk  Mountain.) 

At  87  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  DANA,  0.5  m.,  a  small  station  on  the  Union  Pacific  R.R., 
near  which  in  1934  an  attempt  was  made,  by  an  ex-convict  named  Lovett,  to  rob 
the  Portland  Rose  Overland  Limited.  Lovett  succeeded  in  derailing  the  locomotive, 
a  baggage  car,  and  one  coach;  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  coach  was  filled 
with  marines,  who  swarmed  outside  as  soon  as  the  wreck  occurred,  he  beat  a  hasty 
retreat  without  robbing  the  passengers.  The  fireman  on  the  train,  who  was  almost 
totally  buried  under  the  coal,  was  quickly  extricated  by  passengers.  Lovett  was 
subsequently  captured. 

At  102.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  FORT  FRED  STEELE,  1  m.  (6,480  alt.,  139  pop.),  a 
village  that  bears  the  name  of  a  military  post  established  during  the  construction 
of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  The  post  was  occupied  from  June  20,  1868,  to  August 
7,  1886.  On  Sept.  14,  1879,  Major  Thomas  F.  Thornburg  led  a  party  from  the  post 
to  rescue  Nathan  C.  Meeker,  Indian  agent  for  the  White  River  Utes  in  north- 
western Colorado.  When  within  about  24  miles  of  the  agency  the  relief  party 
was  attacked  by  Indians;  Major  Thornburg  and  12  of  his  men  were  killed  and  47 
others  were  wounded.  The  Utes  set  fire  to  the  brush  along  Milk  River,  and  de- 
stroyed all  supply  wagons.  A  scout,  Joe  Rankin,  escaped,  crawled  through  ravines, 
and,  obtaining  a  horse,  carried  the  news  of  the  disaster  to  Rawlins;  he  made  the 
164-mile  trip  in  24  hours.  More  troops  were  sent  but  meanwhile  Meeker  had  been 
killed,  and  the  women  and  children  from  the  agency  had  been  carried  off  by  the 
Indians. 

Here  US  30  again  crosses  the  North  Platte  River  and  continues 
across  rolling  plains. 

At  107.9  m.  (R)  is  the  SITE  OF  BENTON,  perhaps  the  most  no- 
torious mushroom  town  that  sprang  up  during  the  construction  of  the 
Union  Pacific.  It  was  the  first  terminus  established  west  of  Laramie; 
within  two  weeks  the  place  was  occupied  by  about  three  thousand  peo- 


92  The  Oregon  Trail 

pie.  According  to  Beadle's  Undeveloped  West:  "There  were  regular 
squares  arranged  into  five  yards,  a  city  government  of  mayor  and  alder- 
man, a  daily  paper,  and  a  volume  of  ordinances  for  the  public  health. 
It  was  the  end  of  the  freight  and  passenger,  and  the  beginning  of  the 
construction  division;  twice  every  day  immense  trains  arrived  and  de- 
parted, and  stages  left  for  Utah,  Montana,  and  Idaho;  all  the  goods 
formerly  hauled  across  the  plains  came  here  by  rail  and  were  reshipped, 
and  for  ten  hours  daily  the  streets  were  filled  with  Indians,  gamblers, 
'Cappers',  and  saloon  keepers,  merchants,  miners,  and  mulewhackers. 
The  streets  were  eight  inches  deep  in  white  dust  as  I  entered  the  city 
of  canvas  tents  and  polehouses ;  the  suburbs  appeared  as  banks  of  dirty 
white  lime,  and  a  new  arrival  with  black  clothes  looked  like  nothing 
so  much  as  a  cockroach  struggling  through  a  flour  barrel.  The  great 
institution  of  Benton  was  the  'Big  Tent',  sometimes  called  the  'Gamblers' 
Tent.  This  structure  was  a  nice  frame  building  100  feet  long  and  40 
feet  wide,  covered  with  canvas  and  conveniently  floored  for  dancing, 
to  which  and  gambling  it  was  entirely  devoted.  It  was  moved  succes- 
sively to  all  the  mushroom  terminus  cities." 

PARCO,  110.9  m.  (6,592  alt.,  727  pop.),  is  variously  known  as 
"the  million-dollar  town"  and  as  "an  oasis  in  the  desert."  It  is  com- 
pletely modern  from  its  waterworks  to  its  80-room  Spanish-type  hotel, 
which  occupies  an  entire  block.  The  principal  buildings  of  the  town  are 
grouped  around  three  sides  of  a  large  expanse  of  lawn,  the  plaza. 

RAWLINS,  117.2  m.  (6,755  alt.,  4,868  pop.),  seat  of  Carbon 
County,  is  a  distribution  and  supply  point  for  operators  of  sheep 
ranches,  oil  fields,  coal  mines,  and  lime  and  stone  quarries.  "Rawlins 
Red"  paint,  whose  basic  ingredient  is  a  natural  pigment  found  in  the 
nearby  hills,  is  manufactured  here.  The  product  is  used  particularly 
for  painting  roofs.  In  1874  a  carload  of  the  product  was  shipped  east 
for  use  on  Brooklyn  Bridge,  then  under  construction. 

Gen.  John  A.  Rawlins,  for  whom  the  town  was  named,  served  with 
distinction  during  the  Civil  War  and  became  Secretary  of  War  in  1869, 
but  died  shortly  afterward.  The  town  came  into  existence  with  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  because  the  site  had  an  excellent  spring, 
a  rarity  in  this  arid  region. 

The  usual  tent  town  sprang  up  here;  in  the  wake  of  the  construc- 
tion workers,,  and  the  settlers  who  hoped  to  profit  by  serving  them, 
came  the  gamblers  and  badmen.  Crimes  of  the  neighborhood  received 
a  large  amount  of  publicity.  In  June,  1880,  George  Parrott — "Big  Nose 
George" — and  Charlie  Burris — "Dutch  Charley" — with  two  other  men 
attempted  to  derail  a  westbound  Union  Pacific  pay  car  by  drawing 
spikes  that  held  some  of  the  rails  in  place.  A  passing  section  boss  no- 
ticed the  loose  rails,  flagged  the  train,  and  then  notified  the  sheriff's 
office.  A  posse,  headed  by  Tip  Vincent  and  Ed  Widowfield,  was  quickly 
formed.  The  leaders  became  separated  from  the  other  men  but  found 


Wyoming  93 

the  trail  of  the  bandits  and  followed  it  to  a  grove  of  willows,  where 
they  discovered  a  campfire.  While  testing  the  ashes  to  find  whether 
they  were  still  warm,  both  men  were  killed  from  ambush  by  the  ban- 
dits, who  seized  the  mounts  of  the  officers  and  fled  farther  into  the  hills. 

Four  months  later  word  was  received  from  Miles  City,  Mont.,  that 
the  robbers  had  been  arrested  on  charges  of  murder  and  robbery  in 
that  State.  "Big  Nose,"  while  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  boasted  of 
his  Wyoming  escape,  and  he  and  "Dutch  Charley"  were  turned  over 
to  Wyoming  authorities.  The  latter  was  taken  off  a  train  at  Carbon  by 
a  group  of  local  citizens  and  hanged  to  a  telegraph  pole. 

"Big  Nose  George"  was  tried  here  and  sentenced  to  death  by  hang- 
ing. Because  of  his  desperate  character  his  legs  were  shackled  at  all 
times.  One  day,  however,  he  managed  to  file  through  one  of  the  shackle 
bolts  with  a  knife,  and  that  evening  used  the  shackles  to  fell  the  jailer. 
The  jailer's  wife  closed  the  door  on  the  bandit  and  gave  alarm. 

Before  midnight  a  mob  formed  and  took  "Big  Nose  George"  from 
the  jail.  The  bandit  was  made  to  climb  upon  a  big  box  beside  a  tele- 
graph pole  with  a  rope  around  his  neck;  when  he  would  not  jump, 
the  box  was  kicked  from  under  him,  but  the  fall  broke  the  rope.  An- 
other noose  was  applied  and  this  time  the  bandit  was  ordered  to  climb 
a  ladder;  when  he  reached  the  top  he  wrapped  his  arms  around  the 
telegraph  pole  and  hung  on  until  he  dropped  in  exhaustion.  Dr.  John 
E.  Osborne,  later  Governor  of  Wyoming,  officially  pronounced  him 
dead,  and  was  permitted  to  retain  patches  of  hide  from  George's  body, 
which  he  had  made  into  a  pair  of  shoes.  The  Rawlins  city  records  re- 
veal that  24  ruffians  were  notified  that  night  to  leave  town  within  a  day 
if  they  did  not  want  the  same  treatment.  The  next  day  the  railroad  agent 
reported  that  24  tickets  had  been  sold  for  the  morning  train  west. 

Owing  to  the  presence  of  Rawlins  Spring,  the  first  settlements  were 
made  on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad  tracks.  Within  a  year,  however, 
many  people  were  living  on  the  north  side,  where  most  of  the  city 
stands  today. 

The  STATE  PENITENTIARY,  on  the  northern  side  of  town,  has  land- 
scaped grounds.  Inmates  of  the  institution  formerly  made  brooms  and 
shirts;  they  now  manufacture  woolen  goods,  including  blankets,  from 
wool  produced  on  the  surrounding  ranches.  The  penitentiary  has  a 
lethal  gas  chamber  for  administration  of  the  death  penalty;  the  system 
was  adopted  by  the  legislature  in  1936. 

US  287  (R)  leads  north  from  Granger  to  a  junction  with  the  un- 
numbered dirt  road  running  through  South  Pass  (see  ALTERNATE 
ROUTE). 

Section  7.  Rawlins  to  Idaho  Line,  249.8  m.  to  US  30  and  US  SON. 

West  of  RAWLINS,  0  m.,  US  30  runs  slightly  southwest  and  climbs 
to  CRESTON,  26.5  m.  (7,178  alt.),  on  the  Continental  Divide.  The 


94  The  Oregon  Trail 

approach  to  the  Divide  is  so  gradual  that  it  is  difficult  to  recognize 
the  highest  point.  For  approximately  a  hundred  miles  west  of  Rawlins, 
US  30  runs  through  barren  and,  for  the  most  part,  uninhabited  coun- 
try. (Few  filling  stations  or  other  facilities  available  along  this  part 
of  route.)  Bridger  Pass,  used  by  the  Overland  Stages  after  1862,  is 
about  25  miles  southwest  of  Creston. 

Left  from  Creston  on  State  87,  which  has  an  oiled  gravel  roadbed  and  runs 
due  south  through  a  land  of  sagebrush  and  cactus.  BAGGS,  51  m.  (6,245  alt., 
192  pop.),  named  for  Maggie  Baggs,  an  early  settler  in  the  valley,  is  on  the  banks 
of  the  Little  Snake  River  near  the  Colorado  Line. 

Owing  to  its  isolated  position,  Baggs,  during  the  1880's  and  1890's,  was  a 
favorite  rendezvous  and  hide-out  for  badmen  of  every  description — train  and  stage 
robbers,  horse  thieves,  bank  robbers,  and  killers. 

The  notorious  Powder  Springs  gang  of  outlaws,  led  by  Butch  Cassidy,  came  to 
the  town  to  celebrate  successful  hold-ups  in  surrounding  States.  Their  biggest  haul, 
about  $35,000  in  gold  taken  in  Winnemucca,  Nev.,  caused  a  celebration  lasting 
several  days.  The  inhabitants,  while  not  terrorized  by  the  outlaws,  nevertheless 
experienced  considerable  uneasiness  until  the  event  was  over.  Baggs,  like  other 
Snake  River  towns  of  the  area,  profited  by  the  celebrations  because  the  gang,  even 
when  engaged  in  amusing  itself,  took  no  unnecessary  risks,  including  that  of  wear- 
ing out  its  welcome  in  the  towns  where  it  loafed.  On  reaching  Baggs,  the  leaders 
would  appoint  one  man  to  care  for  the  horses  and  to  keep  them  ready  for  a 
quick  get-away,  if  that  should  be  necessary;  another  would  guard  the  arms  and 
ammunition,  which  was  stacked  in  an  orderly  fashion.  The  leaders  took  turns  in 
remaining  sober  during  the  spree  in  order  to  prevent  excesses  that  might  cause 
innocent  bystanders  to  suffer.  And  it  was  a  rule  that  ample  compensation  must 
be  made  to  the  owners  of  local  property  destroyed  by  accident. 

Powder  Springs,  the  gang  headquarters,  was  on  a  mountain  side  about  40  miles 
to  the  west.  Cassidy  and  Longabaugh  in  time  fled  to  South  America,  where  they 
are  said  to  have  been  killed  after  a  pack-train  robbery. 

Visible  west  of  Creston  is  the  RED  DESERT,  where  the  colorings 
change  hourly  with  the  light.  Although  the  desert  seems  barren  and 
worthless,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  sheep  are  wintered  here  annually. 

WAMSUTTER,  40.5  m.  (6,709  alt.,  150  pop.),  ships  large  amounts 
of  wool  and  has  extensive  shearing  jugs  (pens). 

North  of  the  highway,  for  nearly  a  hundred  miles,  is  a  great  stretch 
of  sand  dunes,  many  of  them  a  hundred  feet  high.  They  shift  constantly 
with  the  prevailing  winds  in  a  direction  a  little  north  of  east.  Mirages 
are  frequent.  The  region  has  great  beauty  in  spite  of  its  barrenness; 
every  shade  of  red  is  here — russet,  brick,  vermilion — in  addition  to 
grays,  browns,  greens,  and  purples.  Late  in  the  afternoon  the  landscape 
is  bathed  in  a  purple  haze. 

Left  from  Wamsutter  on  a  dirt  road  (guides  advisable)  to  weird,  eroded  for- 
mations of  gumbo  clay  called  ADOBE  TOWNS,  30  m. 

On  the  desert  west  of  Wamsutter  are  still  many  traces  of  the  early 


Wyoming  95 

trails.  Occasionally  remnants  of  wagons,  human  and  animal  skeletons, 
Indian  artifacts,  and  the  like  are  found. 

POINT  OF  ROCKS,  84.6  m.  (6,509  alt.),  is  a  ghost  town  named 
for  the  rocks  that  rise  1,100  feet  above  the  railroad  tracks.  In  the  vicin- 
ity are  sulphur  springs.  In  the  1870's  Point  of  Rocks  was  the  nearest 
railroad  station  to  the  South  Pass  and  Sweetwater  districts,  and  was 
an  outfitting  station  for  the  mines.  In  1870  a  daily  stage,  mail,  and 
express  line  operated  between  here  and  a  point  near  the  eastern  end 
of  South  Pass.  The  Wells  Fargo  Overland  Express  Company  maintained 
offices  at  the  station  and  carried  on  a  large  business.  The  buildings, 
chiefly  adobe,  stood  until  the  late  1880's. 

1.  Left  from  Point  of  Rocks,  25  m.,  on  a  dim,  unimproved  trail  to  the  SITE 
OF  THE  BARREL  SPRINGS  STAGE  STATION  of  1862.  The  trail  that  carried  the  Over- 
land  Stage  dipped  slightly  south  in  the  area  because  of  the  springs. 

Beadle  wrote  of  the  region:  "For  sixty  miles  on  Bitter  Creek,  Wyoming,  the 
soil  is  a  mass  of  clay,  or  sand,  and  alkali — a  horrible  and  irreclaimable  desert 
which  has  made  the  place  a  byword.  ...  On  the  stage  routes  across  such  tracts 
the  animals  labor  through  a  cloud  of  dust  and  the  coach  drags  heavily,  the  wheels 
often  causing  a  disagreeable  cry  in  the  sand  and  soda,  while  the  passengers  endure 
as  best  they  can  the  irritation  to  eye  and  nostril,  and  the  slime  formed  upon  the 
person  by  dust  and  sweat.  This  penetrating  alkaline  dust  sifts  in  at  the  smallest 
crevice,  and  even  the  clothing  in  a  close  valise  is  often  covered  with  it."  A  popular 
local  phrase  describing  such  desert  areas  was:  "A  jack  rabbit  can't  cross  it  without 
a  haversack,  while  an  immigrant  crow  sheds  tears  at  the  sight." 

2.  Right  from  Point  of  Rocks  on  a  trail  that  nearly  parallels  US  30  to  the 
REMAINS  OF  THE  ALMOND  STAGE  STATION,  4  m. 

3.  Right  from  Point  of  Rocks  on  a  dirt  road  (sometimes  impassable;  carry 
ropes)  that  leads  to  large  SAND  DUNES,  30  m. 

ROCK  SPRINGS,  110.6  m.  (6,271  alt.,  8,440  pop.),  is  the  railroad 
station  and  United  Airline  stop  nearest  to  the  Jackson  Hole  recreational 
region  (planes  to  area  available  at  municipal  airport).  It  is  also  an 
outfitting  point  for  big-game  hunting  and  fishing  expeditions. 

The  Rock  Springs,  for  which  the  town  is  named,  were  discovered  by 
a  Pony  Express  rider  while  making  a  wide  detour  to  avoid  a  band  of 
Indians.  The  water,  which  is  impregnated  with  minerals,  comes  from  a 
rock  at  what  is  now  known  as  No.  6  mine,  just  northwest  of  the  town. 
There  are  few  sources  of  potable  drinking  water  between  Rawlins  and 
Green  River.  An  Overland  Stage  station  was  established  northwest  of 
the  place  and  in  1866  Archie  and  Duncan  Blair,  the  founders  of  the 
town,  built  a  rock  bridge  and  a  stone  cabin  opposite  the  stage  station 
for  the  accommodation  of  travelers  and  emigrants.  The  REMAINS  OF  THE 
BLAIRS'  TRADING  POST,  which  was  surrounded  by  a  stockade,  still  stand. 
Becky  Thomas,  the  station  master  here,  charged  10  cents  a  head  for 
watering  horses,  and  the  Blairs  served  venison  steak  and  coffee  to  hun- 
gry travelers.  Back  of  the  station  is  a  great  rock  that  was  the  usual 
emigrant  register. 


96  The  Oregon  Trail 

The  first  settlers  built  their  shacks  in  whatever  spots  suited  their 
fancy  and' the  early  town  looked  as  though  it  had  been  scattered  from 
a  pepperbox.  Though  the  original  lack  of  design  has  been  corrected 
the  town  is  still  picturesque,  with  Parisian  bakeries,  Greek  candy  shops, 
and  Jewish  markets  to  emphasize  its  international  character. 

Rock  Springs  is  primarily  a  coal-mining  town.  Most  of  the  males 
in  the  population,  which  is  made  up  of  people  of  47  nationalities,  work 
in  the  mines;  these  have  been  owned  and  operated  by  the  Union  Pacific 
R.R.  since  1868. 

The  valuable  coal  beds  of  Wyoming  were  the  cause  of  considerable 
scandal  between  1903  and  1906  because  of  collusion  between  railroad 
agents,  General  Land  Office  agents,  and  local  officials  to  turn  over  pub- 
lic lands  rich  in  coal  to  the  railroad  corporations. 

As  the  result  of  a  miners'  strike  in  1875,  Chinese  workmen  were 
brought  into  the  area.  In  10  years  Chinatown  contained  ten  or  twelve 
hundred  people,  chiefly  men,  and  was  much  larger  than  the  white  set- 
tlement. At  this  time  San  Francisco  had  become  a  center  of  anti-Chinese 
agitation,  which  spread  throughout  the  West  wherever  the  Chinese  of- 
fered labor  and  business  competition  because  of  their  willingness  to 
accept  wages  lower  than  those  demanded  by  the  whites.  In  1885  a  mob 
of  white  miners  attacked  the  Chinese  here,  burned  their  buildings,  in- 
cluding a  large  clubhouse,  killed  30,  and  attempted  to  drive  them  all 
out  of  the  area.  A  detachment  of  troops,  rushed  in  to  preserve  order, 
remained  here  for  some  time.  Chinatown  was  later  rebuilt  and  the  Chi- 
nese Government  called  on  the  U.  S.  Government  to  pay  indemnities 
to  the  relatives  of  those  killed  in  the  riot. 

About  1886  two  old  prospectors  "salted"  some  nearby  sagebrush 
country  with  rough  diamonds.  They  interested  a  group  of  financiers  in 
the  property,  led  blindfolded  inspectors  to  the  place,  and  later  suc- 
ceeded in  fleecing  several  people,  including  Horace  Greeley  and  one 
of  the  Tiffanys;  they  obtained  about  half  a  million  dollars  before  the 
fraud  was  discovered  by  a  cook  with  a  Government  surveying  party, 
who  kicked  from  an  anthill  a  diamond  that  plainly  showed  traces  of 
a  cutter's  tool. 

An  annual  International  Night,  first  held  about  1924,  is  given  here 
in  May;  in  addition  to  a  program  conducted  by  people  of  various  na- 
tionalities, there  is  an  exhibition  of  relics  and  examples  of  handicraft. 

At  Rock  Springs  is  the  junction  with  US  187  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  A). 

Southwest  of  Rock  Springs,  PILOT  BUTTE  (R),  a  trail  landmark 
called  "the  Sphinx  of  the  Desert,"  can  be  seen  from  the  highway.  US 
30  continues  westward,  crossing  Green  River  Valley,  in  which,  to  the 
north,  is  the  site  of  the  first  big  Rocky  Mountains  rendezvous  of  white 
traders  and  trappers;  employes  of  William  Ashley's  company  met  him 
here  in  July,  1825.  This  valley  played  an  important  part  in  the  history 
of  the  fur  trade  of  the  West,  being  in  an  area  that  was  a  popular  hunt- 
ing and  trapping  ground  of  both  Indians  and  whites. 


Wyoming  97 

Small  truck  farms  and  sheep  ranches  are  widely  scattered  in  Green 
River  Valley.  The  ranches  with  their  barns  and  corrals  are  typical  of 
those  in  the  West.  Oats,  alfalfa,  corn,  and  a  variety  of  other  vegetables, 
cultivated  with  the  aid  of  irrigation,  are  the  chief  products  of  the  farms. 
In  the  valley  wild  flowers  are  numerous,  the  more  common  varieties 
being  Indian  paintbrush,  rock  and  sand  lilies,  and  bluebells.  Wild  cur- 
rants are  the  only  edible  berries  growing  in  abundance  along  the  river- 
banks.  Cactus,  greasewood,  sagebrush,  mesquite,  and  grama  grass  are 
found  on  the  hills  and  in  canyons.  The  region  near  the  river  is  arid, 
rocky,  and  sparsely  wooded.  Cottontail  and  jack  rabbits,  prairie  dogs, 
gophers,  chipmunks,  coyotes,  badgers,  weasels,  beavers,  deer,  and  an- 
telope are  seen  in  the  region.  Trout,  grayling,  whitefish,  and  squawfish 
are  found  in  the  river. 

GREEN  RIVER,  125.7  m.  (6,100  alt.,  2,589  pop.),  seat  of  Sweet- 
water  County,  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river  of  the  same  name.  It  is 
surrounded  by  picturesque  cliffs  and  strange  formations,  the  most 
prominent  of  which,  CASTLE  ROCK,  rises  a  thousand  feet  above  the 
river.  A  path  beginning  at  the  edge  of  the  city  (R)  leads  to  the  sum- 
mit and  circles  the  rock.  TOLLGATE  ROCK,  just  north  of  Castle  Rock, 
was  named  for  the  tollgate  established  in  a  passage  widened  by  the 
Mormons. 

The  Overland  Trail  crossed  Green  River  at  a  point  south  of  the  city. 

The  site  for  the  town  was  selected  by  speculators  in  April,  1868; 
in  July  it  had  been  platted,  lots  had  been  sold,  and  houses  were  being 
built ;  by  September  there  was  a  population  of  two  thousand  people. 

When  the  Union  Pacific  tracks  reached  the  town,  however,  the  rail- 
road company  did  not  do  what  the  promoters  had  naively  hoped  it 
would — show  interest  in  the  supposed  strategic  position  of  the  place 
and  buy  the  townsite  at  inflated  prices;  the  company  already  had  plenty 
of  land  to  be  exploited  for  townsites.  Nor  did  the  company  establish  a 
rail-end  camp  here,  which  would  have  produced  a  temporary  boom. 
Nonetheless,  the  town  grew  gradually  in  importance,  justifying  the  first 
settlers'  faith  in  its  position. 

Here  is  the  small  HUTTON  MUSEUM  (private;  visited  by  appoint- 
ment), containing  fossils  and  relics  of  the  Indians  and  early  settlers. 

Green  River,  although  reported  by  Bancroft  to  have  been  named  for 
a  partner  of  William  Ashley,  was  so  named  because  of  its  apparent 
color,  which  comes  from  the  green  shale  over  which  it  flows.  The  name 
is  a  translation  of  that  given  by  the  Spanish.  The  Crow  called  the 
stream  the  Seeds-ke-dee-agie,  or  Prairie  Hen. 

While  calm  enough  here,  farther  down  stream  the  river  is  rapid  and 
dangerous,  a  fit  feeder  of  the  Colorado,  into  which  it  drains.  The  Green 
and  the  Colorado  Rivers  run  through  canyons  for  most  of  their  course; 
in  1,100  miles  there  is  a  drop  of  5,000  feet,  as  a  result  of  which  there 
are  365  major  rapids  and  quite  as  many  minor  ones.  The  stream,  be- 


98  The  Oregon  Trail 

tween  the  town  of  Green  River  and  Boulder  Dam,  has  been  continu- 
ously traversed  only  a  few  times — the  first  in  1869  by  an  elaborately 
equipped  party  under  the  leadership  of  Maj.  J.  W.  Powell.  Two  pho- 
tographers, Ellsworth  and  Emory  Kolb,  made  the  journey  in  1911.  On 
October  3,  1936,  a  young  filling-station  attendant,  Buzz  Holmstrom,  left 
this  town  in  an  attempt  to  reach  Boulder  Dam  alone;  he  arrived  at  his 
goal  on  November  25. 

Green  River  was  usually  forded  by  travelers  using  South  Pass  at 
some  point  near  the  mouth  of  the  Sandy,  north  of  US  30  (see  ALTER- 
NATE ROUTE). 

Left  from  the  town  of  Green  River  on  a  dirt  road  to  FIREHOLE  BASIN, 
0.5  m.,  whose  rugged  and  picturesque  beauty  is  reminiscent  of  that  of  the  Grand 
Canyon. 

At  152.6  m.  US  30  divides  into  US  30N,  leading  northwest,  and 
US  SOS,  leading  southwest. 

Left  here  on  US  SOS.  CHURCH  BUTTES,  10  m.  (L),  composed  of  blue  and 
black  sandstone,  rise  75  feet  above  the  level  of  the  surrounding  hills  and  resemble 
a  cathedral. 

LYMAN,  27.6  m.  (6,693  alt.,  377  pop.),  whose  population  is  predominantly 
Mormon,  has  a  successful  co-operative  marketing  association. 

At  32.6  m.  is  FORT  BRIDGER  (6,657  alt.,  100  pop.),  a  settlement  on  Black's 
Fork  of  the  Green  River. 

On  the  grounds  of  old  FORT  BRIDGER  (L),  now  owned  by  the  State,  are  several 
well-preserved  army  post  buildings  and  a  PONY  EXPRESS  STABLE.  In  the  little 
museum  (free)  are  such  relics  as  ox  yokes,  wagon  bows,  old  maps,  Indian  trophies, 
furniture,  books,  and  rifles. 

Fort  Bridger  was  established  as  a  trading  post  by  Jim  Bridger,  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  figures  in  the  history  of  the  American  fur  trade.  He  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1804,  was  apprenticed  to  a  St.  Louis  blacksmith  for  a  period,  and  in  1822 
went  west  as  a  trapper  with  the  Andrew  Henry  party.  From  then  on  until  his 
death  in  1881,  Bridger  was  constantly  in  view;  the  vast  range  of  his  wanderings 
and  the  speed  with  which  he  moved  were  amazing.  Everyone  who  traveled  between 
the  Missouri  and  the  Pacific  Northwest  seemed  to  meet  him.  After  the  fur  trade 
had  declined — in  part  with  the  substitution  of  silk  hats  for  beaver^-Bridger  became 
a  scout  and  guide.  Every  post  commander  desired  his  services  because  he  never 
forgot  the  features  of  any  region  he  had  traversed,  and  he  had  visited  most  of 
the  West.  He  had,  moreover,  acute  sensitivity  that  enabled  him  to  see,  smell,  or 
feel  the  presence  of  Indians  when  no  one  around  him  did.  In  time  no  officer  dared 
to  disregard  his  warnings  on  the  subject.  As  he  became  the  oldest  white  inhabitant 
of  the  Rockies  he  acquired  an  increasing  scorn  for  tenderfeet,  perhaps  .because 
his  stories  of  the  wonders  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake  and  Yellowstone  regions  were 
disregarded  in  the  early  days;  he  in  time  mingled  fact  with  tall  tales  to  the  utter 
confusion  of  newcomers. 

In  the  course  of  his  life  Bridger  handled  enormous  quantities  of  furs  and  at 
various  times  announced  his  intention  of  retiring  with  a  fortune;  but  he  was  not 
a  businessman  and  lived  his  final  years  in  poverty.  Like  most  other  men  who  had 
tasted  wilderness  life  even  for  a  brief  time,  he  was  unhappy  away  from  it  and 
could  never  settle  down  in  any  spot.  He  had  an  Indian  wife  and  lived  as  the 
Indians  did,  eating  and  sleeping  when  he  felt  like  doing  so,  without  regard  to 
conventional  hours  for  such  activities. 


One  of  Bridger's  business  ventures  was  the  founding  of  a  trading  post  at  this 
key  spot.  In  a  letter  written  in  December  1843,  probably  dictated  since  Bridger 
was  practically  illiterate,  Bridger  told  Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr.,  the  St.  Louis  mer- 
chant: "I  have  established  a  small  fort  with  a  blacksmith  shop  and  a  supply  of 
iron  in  the  road  of  the  emigrants  on  Black's  Fork  of  Green  River  which  promises 
fairly.  They,  in  coming  out,  are  generally  well  supplied  with  money,  but  by  the 
time  they  get  there  are  in  want  of  all  kinds  of  supplies.  Horses,  provisions,  smith 
work,  etc.,  bring  ready  cash  from  them,  and  should  I  receive  the  goods  hereby 
ordered  will  do  a  considerable  business  in  that  way  with  them.  The  same  estab- 
lishment trades  with  the  Indians  in  the  neighborhood,  who  have  mostly  a  good 
number  of  beaver  among  them." 

But  Bridger  could  not  stay  at  home  long  enough  to  run  his  post,  so  he  took  a 
partner,  a  Mexican  named  Louis  Vasquez.  Vasquez  seems  to  have  been  little  more 
satisfactory  than  Bridger  as  a  post  trader — at  least  from  the  standpoint  of  travelers 
on  the  Oregon  Trail.  The  emigrants  would  count  eagerly  on  collecting  news  of 
road  conditions  ahead  of  them  and  on  supplying  their  needs  at  this  post,  the  first 
west  of  Laramie;  but  frequently,  in  the  midst  of  the  migration  seasons,  trains 
would  find  no  one  here  when  they  arrived.  The  blacksmith  shop,  which  could 
have  had  plenty  of  business,  was  nearly  always  without  a  smith.  The  partnership 
continued,  however,  until  1854  and  additions  were  sometimes  made  to  the  facilities. 
Meanwhile  other  trappers  settled  in  the  neighborhood. 

In  July  1847  the  first  Mormon  caravan,  led  by  Brigham  Young,  camped  here 
for  two  days  of  rest  and  repairs  before  proceeding  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  where, 
as  J.  W.  Gunnison  wrote,  they  were  to  "endure  perils  and  tribulations  for  a  time, 
before  their  final  triumph  over  fear." 

Bridger  had  none  of  the  contemporary  prejudices  against  polygamy  and  for  a 
time  he  had  friendly  relations  with  the  Mormons.  The  causes  of  the  feud  that 
culminated  in  the  Mormon  occupation  of  Fort  Bridger  are  obscure.  There  are 
stories  that  the  Saints  captured  the  place  because  they  were  jealous  of  the  flour- 
ishing business  done  at  Fort  Bridger;  this,  however,  does  not  seem  in  line  with 
Mormon  procedure.  There  are  other  stories  to  the  effect  that  they  took  it  because 
they  believed  that  Bridger  was  selling  ammunition  to  the  Indians  to  be  used 
against  the  Saints. 

The  relations  between  the  Federal  Government  and  the  Mormons  had  become 
strained;  the  Saints  had  "left  the  United  States"  to  settle  in  Mexican  land  but 
had  arrived  in  the  Great  Salt  Lake  basin  to  find  that  the  United  States  was  taking 
over  the  territory.  Eastern  enemies  continued  their  persecution  of  the  Mormons 
because  of  their  non-orthodox  customs  and  beliefs  and  were  determined  to  force 
"gentile"  government  on  the  territory. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  brought  a  rush  of  non-Mormon  emigrants 
through  the  territory  that  Young  had  chosen  because  of  its  isolation;  while  the 
Saints  profited  by  catering  to  these  travelers,  the  President  and  the  Twelve,  as 
the  church  council  was  called,  soon  saw  the  demoralizing  effects  of  the  influx  of 
non-Mormons,  some  of  whom  insisted  on  settling  in  the  area.  Utah  Territory  was 
established  in  1850,  to  the  dismay  of  the  Saints  who  had  dreamed  of  an  inde- 
pendent State  of  Deseret;  settlement  on  the  land  became  subject  to  Federal  con- 
trol, and  a  tactless  non-Mormon  Territorial  judge  was  appointed.  Friction  between 
the  Federal  Government  and  the  Mormons  increased  rapidly. 

In  the  meantime  the  Mormon  Church  had  been  pushing  its  plans  for  filling 
up  the  territory  with  Mormon  converts  from  abroad  and  was  establishing  way 
stations  to  provide  aid  and  provisions  for  its  emigrant  trains.  In  the  fall  of  1853 
the  Annual  Conference  of  the  Church  commissioned  Orson  Hyde  to  lead  a  com- 
pany to  this  neighborhood  to  establish  such  a  station.  Hyde  and  a  small  group 
left  on  November  2  and  selected  a  place  of  settlement  nine  miles  upstream  from 
Bridger's  post,  naming  it  Fort  Supply.  Behind  them  came  a  second  company  bring- 
ing horses,  mules,  cattle,  and  wagons  loaded  with  seed,  farming  implements,  and 


100  The  Oregon  Trail 

other  supplies.  A  two-story  log  building  with  wings,  large  enough  to  house  the 
entire  population,  was  immediately  erected. 

In  1853  or  1854  Bridger  moved  away  from  the  post  and  the  primitive  buildings 
were  burned.  Bridger  said  the  Mormons  drove  him  out;  he  asserted  that  he  had 
held  the  land  under  a  Mexican  grant,  but  the  Mormons  insisted  that  they  had 
paid  for  the  land. 

In  1857  President  James  Buchanan  appointed  a  Governor  and  other  Federal 
officers  for  Utah  Territory,  and  a  military  force  was  assigned  for  their  protection 
in  taking  office.  The  troops  proceeded  west  under  Col.  Albert  Sidney  Johnston. 
When  Johnston  and  his  forces  arrived  here  they  found  little  but  ruins  in  the 
valley.  The  Mormon  colonists  had  been  recalled  to  Utah,  and  had  burned  all  the 
buildings  and  such  goods  as  could  not  be  moved.  Colonel  Johnston  established 
winter  quarters  on  Black's  Fork  about  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  the  former 
trading  post,  calling  the  place  Camp  Scott.  In  June  1858  a  detachment  of  Johnston's 
troops  took  possession  of  the  Bridger  site  and  built  a  military  post.  The  tact  of 
the  new  Governor,  and  Brigham  Young's  sensible  acceptance  of  the  inevitable, 
had  quieted  the  Utah  situation;  but  suspicious  enemies  of  the  Mormons  wanted 
a  military  post  in  the  area  as  a  threat.  It  was  maintained  almost  continuously 
until  1890.  Bridger  later  filed  claims  against  the  Federal  Government  for  having 
taken  possession  of  his  land;  the  Mormons  did  also,  but  neither  of  the  claims 
was  allowed. 

It  was  at  Fort  Bridger,  in  July  1846  that  the  Donner  party  left  the  established 
Oregon  and  California  Trail  to  take  the  route  advised  in  an  open  letter  addressed 
"To  all  California  Emigrants  now  on  the  Road."  They  had  seen  this  letter,  written 
by  a  man  unknown  to  them,  near  South  Pass;  the  writer,  L.  W.  Hastings,  said 
that  he  had  found  a  shorter  and  safer  route  to  California  across  the  desert  around 
Great  Salt  Lake.  George  Donner,  leader  of  the  party  of  81  people,  had  sold  his 
large  fertile  farms  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  was  taking  his  family  to  California 
to  settle;  with  him  were  friends,  neighbors,  and  some  emigrants  who  had  joined 
the  group  on  the  road.  Half  the  members  were  less  than  20  years  old.  Donner 
had  excellent  equipment  for  the  undertaking  and  carried  about  $10,000  in  cash  in 
a  secret  pocket.  Only  Mrs.  Donner  opposed  taking  advice  on  this  serious  subject 
of  routes  from  a  stranger.  Hastings  had  promised  to  be  at  Fort  Bridger  to  con- 
duct emigrants,  but  when  the  Donner  Party  arrived  they  found  that  he  had  already 
gone  and  had  left  word  for  late  comers  to  follow  the  tracks  he  was  making  with 
the  first  party. 

The  message  said  that  pasturage  ahead  was  good  and  that  there  was  only  one 
stretch  where  an  unusually  long  journey  must  be  made  to  find  water  at  the  end 
of  the  day.  The  emigrants  set  off  from  Fort  Bridger  in  high  spirits,  but  before 
long  ran  into  difficulties.  They  lost  the  tracks  left  by  Hastings'  party  but  pressed 
on,  each  day  hopeful  that  they  would  soon  find  the  wonderful  new  short  cut.  By 
the  time  the  leaders  were  convinced  that  they  were  in  serious  trouble,  the  season 
was  so  late  that  they  dared  not  turn  back  to  the  beaten  road.  One  calamity  after 
another  overtook  them — murder,  illness,  and  dissension.  Donner  was  seriously  in- 
jured and  the  minds  of  some  of  the  emigrants  broke  under  the  strain.  At  the 
end  of  October,  when  they  were  near  the  summit  of  the  pass  through  the  Sierra, 
they  were  caught  in  blizzards  and  had  to  stop.  Windbreaks  were  erected  and  dug- 
outs made.  Supplies  gave  out  completely.  At  length  a  small,  hardy  group  man- 
aged to  reach  the  Sacramento  Valley  and  summon  help.  The  story  of  the  winter 
will  never  be  completely  known.  Some  members  of  the  party  finally  ate  the  flesh 
of  those  who  had  died;  the  survivors  (33  left  the  camp  but  3  of  these  died  on 
the  way  to  the  valley)  were  either  too  young  or  were  too  much  afraid  of  public 
opinion  to  give  details  of  what  occurred. 

It  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  post  in  the  fall  of  1843  that  the  mysterious 
Indian  woman  believed  by  some  historians  to  have  been  Sacajawea,  who  had  fled 
from  the  neighborhood  of  St.  Vrain's  Fort  after  her  husband  had  been  killed,  left 
Fremont's  party,  with  which  she  had  been  traveling,  in  the  hope  of  finding  her 


THE  SAND  HILLS 


THE  LONELY  TRAIL 


IV.  H.  Jackson 


U.  P.  R.  R.  Museum 


BUILDING  THE  UNION  PACIFIC 


|K       •-"'" 


ii 


Wyoming  101 

relatives  nearby.  This  woman  was  often  near  the  post  in  later  years.  (See  ALTER' 
NATE  ROUTE.) 

Beyond  Fort  Bridger,  for  a  few  years  after  1842,  the  Oregon  Trail  turned 
northwest,  crossed  to  Little  Muddy  Creek,  crossed  the  northern  end  of  the  Bear 
River  Divide,  and  then  followed  Bear  River  toward  Fort  Hall.  Later  travelers 
omitted  the  dip  down  to  Fort  Bridger  and  took  the  Sublette  Cut-off,  which  went 
due  west  from  the  Big  Sandy  (see  ALTERNATE  ROUTE).  (For  the  Mormon 
and  California  Trails  beyond  this  point  see  THE  CALIFORNIA  TRAIL,  Ameri- 
can Guide  Series.) 

US  30  swings  northwest  from  the  junction  with  US  SOS. 

At  154.6  m.  (R)  is  GRANGER  (6,240  alt.,  135  pop.),  the  trade 
center  of  a  large  sheep-  and  cattle-growing  area.  The  OVERLAND  STAGE 
STATION  established  here  is  still  standing. 

The  stage  stations  of  the  early  days  were  rough-and-ready  affairs. 
The  owners,  lacking  competition,  made  little  effort  to  satisfy  the  guests 
who  were  forced  to  depend  on  their  services.  Richard  Burton's  account 
of  his  trip  to  Utah  in  1860  is  a  series  of  diatribes  against  the  accom- 
modations— or  lack  of  them — at  the  halting  places  and  against  the  mis- 
erable substitutes  for  food  he  managed  to  buy  from  the  agents  and  their 
indifferent  wives.  Some  coaches  drove  day  and  night  with  the  passen- 
gers eventually  sleeping  upright  from  exhaustion.  Other  coaches  halted 
at  night  and  the  passengers  were  allowed  to  stretch  out  in  dormitories 
having  tiers  of  bunks,  usually  covered  with  filthy  quilts  and  buffalo 
robes.  Flies  swarmed  everywhere.  Under  the  circumstances  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  whiskey  was  the  chief  commodity  sold  at  the  stage  stations. 

Just  north  of  Granger  on  US  30N  is  the  junction  with  the  South 
Pass  unnumbered  dirt  road,  part  of  an  alternate  route  between  Ogallala, 
Neb.,  and  this  point  (see  ALTERNATE  ROUTE). 

US  30N  here  runs  through  long  stretches  of  open  country  used 
chiefly  for  livestock  grazing. 

OPAL,  182.2  m.  (6,668  alt.,  147  pop.),  is  a  trade  and  shipping 
point,  so  named  because  of  the  fact  that  opals  have  been  found  in  the 
vicinity.  There  are  large  wool-shearing  pens  here. 

DIAMONDSVILLE,  195.8  m.  (6,885  alt.,  812  pop.),  a  coal-mining 
town,  is  virtually  a  suburb  of  Kemmerer.  In  1868  Harrison  Church,  a 
trapper  who  became  a  prospector,  discovered  coal  on  the  Hamsfork, 
and  built  a  cabin  a  mile  below  the  site  of  the  present  town.  Later  a 
company  was  formed  to  develop  the  mines.  Coal  mining  was  for  a  time 
the  only  industry  in  the  vicinity,  but  now  oil  production  and  sheep 
raising  are  important.  The  nearby  valleys  are  dotted  with  farms  and 
cattle  ranches. 

KEMMERER,  197.4  m.  (6,927  alt.,  1,884  pop.),  is  the  Scranton 
of  the  area.  The  town  was  named  for  M.  S.  Kemmerer,  who  invested 
money  in  developing  the  coal  of  the  region.  Kemmerer  is  an  important 
outfitting  point  for  fishing  and  big-game  hunting  expeditions. 


102  The  Oregon  Trail 

Right  from  Kemmerer  on  graveled  US  89  to  EMIGRANT  SPRINGS,  26  m.,  used 
by  travelers  on  the  Oregon  Trail.  Nearby  are  the  graves  of  several  emigrants, 
marked  by  stone  slabs.  Sagebrush  five  or  six  feet  high  covers  the  graves. 

At  40  m.  is  the  SITE  OF  A  MORMON  FERRY  on  Green  River  used  largely  by 
travelers  on  Sublette's  Cut-off. 

NAMES  HILL,  42  m.  (L),  has  the  names  of  trappers  and  emigrants  dating 
back  to  1820,  when  the  first  white  men  entered  the  area.  Even  Jim  Bridger's  is 
among  those  inscribed  in  early  days. 

FOSSIL,  207.2  M.,  is  a  small  post  office. 

Left  from  Fossil  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  FOSSIL  FISH  BED,  2  m.  (guides 
available),  one  of  the  largest  known  deposits  of  fossilized  fish  in  the  world.  The 
formation  is  Tertiary. 

West  of  SAGE,  221.4  m.  (6,332  alt.) ,  US  30N  turns  north  and  runs 
through  a  rolling  country  that  is  used  chiefly  for  grazing;  the  highway 
follows  Bear  River. 

At  Fort  Bridger  (see  above)  the  Oregon  Trail  swung  northwest  to- 
ward this  stream,  which  one  branch  of  the  trail  followed  in  this  area. 

At  240.6  m.  (L)  is  COKEVILLE  (6,191  alt.,  430  pop.),  on  Smith's 
Fork  of  the  Bear  River.  The  town  is  the  trade  and  shipping  center  of 
a  sheep-raising  district.  Coke  ovens  for  filtering  illuminating  gas  were 
put  into  operation  here  at  an  early  date. 

At  249.8  m.  US  30N  crosses  the  Idaho  Line. 


Idaho 


Wyo.  Line — Montpelier — Pocatello — Burley — Twin  Falls — Boise — Ore. 
Line,  451  m.  US  SON  and  US  30. 

Union  Pacific  R.R.  parallels  route  throughout.  Bear  Lake  Stages  follow  route  be- 
tween Montpelier  and  Pocatello,  Union  Pacific  Stages  between  Pocatello  and  Boise. 

Surfaced  highway. 

Accommodations  chiefly  in  larger  towns. 

US  30N  runs  through  the  southeastern  part  of  Idaho,  an  area  of 
lakes,  rivers,  creeks,  and  small  valleys.  The  valleys  are  farmed  and  the 
uplands  used  for  grazing.  West  of  Pocatello  the  route  roughly  parallels 
the  Snake  River;  it  traverses  a  dry-farming  belt  and  also  large  arid 
sections. 

Section  8.  Wyoming  Line  to  Pocatello,  120  m.  US  SON. 

US  SON  runs  through  Bear  Lake  Valley.  Little  of  the  area  lies  at 
an  elevation  of  less  than  six  thousand  feet;  winters  are  severe  and  sum- 
mers cool.  In  the  Caribou  National  Forest  (R)  and  the  Cache  National 
Forest  (L)  most  of  the  old-growth  timber  has  been  exhausted,  and  the 
somewhat  denuded  watersheds  offer  the  same  problems  in  erosion  and 
overgrazing  that  exist  in  many  other  parts  of  the  State. 

BORDER,  0  m.  (6,100  alt.),  is  a  small  village  practically  on  the 
Wyoming  Line. 

MONTPELIER,  22  m.  (5,941  alt.,  2,436  pop.),  is  the  largest  town 
in  this  area.  Founded  in  1864,  it  was  first  known  as  Clover  Creek  and 
later  as  Belmont;  but  when  Brigham  Young  visited  the  town,  he  re- 
named it  in  honor  of  the  capital  of  Vermont,  his  native  State. 

Left  from  Montpelier  on  State  35  into  one  of  the  chief  recreation  areas  of 
eastern  Idaho.  PARIS,  9  m.  (825  pop.),  has  finer  buildings  than  any  other  small 
town  in  the  State.  Here  (L)  is  a  typical  TABERNACLE  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints  (Mormon).  The  dominant  sect  in  eastern  and  south- 
eastern Idaho  is  Mormon,  and  the  most  attractive  structures  throughout  this  region 
are  the  tabernacles. 

At  12  m.  on  State  35  is  the  junction  (R)  with  a  road  that  goes  up  a  canyon 
9  m.  to  lovely  BLOOMINGTON  LAKE  (camp  sites  available).  This  clear,  deep  lake, 
lying  under  huge  cliffs,  covers  12  acres  and  is  fed  by  innumerable  springs.  In 
season  the  lake  is  framed  by  an  unusually  luxuriant  growth  of  wild  flowers,  in- 
cluding larkspur,  columbine,  dogwood,  and  mountain  ash.  The  lake  is  stocked 
with  the  rare  California  glacial  or  golden  trout. 

US  SON  between  Montpelier  and  Soda  Springs  follows  circuitous 
Bear  River,  which,  west  of  Soda  Springs,  turns  sharply  and  weaves  its 
way  south  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake. 

103 


104  The  Oregon  Trail 

At  46  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  poor  road. 

Right  on  this  road,  which  leads  2  m.  up  a  canyon  to  the  SULPHUR  SPRINPS. 
The  rock  around  these  springs  is  so  nearly  pure  sulphur  that  it  will  burn  with 
a  steady  flame. 

SODA  SPRINGS,  51  m.  (5,777  alt.,  831  pop.),  at  the  northern 
bend  of  Bear  River,  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in  the  State. 

Fort  Connor,  the  southwestern  part  of  the  present  town,  was  estab- 
lished in  1863  by  Gen.  Patrick  Edward  Connor  and  a  little  band  of 
Morrisites,  dissenters  from  the  orthodox  Mormon  creed.  According  to 
the  diary  of  John  Bidwell,  who  promoted  the  first  sizable  emigration 
to  the  West,  Soda  Springs  was  "a  bright  and  lovely  place.  The  abun- 
dance of  soda  water  .  .  .;  the  beautiful  fir  and  cedar  covered  hills; 
the  huge  pile  of  red  or  brown  sinter,  the  result  of  fountains  once  active 
but  then  dry — all  these,  together  with  the  river — lent  a  charm  to  its 
wild  beauty  and  made  the  spot  a  notable  one."  Some  of  the  trappers 
called  the  place  Beer  Springs,  imagining  that  they  experienced  alcoholic 
stimulation  after  drinking  the  bubbling  water. 

Beadle  in  The  Undeveloped  West  says:  "The  springs  on  the  soda 
mounds  are  mere  tanks,  but  a  few  inches  wide,  sending  out  such  faint 
streams  that  all  the  solid  contents  are  precipitated  and  the  water  quite 
evaporated  before  reaching  the  plain.  Thus  it  is  easily  seen  how  these 
mounds  were  built  by  the  water ;  and  many  of  them  have  risen  so  high 
that  they  have  no  springs,  the  water  having  broken  out  at  some  other 
place." 

Many  springs,  highly  charged  with  carbonic  acid  gas  and  most  of 
them  cold,  gush  out  in  this  area.  Some  of  them,  however,  including 
STEAMBOAT  SPRING  two  miles  west  of  town,  now  emerge  at  the  bottom 
of  an  artificial  lake  created  by  a  dam.  Steamboat  still  boils  up  through 
40  feet  of  water  and  explodes  at  the  surface;  the  name  of  the  spring 
derives  from  the  sound  made  by  the  explosions.  Among  the  mineral 
springs  the  HOOPER,  a  mile  north  of  town,  is  popular  with  visitors. 
Close  by  is  the  CHAMPAGNE  SPRING,  and  to  the  north  is  the  MAMMOTH 
SODA  SPRING,  which  is  almost  precisely  the  same  size  as  the  Mammoth 
Hot  Springs  in  Yellowstone  Park. 

Just  south  of  the  town,  where  Little  Spring  Creek  crosses  the  road, 
is  the  spot  where  a  family  of  seven  was  killed  by  Indians ;  the  cemetery 
in  which  these  persons  were  buried,  with  their  wagon  box  serving  as 
a  coffin,  is  west  of  the  town. 

At  Soda  Springs  the  oldest  California  trail  branched  from  the  Ore- 
gon Trail  to  follow  the  course  of  Bear  River  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  It 
was  at  Soda  Springs  that  32  of  the  Bidwell  party  of  64  people,  afraid 
to  attempt  the  little-known  route  to  California,  decided  to  go  on  to 
Oregon.  The  party  that  turned  south,  which  included  one  woman  and 
an  infant,  reached  California  only  after  great  hardship.  Many  other 


Idaho  105 

emigrants  changed  their  minds  on  destination  in  this  area.  (See  FORT 
HALL,  SIDE  ROUTE  B.) 

Right  from  Soda  Springs  on  a  country  road  to  STAMPEDE  PARK,  2  m.,  where 
an  annual  stampede  and  rodeo  are  held  in  August.  This  park  is  a  natural  amphi- 
theater, bordered  by  peaks  and  flanked  by  peculiar  stone  formations  and  rock 
crystals.  The  road  to  the  park  winds  through  cedar  and  pine  woods  and  is  known 
as  the  Red  Road  because  of  the  brightly  colored  rock  formations  nearby  that 
were  sculptured  long  ago  by  the  springs.  Flowing  into  the  park  is  EIGHTY  PERCENT 
SPRING.  There  was  formerly  a  bottling  plant  at  NINETY  PERCENT  SPRING,  near 
Stampede  Park;  though  the  plant  no  longer  operates,  thousands  of  persons  come 
here  annually  to  drink  the  waters.  Of  this  spring  Beadle,  the  gossip,  reported: 
"The  Ninety-per-cent.  Spring,  which  Gentiles  call  the  Antipolygamy  Spring,  is  some 
two  miles  west  of  Hooper's,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  the  river.  Of  the 
solid  contents  ninety  per  cent,  is  soda,  and  the  rest  of  some  peculiar  mineral 
which  has  a  remarkable  effect  on  the  male  human.  Many  ridiculous  stories  are 
told  of  its  anti-Mormon  properties,  but  fortunately  the  specific  effect  lasts  but  a 
few  weeks." 

Visible  from  the  highway  at  57  m.  (L)  is  SODA  POINT,  which  Fre- 
mont in  1842  called  Sheep  Rock  because  of  the  great  number  of  moun- 
tain sheep  seen  on  it.  It  is  an  important  lava  formation  inasmuch  as 
it  caused  Bear  River  to  turn  southward  and  eventually  enter  Utah  in- 
stead of  following  the  natural  watershed  of  this  region. 

At  58  m.  is  a  junction  with  State  34. 

Left  on  this  road  is  GRACE,  6  m.,  where  there  is  a  large  hydroelectric  plant. 
At  8  m.  is  VOLCANO  HILL,  a  few  hundred  yards  east  of  which  is  ICE  CAVE. 
The  entrance  hall  pitches  down  for  50  yards,  but  thereafter  the  floor  is  fairly 
level.  About  halfway  through  is  a  skylight.  The  remarkable  thing  about  the  cave 
is  its  structural  symmetry:  50  feet  in  width  and  about  25  in  height,  it  runs  in 
an  almost  perfect  corridor  for  half  a  mile  and  looks  like  the  upper  half  of  an 
enormous  barrel.  Because  this  was  once  a  volcanic  outlet,  the  walls  and  ceiling 
look  as  though  they  had  been  plastered  with  hot  lava.  The  far  end,  which  ter- 
minates in  piles  of  lava,  once  molten,  is  known  as  the  DEVIL'S  KITCHEN.  Though 
there  is  not  much  ice  in  it,  this  has  been  known  as  an  ice  cave  since  its  discovery 
many  decades  ago. 

LAVA  HOT  SPRINGS,  85  m.  (544  pop.),  is  situated  on  the  lovely 
Portneuf  River  at  the  base  of  great  cliffs.  The  river,  so  named  for  a 
Canadian  trapper  who  was  murdered  nearby  by  Indians,  has  a  rare 
feature:  low  rocks  dam  it,  forming  quiet  pools  that  are  separated  by 
cascades  of  unusual  beauty.  The  town  has  springs  that  are  remarkable 
in  volume  and  mineral  content.  Even  in  prehistoric  times  the  Indians 
visited  the  hot  springs  because  of  their  curative  properties  and  set  the 
spot  aside  as  neutral  ground  to  be  shared  by  all  tribes.  The  daily  flow 
from  the  hot  springs,  each  with  a  different  mineral  content,  is  6,711,000 
gallons.  Natatoriums  have  been  established  here,  two  by  the  State  and 
one  by  the  town,  and  there  is  a  fully  equipped  sanatorium. 

Both  the  State  and  city  natatoriums  have  established  large  indoor 


106  The  Oregon  Trail 

pools.  The  State  also  maintains  an  outdoor  pool  called  the  Mud  Bath, 
which  has  varying  degrees  of  temperature  in  its  waters,  which  are  fed 
by  30  springs.  It  is  not  a  large  pool,  but  a  swimmer  can  stroke  from 
almost  cold  water  into  hot  water,  through  various  degrees  of  cold  and 
warmth  between  the  two  extremes.  Just  below  the  balcony  of  the  River- 
side Inn  runs  the  clear  cold  water  of  the  Portneuf  River  with  hot 
springs  steaming  almost  at  its  edge. 

To  the  south  of  Lava  Hot  Springs  is  a  great  mountain  that  is  almost 
a  solid  pile  of  unquarried  building  stone,  which  because  of  its  strength 
and  lightness  is  valued  by  construction  men.  It  has  been  used  in  build- 
ing two  cabins  across  the  river  from  the  Mud  Bath.  Interesting,  too,  are 
other  rock  formations  of  limestones,  shales,  sandstones,  and  quartzites. 
Upon  the  river  within  the  radius  of  a  mile  are  50  small  waterfalls ;  and 
the  smoke  holes  of  old  volcanoes  are  within  hiking  distance.  The 
canyons  and  glens  offer  camping  retreats. 

At  97  m.  US  SON  turns  north  and  follows  the  Portneuf  River  and 
Canyon.  With  its  abrupt  walls  and  innumerable  crevices  cut  in  lime- 
stone and  shales,  the  canyon  was  formerly  a  favorite  hide-out  for  ban- 
dits as  well  as  Indians.  It  was  here  in  1865  that  a  stage  carrying  several 
passengers  and  $60,000  was  betrayed  by  its  driver  to  a  gang  led  by 
Jim  Locket,  a  notorious  bandit.  Two  passengers  were  killed  and  their 
bodies  buried  in  a  gulch  near  the  scene  of  the  crime.  Another  robbery 
of  the  period  occurred  not  far  south  of  Pocatello  in  a  grove  of  trees 
near  the  Big  Elbow  of  the  river;  ten  robbers  held  up  the  Wells-Fargo 
stage,  murdered  six  of  the  seven  passengers,  and  escaped  with  $110,000 
in  gold  dust. 

INKOM,  107  m.,  has  the  largest  cement  plant  in  Idaho.  For  its  ma- 
terials the  factory  draws  on  the  limestone  mountain  that  stands  behind 
the  village. 

POCATELLO,  120  m.  (4,464  alt.,  16,471  pop.)  (see  IDAHO 
GUIDE). 

Railroad  Station.  Oregon  Short  Line,  end  of  W.  Bonneville  St. 
Bus  Station.  Union  Pacific  Stages,  Fargo  Building,  S.  Main  St. 

Pocatello  is  the  seat  of  Bannock  County,  and  the  second  city  in  size 
in  Idaho.  It  was  named  for  a  marauding  Chief  Paughatella  (Ind., 
he  who  does  not  follow  the  beaten  path)  of  the  Shoshone  tribe. 

Standing  at  the  northern  end  of  Portneuf  Canyon  and  upon  a  bed 
of  the  ancient  Lake  Bonneville,  of  which  the  Great  Salt  Lake  is  the 
remnant,  the  city  began  as  a  collection  of  tents  in  1882,  when  the  Union 
Pacific  branch  was  completed  to  this  point.  It  is  now  an  important  junc- 
tion and  repair  and  maintenance  point  of  the  Oregon  Short  Line  R.R. 
The  city  is  bisected  by  the  network  of  railways,  and  the  mountains  flank- 
ing it  are  denuded  and  formidable.  West  of  the  black  tangle  of  rails  is 


Idaho  107 

most  of  the  business  area;  beyond  this  and  against  the  mountains  are 
many  of  the  most  attractive  homes.  East  of  the  tracks  is  also  a  resi- 
dential section. 

There  are  a  number  of  Basque  and  Greek  families  here,  as  well  as  a 
colony  of  Negroes. 

MEMORIAL  BUILDING,  overlooking  Memorial  Park  and  Portneuf 
River,  was  erected  to  Idaho  veterans  of  all  wars.  It  has  a  spacious 
ballroom  and  a  terrace  that  opens  upon  the  river. 

The  SOUTHERN  BRANCH  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  IDAHO  is  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  city  at  the  base  of  Red  Bluff.  It  is  housed  in  seven 
buildings,  scattered  over  225  acres  of  land,  and  has  an  enrollment  of 
about  850.  Its  HISTORICAL  MUSEUM  contains  old  records  and  journals, 
Indian  handicraft,  and  fossils  that  have  been  gathered  in  various  parts 
of  the  State. 

Ross  PARK,  just  south  of  the  city,  has  a  nine-hole  golf  course,  a 
small  zoo,  and  a  delightful  rock  garden.  Of  greater  interest  are  the 
lava  rocks  above  the  park,  which  carry  Indian  petroglyphs  recording  a 
part  of  the  legends  and  histories  of  the  Bannock  and  Shoshone  tribes. 

West  of  the  city,  highly  tinted  Cambrian  quartzite  is  overlain  with 
rhyolite,  a  light-colored  volcanic  rock  that  flowed  to  the  surface  before 
the  basalt.  Across  the  bare  plateau  of  the  Snake  River  country  the  Twin 
Buttes  are  dimly  visible. 

Above  the  city  in  the  west  is  KINPORT  PEAK,  which  offers  a  far- 
reaching  view.  Stretching  westward  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see  is  Snake 
River  Valley,  which  in  times  past  was  deluged  with  overwhelming  out- 
pourings of  molten  lava. 

At  Pocatello  is  the  junction  with  US  91  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  B). 

Section  9.  Pocatello  to  Twin  Falls,  124  m.  US  SON  and  US  30. 

US  SON  goes  northwest  from  POCATELLO,  0  m.  At  6  m.  (R)  is 
the  municipal  airport,  McDoucALL  FIELD. 

SNAKE  RIVER  (R),  not  visible  from  the  highway,  is  tributary  to 
the  Columbia,  but  larger.  It  is  a  thousand  miles  in  length  and  the  ex- 
treme breadth  of  its  basin  is  450.  For  more  than  half  its  distance  it 
flows  through  a  gorge,  and  already  upon  it  and  its  feeders  are  80  huge 
reservoirs,  and  70  hydroelectric  plants  that  use  less  than  one-tenth  of 
its  potential  power.  Most  of  its  waters  are  unnavigable. 

In  the  earliest  geologic  period  most  of  the  Snake  River  basin  was 
covered  by  a  shallow  sea  in  which  were  deposited  great  quantities  of 
sand  and  mud.  These  have  hardened  into  quartzites.  After  the  sea 
receded  there  were  tremendous  upliftings  of  granitic  materials,  which 
were  consolidated  into  the  Idaho  batholith  and  its  smaller  but  related 
masses  of  rock.  Following  this  there  was  an  epidemic  of  volcanic  up- 
heavals and  explosive  eruptions  accompanied  by  flows  of  lava  and  ash. 
Erosion  came  next  and  slow  sculpturings  by  glaciers,  but  the  region 


108  The  Oregon  Trail 

was  not  yet  ready  to  accept  its  alluvial  deposits,  and  tremors  and 
gigantic  quakings  shook  the  area  from  time  to  time,  and  basaltic  uplifts 
rose  like  black  monuments  on  the  landscape.  Within  recent  centuries 
earthquakes  have  been  infrequent  and  never  severe,  but  there  are  still 
deep  and  troubled  rumblings.  After  peace  came,  Snake  River  settled 
down  to  the  business  of  eroding  its  gorge.  In  the  upper  valleys  here  it 
flows  too  lazily  to  achieve  much,  but  beyond  Milner  it  gathers  speed 
and  has  been  impressively  busy. 

The  Snake  River  area  was  the  most  trying  one  traversed  by  early 
travelers  on  their  way  to  Oregon.  The  west-bound  Astorians,  who 
attempted  to  go  down  the  stream  in  canoes,  were  finally  forced  to  travel 
along  the  rim  of  the  gorge  (see  below).  The  land,  now  irrigated  in  a 
number  of  places  and  under  cultivation,  was  formerly  barren.  Game 
was  so  scarce  that  the  area  was  shunned  even  by  the  Indians  who  were 
forced  from  the  Great  Plains  by  the  powerful  tribes  dwelling  there. 
Though  the  Oregon  Trail  ran  near  the  river,  it  was  often  difficult  for 
travelers  to  find  water  for  themselves  and  their  animals;  with  the  river 
constantly  in  sight  they  sometimes  traveled  a  day  or  two  without  finding 
any  place  where  they  could  descend  into  the  gorge  and  drink. 

At  20  m.  (R)  is  the  AMERICAN  FALLS  RESERVOIR,  one  of  the 
largest  of  many  along  the  Snake  that  are  making  farming  possible.  The 
dam  is  a  mile  wide  and  has  a  maximum  height  of  87  feet.  The  reservoir 
it  creates  is  12  miles  wide,  26  miles  long,  and  covers  an  area  of  56,000 
acres.  The  cost  of  the  dam  was  $3,060,000,  of  the  entire  project  three 
times  that  sum. 

The  former  site  of  AMERICAN  FALLS,  25  m.  (4,330  alt.,  1,280 
pop.),  was  a  favorite  camping  spot  on  the  trail  in  this  area;  an  elevator 
in  the  artificial  lake  marks  the  area  where  the  early  settlement  stood. 
The  new  town  is  the  trade  center  of  a  huge  dry-farming  wheat  belt; 
reclamation  projects  reach  for  170  miles  westward. 

Close  by  the  Idaho  Power  Company's  hydroelectric  plant  is  the 
TRENNER  MEMORIAL  PARK,  dedicated  to  an  engineer  who  helped  to 
develop  this  region.  A  rocky  terrace  made  of  lava  from  the  Craters  of 
the  Moon,  a  fountain  and  a  landscaped  lawn,  a  lava  monolith,  and  a 
miniature  power  station  make  this  park  a  pleasant  oasis.  The  park  is 
illuminated  at  night.  Nearby  is  one  of  the  State's  large  fish  hatcheries, 
with  a  capacity  of  2,500,000  fingerlings  a  season. 

A  part  of  the  Oregon  Trail  can  still  be  seen  in  the  town  and  for  a 
short  distance  south. 

At  27  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  unimproved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  are  the  INDIAN  SPRINGS,  1  m.,  where  pools  and  baths 
are  available.  This  resort  is  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  mineral  hot  springs  of 
the  State,  not  only  because  of  its  reputed  therapeutic  properties  but  also  because 
it  is  easily  accessible. 


Idaho  109 

At  35  m.  is  a  monument  commemorating  an  emigrant  tragedy;  the 
site  is  called  MASSACRE  ROCKS. 

By  1862  the  western  Indians  had  reached  a  point  of  desperation. 
They  had  been  misled  and  coerced  into  signing  agreements  that  con- 
fined them  to  lands  far  too  small  and  quite  unsuitable  for  the  ways  of 
life  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed.  Promised  payments  in  goods 
were  either  not  being  made,  or  were  inadequate  to  support  them.  Game 
on  which  they  depended  for  food  was  being  destroyed  recklessly  by  the 
invaders.  Faced  with  starvation  they  were  easily  influenced  by  the 
medicine  men  and  other  leaders  who  urged  them  to  fight.  When  the 
Civil  War  broke  out,  word  spread  that  the  whites,  quarreling  among 
themselves,  could  be  attacked  successfully  and  driven  away. 

In  the  Pacific  Northwest  there  had  been  trouble  ever  since  the 
settlement  of  the  boundary  question ;  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  which 
had  maintained  order  until  1846,  had  become  merely  a  trading  firm 
without  power  to  reward  or  punish  the  Indians.  The  new  territorial 
government,  established  by  the  United  States,  did  not  inspire  the  Indians 
with  respect  because  its  agents  neither  understood  the  Indians  nor 
treated  them  with  the  fairness  and  kindness  exercised  by  the  Chief 
Factor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Department  of  the  Columbia. 
Whereas  earlier  travelers  had  journeyed  with  a  fair  degree  of  safety 
on  the  Oregon  Trail,  by  1862  small  groups  were  in  constant  peril  of 
attack. 

On  August  10  of  that  year  a  train  of  11  wagons  drawn  by  ox  teams 
and  carrying  25  families  from  Iowa  was  winding  over  the  sagebrush- 
covered  plain  at  this  point.  A  hot  luminous  haze  covered  the  landscape. 
The  ox  teams  moved  slowly,  covering  only  a  mile  or  so  in  an  hour. 
Thirst,  weariness,  and  the  monotonous  sameness  of  earth,  sky,  and  sun 
had  far  diminished  the  adventurous  spirit  of  the  pioneer.  The  journey 
was  beginning  to  seem  endless,  with  the  fabulous  valleys  of  Oregon  as 
remote  as  ever. 

The  driver  of  the  first  wagon,  sitting  high  on  the  seat,  was  doubt- 
less looking  ahead,  trying  to  distinguish  between  the  blue  gray  of  the 
desert  and  the  gray  blue  of  the  sky.  Behind  him  in  the  crawling  wagons, 
reaching  back  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  were  men,  women,  and  children 
sitting  in  a  half  stupor.  The  yellow  earth  was  turned  up  by  the  wheels 
in  lazy  blinding  clouds  that  rolled  back  from  wagon  to  wagon  and 
settled  upon  freight  and  travelers  in  thick  layers.  When  the  first  wagon 
came  to  the  crest  of  the  slight  rise,  the  driver  could  see  a  long  slope 
with  great  piles  of  stone  on  either  side  of  the  trail.  For  15  minutes  the 
wagons  plowed  down  this  hill  toward  the  bluffs,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  leader  had  passed  into  the  small  gorge,  with  its  refreshing  shadow, 
that  a  sudden  movement  in  the  stones  above  threw  terror  into  the 
emigrants;  they  realized  that  they  had  been  ambushed  by  Indians.  The 
confusion  and  panic,  the  awful  horror  of  the  next  few  minutes,  are 
imaginable.  The  chronicle  relates  that  nine  whites  were  slain,  six  were 


110  The  Oregon  Trail 

scalped,  many  were  injured,  and  a  few  miraculously  escaped.  Wagons 
were  plundered  and  burned  and  the  beasts  were  driven  off;  on  the 
following  day  another  wagon  train  reached  this  spot  and  buried  the 
dead. 

At  38  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  unimproved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  EMIGRANT  ROCK,  3  m.,  a  stone  20  feet  high  on  which 
early  travelers  left  their  autographs.  Some  of  the  names  carved  into  the  rock 
and  even  some  of  those  painted  with  axle  grease  as  early  as  1849  are  still  visible. 

For  eight  miles  US  SON  continues  to  follow  the  river,  then  climbs 
to  arid  plains  that  have  not  been  reclaimed  by  irrigation.  On  a  clear 
day  the  Lost  River  Mountains  are  visible  in  the  north,  and  on  the  south 
is  a  spur  of  the  Goose  Creek  Range.  The  hilltops  here  offer  a  broad 
panorama  of  the  Snake  River  Valley  and  the  haze  of  the  Burley  and 
Twin  Falls  areas.  At  49  m.  the  highway  crosses  Raft  River. 

RUPERT,  73  m.  (4,200  alt.,  2,250  pop.),  is  one  of  the  few  towns 
in  Idaho  that  were  not  allowed  to  grow  aimlessly.  Laid  out  by  the 
engineering  division  of  the  Bureau  of  Reclamation  and  named  for  the 
engineer  who  planned  it,  Rupert  looked  ambitiously  into  the  future  and 
arranged  itself  around  a  central  plaza.  Like  many  of  the  towns  along 
the  Snake,  it  is  of  recent  origin,  and  sprang  up  almost  overnight.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the  whole  area  between  American 
Falls  and  Buhl  was  a  domain  of  sagebrush  and  coyotes,  bunch  grass 
and  bromegrass,  cheat  grass  and  lizards.  Swiftly,  section  by  section,  it 
is  being  transformed  into  a  huge  irrigated  garden.  Today  the  long 
sweep  down  the  valley  to  the  west  is  one  of  the  State's  three  principal 
agricultural  areas. 

Right  from  Rupert  an  unimproved  road  leads  to  the  MINIDOKA  DAM,  15  m. 
The  Minidoka  Reclamation  Project  involved  the  construction  of  a  dam  across 
Snake  River,  a  main  canal  and  tributaries,  and  an  elaborate  pumping  plant.  This 
last  has  three  units,  each  lifting  water  20  feet.  The  diversion  system  irrigates 
about  116,000  acres.  The  body  of  water  impounded,  now  called  LAKE  WALCOTT, 
has  a  capacity  of  107,000  acre-feet. 

BURLEY,  82  m.  (4,240  alt.,  3,826  pop.),  is  the  center  of  reclama- 
tion project  covering  121,000  acres.  It  is  a  thriving  little  city  of  recent 
origin.  It  has  an  alfalfa-meal  mill  with  a  capacity  of  125  tons,  a  beet- 
sugar  factory  with  a  capacity  of  800  tons,  and  a  large  potato-flour  mill. 
West  of  Burley  US  SON  and  US  SOS  became  US  30. 

Left  from  Burley  on  a  graveled  road  is  OAKLEY,  24  m.;  thence  L.  over  a 
dirt  road  to  the  SILENT  CITY  OF  ROCKS,  38  m.,  which  covers  an  area  of  25 
square  miles.  Because  the  California  Trail  ran  through  it  and  the  Lander  Cut-off 
ended  here,  its  walls  bear  thousands  of  names  and  dates,  as  well  as  messages  left 
for  persons  who  were  presumably  soon  to  follow;  it  is  evident  that  some  of  the 


Idaho  111 

more  ambitious  and  foolhardy  scribes  must  have  suspended  themselves  by  ropes 
from  the  tops  of  the  cliffs,  so  high  and  remote  are  the  records  they  left. 

This  formation  has  been  carved  by  erosion  from  an  enormous  dome  of  granite 
that  was  anciently  pushed  up  here.  Because  the  weathered  granite  has  become 
indurated  or  case-hardened  on  the  surface,  while  its  inner  structure  has  often 
more  rapidly  disintegrated,  the  rocks  form  not  only  bizarre  mosques,  monoliths, 
and  turrets,  but  also  bathtubs,  hollow  cones,  shells,  and  strange  little  pockets  and 
caverns.  BATHTUB  ROCK  towers  two  hundred  feet,  and  can  be  climbed  to  its  sum- 
mit whereon  is  a  large  depression  that  catches  rainfall;  in  this  depression,  accord- 
ing to  Indian  legend,  a  bath  before  sunrise  restored  youth  to  the  aged.  Near  the 
southern  end  of  the  formation  are  the  gleaming  turrets  and  fortresses,  which  stand 
on  a  low  saddle  against  the  road.  North  of  these  are  spires  that  rise  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  from  the  floor  of  the  basin  and  from  a  distance  suggest  the  sky  line 
of  New  York  City.  Still  others,  fantastically  grouped,  look  as  if  heathen  temples 
had  been  rocked  with  dynamite  and  had  rearranged  their  structure  but  refused 
to  fall.  Many  so  closely  resemble  one  thing  and  another  as  to  have  been  named; 
there  are  the  OLD  HEN  WITH  HER  CHICKS,  the  DRAGON'S  HEAD,  the  GIANT  TOAD- 
STOOL, ELEPHANT  ROCK,  and  the  OLD  WOMAN. 

It  is  believed  that  treasure  is  buried  here.  When  a  stage  from  Kelton  to  Boise 
was  held  up  in  this  city  in  1878,  $90,000  in  gold  is  said  to  have  been  taken. 
One  of  the  bandits  was  slain,  and  the  other  subsequently  died  in  prison;  but 
before  his  death  he  revealed  that  he  had  buried  the  treasure  among  five  junipers. 
Five  cedars  growing  in  the  shape  of  a  heart  were  found  in  the  city  long  ago,  and 
frantic  excavations  were  undertaken,  but  the  treasure  has  never  been  found. 

At  96  m.  on  US  30  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  MILNER  DAM,  4  m.,  a  structure  of  earth  and  concrete. 
Less  impressive  than  some  other  dams  in  the  State,  it  marks,  nevertheless,  the 
most  successful  large  reclamation  project  in  Idaho.  Undertaken  by  the  Twin  Falls 
Land  and  Water  Company  in  1903,  it  was  completed  in  1905,  and  impounds  enough 
water  to  irrigate  240,000  acres  on  the  south  side  of  the  Snake  and  32,000  on  the 
north.  The  storage  of  80,000  acre-feet  is  supplemented  by  a  right  to  98,000  acre- 
feet  in  the  Jackson  Reservoir  in  Wyoming  and  155,480  acre-feet  in  the  American 
Falls  Reservoir.  The  number  of  acres  actually  farmed  under  the  South  Side  Milner 
Project  is  203,000,  and  the  number  under  the  North  Side  is  128,000. 

The  town  of  MILNER  is  just  below  the  dam.  Here  in  the  Snake  River  is 
CALDRON  LINN,  where  the  Astorians  in  October,  1811,  experienced  a  disaster  that 
finally  convinced  them  that  the  Indians  were  right  when  they  warned  them  against 
attempting  to  navigate  the  Snake  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  3).  "The  leading  canoe," 
wrote  Irving,  "had  glided  safely  among  the  turbulent  and  roaring  surges,  but  in 
following  it  Mr.  Crooks  perceived  that  his  canoe  was  bearing  toward  a  rock.  He 
called  out  to  the  steersman,  but  his  warning  voice  was  either  unheard  or  un- 
heeded. In  the  next  moment  they  struck  upon  the  rock.  The  canoe  was  split  and 
overturned.  There  were  five  persons  on  board.  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  companions 
were  thrown  amid  roaring  breakers  and  a  whirling  current,  but  succeeded,  by 
strong  swimming,  to  reach  the  shore.  Clappine  and  two  others  clung  to  the  shat- 
tered bark,  and  drifted  with  it  to  a  rock.  The  wreck  struck  the  rock  with  one 
end,  and  swinging  round,  flung  poor  Clappine  off  into  the  raging  stream,  which 
swept  him  away,  and  he  perished." 

After  this  event  the  party  camped  on  the  border  of  Caldron  Linn  (lin,  Scotch, 
ravine)  and  held  council  to  determine  a  course  of  action.  Exploring  parties  re- 
ported that  for  nearly  40  miles  westward  the  river  foamed,  roared,  and  twisted 
through  a  steep  canyon  where  access  to  the  stream  from  the  rim  was  rarely  pos- 
sible. But  the  prospect  of  carrying  the  luggage  through  the  rough  arid  country 
was  so  discouraging  that  the  members  of  the  party  determined  again  to  attempt 


112  The  Oregon  Trail 

navigation,  entering  the  river  six  miles  below  the  caldron.  One  canoe  with  its 
contents  was  swept  away  while  being  launched  and  three  others  were  caught  on 
the  rocks.  Even  the  voyageurs  were  now  willing  to  admit  that  the  river  route 
would  have  to  be  abandoned.  To  add  to  the  distress  the  food  supply  was  reduced 
to  an  amount  sufficient  for  only  five  days.  The  party  was  divided  into  four  groups, 
which  were  to  make  their  ways  as  best  they  could  toward  the  Columbia.  Hunt, 
left  with  31  men  and  the  squaw  of  Dorion — far  advanced  in  pregnancy — and 
her  two  children,  made  a  cache  for  the  luggage  that  had  to  be  abandoned,  a 
process  that  required  three  days.  During  this  period  one  party,  which  had  at- 
tempted to  return  to  Fort  Henry  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  5),  arrived  and  reported  that 
it  was  impossible  to  go  back  by  land. 

The  Hunt  party,  having  no  other  recourse,  set  out  on  foot  to  follow  the  Snake 
westward  across  the  terrifying  wasteland.  Hunt  led  the  majority  along  the  north 
bank  while  the  minority  traveled  on  the  south  bank. 

US  30  continues  to  follow  the  general  course  of  the  Snake,  which 
in  this  area  takes  a  relatively  direct  route.  For  most  of  its  length  the 
Snake  winds  and  twists  convulsively;  old-timers  say  that  the  river  was 
formed  the  night  Paul  Bunyan  started  out  from  Idaho  Falls  for  Seattle, 
with  his  Blue  Ox,  after  drinking  nine  kegs  of  rum.  It  was  a  wet,  black 
night  and  Paul's  wandering  trail  filled  up  with  water. 

Because  of  varying  degrees  in  the  hardness  of  the  stone  through 
which  the  river  runs  and  the  consequent  variations  in  the  ease  and 
speed  of  erosion,  the  river  has  sculptured  several  waterfalls,  including 
Dry  Creek,  Twin,  Shoshone,  Pillar,  Auger,  and  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Salmon. 

At  HANSEN,  115  m.,  are  the  junctions  with  country  roads. 

1.  Left  on  a  country  road  is  the  SITE  OF  A  TRADING  STATION,  7  m.,  that  was 
for  years  the  first  west  of  Fort  Hall.  It  was  a  camping  site,  a  Pony  Express  station, 
and  then  in  1863  a  settlement.  The  old  store  still  stands. 

2.  Right  from  Hansen  on  a  country  road  that  leads  to  the  HANSEN  BRIDGE, 
4  m.,  which  spans  the  Snake  River  gorge.  It  is  345  feet  high  and  688  feet  long 
and  is  suspended  on  enormous  cables.  The  gorge  here  is  narrower  than  below 
and  offers  from  the  bridge  a  beautiful  summary  of  what  time  and  a  mighty  river 
have  been  able  to  do  with  lava  rock. 

TWIN  FALLS,  124  m.  (3,492  alt.,  8,787  pop.),  is  the  largest  city 
and  the  metropolis  of  south-central  Idaho.  Three  miles  south  of  Snake 
River  and  on  the  bank  of  Rock  Creek,  it  stands  on  gently  rolling 
terrain  that  was  covered  long  ago  by  lava  flows.  The  overlain  soil  in 
the  surrounding  country  is  uncommonly  deep,  and  its  richness  has  made 
this  part  of  Idaho  notable  in  crop  yields.  Twin  Falls  is  one  of  the 
towns  that  have  risen  suddenly  and  swiftly  after  water  reclaimed  the 
arid  valley.  It  was  settled  chiefly  by  families  from  the  Middle  West  and 
was  carefully  planned. 

There  are  several  small  museums  in  the  city.  The  CRABTREE  (adm. 
211  Addison  Ave.  W.,  has  an  excellent  collection  of  Indian 


Idaho 


artifacts,  including  arrowheads  from  many  parts  of  the  United  States; 
there  are  also  a  few  fossils  and  archeological  relics.  The  WEAVER 
MUSEUM  (free),  149  Main  Ave.  W.,  has  a  collection  of  guns,  fossils, 
and  curios.  WHITAKER'S  TAXIDERMIST  SHOP  AND  MUSEUM  (free),  216 
Second  Ave.  S.,  has,  in  addition  to  Indian  artifacts,  an  interesting  group 
of  mounted  game  animals,  wild  birds,  moths,  and  butterflies.  The 
GASKILL  BOTANICAL  GARDEN  (adm.  15$),  266  Blue  Lake  Blvd.,  is  a 
beautifully  landscaped  spot.  Surrounded  by  trees,  shrubs,  and  vines,  the 
concrete  pools  within  are  stocked  with  water  plants  and  fish.  The 
GARDEN  OF  YESTERDAY  (adm.  25$),  just  southeast  of  the  city,  is  note- 
worthy for  its  miniature  reproductions  of  frontier  structures,  including 
a  tiny  log  house,  and  a  gristmill  operated  by  water  from  a  ditch. 

A  natural  CAVE  in  the  wall  of  Rock  Creek  Canyon  (R)  was  the  first 
jail  in  Twin  Falls  County,  and  prisoners  were  incarcerated  here  until 
a  Federal  statute  made  it  illegal  to  keep  persons  below  the  surface  of 
the  earth.  Just  south  of  the  depot  is  a  private  fishery  where  rainbow 
trout  can  be  bought  fresh  from  the  ponds. 

Right  from  Twin  Falls  on  US  93,  which  turns  L.,  following  Blue  Lakes  Blvd. 
(The  roads  beyond  this  point  are  unmarked  and  confusing;  inquiry  should  be 
made  locally.) 

There  is  a  toll-gate  at  about  3  m.,  on  the  rimrock  (adm.  to  the  area  and  its 
attractions  25$  )  .  From  the  rim  there  is  a  magnificent  view  of  the  gorge,  which  here 
is  seven  hundred  feet  in  depth  and  almost  sheer,  and  of  the  Twin  Falls-Jerome 
Bridge.  Far  below,  by  the  river,  is  the  PERRINE  RANCH,  which  Douglas  Fairbanks, 
Sr.,  considered  buying  before  he  decided  to  settle  in  England.  A  narrow  but  safe 
road  leads  down  to  the  ranch  through  a  corridor  of  poplars.  The  PERRINE  MUSEUM 
contains  Indian  artifacts,  fossils,  and  old  relics.  The  Perrine  orchard  is  noted  for 
its  rare  fruits.  The  road  leaves  the  ranch  and  crosses  the  river  on  a  bridge  to 
small,  lovely  BLUE  LAKES,  4.3  m.,  which  are  as  blue  as  the  sky. 

On  US  93  is  the  junction  with  a  country  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  a  second  road  (L)  leading  to  SHOSHONE  FALLS,  first 
described  by  Wilson  Price  Hunt  in  1811,  and  for  many  decades  thereafter  the 
chief  scenic  attraction  in  Idaho  for  the  thousands  of  emigrants  passing  through 
on  their  way  to  Oregon.  During  years  of  light  snowfall  upon  the  watersheds,  only 
about  enough  water  goes  over  this  wide  escarpment  in  August  to  fill  a  teacup. 
After  heavy  winters  the  reservoirs  are  soon  filled,  and  the  full  flow  of  the  river 
is  delivered  downstream.  In  May,  1936,  Shoshone  Falls  was  roaring  mightily  in 
unusual  splendor.  The  river  here  plunges  in  a  sheer  drop  of  212  feet  over  a  great 
basaltic  horseshoe  rim  nearly  a  thousand  feet  wide. 

At  6  m.  on  the  up-river  road  TWIN  FALLS  are  seen.  They  are  no  longer 
twins;  the  larger  one  was  taken  over  in  1935  by  the  Idaho  Power  Company,  whose 
plant  here  is  notable  for  its  compactness  and  beauty.  The  larger  of  the  twins  was 
a  plunge  of  180  feet,  with  more  than  half  the  river  poured  over  a  narrow  escarp- 
ment in  a  terrific  column.  The  diversion  dam  has  now  produced  a  series  of  cas- 
cades that  are  an  appropriate  prelude  to  the  falls  below.  The  great  plunge  is 
against  the  south  wall,  where  the  water  goes  down  like  a  tumbling  mountain  of 
snow  with  a  part  of  its  body  rolling  in  pale  green  veins.  At  the  farther  side  the 
.flood  spills  in  an  enormous  foaming  sheet  over  a  wide  and  almost  perfect  arc. 


114  The  Oregon  Trail 

Section  10.  Twin  Falls  to  Boise,  144  m.  US  30. 

US  30  runs  west  from  TWIN  FALLS,  0  m.  There  is  an  unob- 
structed view  (R)  of  the  Sawtooth  Mountains  beyond  Snake  River. 

At  8  m.  is  FILER,  the  home  of  the  well-known  Idaho  white  bean; 
nine  bean  plants  are  operated  here. 

Right  from  Filer  on  a  country  road  to  AUGER  FALLS,  5  m.,  on  Snake  River. 
The  water  here  pours  through  a  partly  obstructed  channel  over  a  series  of  escarp- 
ments, and  twists  and  spirals  strangely  in  its  descent. 

BUHL,  18  m.  (3,792  alt.,  1,883  pop.),  flanked  on  the  east  by  roll- 
ing country  that  in  June  looks  like  Iowa,  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
towns  in  the  State. 

North  from  Buhl  on  US  30;  at  26  m.  (R)  Snake  River  Canyon  is 
visible.  At  28  m.  some  of  the  Thousand  Springs  can  be  seen  on  its  wall 
in  the  distance.  At  32  m.  (R)  is  the  Thousand  Springs  (sometimes 
called  the  Minnie  Miller)  Farm,  known  for  its  blooded  Guernsey  cattle. 

Just  west  of  the  farm  are  the  THOUSAND  SPRINGS,  many  of  which 
have  been  hidden  by  a  power  development.  Though  long  a  source  of 
mystery  to  both  laymen  and  geologists,  the  Thousand  Springs,  it  is  now 
believed,  are  the  outlets  of  buried  rivers  that  are  lost  in  the  lava  terrain 
150  miles  to  the  northeast.  In  this  stretch  occur  a  group  of  springs 
having  a  combined  discharge  of  more  than  five  thousand  second-feet. 
The  whole  of  central  Idaho  seems  to  be  an  area  of  subterranean  rivers 
and  possibly  cavernous  lake  beds;  at  various  points  in  this  valley  a 
person  can  put  his  ear  to  the  ground  and  hear  deep  and  troubled  rum- 
blings as  of  a  mighty  ocean  rolling  far  beneath  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
Opposite  Thousand  Springs  is  a  ghost  town,  AUSTIN,  marked  by  a 
cellar,  a  chimney,  some  stone  walls,  and  fruit  trees  that  bloom  in  a 
forgotten  orchard. 

HABERMAN,  40  m.,  is  a  small  hamlet  in  the  valley. 

At  40.5  m.  is  a  tablet  commemorating  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  the 
missionary  who  in  1836  traveled  along  the  Snake  on  his  way  to  Oregon. 
With  Whitman  were  his  bride,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Spalding,  and  two 
other  men ;  they  were  led  by  Thomas  McKay  and  John  McLeod,  experi- 
enced Hudson's  Bay  Company  men  who  knew  the  route  well.  Nonethe- 
less they  had  an  unusually  difficult  time  because  Whitman  was  bent  on 
demonstrating  that  wagons  could  be  used  in  reaching  the  Columbia 
River.  The  missionaries  had  started  from  St.  Louis  with  two  wagons 
and  the  fur  traders  with  whom  they  traveled  on  the  first  part  of  their 
journey  had  had  seven.  The  traders  left  their  wagons  at  Fort  William 
(Fort  Laramie),  but  Whitman  had  insisted  that  he  and  Spalding  con- 
tinue with  one  wagon.  After  they  had  had  endless  trouble  and  delays 
on  account  of  the  wagon,  other  members  of  the  party  attempted  to 


Idaho  115 

persuade  him  to  leave  it.  He  persisted  in  spite  of  them.  Two  or  three 
days  before  reaching  Fort  Hall  one  of  the  axletrees  broke  and  even  the 
bride  rejoiced  at  what  seemed  the  deathblow  to  her  husband's  plan. 
But  she  was  not  yet  acquainted  with  Whitman.  He  contrived  a  cart  of 
the  rear  wheels  and  lashed  the  other  pair  to  it.  At  Fort  Hall  the  trader 
endeavored  to  dissuade  Whitman  from  attempting  to  take  the  cart 
farther  and  one  man  in  the  missionary  party  said  that  he  would  not  go 
on  if  the  cart  went.  Whitman  took  the  cart.  As  the  little  group  passed 
over  the  route  at  this  point  the  cart  was  still  vexing  Spalding,  the 
women,  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  men.  It  was  finally  abandoned 
at  Fort  Boise. 

In  the  high  cliffs  above  Thousand  Springs  and  in  other  places 
throughout  Haberman  Valley,  marine  fossils  are  abundant.  Besides 
remains  of  luxuriant  tropical  vegetation,  there  are  also  survivals  of 
mastodons,  wild  hogs,  and  a  rare  species  of  ancient  horse  that  seems  to 
have  been  the  immediate  forebear  of  the  present  animal. 

Between  Hagerman  and  Malad  River  US  30  crosses  the  Snake  in 
whose  canyon  wall  is  a  cave  containing  Indian  petroglyphs  that  have 
been  interpreted  as  a  story  of  an  Arapaho  massacre.  MALAD  RIVER, 
43  m.,  is  only  a  few  miles  long.  In  springtime  it  is  a  wild  torrent  of 
considerable  size.  The  main  source  of  Malad  River  is  a  huge  spring 
that  plunges  down  a  precipice  in  a  chain  of  cascades.  The  subterranean 
nature  of  central  Idaho  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  this  is  the  only 
stream  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State  west  of  Henrys  Fork  that,  rising 
in  the  mountains  in  the  north,  reaches  Snake  River  in  the  summertime. 

The  highway  leaves  the  rim  of  the  canyon.  At  the  foot,  just  before 
the  ascent  begins,  is  the  old  Bliss  Ranch  where  B.  M.  Bower  wrote 
Good  Indian.  The  evolution  of  the  winding  grade  from  a  crude  pack 
trail  through  different  eras  of  travel  is  still  discernible.  At  the  top  of 
the  ascent  is  the  village  of  BLISS,  49  m.,  which  was  named  for  an 
old-timer  and  not  because  its  settlers  regarded  it  as  an  especially 
felicitous  haven. 

1.  Right  from  Bliss  on  a  fair  road  to  lakes,  11  m.,  in  which  the  water  is  so 
astringent  that  it  will  take  the  hair  off  a  hog.  These  small  lakes  occupy  old  crater 
beds.  They  are  known  under  various  names,  but  one  of  them  is  sometimes  appro- 
priately called  LYE  LAKE.  The  hot  springs  were  held  in  high  esteem  by  Indians, 
who  often  journeyed  far  to  bathe  in  the  waters.  The  story  is  told  of  one  buck 
who  gambled  so  expertly  that  he  left  the  others  destitute.  He  was  denounced 
in  angry  council,  but  allowed  to  accompany  the  tribe  on  its  pilgrimage  to  the 
spring.  When  he  fell  ill  of  spotted  fever,  he  was  thrust  into  the  hot  waters  to 
effect  a  cure  and  was  dragged  out  dead. 

2.  Right  from  Bliss  on  State  24;  at  4  m.  R.  over  a  smooth  road  to  the  MALAD 
GORGE,  14  m.  No  gorge  in  the  State  excels  this  one  with  its  ragged  chasms, 
and  none  is  more  picturesque.  Near  its  head  is  a  blue  lake  fed  by  a  waterfall, 
and  below  it  is  the  river,  cascading  and  bursting  forth  in  springs  and  turning 
through  all  shades  of  pale  green  and  blue. 


116  The  Oregon  Trail 

West  of  Bliss  US  30  traverses  one  of  the  chief  grazing  areas  of  the 
State,  from  which  seventy  thousand  cattle  and  two  hundred  thousand 
sheep  are  shipped  annually. 

Just  northwest  of  KING  HILL,  66  m.,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  stood 
an  Overland  Stage  station  that  was  burned  by  Chief  Buffalo  Horn  in 
1878.  On  a  flat  above  the  village  is  the  Devil's  Playground,  a  pic- 
turesque area  of  round  smooth  stones. 

At  74  m.  is  THREE  ISLAND  FORD  where  the  Oregon  Trail  crossed 
the  Snake.  An  Indian  trail  still  leads  down  to  the  river.  Indians  used 
to  lie  in  ambush  by  the  crossing;  just  south  is  DEAD  MAN'S  GULCH. 
With  his  band,  Buffalo  Horn,  an  Indian  scout  having  an  honorable  dis- 
charge from  the  U.  S.  Army,  killed  three  miners  on  DEAD  MAN'S  FLAT. 

It  was  in  this  area  that  Hunt's  Astorians  found  a  small  Indian 
village  and  bought  some  salmon  and  a  dog  for  food. 

Near  the  ford  US  30  turns  abruptly  northwest  from  the  Snake  and 
the  route  of  the  west-bound  Astorians.  The  men  of  that  party  stumbled 
along  over  the  rough  land  near  the  river,  galled  by  the  loads  they  were 
carrying  and  weakened  by  lack  of  food.  At  one  Indian  village  a  pack 
horse  was  obtained  in  exchange  for  an  old  tea  kettle  after  payment 
with  articles  of  more  value  had  been  refused.  Two  days  later  Hunt 
unfortunately  accepted  the  advice  of  Indians  and  turned  inland,  away 
from  the  river;  the  men  almost  went  mad  with  thirst  before  they 
reached  a  pleasant  stream.  Dorion,  at  a  nearby  Indian  camp,  was  able 
to  buy  a  horse  to  carry  his  wife  and  children.  Another  man  also 
acquired  a  horse  but  a  few  days  later  the  starving  party  killed  it  for 
food. 

MOUNTAIN  HOME,  100  m.  (3,124  alt.,  1,243  pop.),  is  on  a  great 
sagebrush-covered  plateau. 

West  of  Mountain  Home  US  30  traverses  prairie  with  typical  flora. 

The  highway  here  follows  a  section  of  the  Oregon  Trail  that  is 
associated  with  many  tragedies.  The  one  most  frequently  related  con- 
cerns the  Sager  family;  how  much  of  the  story  is  true  and  how  much 
pure  legend  is  unknown.  The  family  had  left  the  Missouri  with  a  wagon 
train  but  in  western  Wyoming,  where  the  parents  became  ill  with 
dysentery  or  cholera,  the  train  moved  on  without  them.  They  managed 
to  reach  Fort  Hall  before  the  parents  died.  Of  the  five  children,  John, 
aged  14,  was  the  eldest;  the  youngest  was  a  four-months-old  infant. 
There  were  no  women  at  the  Hudson's  Bay  outpost,  so  John  determined 
to  press  on  toward  the  Whitman  mission  near  Walla  Walla.  In  the 
confusion  around  the  post  the  children  slipped  off  into  this  region  that 
taxed  the  endurance  of  the  hardiest  adults.  It  was  many  weeks  later, 
according  to  the  story,  that  John  approached  the  gate  of  Fort  Boise, 
carrying  the  baby  and  followed  by  his  little  sisters.  A  month  later  the 
forlorn  children  arrived  at  the  mission;  John  still  carried  the  youngest 
and  behind  him  perched  on  the  back  of  an  emaciated  cow,  were  his 


U.  P,  R.  R.  Museum 


UNION  PACIFIC  WORKERS  (1867) 


WAGON  TRAIN  (c.  1871) 


Idaho  117 

sister  of  eight,  with  a  broken  leg,  and  his  sister  of  five,  who  had  sup- 
ported the  leg  mile  after  mile  to  keep  it  from  swinging.  Shortly  after 
she  was  lifted  from  the  cow's  back,  the  injured  girl  died.  The  children 
had  traveled  five  hundred  miles,  subsisting  on  the  cow's  milk  and  on 
wild  fruits  and  roots.  John  and  Francis  were  slain  three  years  later 
during  the  Whitman  mission  massacre. 

At  111  m.  (L)  is  CLEFT,  a  few  deserted  shacks  by  the  railroad 
tracks. 

Left  from  Cleft  over  cow  trails  (hazardous)  to  the  CRATER  RINGS,  3  m. 
(L).  These  two  great  volcanic  cones  look  like  ancient  amphitheaters  from  which 
all  benches  have  been  removed.  The  rings  were  doubtless  caused  by  two  gigantic 
eruptions  of  such  force  and  volume  that  a  cubic  mile  of  lava  was  hurled  into  the 
air  and  blown  into  dust.  Here  also  is  an  earthquake  fissure;  for  five  miles  the 
surface  was  split  open  by  some  tremendous  tremor  in  the  past,  and  the  crack,  from 
five  to  ten  feet  in  width,  is  of  unknown  depth  in  places. 

BOISE,  144  m.  (2,741  alt.,  21,544  pop.)  (see  IDAHO  GUIDE). 

Railroad  Station.  Union  Pacific,  on  the  Bench. 
Bus  Station.  Union  Pacific  Stages,  929  Main  St. 
Accommodations.  First-class  hotels. 

Boise,  the  capital  of  Idaho  and  its  largest  city,  stands  on  the  bank 
of  the  Boise  River.  It  is  a  city  of  trees  and  homes,  protected  by  great 
mountains  on  the  north  and  lying  in  a  belt  of  prevailing  westerly  winds. 
Its  summers,  though  often  hot,  are  nearly  always  dry,  and  its  nights 
are  usually  cool.  Its  winters  are  mild.  The  city  is  supported  by  a  few 
factories,  and  by  the  trade  from  a  fertile  agricultural  area  chiefly 
producing  hay,  grain,  vegetables,  and  fruits. 

Boise  has  a  large  Basque  colony.  Its  midsummer  festival  is  a  genuine 
romeria,  similar  to  fiestas  in  Spain,  with  Basque  food,  costumes,  dances, 
and  music.  Like  many  other  Idaho  towns,  it  has  an  abundance  of 
natural  hot  water,  with  wells  that  flow  1,200,000  gallons  daily  at  a 
temperature  of  170  degrees  F.  Many  of  the  homes,  especially  in  the 
eastern  part,  are  heated  from  these  flows;  the  chief  avenue,  Warm 
Springs,  is  named  for  them.  The  large  NATATORIUM  and  its  playground 
are  on  this  avenue  at  its  eastern  end. 

The  domed  STATE  CAPITOL  is  reminiscent  of  the  Capitol  in  Wash- 
ington, with  Corinthian  columns  supporting  a  Corinthian  pediment.  It 
is  faced  with  Boise  sandstone.  It  is  most  impressive  when  viewed  from 
the  head  of  the  long  boulevard  leading  from  the  railroad  station  on  the 
Bench.  In  the  rotunda  is  an  equestrian  statue  of  George  Washington,  the 
work  of  Charles  Ostner,  a  soldier  of  fortune  sojourning  in  Idaho;  it 
was  carved  by  hand  from  a  yellow  pine  tree  with  the  crudest  of  tools 
and  with  only  a  postage  stamp  bearing  Washington's  head  as  a  model. 
It  was  completed  in  1869,  after  four  years'  work;  when  the  carving  was 


118  The  Oregon  Trail 

completed,  the  statue  was  scraped  with  glass,  sandpapered,  gilded,  and 
overlaid  with  gold  leaf.  In  one  crowded  room  in  the  basement  of  the 
capitol  is  the  STATE  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  MUSEUM  (free] ;  many  valu- 
able gifts  and  collections  are  being  withheld  until  a  suitable  building  is 
erected  to  house  them.  On  the  capitol  grounds  is  the  FRANK  STEUNEN- 
BERG  MONUMENT,  designed  by  Gilbert  Riswald  and  cast  by  Guido  Nelli. 
Steunenberg,  Governor  of  the  State  (1897-1901),  was  killed  by  a  bomb 
in  December,  1905,  during  the  mine  labor  troubles  of  the  period.  The 
trial  of  those  accused  of  causing  his  death  was  a  court  duel  between 
William  E.  Borah,  acting  for  the  State,  and  the  late  Clarence  Darrow 
for  the  defense. 

At  the  southern  end  of  Capitol  Boulevard,  and  facing  the  capitol,  is 
the  beautiful  UNION  PACIFIC  STATION.  Set  upon  a  hill,  it  overlooks  the 
city  as  well  as  the  landscaped  Howard  Platt  Gardens  with  their  flowers 
and  Norway  maples,  blossoming  catalpas,  and  weeping  willows.  These 
gardens,  particularly  lovely  when  lighted  at  night,  were  designed  by 
Richard  Espino  of  Los  Angeles.  ST.  JOHN'S  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CATHE- 
DRAL, 8th  and  Hays  Sts.,  was  designed  by  Tourtellotte  and  Hummel  of 
Boise,  the  architects  of  the  capitol.  It  is  Romanesque  in  design  and  the 
interior  is  elaborately  adorned  with  stained-glass  windows  and  marble 
altars.  ST.  MICHAEL'S  EPISCOPAL  CATHEDRAL,  8th  and  State  Sts.,  is  of 
the  English  Gothic  type. 

In  JULIA  DAVIS  PARK,  lying  upon  the  north  bank  of  the  river  just 
east  of  8th  St.,  is  the  COSTON  CABIN.  Built  in  the  spring  of  1863  by  I.  N. 
Coston,  it  was  fashioned  of  driftwood  gathered  from  the  river,  and  put 
together  with  pegs.  Its  original  site  was  on  the  river  seven  miles  above 
Boise;  there  it  served  as  a  rendezvous  for  Indians,  prospectors, 
freighters,  and  packers.  In  this  park,  too,  is  the  PEARCE  CABIN,  built  by 
Ira  B.  Pearce  in  the  fall  of  1863  of  logs  brought  from  the  mountains 
by  ox  team.  On  the  south  side  of  the  river  near  the  Holcomb  school  is 
the  BLOCKHOUSE,  a  two-story  stone  structure,  built  in  1869,  that  served 
as  a  refuge  against  Indian  attacks;  it  is  now  locally  regarded  as 
haunted. 

The  DELAMAR  HOUSE,  8th  and  Grove  Sts.,  was,  in  its  heyday,  the 
largest  and  most  modern  in  the  town.  It  had  the  first  mansard  roof  in 
the  State.  In  1892  Capt.  J.  R.  DeLamar,  the  "silver  king,"  bought  it  for 
$35,000  and  converted  it  into  an  expensive  club;  in  1905  it  became 
the  home  of  Boise's  first  beauty  parlor;  today  it  is  a  Basque  rooming 
house. 

The  O'FARRELL  CABIN,  6th  and  Fort  Sts.,  was  built  in  1863,  and 
now  has  a  tablet  above  the  door  declaring  that  this  was  the  first  home 
in  Boise  to  shelter  women  and  children.  Within  it  are  the  fireplace  and 
tea-kettle  used  by  the  first  occupants. 

CHRIST'S  CHURCH,  15th  and  Ridenbaugh  Sts.,  was  erected  in  1866 
in  another  part  of  the  city. 


Idaho  119 

Opposite  the  Statesman  Building  on  Main  Street  is  the  SITE  OF  THE 
OVERLAND  STAGE  STATION. 

A  saloon  operating  on  Main  between  8th  and  9th  Sts.  half  a  century 
ago,  managed  by  James  Lawrence  and  known   as  the  Naked   Truth 
Saloon,  advertised  itself  in  the  following  fashion: 
"Friends  and  Neighbors : 

"Having  just  opened  a  commodious  shop  for  the  sale  of  liquid 
fire,  I  embrace  this  opportunity  of  informing  you  that  I  have  com- 
menced the  business  of  making: 

"Drunkards,  paupers  and  beggars  for  the  sober,  industrious  and 
respectable  portion  of  the  community  to  support.  I  shall  deal  in  family 
spirits,  which  will  incite  men  to  deeds  of  riot,  robbery,  and  blood,  and 
by  so  doing,  diminish  the  comfort,  augment  the  expenses  and  endanger 
the  welfare  of  the  community. 

"I  will  undertake  on  short  notice,  for  a  small  sum  and  with  great 
expectations,  to  prepare  victims  for  the  asylum,  poor  farm,  prison  and 
gallows. 

"I  will  furnish  an  article  which  will  increase  fatal  accidents, 
multiply  the  number  of  distressing  diseases  and  render  those  which  are 
harmless  incurable.  I  will  deal  in  drugs  which  will  deprive  some  of 
life,  many  of  reason,  most  of  prosperity,  and  all  of  peace:  which  will 
cause  fathers  to  become  fiends,  and  wives  widows,  children  orphans 
and  a  nuisance  to  the  nation." 

The  URGUIDES  LITTLE  VILLAGE  of  30  one-room  cabins,  1st  and  Main 
Sts.,  was  erected  in  1863  by  Jesus  Kossuth  Urguides,  a  frontiersman 
from  San  Francisco,  as  a  freighting  station.  Built  to  house  packers  and 
wranglers,  the  cabins  today  are  occupied  by  old-timers  who  can  still 
remember  how  the  generous  Urguides  cared  for  them  in  sickness  and 
in  health. 

Boise  has  a  large  playground  in  JULIA  DAVIS  PARK,  with  an  art 
museum,  picnic  grounds,  boating  facilities,  and  tennis  courts. 

Right  from  Boise  on  Warm  Springs  Avenue  (State  21)  to  a  junction  at  19  m.; 
L.  here  on  State  20  to  IDAHO  CITY,  45  m.  (187  pop.),  in  the  Boise  Basin.  In 
its  heyday  this  former  mining  city  sheltered  daily  almost  as  many  people  as  Boise 
has  today  as  permanent  residents.  But  they  constantly  moved  in  and  out  as  news 
came  of  gold  strikes,  first  here,  then  there.  The  best  index  of  the  tempo  of  former 
Idaho  City  life  is  found  in  the  graveyard;  old-timers  say  that  of  the  200  people 
buried  there  in  1863,  only  28  died  of  natural  causes.  This  cemetery  apparently 
inspired  the  vigilantes  of  the  locality  because  it  was  one  of  their  favorite  meeting 
places.  The  town  jail,  first  in  the  Idaho  region,  was  on  an  acre  of  ground  sur- 
rounded by  a  stockade.  The  most  notable  siege  this  fortress  withstood  was  from 
a  mob,  armed  with  a  cannon,  in  an  attempt  to  take  Ferd  Patterson  from  the 
sheriff's  custody  and  lynch  him.  Patterson  was  a  gambler  who  had  scalped  his 
ex-mistress  and  killed  the  captain  of  a  Columbia  River  boat.  He  brought  himself 
to  the  attention  of  Idaho  City  by  a  gaudiness  of  attire  that  included  plaid  pants, 
high-heeled  boots,  a  fancy  silk  waistcoat  spanned  by  a  heavy  chain  of  California 
gold  nuggets,  and  a  frock  coat  of  beaver  cloth  trimmed  with  otter;  he  further 
attracted  public  odium  by  killing  the  Idaho  City  sheriff.  A  thousand  men  waited 


120  The  Oregon  Trail 

to  intercept  the  deputy  who  was  bringing  him  to  the  jail,  but  the  deputy  out- 
witted them  by  placing  his  man  behind  the  bars — and  the  stockade — and  defend- 
ing his  stronghold  with  a  cannon  thrust  through  portholes  in  the  protecting  fence. 
It  is  said  that  the  deputy  almost  died  of  chagrin  when  Patterson  was  later  ac- 
quitted at  the  trial. 

Left  from  Idaho  City  about  10  m.  to  PLACERVILLE,  another  mining  town 
that  is  almost  a  ghost.  Facing  the  weed-covered  plaza  is  the  MAGNOLIA  SALOON, 
known  the  length  of  the  Rockies  in  the  days  when  gold  dust  was  legal  tender 
and  a  glass  of  whiskey  was  worth  a  pinch  of  it.  Because  of  the  numerous  mice, 
a  cat  was  as  valuable  as  a  whole  jug  of  whiskey  until  one  enterprising  fellow 
broke  the  market  by  carting  a  load  of  cats  into  town.  Before  1864  mail  was  brought 
to  Placerville  on  horseback  at  50  cents  or  a  dollar  a  letter,  the  price  fluctuating 
according  to  the  number  of  thugs  along  the  road.  Placerville  began  to  decline  in 
importance  by  1870. 

Section  11.  Boise  to  Oregon  Line,  63  m.  US  30. 

US  30,  westward,  follows  Main  Street  in  BOISE,  0  m.  MERIDIAN, 
10  m.  (2,650  alt.,  1,004  pop.),  is  shipping  point  for  a  fertile  agricul- 
tural area  and  has  one  of  Idaho's  largest  creameries. 

NAMPA,  20  m.  (2,4£2  alt.,  8,206  pop.),  seventh  city  in  size  in  the 
State,  is  said  to  have  been  founded  by  a  wealthy  old-timer  who,  falling 
into  a  fury  with  Boise  one  day,  strode  out  of  it  swearing  that  he  would 
make  grass  grow  in  its  streets.  Neither  his  rage  nor  his  wealth  enabled 
him  to  fulfill  his  threat,  but  he  did  help  to  bring  into  existence  a  town 
that  has  been  thriving  ever  since.  Nampa  was  named  for  Nampuh,  a 
leader  of  the  western  Shoshone  who  was  one  of  the  most  notorious 
thieves  and  murderers  that  ever  broke  the  back  of  a  pony.  Nampuh  was 
so  huge  that  the  vest  of  John  McLoughlin,  the  giant  Chief  Factor  of  the 
Department  of  the  Columbia  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  failed  by 
15  inches  to  reach  around  him. 

This  city  is  the  trade  center  of  an  agricultural  and  dairying  area. 
LAKEVIEW  PARK,  70  beautiful  acres  at  the  eastern  border  of  the  city,  has 
golf  course,  playgrounds,  and  a  large  swimming  pool  supplied  with 
hot  artesian  water.  On  the  north  side  of  town  is  a  Spanish  colony;  just 
northwest  of  the  city  is  a  Bohemian  settlement;  and  there  is  a  scattered 
Scandinavian  colony,  largest  of  all. 

Left  from  Nampa  on  State  45,  which  leads  into  Owyhee  County,  a  picturesque 
and  little-known  area  that  has  a  population  of  fewer  than  four  thousand,  but  an 
area  larger  than  Connecticut  and  two  Rhode  Islands.  Old-timers  here  declare  that 
anything  can  be  found  in  this  county,  including,  they  suspect,  the  lost  tribes  of 
Israel.  Just  north  of  the  bridge  across  Snake  River,  about  8  m.,  a  road  branches 
R.  and  follows  the  north  bank  10  m.  to  an  unusually  large  INDIAN  PICTOGRAPH. 
Upon  a  great  stone  close  by  (R)  is  carved  a  great  crude  map  that  roughly  defines 
not  only  the  Snake  River  Valley  but  also  Jackson  Lake  in  western  Wyoming  and 
a  few  areas  adjacent  to  both.  Vandals  in  recent  years  have  broken  off  chunks  of 
the  rock  and  carried  away  parts  of  the  map. 

The  bridge  on  State  45  is  at  the  SITE  OF  WALTERS  FERRY,  which  for  58  years 
was  an  important  link  in  the  Boise-San  Francisco  stage  route.  A  few  adobe  huts 


Idaho  121 

remain  on  the  bank.  When  building  the  bridge,  workmen  found  arrowheads,  rifle 
balls,  and  a  hidden  poke  of  gold  dust. 

MURPHY,  12  m.,  is  the  present  county  seat. 

Right  here  to  SILVER  CITY,  44  m.  (6,000  alt.),  patriarch  of  the  State's  ghost 
towns.  It  sprang  up  after  gold  was  discovered  in  1863  in  Jordan  Creek,  on  whose 
headwaters  it  stands.  Ore  from  the  nearby  Poorman  mine  assayed  four  to  five 
thousand  dollars  a  ton.  At  the  height  of  its  prosperity  the  city  had  a  newspaper; 
a  Roman  Catholic  church,  Our  Lady  of  Tears;  a  barber  shop  advertising  baths 
as  a  specialty  ("Call  and  be  convinced"),  with  a  photograph  of  the  tub;  and  bar- 
rooms with  impressive  mirrors  and  polished  interiors.  The  area  became  notorious 
because  rival  mining  companies,  setting  an  example  later  followed  by  urban  indus- 
trialists, hired  thugs  to  further  their  interests.  The  mountain  metropolis  had  two 
hotels,  the  Idaho  and  the  War  Eagle,  but  they  were  crazy  aggregates  of  buildings 
ranging  from  one  to  three  stories  in  height.  Though  its  glory  had  departed  by 
1898  it  was  still  a  thriving  place;  by  1935  it  had  lost  importance  to  the  point  that 
the  county  seat  was  moved  to  Murphy. 

CALDWELL,  29  m.  (2,367  alt.,  4,974  pop.),  has  in  the  COLLEGE 
OF  IDAHO,  visible  at  the  eastern  edge  of  the  city,  the  oldest  institution  of 
higher  learning  in  the  State;  it  was  founded  in  1891  and  has  approxi- 
mately four  hundred  students.  Opposite  the  college  is  an  unusually  large 
livestock  feeding  and  shipping  station.  In  MEMORIAL  PARK  (L),  beyond 
the  campus,  are  playgrounds,  a  large  outdoor  pool  fed  by  artesian 
water,  and  the  JOHNSON  CABIN,  in  which  three  bachelor  brothers  lived 
in  early  days.  The  town,  with  19  churches  and  somewhat  monastic  quiet, 
is  quite  unlike  any  other  in  the  State. 

At  the  northwestern  edge  of  Caldwell  is  Canyon  Ford  Bridge  over 
Boise  River,  which  US  30  crosses.  Near  the  northern  end  of  the  bridge 
is  the  MARIE  DORION  MONUMENT,  honoring  the  Indian  woman  who 
traveled  with  the  Astorians. 

Left  along  the  northern  bank  of  the  Boise  River  on  State  18,  which  follows  the 
old  emigrant  trail,  to  ROSWELL,  14  m.  Near  this  small  town  is  the  SITE  OF 
FORT  BOISE,  established  on  Boise  River,  about  eight  or  ten  miles  from  the 
Snake  in  1834  but  later  moved  down  to  this  point  near  the  larger  stream.  The 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  erected  this  trading  post  as  an  answer  to  Wyeth's  Fort 
Hall,  established  in  July,  1834.  It  became  an  important  point  on  the  Oregon  Trail 
as  the  first  white  settlement  reached  after  the  dreary  trek  from  Fort  Hall.  By 
the  time  the  emigrants  arrived  here  many  were  practically  destitute,  having  mis- 
calculated the  amount  of  foodstuffs  necessary  to  carry  them  to  the  Columbia  and 
possessing  scanty  means.  From  a  trading  standpoint  this  was  not  a  highly  suc- 
cessful post,  the  surrounding  country  having  relatively  few  beaver. 

US  30  goes  north  through  the  Payette  Valley,  the  only  part  of  the 
State  that  has  more  water  available  for  irrigation  than  is  needed.  The 
valley,  like  the  river,  was  named  for  Francois  Payette,  who  arrived  at 
Astoria  on  the  ship  Beaver,  and  was  later  in  charge  of  Fort  Boise.  NEW 
PLYMOUTH,  54  m.,  was  conceived  in  the  Sherman  House  in  Chicago 
by  the  chairman  of  a  national  irrigation  congress.  FRUITLAND,  61 
m.,  is  the  center  of  one  of  the  most  prolific  fruit  areas  in  the  State. 


122  The  Oregon  Trail 

At  63  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  SON. 

Right  on  US  SON  at  2.9  m.  is  PAYETTE  (2,147  alt.,  2,618  pop.),  with  a 
well-known  shade-tree  nursery,  which  has  developed  a  pink  flowering  and  a  purple- 
bloom  locust  tree  that  blossoms  every  month.  An  apple  blossom  festival  is  an 
annual  event  here  when  the  orchards  burgeon.  Just  west  of  the  town  are  the 
SHOWBERGER  BOTANICAL  GARDENS,  an  inventory  of  which  in  1934  showed  132  native 
plants  that  had  been  identified,  100  that  were  still  unnamed,  and  1,500  wild  and 
cultivated  varieties.  From  these  gardens  Hyde  Park  in  London  was  supplied  with 
wild  hollyhock  after  a  long  search  had  been  made  in  Weiser  Canyon  to  find  it. 
Fifty  species  of  pentstemon  are  grown  here. 

WEISER  (pron.  Wee'-zer),  17.9  m.  (2,119  alt.,  2,724  pop.),  stands  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Snake  and  Weiser  Rivers.  It  was  the  "river  Wuzer"  described 
by  Alexander  Ross,  and  the  "Wazer's"  River  of  Peter  Skene  Ogden  in  1827. 
Lewis  and  Clark,  whose  knowledge  of  the  stream's  existence  was  limited  to  in- 
formation obtained  from  Indians,  called  it  the  "Nemo."  One  tradition  has  it  that 
the  river  was  named  for  Peter  Wiser,  a  private  in  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedi- 
tion; another  that  it  was  named  for  Jacob  Wayer  or  Wager,  a  North  West  Com- 
pany trapper  with  Mackenzie  in  1818,  but  this  is  contradicted  by  the  fact  that 
the  river  was  known  as  "Wisers"  to  Robert  Stuart  in  his  overland  trip  eastward 
from  Astoria  in  1812-3. 

By  1890  the  town,  for  a  time  called  Weiser  Bridge,  had  several  stores,  hotels, 
and  six  saloons;  but  in  that  year  a  man  who  tried  to  take  in  all  the  saloons 
in  a  day's  stride  knocked  over  a  lamp  in  a  hotel,  and  the  subsequent  fire 
destroyed  most  of  the  structures.  A  new  Weiser  one  mile  westward  was  founded, 
and  what  remained  of  the  first  settlement  was  moved  there. 

At  the  eastern  end  of  town  is  the  old  EMIGRANT  CROSSING  where  wagon  trains 
forded  the  river  in  early  days.  An  old  ferryboat  still  stands  here. 

It  was  in  this  neighborhood  that  the  westbound  Astorians  reached  a  point  of 
almost  inhuman  desperation.  December  had  arrived  and  snows  impeded  their 
progress.  The  party  led  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Snake  had  fared  even  worse 
than  the  party  on  the  north  bank.  When  finally  sighted  they  had  given  themselves 
up  to  death.  The  men  on  the  north  bank,  who  had  stolen  a  horse  from  the 
Indians  and  killed  it  for  food,  were  so  apathetic  to  the  fate  of  the  members  of 
the  other  party  that  they  made  no  effort  to  share  the  meat  until  Hunt  forced 
them  to  do  so.  Small  groups  set  out  to  explore  north  and  south  in  this  area 
and  Hunt  finally  determined  to  leave  "the  accursed  mad  river"  and  cut  across 
to  the  Columbia;  this  was  done  on  the  day  before  Christmas. 

US  30N  crosses  the  Oregon  Line  at  20.7  m.  and  almost  immediately  unites 
with  US  30. 

US  30  leads  west  to  the  SNAKE  RIVER,  63  m.,  which  forms  217 
miles  of  the  boundary  line  between  Idaho  and  Oregon.  Clark  called  it 
the  Lewis  River  in  honor  of  his  partner.  Its  present  name  was  derived 
from  the  Snake  (Shoshone)  Indians,  who  lived  near  it. 


Oregon 


Idaho  Line — Baker — La  Grande — Pendleton — The  Dalles — Portland — 
Astoria;  522.7  m.  US  30. 

Union  Pacific  R.R.  roughly  parallels  US  30  between  Idaho  Line  and  Portland; 
Spokane,  Portland  &  Seattle  R.R.,  between  Portland  and  Astoria.  Union  Pacific 
Stages  follow  US  30  between  Idaho  Line  and  Portland;  Spokane,  Portland  & 
Seattle  Stages  between  Portland  and  Astoria. 

Paved  route,  passable  except  in  severe  snow  and  ice  storms,  when  Columbia  River 
Gorge  and  Blue  Mountain  sections  are  sometimes  temporarily  blocked. 

All  types  of  accommodations;  improved  campsites. 

US  30  in  Oregon  closely  follows  the  Oregon  Trail,  traversed  by 
explorers,  fur  traders,  missionaries,  spies,  settlers,  and  adventurers  in 
early  days.  The  members  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  were  the 
first  white  men  to  travel  through  the  Columbia  River  Valley ;  they  went 
down  the  river,  which  the  highway  follows  closely  for  more  than  half 
its  course,  but  had  to  make  many  portages.  The  Astorians  were  the  next 
to  use  the  river,  for  many  years  the  main  highway  of  travelers  in  the 
region.  Nathaniel  Wyeth  was  the  first  who  attempted  to  take  wagons 
overland  to  Oregon,  but  it  was  not  until  1846  that  a  pass  was  opened 
around  Mount  Hood,  and  wagons  went  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Willam- 
ette Valley. 

Every  mile  of  the  trail  is  filled  with  memories  of  the  multitude  that 
passed  over  it.  The  smooth  modern  highway  of  today  was  then  a  crude, 
dangerous  thoroughfare  providing  the  climax  to  the  journey  requiring 
five  months  from  the  Missouri  River  to  the  lower  Columbia  Valley. 
Over  sculptured  hills  and  parched  plains,  through  cultivated  valleys 
and  orchard  slopes,  the  highway  passes  scenes  that  vary  from  the 
monotonous  to  the  magnificent.  It  winds  up  pine-covered  ridges  of  the 
Blue  Mountains  and,  descending,  crosses  miles  of  rolling  grain  fields. 
It  wedges  between  basaltic  cliffs  and  rugged  gorges.  Along  a  route  of 
scenic  splendor,  named  in  part  the  Columbia  River  Highway,  it  reaches 
the  wide  estuary  of  the  old  River  of  the  West,  and  at  last  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  where  Lewis  and  Clark  terminated  their  historic  journey  in  1805. 

Section  12.  Idaho  Line  to  Pendleton,  187.7  m.  US  30. 

US  30  crosses  the  Oregon  Line,  0  m.,  in  the  middle  of  the  Snake 
River. 

ONTARIO,  1.4  m.  (2,153  alt.,  1,941  pop.),  platted  in  the  1880's, 
is  in  the  midst  of  a  300,000-acre  irrigation  district.  Served  by  the  Union 
Pacific  branch  lines,  the  town  is  the  shipping  point  for  the  Owyhee  and 
Malheur  Valleys,  and  for  a  region  with  vast  cattle  ranges.  Cereals,  hay, 
and  vegetables  are  shipped  in  large  quantities.  Cattle  and  sheep  are 

123 


124  The  Oregon  Trail 

crowded  into  loading  pens  before  being  driven  into  the  long  freight 
trains  that  constantly  fill  the  sidings.  The  annual  Malheur  County  Fair 
and  Rodeo  is  held  here  during  September.  The  glamor  of  the  Old  West 
still  lingers  about  the  town,  which  has  a  background  of  barren  hills  and 
distant  rimrock. 

At  3.9  m.  US  30  crosses  the  Malheur  River,  whose  banks  in  spring 
are  overgrown  with  fragrant  tangles  of  wild  syringa,  or  mock  orange, 
found  many  places  in  the  Northwest  and  described  by  Lewis  and  Clark 
in  their  Journals.  From  its  straight  shoots  the  Indians  fashioned  their 
arrows,  giving  the  bush  the  local  name  of  arrow-wood. 

The  highway  leads  north,  with  the  Sawtooths  of  Idaho  visible  (R), 
changing  color  with  the  changing  light,  from  deep  purple  to  rose. 
Volcanic  dust  in  the  air  results  in  unusually  beautiful  sunset  colors  over 
these  barren  hills.  After  a  brief  rain  the  sage-scented  air  becomes  so 
clear  that  the  distant  mountains  seem  unbelievably  near. 

Mountain  mahogany  and  gnarly  juniper  are  scattered  over  the  hills. 
Deer  and  larger  game  abound  in*  the  wilder  regions,  while  coyotes  and 
rabbits  lurk  in  the  nearer  coverts.  Antelopes  formerly  ranged  the 
plateaus;  attracted  by  the  sound  of  the  bells  on  the  wagon  tongues, 
they  often  followed  for  miles  the  careening  stagecoaches  and  lumbering 
wagon-trains.  Pheasants,  quails,  and  sage-hens  live  in  the  sage  and 
greasewood,  and  geese  and  brilliantly  colored  ducks  feed  near  the 
streams.  At  intervals  small  migratory  birds  with  vivid  plumage  brighten 
the  drab  landscape.  The  desert  lark  is  an  ever-exuberant  inhabitant  of 
these  waste  spaces. 

For  ten  miles  northward  from  25.5  m.  the  highway,  flanked  (L)  by 
sheer  hills,  roughly  parallels  Snake  River  (R). 

At  31  m.  (R)  is  the  village  of  OLD'S  FERRY;  a  ferry  established 
in  1862  is  no  longer  operated. 

Here  at  FAREWELL  BEND  the  Oregon  Trail  left  the  Snake  River  and 
ran  northwest  over  the  ridges  to  Burnt  River ;  at  this  point  the  pioneers 
bade  farewell  to  water,  not  knowing  how  soon  they  would  find  some 
again.  The  ferry  at  Farewell  Bend  is  said  to  be  the  locale  of  Buckskins 
Fight  with  the  Wolves  by  George  H.  Waggoner,  whose  parents  brought 
him  overland  by  ox-team  in  1852. 

VANTAGE  POINT,  32.8  m.,  is  a  hill  on  which  the  Indians  some- 
times lay  in  ambush  for  emigrants  who  camped  in  the  vicinity  before 
starting  inland;  near  this  place  several  small  emigrant  trains  were  com- 
pletely annihilated. 

(A  marker  at  36  m.  indicates  the  change  between  Rocky  Mountain 
and  Pacific  Standard  time.) 

HUNTINGTON,  36.5  m.  (2,108  alt.,  803  pop.),  with  its  sun- 
parched  houses,  black  train  sheds,  and  smoke-stained  trees  and  hills, 
is  in  a  canyon  of  the  Burnt  Mountains.  It  was  founded  as  a  stage  stop 
and  maintained  that  role  until  1884,  when  the  Oregon  Railroad  &  Navi- 


Oregon  125 

gation  Company  line  was  linked  with  the  Oregon  Short  Line,  connecting 
Oregon  with  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  Huntington  is  now  an  important 
railroad  division  point  and  freight  station,  with  sidings  and  loading 
pens  to  accommodate  the  Hereford  herds  from  the  nearby  ranges. 

North  of  Huntington  US  30  follows  the  canyon  of  Burnt  River, 
which  it  crosses  15  times  in  12  miles.  This  stream  was  first  mentioned 
and  probably  named  by  Peter  Skene  Ogden  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany; either  charred  timber  or  the  burned  appearance  of  the  volcanic 
rocks  along  its  banks  suggested  the  name.  In  April  and  May  the  spring 
grass  relieves  the  somber  tones  of  the  rock  and  the  sage-covered  hills. 
Small  side  valleys  hold  irrigated  farm  land  and  large  herds  of  cattle, 
though  few  are  seen  from  the  highway. 

The  highway  runs  through  the  forbidding  country  traversed  by  the 
desperate,  half -starved  Astorians  seeking  a  short  cut  between  the  Snake 
and  the  Columbia  Rivers,  after  the  dreadful  two  months  in  which  they 
had  attempted  to  navigate  the  "cursed  mad  river." 

At  LIME,  41.3  m.,  a  large  conveyor  passes  over  the  highway, 
connecting  two  units  of  a  cement  plant.  Lime  deposits  were  formerly 
worked  and  burned  in  concrete  kilns,  the  remains  of  which  now  crumble 
beside  the  road.  Tunnels  in  the  hills  adjacent  to  Burnt  River  indicate 
small-scale  attempts  to  obtain  gold. 

The  stark  walls  of  the  Burnt  Mountains  canyons  have  been  gro- 
tesquely carved  by  the  snow-fed  rivulets  that  in  spring  flood  the  river 
and  fill  small  irrigation  reservoirs.  Occasionally  a  lone  juniper  clings 
to  the  rocks. 

The  highway  winds  through  lands  alternately  arid  and  irrigated, 
and  characterized  by  surprising  contrasts  created  by  green  alfalfa  fields 
and  the  gray  of  the  sagebrush,  to  a  widening  valley. 

At  55.7  m.  the  route  crosses  a  ridge  known  locally  as  an  "iron 
dike."  Car  radios  have  no  reception  when  stopped  on  the  dike. 

DURKEE,  57.9  m.  (2,654  alt.,  100  pop.),  is  a  weather-worn  cattle- 
shipping  point  retaining  the  aspect  of  a  frontier  town  of  the  buckboard 
era.  Nearby,  along  Burnt  River,  are  found  fire  opals  rivaling  the  Mex- 
ican stones  in  quality. 

Junipers  appear  in  small  clumps  on  the  hills,  and  cottonwood  and 
willows  grow  in  profusion  at  PLEASANT  VALLEY,  68  m.  (3,819 
alt.),  which  served  as  a  resting  place  for  the  emigrant  train  of  1878 
that  named  it. 

BAKER,  82.2  m.  (3,440  alt.,  7,858  pop.),  the  seat  of  Baker 
County,  was  named  for  Col.  E.  D.  Baker,  who  was  a  friend  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  while  both  were  practicing  law  in  Illinois,  and  who  was  later 
for  a  few  months  U.  S.  Senator  from  Oregon;  he  left  the  Senate  for 
military  services  in  the  Civil  War  and  died  in  action.  The  city  is  on 
Powder  River,  between  the  Elkhorn  Range  and  the  Eagle  Spur  of  the 
Blue  Mountains,  whose  white  peaks  form  an  imposing  background.  It 


126  The  Oregon  Trail 

was  neglected  by  the  early  emigrants,  who  were  intent  on  reaching  the 
greener  Willamette  Valley. 

Born  as  the  result  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  eastern  Oregon,  Baker 
is  one  of  the  few  cities  in  the  State  that  has  kept  its  importance  as  a 
mining  center.  From  the  crude  settlement  of  the  grubstake  and  shovel 
days,  it  has  evolved  into  a  graceful,  modern  city,  with  enough  of  the 
old  mining-town  atmosphere  lingering  about  its  streets  to  give  it  flavor. 
Gold  was  discovered  October  23,  1861,  in  Griffin's  Gulch,  and  since  that 
day  the  surrounding  mines  have  produced  $150,000,000  worth  of  gold. 
The  FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK  maintains  a  bullion  department  and  has  on 
display  an  exhibit  of  quartz,  gold  dust,  and  nuggets,  one  of  which 
weighs  86  ounces  and  is  valued  at  $2,500. 

In  Baker  is  the  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WHITMAN  NATIONAL  FOREST 
(maps,  information).  Farming,  stock  raising,  and  lumbering  in  the 
county  contribute  to  the  town's  prosperity. 

Left  from  Baker  on  State  7,  a  graveled  road,  to  GRIFFIN'S  GULCH,  3.2  m., 
where  Henry  Griffin  discovered  gold  in  April,  1861.  At  7  m.  is  a  junction  with 
a  dirt  road;  R.  on  this  road,  which  leads  through  Blue  Canyon.  BLUE  CANYON 
CREEK  (L)  is  still  placer  mined  to  some  extent. 

At  8.4  m.  ELKHORN  PEAK  can  be  seen  directly  ahead,  12  miles  to  the  north- 
west, its  distant  wooded  slopes  offering  a  sharp  contrast  with  the  sagebrush  and 
stubble  along  the  roadside.  Lodgepole  pine  and  juniper  become  more  frequent 
as  the  route  reaches  the  SITE  OF  AN  INDIAN  BATTLEGROUND,  9.6  m.  (L), 
where  many  spear  and  arrow  heads  have  been  found. 

From  the  crest  of  a  hill,  10.3  m.,  can  be  seen  the  SITE  OF  AUBURN  (see 
below),  once  the  seat  of  Baker  County  but  now  marked  by  a  group  of  weeping 
willows.  There  were  only  about  40  houses,  nearly  all  built  high  on  the  hillside, 
in  the  town  of  more  than  5,000  population.  In  true  mining-camp  fashion,  most 
of  the  floating  population  rolled  in  blankets  before  fires  at  night  or  lived  in  tents. 
Two  cemeteries  are  still  visible,  one  for  whites  and  the  other  for  Chinese.  The 
bones  of  many  of  the  latter  were  sluiced  away  in  the  insatiable  search  for  gold. 

At  10.8  m.  (L),  easily  identified  by  its  grove  of  cottonwoods,  is  the  SITE  OF 
THE  DAVID  LITTLEFIELD  HOME,  the  first  in  what  was  to  become  Baker  County. 
Littlefield  was  one  of  the  men  who  discovered  gold  here  in  1861.  A  few  of  the 
outbuildings  still  stand. 

At  12  m.  (R),  directly  opposite  across  the  canyon,  is  a  second  view  of  the 
site  formerly  occupied  by  Auburn.  Beyond  the  bare  area  is  Frenchman's  Gulch. 

In  the  vicinity  are  CALIFORNIA  and  POKER  GULCHES  (L),  and  FREEZE- 
OUT  GULCHES  NOS.  1,  2,  AND  3.  Gold  to  the  value  of  millions  of  dollars  has 
been  taken  from  this  district  but  the  rich  veins  have  been  exhausted;  the  streams 
are  still  panned  to  some  extent. 

At  83.4  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  the  SITE  OF  POCAHONTAS,  6  m.,  now  a  field  with  one 
gray  shack.  The  town  once  received  11  votes  to  make  it  the  capital  of  Oregon. 

HAINES,  93.6  m.  (3,334  alt.,  431  pop.),  is  the  center  of  a  rich 
farming  district.  The  ELKHORN  RANGE  (L)  is  broken  by  a  series  of 


Oregon  127 

peaks;  from  south  to  north,  Elkhorn  Peak  (8,922  alt.),  Rock  Creek 
Butte  (9,097  alt.),  Hunt  Mountain  (8,232  alt.),  named  for  Wilson 
Price  Hunt,  Red  Mountain  (8,920  alt.),  and  Twin  Mountains  (8,920 
alt.). 

At  96.2  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  road. 

Left  on  this  graveled  road  is  CASTORVILLE,  6  m.,  with  one  stone  building 
left  to  commemorate  its  former  importance  as  a  mining  and  milling  settlement. 
The  flood  of  1914  washed  away  all  other  traces  of  the  town. 

Crossing  the  North  Powder  River,  101.7  m.,  near  the  point  where 
it  enters  the  main  Powder  River,  US  30  enters  NORTH  POWDER, 
102.1  m.,  which  was  a  stage  station  on  the  Oregon  Trail.  The  Powder 
River  is  so  named  because  of  the  character  of  the  volcanic  soil  along 
its  banks. 

At  105  m.  is  a  marker  indicating  the  camp  where  Marie  Dorion, 
the  Indian  wife  of  the  half-breed  interpreter,  paused  on  the  morning  of 
December  30,  1811,  to  add  another  feeble  life  to  the  Wilson  Price  Hunt 
party.  The  main  party  went  on  but  Pierre  remained  with  his  family; 
the  next  morning  he  came  trudging  into  camp,  leading  his  son  and  the 
skeleton  of  a  horse,  which  bore  the  woman  with  the  babe  in  her  arms 
and  her  two-year-old  son  slung  in  a  blanket  at  her  side.  The  infant  died 
within  a  week,  while  the  party  was  crossing  the  Blue  Mountains  on  the 
last  lap  of  the  journey  to  the  Columbia.  Dorion  had  managed  to  acquire 
this  horse  from  the  Indians  along  the  Snake  though  other  members  of 
the  party  had  failed  in  their  attempts  to  make  like  purchases.  Toward 
the  end  of  the  journey  along  the  dreadful  river,  when  the  party  was 
half  dead  from  starvation,  Hunt  had  determined  to  kill  the  horse  for 
food.  Dorion  had  resisted,  finally  leaving  the  party  in  order  to  protect 
his  property.  Hunt  and  two  men  started  after  Dorion,  prepared  to  take 
the  horse  by  force.  Two  days  later  they  found  the  Dorions;  Pierre  still 
refused  to  give  up  the  horse  and,  oddly,  the  men  backed  him  in  his 
stand. 

This  seemingly  barren  country  is  not  without  inhabitants.  Long- 
tailed  magpies  circle  above  the  thickets,  and  porcupines  make  regular 
forays  on  grain  and  haystacks.  Badgers,  jackrabbits,  and  ground- 
squirrels  whisk  in  and  out  of  their  underground  homes,  and  some 
beavers,  once  abundant,  still  dam  the  small  streams.  Hawks  and  bald 
eagles  range  the  skies. 

The  highway  now  traverses  GRANDE  RONDE  VALLEY,  which  the 
French-Canadian  trappers  called  La  Grande  Vallee.  The  sight  of  this 
great  green  bowl,  encircled  by  mountainous  walls,  brought  delight  to 
early  travelers  after  their  long  journey  across  the  alkali  plains.  Captain 
Bonneville,  who  saw  it  in  1833,  reported:  "Its  sheltered  situation,  em- 
bosomed in  mountains,  renders  it  good  pasturing  ground  in  the  winter 
time;  when  the  elk  come  down  to  it  in  great  numbers,  driven  out  of 


128  The  Oregon  Trail 

the  mountains  by  the  snow.  The  Indians  then  resort  to  it  to  hunt.  They 
likewise  come  to  it  in  the  summer  to  dig  the  camash  root,  of  which  it 
produces  immense  quantities.  When  this  plant  is  in  blossom,  the  whole 
valley  is  tinted  by  its  blue  flowers,  and  looks  like  the  ocean  when 
overcast  by  a  cloud."  Fremont  spoke  of  the  charm  of  the  country  when 
he  traversed  it  ten  years  later. 

UNION,  117.5  m.  (2,717  alt.,  1,107  pop.),  whose  name,  bestowed 
in  1862,  shows  the  patriotic  spirit  of  its  first  citizens,  was  once  the  seat 
of  Union  County.  The  first  flag  flown  over  the  old  courthouse  was  made 
in  1864  of  red  flannel,  white  muslin,  and  blue  calico.  Though  early 
emigrants,  bound  for  the  Willamette  Valley,  passed  through  the  fertile 
Grande  Ronde,  it  was  not  until  1860  that  the  first  claim  was  staked; 
Conrad  Miller,  the  first  settler,  selected  land  a  mile  west  of  the  present 
town.  Union  is  the  center  of  a  large  agricultural  and  stock-raising  area. 
Catherine  Creek,  a  good  trout  stream  flowing  from  the  western  slope  of 
the  Wallowas,  runs  through  the  town.  The  620-acre  EASTERN  OREGON 
STATE  EXPERIMENT  STATION  is  at  the  edge  of  the  town;  here  experi- 
ments are  made  in  growing  and  improving  grains,  grasses,  and  forage 
crops.  Here  also  are  a  dairy  unit,  a  poultry  unit,  a  five-acre  orchard, 
and  truck  garden  plots. 

At  HOT  LAKE,  123.2  m.  (2,701  alt.,  250  pop.),  water  gushing 
from  springs  has  a  temperature  of  208  degrees,  the  boiling  point  at  this 
altitude. 

LA  GRANDE,  131.9  m.  (2,784  alt.,  8,050  pop.),  the  seat  of  Union 
County,  is  a  beautifully  situated  recreational  center.  It  lies  between  the 
Blue  Mountains  and  the  Wallowas,  at  the  western  edge  of  the  Grande 
Ronde  Valley. 

For  20  years  pioneers  came  into  the  valley,  camped  here,  then 
hurried  on  toward  the  Willamette.  In  1861  a  small  group  of  men 
retraced  their  trail  from  the  Umatilla  River  to  stake  claims  in  the 
valley.  Ben  Brown  of  this  company  built  a  house  on  a  low  bench  above 
the  river.  Later  he  converted  his  house  into  a  tavern,  around  which  a 
small  settlement  sprang  up,  known  variously  as  Brownsville  and  Brown 
Town,  until  the  establishment  of  a  post  office,  when  the  present  name 
was  adopted. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  eastern  Oregon  turned  the  village  into  a 
thriving  mining  town,  which  declined  as  surface  diggings  played  out. 
In  1884  the  arrival  of  the  railroad  gave  fresh  life  to  the  place.  The 
railroad  was  laid  straight  across  the  valley,  missing  the  town  by  a  mile, 
but  part  of  the  inhabitants  moved  to  spots  near  the  railroad,  creating 
New  Town;  the  Old  Town,  as  it  is  still  known  locally,  is  today  an 
integral  and  populous  part  of  the  city.  The  industrial  life  centers  about 
the  railroad  shops  and  the  two  large  sawmills. 

In  1864,  when  Union  County  was  carved  out  of  Baker  County,  the 
FIRST  UNION  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  Brown 


Oregon  129 

cabin  and  hotel;  the  old  building,  which  is  still  standing  at  1st  and  B 
Sts.,  has  successively  been  occupied  as  a  store,  church,  and  residence 
since  1876. 

La  Grande  was  the  home  of  Blue  Mountain  University,  a  Methodist 
college  that  ceased  to  function  in  1884.  During  an  Indian  uprising  of 
1878  the  alarmed  citizens  of  the  valley  took  refuge  behind  the  thick 
brick  walls  of  the  old  institution.  The  EASTERN  OREGON  NORMAL 
SCHOOL,  the  leading  educational  institution  of  the  area  today,  has  a 
campus  of  more  than  30  acres  and  several  attractive  buildings. 

La  Grande  was  the  birthplace  (1888)  of  Kay  Cleaver  Strahan,  a 
writer  of  mystery  stories.  T.  T.  Geer,  Governor  of  Oregon  (1899-1903), 
lived  10  years  of  his  young  manhood  near  here  and  accumulated  much 
material  published  in  his  volume  of  reminiscences,  Fifty  Years  in 
Oregon. 

By  an  Oregon  Trail  marker,  133.4  m.,  standing  in  GANGLOFF 
STATE  PARK,  is  an  impressive  view  of  the  Grande  Ronde  Valley. 
Dipping  to  the  gorge  of  the  Grande  Ronde  River,  the  highway  crosses 
the  stream  five  times,  closely  paralleling  railroad  tracks;  the  gorge  is 
so  narrow  that  its  walls,  streaked  with  red  iron  oxide,  and  the  pines 
along  the  road  are  blackened  by  smoke. 

Leaving  the  gorge,  the  highway  begins  to  climb  the  BLUE  MOUN- 
TAINS. These  mountains  are  Oregon's  oldest  land ;  when  what  is  now 
the  State  was  a  waste  of  waters,  they  stood  above  the  flood.  During 
winter  snows  their  precipitous  slopes  held  the  migrating  pioneers  help- 
less, and  in  summer  exhausted  them.  The  Blue  Mountains  have  a  quieter 
appeal  than  have  the  Cascades;  seen  from  a  distance,  their  blue  haze 
has  a  shadowy,  unsubstantial  appearance. 

At  141.7  m.  the  highway  enters  BLUE  MOUNTAIN  TIMBER 
PRESERVE,  which  stretches  for  18  miles  along  the  crest  of  the  Blue 
Mountains. 

At  151.5  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  road. 

Left  on  this  dirt  road  to  the  EZRA  MEEKER  SPRINGS,  0.2  m.,  named  for  the 
gray-bearded  patriarch  whose  eagerness  to  mark  the  old  trial  made  him  a  national 
figure.  He  traversed  the  Oregon  Trail  by  ox-team  in  the  emigration  of  1852  and, 
as  an  old  man,  retraced  it  in  the  same  manner;  at  94  years  of  age  he  covered 
approximately  the  same  route  by  airplane. 

At  152  m.  on  US  30  is  a  junction  with  Ruckle  Road. 

Right  on  Ruckle  Road  to  the  SUMMIT  RANGER  STATION,  14  m.  This  road, 
constructed  in  the  late  1860's  by  Thomas  &  Ruckle,  was  a  stage  route  between 
La  Grande  and  Weston.  Beyond  the  ranger  station  it  is  now  covered  with  under- 
brush. 

KAMELA,  152.1  m.  (4,206  alt.,  27  pop.),  is  in  the  highest  rail- 
road pass  of  the  Blue  Mountains.  All  trains  take  on  an  extra  engine  for 


130  The  Oregon  Trail 

the  climb  to  it.  The  town  is  a  starting  point  for  camping  and  fishing 
trips.  Deer  are  plentiful  nearby,  and  trout  swarm  the  numerous  streams. 

Northwest  of  Kamela  the  highway  winds  along  the  top  of  a  wide 
ridge.  The  undergrowth  of  the  evergreen  forests  here  includes  a  small 
variety  of  the  Oregon  grape,  whose  bloom  is  the  State  flower  of  Oregon. 

At  153.6  m.  is  the  summit  of  the  Blue  Mountains  pass  (4,337  alt.). 

MEACHAM,  157.7  m.  (3,681  alt.,  70  pop.),  was  named  for  Col. 
A.  B.  Meacham,  a  member  of  the  Modoc  Peace  Commission.  The  ill- 
starred  Hunt  party,  after  its  wanderings  in  the  Snake  River  wilderness, 
passed  this  way.  It  was  near  here  that  the  Dorion  child,  born  a  few 
days  earlier,  died.  Across  this  region  covered  wagons  creaked  and  men 
and  women  trudged,  sustained  by  the  nearness  of  their  goal.  Later,  stage 
drivers  cracked  their  long  whips  above  plunging  eight-horse  teams  to 
hurry  them  to  the  Meacham  Tavern.  So  recklessly  did  they  drive  that 
passengers  were  often  injured,  and  Meacham's  coachmen  figured  in 
editorial  diatribes  of  50  years  ago.  Two  large  trees  that  formerly  stood 
near  Meacham  sometimes  concealed  bandits,  who  preyed  on  the  stage 
passengers.  A  series  of  bold  robberies,  including  that  of  the  Wells 
Fargo  Express,  occurred  at  this  point. 

At  161.  m.  is  EMIGRANT  SPRINGS  STATE  PARK  (facilities  for 
picnicking).  Near  the  entrance  a  stone  shaft  marks  a  spring  said  to 
have  been  discovered  in  1834  by  Jason  Lee.  The  bronzed  pine  and 
green  or  gold  tamarack  of  the  park-like  groves  were  inviting  to  the 
pioneers  wearying  of  the  long  journey.  Deep  ruts  made  by  the  wheels 
of  covered  wagons  are  near  the  highway. 

At  163.4  m.  the  route  crosses  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  UMA- 
TILLA  INDIAN  RESERVATION,  now  occupied  by  about  1,200  mem- 
bers of  the  Cayuse,  Umatilla,  and  Walla  Walla  tribes,  who  engage  in 
wheat  growing  and  ranching.  The  reservation  has  no  Government 
school,  but  missions  are  maintained  by  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Pres- 
byterian churches.  Graveled  roads  give  easy  access  to  almost  all  parts 
of  the  reservation. 

The  highway  crosses  a  plateau  where  there  is  a  wide  view  of  the 
ranges  receding  to  the  indigo  haze  of  the  horizon.  Nearer  are  harsh, 
broken  hills  suggestive  of  the  Badlands  of  Dakota,  relieved  only  by  the 
scanty  growth  of  wiry  grass  and  scattered  pines.  An  Oregon  Trail 
marker,  66.9  m.,  is  in  DEAD  MAN'S  PASS,  the  site  of  an  attack  by 
Indians  in  1878. 

Winding  along  hillsides  and  broken  cliffs,  US  30  reaches  the  sum- 
mit of  EMIGRANT  HILL,  168.6  m.  (3,800  alt.) ;  the  view  here  is  one 
of  the  most  impressive  in  the  State  on  the  old  Oregon  Trail.  Beyond  the 
ragged  line  of  the  nearer  terrain  rise  ridge  after  ridge  of  wheatlands. 
Beyond  the  fields  undulant  sage  plains  fade  to  purple,  and  are  lost  in 
the  distance.  Snow  fences  are  seen,  strategically  placed  to  prevent  drifts 


Oregon  131 

over  the  highway  during  winter  storms.  The  tall  r.ed  or  yellow  sticks 
placed  upright  along  the  highway  are  traffic  guides  during  heavy  snows. 

The  route  curves  around  hills  colored  in  spring  and  early  summer 
with  the  yellow  of  sunflowers,  the  scarlet  of  paintbrush,  and  the  blue  of 
desert  lupine,  campanula,  and  iris.  At  173.4  m.  Mount  Hood  and 
Mount  Adams,  more  than  100  miles  distant,  are  visible  (L).  The  high- 
way climbs  a  lesser  eminence,  and  from  this  height  the  hills  slope 
gently  downward  to  the  Umatilla  Valley  floor,  with  its  pattern  of 
angular  fields.  These  seemingly  endless  acres  of  grain  lands  are  broken 
only  by  occasional  shadows  where  cottonwood  and  willow  mark  the 
course  of  a  wandering  stream.  Bands  of  horses,  in  silhouette  against 
the  sky,  suggest  the  nearness  of  the  range  country. 

At  181.6  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  road. 

Right  on  this  graveled  road  is  CAYUSE,  7.5  m.  (1,350  alt.,  32  pop.),  within 
the  Umatilla  Reservation.  This  scattered  Indian  village  was  named  for  a  tribe 
that  formerly  dwelt  in  this  region.  The  crude  buildings,  protected  by  brush  and 
small  trees,  are  for  the  most  part  along  the  Umatilla  River  and  various  creeks. 
In  the  summer  many  of  the  inhabitants  leave  their  houses  to  dwell  in  tepees. 

MISSION,  181.9  m.,  is  the  UMATILLA  INDIAN  AGENCY.  At  the 
STATE  PHEASANT  FARM,  182.6  m.,  grouse,  quail,  pheasants,  and  other 
game  birds  are  bred  for  release  on  the  plateaus  and  in  the  uplands  of 
eastern  Oregon. 

185.6  m.  US  30  leaves  the  Umatilla  Indian  Reservation  and, 
following  closely  the  tree-lined  Umatilla  River  (R),  passes  a  few  Indian 
dwellings  (L). 

PENDLETON,  187.7  m.  (1,070  alt.,  6,621  pop.),  was  named  for 
George  Hunt  Pendleton,  who  was  Democratic  nominee  for  Vice  Presi- 
dent in  1864  and  later  a  leader  in  the  Greenback  Party.  In  1865  M.  E. 
Goodwin  traded  a  team  of  horses  for  a  claim  covering  much  of  the  land 
on  which  the  city  now  stands  and  in  the  following  year  he  built  a  toll 
bridge  over  the  Umatilla  River,  which  flows  through  the  town.  In  1869 
Goodwin  donated  land  for  the  site  of  a  county  courthouse  and  the  place 
was  made  the  Umatilla  County  seat.  The  settlement  early  became  the 
base  of  supplies  for  cattle  barons  and  an  oasis  for  their  employees; 
each  Saturday  the  cowboys  raced  their  ponies  down  the  streets,  clinked 
spurs  over  the  board  walks,  and  tilted  glass  after  glass  above  the  bar 
of  the  Last  Chance  saloon.  The  town  grew  haphazardly,  its  first  school 
being  held  over  the  jail  in  the  courthouse. 

Some  of  the  old  cattle  trails  that  led  into  Pendleton  in  the  1880's 
are  now  followed  by  modern  highways;  others  have  been  obliterated  by 
wheat  fields.  In  Pendleton  are  flour  mills,  foundries,  planing  mills, 
creameries,  and  saddle  factories.  Sheep,  once  despised  by  the  cattlemen, 
yield  fleece  for  the  town's  woolen  mills.  Pendleton  blankets  are  widely 
known. 


132  The  Oregon  Trail 

The  TIL  TAYLOR  STATUE  here  is  a  memorial  to  a  Umatilla  County 
sheriff  who  was  killed  in  1920  during  a  jailbreak.  Taylor,  one  of  the 
old-time  sheriffs,  served  the  county  for  18  years. 

The  Pendleton  Round-Up,  produced  first  in  1910  and  annually  since 
1912,  attracts  thousands  of  visitors  during  three  days  of  mid-September. 
It  is  held  in  RoUND-Up  PARK,  which  has  a  stadium  seating  40,000;  the 
park  is  at  the  western  end  of  W.  Court  St.  Stagecoaches,  covered  wagons, 
and  some  2,000  Indians  in  full  regalia  preserve  the  pageantry  of  the 
Old  West.  Also  in  the  park  is  an  OPEN  Am  THEATER,  with  a  stage  of 
natural  basalt. 

Section  13.  Pendleton  to  Portland,  228.2  m.  US  30. 

West  of  PENDLETON,  0  m.,  at  1.8  m.  (L)  is  the  EASTERN  OREGON 
STATE  HOSPITAL,  a  modern  institution  with  facilities  for  1,325  mentally 
ill  patients. 

US  30  runs  straight  ahead  through  the  Umatilla  wheatlands.  The 
ranch  buildings,  often  at  considerable  distance  from  the  highway,  are 
sheltered  by  groves  of  locust  trees.  Silhouettes  of  windmills  are  con- 
spicuous against  the  skyline.  In  the  fall  great  piles  of  sacked  wheat  dot 
the  harvested  fields,  whose  stubble  alternates  with  the  grays  and  duns 
of  freshly  plowed  land.  West  of  the  wheat  region  the  route  passes 
through  a  sheep-raising  country,  where  immense  bands  feed  on  the 
natural  forage. 

STANFIELD,  23.5  m.  (204  pop.),  the  center  of  a  sheep-raising 
district,  was  named  for  the  Stanfield  family,  owners  of  a  nearby  ranch. 

HERMISTON,  29.2  m.  (459  alt.,  608  pop.),  a  tree-shaded  oasis, 
is  in  the  center  of  the  Umatilla  Irrigation  Project.  Irrigation  ditches 
run  through  the  streets.  These  waterways  have  reclaimed  the  fields  that 
produce  grain,  vegetables,  and  fruits,  and  that  stand  out  conspicuously 
against  a  background  of  sagebrush  and  cactus.  It  was  named  for  Weir 
of  Hermiston,  which  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  was  engaged  in  writing  at 
the  time  of  his  death  in  1894. 

At  35.2  m.  is  a  junction  with  US  730;  W.  of  this  point  US  30,  here 
called  the  Upper  Columbia  River  Highway,  runs  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Columbia  River. 

Right  from  the  junction  on  US  730,  which  follows  the  south  bank  of  the 
Columbia  River.  Sergeant  Ordway  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  described  the 
country  on  the  westward  trip  as  "in  general  Smooth  plains  then  the  barron  hills 
make  close  to  the  River  on  each  side  ...  no  timber  along  the  Shores."  The 
next  day  he  said  that  the  party  "proceeded  on  pass'd  high  clifts  of  rocks  on 
each  Side  of  the  River." 

At  20.6  m.  the  highway  crosses  the  Washington  Line. 

WALLULA,  26.6  m.  (324  alt.  36  pop.),  surrounded  by  sand  and  sagebrush 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla  River,  is  now  a  railroad  junction.  Near  the 
Columbia  are  a  few  adobe  remnants,  the  RUINS  OF  FORT  WALLA  WALLA,  first 


//.  /'.  K.  R.  Mu*eun 


UNION  PACIFIC  CONSTRUCTION  TRAIN  (1867) 


mm 


BREAKING  CAMP 


Leslie's  Weekly 


METHODIST  MISSION  NEAR  THE  DALLES  (1845) 


Oregon  133 

known  as  Fort  Nez  Perces.  This  was  established  by  the  North  West  Company 
not  long  after  it  had  bought  out  Astor's  interests  on  the  Columbia.  The  first  post, 
built  of  wood  and  strongly  fortified  with  bastions  and  a  20-foot  palisade  because 
of  the  constant  hostility  of  the  Indians  in  the  neighborhood,  burned  down  and 
was  replaced  in  the  1840's  by  an  adobe  structure.  The  post  was  important  to  fur 
traders  and  other  travelers  because,  while  off  the  Oregon  Trail,  it  offered  a  supply 
point  in  time  of  need  after  the  always  trying  journey  across  the  plains  of  the 
Snake.  The  Rev.  Samuel  Parker  visited  it  in  1835  when  seeking  a  site  for  the 
Whitman  mission.  Because  of  the  dry,  unpleasant  character  of  the  country  he 
recommended  a  spot  farther  inland. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla  is  the  point  where  the  returning  Lewis 
and  Clark  expedition,  advised  by  Indians  camping  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Colum- 
bia, determined  to  take  a  short  cut  to  the  Snake.  The  leaders  wished  to  cross  the 
river  at  once  but  the  Indians  begged  them  to  stay,  having  heard  of  the  white 
men's  skill  as  dancers.  George  W.  Fuller  in  his  History  of  the  Pacific  Northwest 
calls  the  party  "the  dancing  explorers";  rather,  they  were  a  road  show.  Not  a 
little  of  their  success  in  obtaining  supplies  and  in  safely  crossing  the  continent 
rested  on  their  ability  to  entertain  the  aborigines.  The  star  of  the  troup  was 
York,  Clark's  servant,  a  big,  good-natured  Negro  who  was  never  so  happy  as 
when  he  was  surrounded  by  wondering  Indians  who  rubbed  his  black  skin  with 
moistened  fingers  and  yanked  his  curly  hair  to  test  their  reality.  Another  favorite 
entertainer  was  Peter  Cruzat,  who  clung  to  his  fiddle  all  the  way  across  the 
country  and  back,  preserving  it  even  at  times  when  every  extra  ounce  was  a 
burden.  A  third  was  Rivet,  who,  as  Ordway  wrote,  "dances  on  his  head."  On 
some  occasions  the  entertainment  offered  to  the  Indians  had  the  character  of  a 
medicine  show,  Lewis  giving  out  eye  water,  ointments,  and  Rush's  pills  to  all 
who  applied. 

Ordway  described  the  entertainment  at  this  village:  "they  said  they  wished  us 
to  Stay  with  them  to  day  as  we  lived  a  great  way  off,  and  they  wished  to  see 
us  dance  this  evening  &  begged  on  us  to  Stay  this  day.  So  our  officers  con- 
cluded to  Stay  this  day.  the  head  chief  brought  up  a  good  horse  &  said  he 
wished  to  give  it  to  us  but  as  he  was  poor  he  wished  us  to  give  him  some 
kind  of  a  kittle,  but  as  we  could  not  spare  a  kittle  Cap*  Clark  gave  his  Sword 
a  flag  and  half  pound  of  powder  &  ball  for  the  horse,  we  took  our  horses  across 
the  river,  our  officers  made  another  chief  gave  him  a  meddle  &C.  in  the  after- 
noon a  number  of  Indians  came  to  our  officers  who  were  diseased  the  lame  and 
many  with  Sore  eyes  and  lame  legs  &  arms  &C.  our  officers  dressd  their  wounds, 
washed  their  eyes  &  gave  them  meddicine  and  told  them  how  to  apply  it  &C. 
the  chief  called  all  his  people  and  told  them  of  the  meddicine  &C.  which  was 
a  great  wonder  among  them  &  they  were  much  pleased  &C.  the  Indians  Sent 
their  women  to  gether  wood  or  Sticks  to  See  us  dance  this  evening,  about  300 
of  the  natives  assembled  to  our  Camp  we  played  the  fiddle  and  danced  a  while 
the  head  chief  told  our  officers  that  they  Should  be  lonesom  when  we  left  them 
and  they  wished  to  hear  once  of  our  meddicine  Songs  and  try  to  learn  it 
and  wished  us  to  learn  one  of  theirs  and  it  would  make  them  glad.  So  our 
men  Sang  2  Songs  which  appeared  to  take  great  affect  on  them,  they  tryed  to 
learn  Singing  with  us  with  a  low  voice,  the  head  chief  then  made  a  speech  &  it 
was  repeated  by  a  warrier  that  all  might  hear,  then  all  the  Savages  men  women 
and  children  of  any  size  danced  forming  a  circle  round  a  fire  &  jumping  up 
nearly  as  other  Indians,  &  keep  time  verry  well  they  wished  our  men  to  dance 
with  them  So  we  danced  among  them  and  they  were  much  pleased,  and 
Said  that  they  would  dance  day  and  night  untill  we  return,  everry  few  minutes 
one  of  their  warries  made  a  Speech  pointing  towards  the  enimy  and  towards  the 
moon  &C.  &C.  which  was  all  repeated  by  another  meddison  man  with  a  louder 
voice  as  (so)  all  might  hear  the  dance  continued  untill  about  midnight  then 
the  most  of  them  went  away  peaceable  &  have  behaved  verry  clever  and  honest 
with  us  as  yet,  and  appear  to  have  a  Sincere  wish  to  be  at  peace  and  to  git 
acquaintance  with  us  &C.  &C." 


134  The  Oregon  Trail 

Right  from  Wallula  on  US  410.  Near  TOUCHET,  36.1  m.,  the  highway  fol- 
lows the  former  right-of-way  of  the  Walla  Walla  &  Columbia  R.R.,  built  in 
1872.  Part  of  the  crew  of  this  first  railroad  connecting  towns  in  the  Territory 
was  a  collie  whose  job  it  was  to  run  ahead  of  the  locomotive  and  drive  cattle  off 
the  track. 

At  49.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  paved  road.  Right  here  1  m.  to 
WAIILATPU,  site  of  the  Marcus  Whitman  mission,  founded  in  1836.  The  build- 
ings are  being  reconstructed.  Whitman  built  his  mission  here  in  spite  of  the 
warnings  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Chief  Factor  of  the  treacherous  nature 
of  the  nearby  Cayuses. 

Myron  F.  Eells,  a  missionary  from  Massachusetts  who  visited  the  place  in 
1838,  wrote:  "It  was  built  of  adobe,  mud  dried  in  the  form  of  brick,  only 
larger —  There  are  doors  and  windows  of  the  roughest  material,  the  boards  being 
sawed  by  hand  and  put  together  by  no  carpenter,  but  by  one  who  knows  nothing 
about  the  work.  There  are  a  number  of  wheat,  corn  and  potato  fields  about  the 
house,  besides  a  garden  of  melons  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables  common  to  a 
garden.  There  are  no  fences,  there  being  no  timber  with  which  to  make  them. 
The  furniture  is  very  primitive;  the  bedsteads  are  boards  nailed  to  the  sides 
of  the  house,  sink-fashion;  then  some  blankets  and  husks  make  the  bed." 

As  long  as  Dr.  McLoughlin  retained  his  post  at  Fort  Vancouver,  the  Indians 
in  his  domain  feared  to  attack  white  people.  But  their  resentment  against  the 
invaders  had  been  growing  and  when,  after  McLoughlin's  dismissal,  a  particularly 
fatal  epidemic  of  measles  developed,  they  listened  to  the  whispers  of  medicine 
men  that  the  whites  were  bringing  in  the  disease  to  annihilate  them,  and  that  the 
Indians  must  drive  the  whites  out  if  they  were  to  survive.  On  November  29, 
1847,  the  Indians  descended  on  the  mission,  killing  Dr.  Whitman,  his  wife,  and 
five  other  people.  More  men  were  slain  in  the  following  week  while  returning 
to  the  mission,  making  a  total  of  14;  53  men,  women,  and  children  were  taken 
captive. 

When  news  of  the  event  reached  Fort  Vancouver,  Peter  Skene  Ogden,  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  set  out  for  Walla  Walla.  On  January  2,  after  paying 
a  ransom  of  62  blankets,  63  cotton  shirts,  12  guns,  500  rounds  of  ammunition,  12 
flints,  and  37  pounds  of  tobacco,  he  loaded  the  captives  on  boats  bound  down  the 
Columbia.  Three  years  later  five  Indians  were  tried  and  hanged  for  the  murders. 

UMATILLA  (Ind.,  water  rippling  over  sands),  36.1  m.  (294  alt., 
345  pop.),  at  the  confluence  of  the  Umatilla  and  Columbia  Rivers,  was 
formerly  the  shipping  point  for  the  output  of  the  Boise,  Powder  River, 
and  Owyhee  gold  fields.  It  sprang  up  during  the  rush  to  the  gold 
diggings  of  Idaho  and  eastern  Oregon.  Oxcarts,  stagecoaches,  and 
freight  wagons  passed  along  its  dusty  streets  on  their  ways  to  the  distant 
mines.  River  boats,  laden  with  supplies,  crowded  the  wharves.  When 
the  mining  fever  subsided,  the  town  was  beginning  to  ship  quantities  of 
grain  from  the  eastern  Oregon  fields.  The  building  of  the  Oregon  Rail- 
road and  Navigation  Company  road  diverted  traffic,  and  the  place  de- 
clined in  importance. 

US  30  traverses  an  irrigated  district,  its  green,  cultivated  fields 
contrasting  with  tablelands  and  soft  beige  hills.  Narrow  farmlands  (R) 
border  the  highway.  Houses  and  gardens  are  sheltered  by  the  fringe  of 
cottonwoods  and  poplars.  The  green  of  the  farms  (L)  terminates 
abruptly,  the  plateau  beyond  them  being  covered  with  gray  cactus  and 
sagebrush.  Beyond  the  river  (R)  stretch  the  brown  hills  of  Washing- 
ton. The  chief  event  that  Ordway  found  to  note  in  this  area  was  the 


Oregon  135 

purchase  of  nice  "fat"  dogs;  Captain  Clark  was  the  only  one  in  the 
party  who  did  not  learn  to  smack  his  lips  over  this  delicacy. 

IRRIGON,  43.2  m.  (297  alt.),  a  former  stopping  place  for  trav- 
elers to  and  from  the  old  Boise  and  Owyhee  mines,  derives  both  its 
name  and  its  livelihood  from  the  irrigation  district  of  which  it  is  the 
trading  center.  An  experiment  station  demonstrates  the  agricultural 
possibilities  of  the  rich  silt.  Vegetables  and  fruits  are  grown  success- 
fully. Cantaloups  and  other  melons  bear  the  Irrigon  label  to  distant 
markets.  Peach,  cherry,  and  apricot  trees  cover  the  knolls.  Conspicuous 
throughout  the  region  are  the  lush  growths  of  wild  asparagus  along 
irrigation  flumes. 

At  54.9  m.  on  a  slight  knoll  (R)  is  a  concrete  slab  in  which  is 
embedded  an  excellent  specimen  of  the  picture  writing  of  prehistoric 
Indians.  The  pictograph  was  brought  here  from  a  spot  on  the  basaltic 
bank  of  the  Columbia  River  a  few  miles  east. 

BOARDMAN,  55.1  m.  (250  alt.,  100  pop.),  lies  in  an  area  that 
holds  many  fossilized  remains  of  prehistoric  animals.  Specimens  taken 
from  the  vicinity  include  part  of  a  mastodon  tooth,  bones  of  fishes,  of 
the  three-toed  horse,  and  of  the  rhinoceros,  and  bits  of  turtle  shell. 

US  30  follows  the  river,  a  green  band  of  water  separating  the  gray- 
ness  of  the  bleak,  barren  shores.  The  plateau  rim  (L)  along  the  Oregon 
side  rises  almost  sheer  except  where  creeks  break  through  to  join  the 
river.  Occasionally  a  row  of  poplar  trees  serves  as  a  windbreak  in 
winter  against  icy  gales  that  roar  down  the  Columbia. 

CASTLE  ROCK,  60.8  m.,  was  once  a  busy  community.  The  editor 
of  West  Shore  in  his  issue  of  October,  1883,  wrote:  "Castle  Rock,  in 
Umatilla  County,  bordering  on  the  Wasco  line,  was  laid  out  on  the  15th 
of  last  May  upon  ground  taken  up  only  a  year  before  for  a  sheep  ranch. 
It  now  contains  an  express  office,  post  office,  saloons,  dwellings,  schools, 
etc.  A  large  forwarding  and  shipping  business  for  the  Heppner  region 
is  its  chief  support,  though  many  settlers  are  taking  up  land  in  the 
vicinity.  The  growth  of  western  towns  is  wonderful." 

HEPPNER  JUNCTION,  70.3  m.,  is  at  the  point  where  many  early 
wagon  trains  turned  south  to  cross  Alkali  Flats,  avoiding  the  jagged 
scoria  and  sage-grown  cliffs  that  US  30  follows  along  the  river. 

For  45  miles  westward  the  highway  crowds  close  to  the  river,  in 
places  climbing  along  the  basaltic  cliffs  and  affording  views  of  the  wild 
river  gorge  and  the  mountains  in  Washington.  The  emerald  green  of 
the  water  contrasts  with  the  tawny  hills  and  the  rusty  cliffs,  colored  by 
lichens  and  iron  oxide  deposits.  These  cliffs  show  the  successive  flows 
of  lava  that  inundated  what  is  now  the  upper  Columbia  Valley. 

ARLINGTON,  81.4  m.  (224  alt.,  601  pop.),  a  town  not  much 
wider  than  its  one  locust-shaded  street,  is  wedged  between  two  high  and 
barren  ridges.  It  was  formerly  called  Alkali,  but  was  renamed  by  a 


136  The  Oregon  Trail 

group  of  settlers  for  Arlington,  Va.  The  town  is  a  trading  center  for 
the  country  to  the  south.  It  is  also  headquarters  for  hunters  of  the  wild 
geese  that  swarm  the  islands  and  gravel  bars  of  the  Columbia.  It  is 
estimated  that  from  20,000  to  25,000  geese  use  the  vicinity  as  a  feeding 
ground.  Though  there  are  strict  limits  on  the  number  of  birds  that  may 
be  taken,  the  season,  usually  the  month  of  November,  finds  eager 
hunters  gathering  here  from  all  parts  of  the  State.  Hunting  rights  are 
frequently  rented  from  the  ranchers  at  fees  ranging  from  $8  to  $10  a 
day.  The  Arlington  Ferry  (cars,  $1;  round  trip,  $1.50)  makes  con- 
nections with  Roosevelt,  Wash. 

West  of  Arlington  the  rolling  lands  recede  and  the  valleys  along  the 
highway  (L)  are  little  more  than  canyons  leading  to  confined  ranches 
and  irrigated  farms.  Saffron-stained  patches  of  lava  color  the  cliffs  of 
the  plateau  rim.  Passing  through  BLALOCK,  90.6  m.,  US  30  threads 
the  narrow  gorge  through  which  the  Columbia  has  cut  a  ragged  chan- 
nel. 

At  105.3  m.  Mount  Hood  is  seen,  rising  above  the  waters  of  the 
Columbia. 

The  JOHN  DAY  RIVER,  105.6  m.,  originally  called  LePage's 
River  by  Lewis  and  Clark  for  a  member  of  their  party,  was  named  in 
honor  of  John  Day  of  the  Astorians.  According  to  Washington  Irving, 
Day  was  a  Virginia  backwoodsman  who  had  hunted  on  the  Missouri 
a  number  of  years  before  joining  Hunt's  overland  party.  Day  and 
Crooks  fell  behind  on  the  Snake  River,  while  Hunt  went  ahead  (see 
above)  with  the  main  party  in  the  winter  of  1811-12.  During  the  fol- 
lowing spring  Day  and  Crooks  were  robbed  of  everything  they  had  and 
left  naked  on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia.  After  reaching  Astoria,  Day 
decided  to  return  with  Robert  Stuart's  party.  Before  he  reached  Walla 
Walla,  however,  he  became  violently  insane  and  had  to  be  taken  back 
to  Astoria. 

A  swift,  turbulent  stream,  the  river  has  worn  its  way  through 
stratum  after  stratum  of  rock.  In  its  steep  gorges  are  written  successive 
chapters  of  Oregon's  geological  evolution. 

Near  RUFUS,  110.7  m.  (172  alt.,  70  pop.),  long  breaks  in  the 
growths  of  poplars  bear  witness  to  the  wind's  severity.  Gardens  and 
orchards  thrive  between  rows  of  closely  grown  trees  or  behind  woven- 
willow  shelters. 

At  113.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  97. 

Right  on  US  97  to  the  landing  of  the  Maryhill  ferry,  0.4  m.  (fare  $1 ;  service 
as  needed).  From  the  north  bank  ferry  landing  in  Washington,  US  97  continues 
to  the  junction  with  US  830,  1.2  m.;  L.  here  2.9  m.  on  US  830  to  MARYHILL 
CASTLE,  built  by  Samuel  Hill,  a  road  builder.  The  castle,  dour  and  desolate,  is 
visible  from  the  Oregon  side  of  the  Columbia.  It  is  a  three-story  rectangular  struc- 
ture of  concrete,  fascinating  yet  forbidding,  set  on  a  cliff  800  feet  above  the 
river.  Though  construction  was  begun  in  1914,  and  Queen  Marie  of  Roumania 


Oregon  137 

dedicated  the  structure  in  1926  as  an  international  art  museum,  for  years  its  win- 
dows were  barred,  its  doors  padlocked,  and  its  winding,  concrete  driveways  a 
tangle  of  matted  weeds  and  grass.  Armies  of  rats  scampered  through  its  labyrinth 
of  rooms.  In  1937  the  building  was  opened  to  visitors.  Queen  Marie  gave  a  life- 
size  portrait  of  her  daughter,  an  ornate  desk  supposed  to  have  been  made  by  her- 
self, a  set  of  chairs,  and  other  pieces  of  furniture.  Other  exhibits  are  being  added. 
After  carefully  comparing  weather  records,  Samuel  Hill  chose  this  spot,  midway 
between  the  damp  coast  and  semi-arid  southeastern  Washington,  as  the  perfect 
place  in  which  to  live.  He  lavished  a  fortune  on  the  estate,  and  left  a  bequest  of 
$1,200,000  for  completing  and  maintaining  it  as  a  museum.  Hill  never  lived  at 
Maryhill.  In  a  crypt  constructed  during  his  lifetime  repose  the  owner's  ashes, 
commemorated  by  a  tablet  bearing  the  inscription:  "Samuel  Hill — amid  Nature's 
unrest,  he  sought  rest." 

Two  abandoned  fish  wheels  (L),  half  obscured  by  a  poplar  grove 
and  now  outlawed  for  use  in  Oregon  streams,  stand  at  the  mouth  of  the 
DESCHUTES  RIVER,  120.5  m.  US  30  crosses  the  river  on  the 
CHIEF  DUC-SAC-HI  BRIDGE,  a  fine  concrete  structure  named  for  a  chief 
of  the  Wasco  tribe,  who  operated  a  ferry  across  the  river.  The 
Deschutes  has  been  important  as  a  fishing  and  hunting  stream  for  both 
Indians  and  whites.  On  early  maps  the  Deschutes  often  bears  its 
English  name,  Falls  River. 

Lewis  and  Clark  found  the  river  "divided  by  numbers  of  large 
rocks,  and  Small  Islands  covered  with  a  low  groth  of  timber."  The 
Indians  knew  it  as  the  Towahnahiooks  River,  although  the  explorers  on 
their  westward  trip  learned  only  that  it  was  known  as  "the  River  on 
which  the  Snake  Indians  live." 

CELILO,  123.4  m.  (158  alt.),  at  CELILO  FALLS,  is  a  canoe 
portage  as  old  as  the  fishing  stations  still  held  by  the  Indians  under 
a  treaty  granting  exclusive  and  perpetual  fishing  rights  to  them.  Long 
before  Lewis  and  Clark  halted  at  this  place,  likely  fishing  stands  on 
these  rocks  were  handed  down  by  the  Indians  from  father  to  son. 

When  the  explorers  visited  the  vicinity  they  found  ".  .  .  great 
numbers  of  Stacks  of  pounded  Salmon  neetly  preserved  in  the  follow- 
ing manner,  i.e.  after  (being)  suffi(c)ently  Dried  it  is  pounded  be- 
tween two  Stones  fine,  and  put  into  a  speces  of  basket  neetly  made  of 
grass  and  rushes  better  than  two  feet  long  and  one  foot  Diamiter,  which 
basket  is  lined  with  the  Skin  of  Salmon  Stretched  and  dried  for  the 
purpose,  in  this  it  is  pressed  down  as  hard  as  is  possible,  when  full 
they  Secure  the  open  part  with  the  fish  Skins  across  which  they  fasten 
th(r)o.  the  loops  of  the  basket  that  part  very  securely,  and  then  on  a 
Dry  Situation  they  Set  those  baskets.  .  .  .  thus  preserved  those  fish 
may  be  kept  Sound  and  sweet  Several  years."  Here  fish  are  still  speared, 
cleaned,  and  dried  in  the  traditional  manner,  but  they  are  no  longer 
pounded  into  pemmican  and  stored  in  the  woven  baskets.  Although 
this  untidy  and  stench-ridden  village  has  long  been  a  joy  to  ethnolo- 
gists, it  is  exceedingly  unpopular  with  its  neighbors.  The  bucks  fish 
and  the  squaws  prepare  the  catch  for  food,  resorting  to  the  primitive 


138  The  Oregon  Trail 

open-air  methods  of  curing  developed  by  their  prehistoric  forebears. 
Across  the  Columbia  is  the  old  village  of  WISHRAM,  described  by 
Lewis  and  Clark  in  their  Journals  and  by  Washington  Irving  in  Astoria. 
This  village  furnished  many  fine  studies  of  Indian  life  to  Edward 
Curtis  in  preparing  his  North  American  Indians. 

Sergeant  Ordway  said  of  the  falls:  "the  hight  of  the  particular 
falls  in  all  is  37  feet  eight  Inches,  and  has  a  large  rock  Island  in  the 
midst  of  them  and  look  Shocking  the  water  divided  in  several  channels 
by  the  rock.  Some  of  the  cooks  at  camp  bought  several  fat  dogs  this 
day." 

There  is  scarcely  a  traveler  of  the  early  days  who  did  not  speak  of 
the  settlement  at  the  great  falls  of  the  Columbia.  It  was  here  that  the 
tribes  of  the  upper  country  met  the  down-river  and  coast  tribes  for 
barter,  the  vicinity  being  regarded  as  neutral  ground.  It  was  here  that 
the  westward-surging  pioneers  lowered  their  wagons  over  the  rimrock 
by  means  of  ropes  and  pulleys.  Freight  was  transferred  from  the  wagons 
to  large  canoes  and  barges.  Wagon  beds,  resting  on  their  own  wheels 
and  lashed  to  crude  rafts,  sheltered  women  and  children  from  the 
fierce  Columbia  squalls  on  the  perilous  trip  to  Vancouver. 

Lewis  and  Clark,  finding  17  Indian  lodges  along  here,  "landed  and 
walked  down  accompanied  by  an  old  man  to  view  the  falls,  and  the 
best  rout  for  to  make  a  portage  which  we  Soon  discovered  was  much 
nearest  on  the  Star'd  Side,  and  the  distance  1200  yards  one  third  of 
the  way  on  a  rock,  about  200  yards  over  a  loose  Sand  collected  in  a 
hollar  blown  by  the  winds  from  the  bottoms  below  which  was  dis- 
agreeable to  pass,  as  it  was  steep  and  loose,  at  the  lower  part  of  those 
rapids  we  arrived  at  5  Large  Lod(g)es  of  nativs  drying  and  prepareing 
fish  for  market,  they  gave  us  Philburts,  and  berries  to  eate.  we  returned 
droped  down  to  the  head  of  the  rapids  and  took  every  article  except 
the  Canoes  across  the  portag(e)  where  I  had  formed  a  camp  on  (an) 
elegable  Situation  for  the  protection  of  our  Stores  from  thieft,  which 
we  were  more  fearfull  of,  than  their  arrows."  A  portage  railroad,  14 
miles  long,  was  opened  in  1863.  The  construction  of  canals  and  locks 
here  was  started  by  the  Federal  Government  in  1905;  they  eventually 
cost  five  million  dollars.  Below  the  falls  the  OREGON  TRUNK  RAILROAD 
BRIDGE  spans  the  river,  its  piers  resting  on  solid  rock  above  the  water. 

On  October  24,  1805,  the  day  after  making  the  arduous  falls  port- 
age, the  Lewis  and  Clark  party  came  to  the  Short  Narrows  of  the 
Columbia,  where  the  high  walls  of  the  gorge  made  portage  so  difficult 
that  Clark  "deturmined"  to  shoot  the  rapids,  "notwithstanding  the  hor- 
rid appearance  of  this  agitated  gut  swelling,  boiling  &  whorling  in 
every  direction."  Ordway  merely  commented  that  they  went  through 
"verry  rapid  and  bad  whorl  pools,  and  went  on  verry  well."  He  was 
much  more  interested  in  the  "number  of  fat  dogs,  crambries  and  white 
cakes  of  root  bread"  bought  from  the  Indians. 

Passing  under  the  railroad  bridge,  US  30  is  sheltered  by  basaltic 


Oregon  139 

palisades  (L) ,  dusted  with  sulphur-colored  lichen,  which,  like  the  sage, 
willow,  and  cottonwood  of  the  section,  is  not  true  green,  being  grayed 
by  the  alkaline  soil. 

SEUFERT,  132.6  m.,  was  named  for  the  Seufert  family,  who 
established  a  large  salmon-  and  fruit-packing  plant  at  this  point.  Fish 
wheels,  formerly  operated  by  the  cannery,  stand  along  the  river  (R). 
Many  Indian  petroglyphs  and  pictographs  are  on  the  bluifs  facing 
the  Columbia;  prehistoric  as  well  as  historic  aborigines  of  the  region 
came  here  to  fish  for  salmon,  and  while  some  of  the  pictures  of  fishes, 
beavers,  elks,  water  dogs,  and  men  were  doubtless  made  as  primitive 
art  expression,  others  were  carved  and  painted  to  carry  messages. 

THE  DALLES  (Fr.,  flagstones  or  gutters),  136  m.  (98  alt.,  5,883 
pop.),  the  seat  of  Wasco  County,  is  the  principal  market  town  of  a 
large  agricultural  area.  The  name  was  given  by  the  voyageurs  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  because  the  basaltic  rock  walls  of  the  swift 
narrows  of  the  Columbia  River  just  above  the  present  townsite  resem- 
bled the  stones  confining  the  gutters  of  their  native  villages.  The  site 
of  the  city  has  numerous  upthrusts  of  basaltic  rock,  which  cause  many 
dead-end  streets.  The  retail  business  district,  where  ancient  frame 
buildings  shoulder  modern  brick  structures,  occupies  a  broad,  low 
bench  near  the  river.  Behind  it,  in  the  terraced  residential  section,  some 
houses  stand  50  feet  above  their  neighbors.  There  is  a  prevalence  of 
stone  houses  of  the  type  found  in  Italy  and  on  the  Dalmatian  coast. 
These  were  erected  by  Italian  workers,  who  were  brought  in  to  build 
the  locks  and  decided  to  settle  in  the  place. 

A  mission  under  the  superintendency  of  Jason  Lee  was  established 
here  in  1838  by  Daniel  Lee  and  H.  K.  W.  Perkins.  Owing  to  their  fail- 
ure to  interest  the  Indians,  the  Methodists  sold  the  property  in  1846  to 
the  Whitman  mission,  but  it  was  abandoned  after  the  Whitman  mas- 
sacre. From  the  time  of  the  mission's  establishment  the  settlement  that 
grew  up  around  it  became  an  intermediate  goal  to  transcontinental 
travelers  as  the  single  place  of  white  habitation  in  the  area.  Many 
travelers  and  would-be  settlers  found  their  supplies  completely  ex- 
hausted by  the  time  they  had  reached  this  point  and  the  unfriendly 
Indians  early  learned  to  exploit  their  needs,  making  exorbitant  demands 
for  goods  in  return  for  pounded  fish  and  other  foodstuffs.  The  Indians' 
values  were  peculiar,  however;  Father  DeSmet,  when  passing  The 
Dalles  in  the  early  1840's,  found  the  Indians  proudly  parading  in  odds 
and  ends  of  clothing  obtained  from  the  whites.  One  man  wore  a  G-string 
and  a  sailor's  glazed  cap,  another  a  pair  of  pants  much  too  small  for 
him,  a  third  a  G-string  and  a  pair  of  enormous  brogans,  and  a  fourth  a 
gaudy  vest  and  little  else.  The  envied  dandy  of  the  party  wore  a  lady's 
nightcap  with  wide  flapping  white  frills. 

In  1847  Fort  Dalles  was  established  to  protect  immigrants.  The 
first  store  was  established  in  1850.  The  plight  of  the  average  newcomer 


140  The  Oregon  Trail 

reaching  The  Dalles  is  shown  in  George  A.  Waggoner's  account  of  his 
family's  migration  experiences:  "We  left  our  wagon  on  the  Umatilla. 
.  .  .  We  packed  our  bedding  on  Old  Nig,  the  last  ox  left  us,  and  started 
on  afoot.  ...  My  father  sold  him  (Old  Nig)  at  The  Dalles  for  $20 
to  buy  food.  We  stopped  two  weeks  at  The  Dalles.  Father  found  an 
old  stove  and  rigged  up  a  table  out  of  some  old  endgates  and  sideboards 
of  an  abandoned  wagon  and  ran  a  lunch  counter  for  the  soldiers  and 
civilians  who  were  building  the  military  post  there." 

The  town  grew  as  the  gold  rush  of  the  Northwest  developed  in  the 
1860's. 

H.  L.  Davis,  who  wrote  Honey  in  the  Horn.,  a  Harper  prize  novel 
(1935)  and  winner  of  a  Pulitzer  prize  (1936),  was  a  resident  of  The 
Dalles  for  a  number  of  years. 

The  second  bluff  above  the  town  bears  evidence  of  the  eager  desire 
of  early  travelers  to  register  for  the  benefit  of  posterity;  the  sandstone 
face  bears  names,  initials,  and  dates  from  1841.  Among  them  is  the 
name  of  U.  S.  Grant,  who  was  stationed  in  Oregon  as  a  young  man. 

PULPIT  ROCK,  a  basaltic  formation  at  Twelfth  and  Court  Sts., 
served  as  a  missionary  pulpit  as  early  as  1837.  Interdenominational 
Easter  sunrise  services  are  now  held  annually  at  this  place.  FORT  ROCK, 
at  the  foot  of  Liberty  St.,  was  a  camp  site  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  party. 
It  is  a  natural  depression  in  the  basaltic  cliffs,  reached  from  the  rail- 
way station  by  a  marked  trail. 

The  HORN  (visitors  welcome),  205  Second  St.,  an  old  saloon,  has 
hundreds  of  horns  of  mountain  sheep,  bison,  deer,  and  elk.  The  OLD 
FORT  DALLES  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  BUILDING,  at  15th  and  Garrison 
Sts.,  is  the  only  remaining  structure  of  the  old  fort ;  it  houses  a  remark- 
able collection  of  Indian  arrows,  stone  bowls,  baskets,  and  beadwork, 
and  scores  of  articles  brought  across  the  plains  in  covered  wagons. 

West  of  The  Dalles,  scoria  yields  to  pine-grown  plateaus,  confined 
by  mountains  (L),  beyond  which  Mount  Hood  towers.  Across  the 
Columbia  Gorge  (R),  Mount  Adams  rears  its  white  peak.  On  both 
sides  of  the  river,  rocky  benches  rise  above  each  other  in  irregular 
steps  to  lofty,  weathered  palisades. 

West  of  the  village  of  ROWENA,  144.6  m.,  the  highway  leaves 
the  flatlands  by  a  sharp  climb  over  the  Rowena  Loops,  a  series  of 
reverse  curves  hewn  from  solid  basalt  in  places. 

Opposite  Rowena,  near  Lyle,  Wash.,  is  the  burial  place  of  the  writer,  Frederic 
Homer  Balch  (1861-1891).  His  sweetheart,  Genevra  Whitcomb,  who  is  buried 
near  him,  was  commemorated  in  his  posthumously  published  novel,  Genevieve: 
A  Tale  of  Oregon. 

ROWENA  CREST,  147.2  m.  (706  alt.),  is  in  MAYER  STATE  PARK, 
where  a  parking  place  is  provided  at  the  point  offering  the  finest  view. 


Oregon  141 

It  commands  a  majestic  panorama  of  rugged  country  and  miles  of 
winding  river. 

US  30  rounds  ROWENA  DELL,  147.9  m.,  a  deep  canyon  (R)  with 
oakgrown  walls  cut  through  solid  stone.  It  was  infested  with  rattle- 
snakes until  pioneers  fenced  the  lower  end  of  the  canyon  and  turned  in 
a  drove  of  hogs.  The  animals  soon  cleared  the  dell,  and  the  place  was 
for  a  time  thereafter  known  as  Hog  Canyon. 

At  150.7  m.  Memaloose  View  Point  overlooks  the  MEMALOOSE 
ISLAND,  the  "Island  of  the  Dead,"  for  hundreds  of  years  an  Indian 
burial  ground,  partly  submerged  since  the  completion  of  Bonneville 
Dam  (see  below).  Many  of  the  bleached  bones  of  generations  of  In- 
dians were  moved  to  other  cemeteries  along  the  Columbia. 

The  HOSIER  TUNNELS,  154.9  m.,  one  261  feet  and  the  other  60 
feet  long,  often  referred  to  as  the  Twin  Tunnels,  penetrate  a  promon- 
tory more  than  250  feet  above  the  river.  West  of  this  point  the  contrast 
between  the  barren,  semidesert  contours  of  eastern  Oregon  and  the 
lushness  of  the  Pacific  Slope  becomes  apparent. 

US  30  crosses  HOOD  RIVER,  160.2  m.,  a  picturesque  stream  de- 
scending from  glaciers  on  the  northern  and  eastern  slopes  of  Mount 
Hood,  and  known  in  pioneer  days  by  the  unromantic  name,  Dog 
Creek.  The  name  is  said  to  have  been  inspired  by  the  fact  that  a  starving 
exploring  party  of  early  days  began  to  eat  dog  meat  here.  Though  such 
food  was  frequently  used  by  early  travelers  in  the  area,  Mrs.  Nathaniel 
Coe,  a  well-known  pioneer  of  the  valley,  objected  to  the  name  and 
forced  a  change.  Lewis  and  Clark  named  the  stream  Labiche  River 
for  one  of  their  followers.  Its  limpid,  cascading  waters  have  great 
beauty. 

The  town  of  HOOD  RIVER,  160.6  m.  (100  alt.,  2,757  pop.),  is 
the  center  of  a  prolific  apple  and  berry  region,  and  is  one  of  the 
entrances  to  the  large  recreational  area  about  Mount  Hood.  Sur- 
rounded by  evergreens  and  oaks,  the  town  is  beautifully  situated.  Its 
tiers  of  houses  stand  on  the  sharply  rising  land  between  the  Hood 
River  and  Indian  Creek  gorges;  the  blue-gray  waters  of  the  Columbia 
River  sweep  in  front  of  it  through  a  channel  worn  deep  in  rugged 
stone.  Behind  the  town,  beyond  evergreen  forests  and  rising  hills,  the 
white  splendor  of  Mount  Hood  is  visible. 

While  holding  a  pastorate  here,  Frederic  Homer  Balch  (1861-91) 
wrote  Genevieve:  A  Tale  of  Oregon  (published  in  1932)  and  finished 
The  Bridge  of  the  Gods  (1890).  Hood  River  has  also  been  the  home 
of  George  W.  Cronyn  (1888-  ),  author  of  historical  novels,  and 
Anthony  Euwer  (1877-  ),  Oregon  poet,  who  has  described  the 
region  in  Rhymes  of  Our  Valley.  The  late  Billy  Sunday,  evangelist, 
was  a  resident  of  the  area  for  many  years. 

The  old  ADAMS  HOUSE,  home  of  the  late  Dr.  E.  L.  Adams,  one  of 
the  town's  founders,  is  at  the  western  edge  of  town.  A  fountain  modeled 


142  The  Oregon  Trail 

after  one  of  the  lesser  ones  in  the  gardens  of  the  Palace  of  Versailles, 
and  reproductions  of  French  statuary  are  on  the  grounds. 

Except  for  a  few  trails  ELIOT  PARK,  within  the  gorge  of  Indian 
Creek,  is  as  primitive  as  it  was  before  the  coming  of  white  men,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Oregon's  many  wilderness  tracts. 

The  APPLE  GROWERS  ASSOCIATION  CANNERY  (open  to  visitors)  is  in 
operation  from  late  August,  when  the  canning  of  Bartlett  pears  begins, 
until  late  December,  when  the  canning  of  low-grade  apples  is  com- 
pleted. The  commercial  activity  of  the  town  centers  about  the  immense 
fruit-growing  industry  of  the  valley  of  the  south.  The  Apple  Growers 
Association,  organized  in  1914,  is  a  producers'  co-operative  marketing 
organization  with  a  large  membership.  It  has  sent  the  Hood  River 
apple,  noted  for  its  crispness  and  flavor,  to  the  markets  of  the  world. 

The  HOOD  RIVER  DISTILLERIES  (open  to  visitors)  manufacture  cull 
fruits  into  brandy. 

The  COLUMBIA  GORGE  HOTEL,  162.6  m.  (R) ,  is  a  large  structure 
of  striking  lines,  built  in  1921-22  by  Simon  Benson,  pioneer  lumber- 
man. Just  below  the  hotel  the  picturesque  WAW-GUIN-GUIN  FALLS  drop 
over  a  sheer  cliff  to  the  river  below.  Nearby  is  the  CRAG  RATS  CLUB- 
HOUSE, owned  by  a  mountain-climbing  organization  having  a  member- 
ship limited  to  those  who  have  climbed  at  least  three  major  snow 
peaks;  members  must  climb  at  least  one  major  snow  peak  annually  to 
remain  in  good  standing. 

At  165.7  m.  is  MITCHELL  TUNNEL  (watch  for  traffic  signals), 
bored  through  a  solid  cliff  overhanging  the  river.  In  its  385-foot  length 
are  hewn  five  large  arched  windows  overlooking  the  Columbia.  The 
great  projecting  rock  through  which  the  bore  was  made  was  known 
among  the  Indians  as  the  Little  Storm  King,  while  the  sky-sweeping 
mountain  above  was  called  the  Great  Storm  King. 

The  village  of  VIENTO  (Sp.,  wind),  168.6  m.,  is  fittingly  named, 
for  the  wind  blows  constantly  and  often  violently  through  the  gorge. 
Old-fashioned  touring  cars  have  sometimes  lost  their  tops  during  the 
winter  gales  that  sweep  with  terrific  force  over  the  highway. 

VIENTO  STATE  PARK,  168.7  m.  (R),  is  an  attractive  wooded 
area  that  is  popular  as  a  picnic  ground;  through  it  runs  scenic  Viento 
Creek. 

At  170  m.  Starvation  Creek  empties  into  the  Columbia.  Here  is 
STARVATION  CREEK  STATE  PARK.  At  this  point  the  highway  crosses  a 
deep  fill,  where  in  1884  a  train  was  marooned  for  two  weeks  in  30-foot 
snowdrifts.  The  winter  storms  are  frequently  accompanied  by  silver 
thaws  of  peculiar  beauty  in  the  Columbia  Gorge.  Crags,  boulders, 
trees,  and  telephone  and  power  lines  are  then  ice-coated  in  fantastic 
forms. 

The  current  of  LINDSAY  CREEK,  171.2  m.,  pours  down  from  the 
cliffs. 


Oregon  143 

SHELL  ROCK  MOUNTAIN,  172.4  m.  (2,068  alt.),  is  opposite 
WIND  MOUNTAIN,  which  is  in  Washington.  Geologists  believe  that 
these  were  formerly  a  single  mountain  and  the  Columbia  gradually  cut 
a  channel  through  it.  Indian  legend  is  that  the  Great  Spirit  set  the 
whirlwinds  blowing  in  constant  fury  about  Wind  Mountains  as  a  pun- 
ishment to  those  who,  breaking  the  taboo,  had  taught  the  white  men 
how  to  snare  salmon. 

US  30  passes  through  a  continuous  park  for  several  miles. 

CASCADE  LOCKS,  181.1  m.  (120  alt.,  1,000  pop.).  Here  in 
1896  the  Federal  Government  built  a  lock-canal  around  the  unnavigable 
rapids  of  the  Cascades,  which  figured  dramatically  in  the  history  and 
legends  of  the  Columbia.  These  cataracts,  with  their  fall  of  almost  40 
feet,  now  under  32  feet  of  water,  were  of  comparatively  recent  geologic 
origin.  They  were  caused  by  great  masses  of  rock  and  earth  that 
slipped  from  the  heights  of  Table  Mountain.  The  fishing  Indians  of 
the  coast  came  to  this  place  to  visit  and  barter  with  the  hunting 
Indians  of  the  interior.  The  resident  tribes  laid  toll  upon  their  neigh- 
bors and  harassed  all  travelers,  though  the  strict  discipline  of  Dr.  John 
McLoughlin  maintained  unmolested  passage  for  his  traders  and  trap- 
pers. Lewis  and  Clark  had  equipment  stolen  from  them  near  here. 
The  free-booters  joined  the  war  on  the  whites  but  were  subdued  by  a 
detachment  of  troops  under  the  leadership  of  young  Lt.  Philip  H. 
Sheridan. 

The  graceful  bateau,  paddled  by  French-Canadian  voyageurs  or  by 
Indians,  and  the  swift  canoe  were  the  only  means  of  transportation 
here  for  several  decades  after  the  discovery  of  the  Columbia.  Although 
the  fur  brigades  often  rode  the  crest  of  churning  spring  floods,  it  was 
usually  necessary  to  unload  the  boats  at  this  point  and  carry  the  heavy 
bales  of  fur  overland  to  the  calm  water  below.  The  first  wagon  trains 
had  much  difficulty  here.  Some  came  down  the  river  on  home-made 
rafts  that  carried  their  dismantled  wagons;  the  wagons  were  landed 
and  reassembled  for  the  portage  at  the  Cascades,  but  the  rafts  were  let 
down  to  the  lower  level  with  ropes.  Samuel  K.  Barlow,  a  leader  of  the 
1845  migration,  determined  to  try  a  route  that  cut  south  of  Mt.  Hood 
to  avoid  the  Columbia  Gorge.  The  company  experienced  serious  diffi- 
culties before  the  members  were  rescued.  Not  long  afterward  the  route 
Barlow  had  conceived  was  opened  and  named  for  him. 

The  first  made  road  on  the  Oregon  side  of  the  river  was  completed 
in  1856.  Less  than  six  miles  in  length,  it  ran  from  the  Cascades  to  the 
site  of  Bonneville,  passing  over  a  point  of  rocks  at  the  base  of  which 
the  portage  railroad  was  later  built.  The  ox-teams  labored  by  steep 
grades  to  an  elevation  of  425  feet  to  get  past  this  point.  Later,  toll  roads 
were  opened  for  the  passage  of  cattle  and  for  the  pack  trains  to  the 
interior,  but  not  until  1872  did  the  legislature  make  an  appropriation 


144  The  Oregon  Trail 

to  build  a  road  through  the  great  gorge.  From  this  crooked  and  nar- 
row trail  the  present  highway  was  developed. 

The  growth  of  steamboat  transportation  necessitated  more  adequate 
transfer  facilities  here.  The  first  portage  railway  was  a  crude  affair 
with  wooden  rails  and  with  cars  operated  by  mule  power.  Later  strap- 
iron  rails  were  laid  and  small  steam  locomotives  supplied  power.  The 
first  of  these,  called  the  Oregon  Pony,  is  on  exhibition  at  the  plaza 
grounds  of  the  Union  Station  in  Portland.  These  tram  lines  were  out- 
moded when  the  Oregon  Railroad  and  Navigation  Company  line  was 
built. 

The  entrance  (R)  to  the  BRIDGE  OF  THE  GODS  is  at  181.6  m. ;  it 
is  a  cantilever  toll  bridge  (cars,  50$;  good  for  return  within  three 
hours)  that  occupies  a  place  where,  according  to  Indian  legend,  a  nat- 
ural bridge  at  one  time  arched  the  river.  This  bridge,  they  say,  was  cast 
into  the  river  when  Tyhee  Sahale,  the  Supreme  Being,  became  angry 
with  his  two  sons,  who  had  quarreled  over  the  beautiful  Loo-wit, 
guardian  of  a  sacred  flame  on  the  bridge.  The  two  sons  and  the  girl, 
crushed  in  the  destruction  of  the  bridge,  whose  debris  created  the 
Cascades,  were  resurrected  as  Mount  Hood,  Mount  Adams,  and  Mount 
St.  Helens.  The  legend  of  the  natural  bridge  was  used  by  Frederic 
Homer  Balch  in  his  romance,  The  Bridge  of  the  Gods. 

At  183  m.  (R)  a  marker  points  to  the  Washington  shore,  where  a 
REPRODUCTION  OF  FORT  RAINES  commemorates  the  battle  of  Bradford 
Island;  in  March,  1856,  two  or  three  hundred  Indians  unsuccessfully 
attempted  to  take  the  small  military  post. 

EAGLE  CREEK  PARK,  184  m.  (L),  one  of  Oregon's  finest  recrea- 
tional areas  and  picnic  grounds,  was  constructed  and  is  maintained  by 
the  U.  S.  Forest  Service.  On  the  banks  of  plunging  Eagle  Creek  are 
rustic  kitchens  and  tables  and  extensive  parking  facilities. 

At  BONNE VILLE,  185.4  m.  (50  alt.,  800  pop.)  is  a  large  STATE 
FISH  HATCHERY  for  the  artificial  propagation  of  Royal  Chinook,  Sock- 
eye,  and  other  salmon.  An  average  of  14  million  Chinook  and  Sockeye 
salmon  fingerlings  are  released  each  year  to  make  their  way  to  the 
sea.  The  salmon  mature  in  the  ocean,  but  return  to  fresh  water,  usually 
at  four  years  of  age,  to  spawn,  in  most  cases  at  the  headwaters  of  the 
stream  in  which  they  were  hatched.  Both  the  male  and  female  die  after 
spawning. 

The  waters  of  Tanner  Creek  have  been  diverted  to  flow  through  the 
hatchery  for  use  in  the  45  ponds.  When  the  fingerlings  are  released, 
they  go  through  the  creek  to  the  Columbia,  down  which  they  make 
their  way  to  the  ocean.  Before  the  small  salmon  are  released,  a  certain 
number  are  marked  by  clipping  part  of  the  fins  with  manicuring  scis- 
sors; the  practice  has  enabled  hatchery  officials  to  determine  that  a 
large  percentage  of  salmon  released  here  return  to  the  hatchery.  From 
the  storage  pond  40  or  50  salmon  at  a  time  are  transferred  into  what  are 


Oregon  145 

called  taking  ponds,  the  male  and  female  being  separated.  When  the 
eggs  of  the  female  are  ripe  for  taking,  she  is  put  on  a  wooden  plat- 
form and  hit  on  the  head  with  a  short  length  of  iron  pipe,  which  stuns 
her.  Cleaner  eggs  are  obtained  by  cutting  the  tail  of  the  fish  to  let  the 
blood.  The  eggs  are  taken  through  an  incision  in  the  belly  and  placed  in 
a  galvanized  bucket.  The  average  number  of  eggs  to  a  female  Chinook 
salmon  is  4,700  though  11,000  have  been  obtained.  The  milt  is  then 
stripped  from  a  male  salmon  held  over  the  eggs.  The  fertilized  eggs 
are  allowed  to  remain  in  buckets  of  water  and  milt  for  a  short  time,  and 
then  are  placed  in  wire  baskets  and  set  in  troughs  of  cold  running 
water,  where  they  hatch  out  in  50  to  70  days,  the  length  of  time  depend- 
ing entirely  upon  the  temperature  of  the  water. 

The  salmon  emerge  from  the  eggs  tail  first,  the  egg  sac  remaining 
attached  to  the  belly  of  the  little  fish  and  providing  it  with  food  for  a 
period  of  four  to  five  weeks.  The  little  fish  are  then  placed  in  the 
open  ponds  to  develop.  Their  feed  consists  of  the  ground  parent  salmon, 
which  has  been  preserved  in  cold  storage,  ground  to  a  paste  with 
smelt,  salmon  eggs,  and  condemned  canned  salmon. 

More  than  90  percent  of  the  eggs  taken  at  the  hatchery  are 
hatched  and  returned  to  the  Columbia  at  fingerling  size,  able  to  care 
for  themselves,  whereas  in  the  natural  process  of  spawning  the  per- 
centage that  reaches  fingerling  size  is  very  low,  owing  to  the  natural 
enemies  of  the  salmon. 

Bonneville  was  named  for  Capt.  Benjamin  Bonneville,  whose  ex- 
ploits were  narrated  by  Irving.  He  became  the  first  commander  of 
Fort  Vancouver  after  the  settlement  of  the  Oregon  boundary  question. 

Nearby  is  BONNEVILLE  DAM,  whose  construction  was  begun  by 
the  Federal  Government  in  1933  and  completed  in  February,  1938. 
The  dam,  designed  by  Army  engineers,  is  a  concrete  barrier  between 
the  Oregon  and  Washington  shores,  1,250  feet  in  length,  its  middle 
section  resting  on  Bradford  Island,  an  old  Indian  burial  ground.  The 
structure,  180  feet  wide  at  the  base  and  170  feet  high  from  the  lowest 
foundation,  impounds  the  waters  of  the  Columbia  River  to  an  average 
depth  of  30  feet  for  44  miles  upstream  to  a  point  four  miles  above  The 
Dalles,  and  has  submerged  many  of  the  river's  beauty  spots  and  historic 
sites. 

The  main  features  are  a  single-lift  lock,  76  feet  wide  and  50Q  feet 
long,  near  the  Oregon  shore;  a  hydroelectric  power  plant  with  two 
complete  generators,  each  of  43,200  kilowatts  capacity;  a  gate-con- 
trolled spillway  900  feet  long  intended  to  pass  the  maximum  flood  of 
record  without  raising  the  previously  attained  flood  elevation  at  or 
above  the  Cascades;  and  fishways  designed  to  permit  salmon  to  ascend 
the  river  to  their  spawning  grounds.  The  navigation  lock  is  (1938)  the 
highest  single  lift  passage  in  the  world  for  ocean-going  vessels,  which 
must  be  raised  66  feet.  With  the  deepening  of  the  Columbia  River 


146  The  Oregon  Trail 

between  Vancouver,  Wash.,  and  the  dam  to  27  feet,  the  river  will  be 
navigable  by  sea-going  craft  for  176  miles  inland.  The  final  cost  of 
the  project,  after  installation  of  its  hydroelectric  units  with  a  capacity 
of  more  than  500,000  horsepower,  will  be  more  than  $70,000,000. 

The  dam  offers  an  economic  blood  transfusion  to  an  area  of  ap- 
proximately 200,000  square  miles  between  the  Cascades  and  the 
Rockies.  It  means  water  transportation  and  cheap  electric  power  in  this 
vast  region  that  has  suffered  from  lack  of  both. 

The  JOHN  B.  YEON  STATE  PARK,  187.4  m.,  was  named  in 
honor  of  an  early  highway  builder.  It  overlooks  the  Columbia  Gorge, 
where  the  river  has  carved  fantastic  cliff  walls,  and  sculptured  rocks 
that  rise  2,000  feet  above  the  valley  floor. 

At  188  m.  the  highway  crosses  McCord  Creek. 

Left  0.5  m.  from  the  eastern  end  of  the  bridge  on  a  trail  along  the  falls  in 
the  perpendicular  walls  by  the  stream  to  a  grotto  where  a  fossilized  tree  pro- 
trudes from  under  a  deep  layer  of  basalt  and  conglomerate. 

At  the  eastern  end  of  the  McCord  Creek  bridge  is  a  large  stump  that 
is  believed  to  have  matured  long  before  the  Cascade  Range  was  thrown 
up. 

At  the  village  of  WARRENDALE,  188.8  m.,  (14  pop.)  are  the 
North  American  Fox  Farms.  When  litters  exceed  the  average  of  from 
three  to  five,  the  little  foxes  liere  are  frequently  nursed  by  house  cats. 

HORSETAIL  FALLS,  192.1  m.,  slant  down  a  208-foot  wall  of 
columnar  basalt,  forming  the  design  that  gave  the  falls  their  name.  The 
stream  drops  so  close  to  the  highway  that  it  constantly  tosses  showers  of 
spray  across  the  pavement.  East  of  the  falls  ST.  PETERS  DOME,  a 
2,000-foot  monolithic  column,  towers  against  the  sky. 

ONEONTA  GORGE,  192.3  m.,  is  a  deep,  irregular  gash  with  high 
perpendicular  walls  between  which  flows  a  sparkling  creek.  Mosses, 
flowers,  and  ferns  cling  to  the  walls,  and  fossilized  trees,  caught  by 
an  ancient  lava  flow,  are  now  entombed  in  its  sides. 

Left  from  the  highway  on  a  trail  leading  to  ONEONTA  FALLS  at  the  shadowed 
head  of  the  gorge.  The  stream  has  worn  away  the  rock,  forming  the  ravine. 

MULTNOMAH  FALLS  (L),  194.5  m.,  are  the  most  noted  of 
all  falls  along  the  Columbia.  The  waters  drop  620-feet  into  a  maple- 
and  alder-fringed  basin.  In  summer  the  mist  sprays  the  willow  and  the 
nodding  fern,  but  in  the  frosty  air  of  winter  it  congeals  in  fantastic 
forms,  glittering  with  a  cold  brilliance,  and  hangs  in  magic  festoons 
from  the  crenelated  wall. 


Oregon  147 

Left  from  Multnomah  Falls  on  a  foot  trail  that  leads  across  a  bridge  spanning 
the  short  stretch  of  creek  between  the  upper  and  lower  falls.  The  trail  continues 
to  LARCH  MOUNTAIN,  6.5  m.  (4,095  alt.).  The  ascent  is  gradual.  Visible  here 
is  a  vast  expanse  of  mountain  ranges. 

WAHKEENA  (Ind.,  most  beautiful)  FALLS,  195.1  m.,  named 
for  the  daughter  of  a  Yakima  chieftain,  are  particularly  delightful. 
The  waters  hurl  themselves  from  a  precipice  242  feet  in  height,  then 
riot  in  alternate  falls  and  cascades.  Wahkeena  Creek  Springs  pour  from 
a  woodland  basin  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  cliff  over  which  the 
waters  plunge. 

MIST  FALLS,  195.3  m.,  were  mentioned  by  Lewis  and  Clark.  In 
their  1,200-foot  drop  the  nebulous  waters  are  often  dissipated  by  the 
wind  to  float  away  in  mist,  no  water  reaching  the  basin  below. 

COOPEY  FALLS,  197.4  m.,  drop  117  feet.  According  to  an  Indian 
legend,  this  was  the  site  of  a  battle  of  giants. 

BRIDAL  VEIL,  197.5  m.  (40  alt.,  204  pop.),  is  a  lumber-mill 
town  tucked  in  a  recess  below  the  highway.  Since  most  of  the  waters 
are  confined  in  a  lumber  flume,  Bridal  Veil  Falls  rumble  scantily  over 
the  cliff,  and  flow  under  the  bridge  spanning  Bridal  Veil  Creek.  This 
beautiful  mountain  stream  is  the  only  one  along  the  Columbia  that  has 
been  harnessed  for  commercial  use. 

Directly  across  the  river  are  the  CAPE  HORN  PALISADES,  a  series  of  cliffs 
rising  perpendicularly  from  the  river  to  a  height  of  more  than  400  feet. 

Sharp  rocks,  known  as  the  PILLARS  OF  HERCULES  or  SPEEL- 
YE'S  CHILDREN,  the  latter  name  commemorating  the  feats  of  the 
Indian  coyote-gods,  rise  (R)  beyond  FOREST  HILL. 

In  the  depths  of  the  11-acre  park  of  SHEPPERD'S  DELL,  199.3  m., 
a  140-foot  waterfall  appears  to  gush  from  solid  rock.  A  white  arch  of 
concrete  spans  a  chasm  150  feet  wide  and  140  feet  deep.  Nearby  the 
parapeted  highway  rounds  a  dome-shaped  rock,  known  as  BISHOP'S 
CAP  or  MUSHROOM  ROCK. 

LATOURELLE  FALLS,  200.5  m.,  take  a  sheer  drop  of  224  feet 
into  a  sparkling  pool  at  the  base  of  an  overhanging  cliff.  LATOURELLE 
BRIDGE,  which  commands  an  excellent  view  of  the  shining  waters  pour- 
ing from  the  vertical  wall,  lifts  its  three  80-foot  arches  100  feet  above 
the  stream. 

The  GUY  W.  TALBOT  PARK,  200.6  m.,  125  acres  of  wooded 
land  with  many  picnic  nooks  and  vantage  points,  overlooks  the  Colum- 
bia River. 

Winding  along  the  forested  mountain  side  and  looping  in  sharp 
curves  as  it  climbs,  the  highway  reaches  CROWN  POINT,  202.8  m.9 


148  The  Oregon  Trail 

725  feet  above  the  river  on  an  overhanging  rocky  promontory,  from 
which  is  a  view  considered  the  most  spectacular  along  the  highway. 
In  the  ascent,  the  highway  makes  a  wide  curve,  in  the  center  of  which 
is  the  VISTA  HOUSE,  designed  to  command  views  up  and  down  the 
Columbia.  This  impressive  octagonal  stone  structure,  designed  in  the 
English  Tudor  style  modified  to  conform  to  the  character  and  topog- 
raphy of  the  landscape,  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $100,000.  The  foundation 
about  the  base  of  the  house  is  laid  in  Italian  style,  no  mortar  having 
been  used.  Masons  from  Italy  did  the  work  at  this  point  and  elsewhere 
along  the  highway.  The  wind-swept  height,  once  known  as  Thor's 
Crown,  commands  a  dramatic  view  of  the  river  east  and  west  for  many 
miles.  The  massive  wall  rises  sheer  and  high  above  the  Columbia 
River,  and,  chiseled  into  the  wall  or  suspended  from  it,  the  highway 
spirals  to  the  summit. 

The  SAMUEL  HILL  MONUMENT,  204.1  m.,  is  a  50-ton  granite 
boulder  dedicated  to  the  man  who  was  chiefly  responsible  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  Columbia  River  Highway.  A  parking  space  (R)  affords  a 
view  of  the  river,  the  mountains  of  Washington,  and  Crown  Point. 

CORBETT,  205.4  m.,  set  in  rolling  hills,  is  at  the  eastern  end  of  a 
cultivated  area.  The  road  cuts  between  the  cliffs  and  the  SANDY 
RIVER,  209.9  m.  The  steep  walls  (R),  of  volcanic  pudding-stone,  are 
watered  by  numerous  freshets  in  spring  and  embroidered  with  bright 
flowers  and  ferns  in  summer.  This  stream,  flowing  from  the  glaciers 
on  the  southern  slope  of  Mount  Hood,  was  discovered  by  Lt.  William 
Broughton  on  October  30,  1792,  and  named  Barings  River  for  an 
English  family.  The  bluffs  near  one  of  the  river's  two  mouths  now  bear 
the  name  of  the  discoverer.  Lewis  and  Clark  passed  this  point  on 
November  3,  1805,  and  in  their  Journals  record  the  immense  quantities 
of  sand  thrown  out.  They  compared  the  stream  with  the  Platte  River, 
noted  its  two  mouths,  and  called  it  Quicksand  River,  a  name  that  ap- 
peared in  maps  and  accounts  for  about  50  years.  The  river  is  noted 
locally  for  its  annual  run  of  smelt  (eulachan),  which  ascend  in  mil- 
lions each  February  or  March  to  spawn.  These  fish,  eaten  and  praised 
by  epicures  among  the  early  explorers,  are  so  oily  that,  dried,  they 
were  burned  to  provide  illumination;  hence  the  name  "candle  fish." 
When  the  small,  silvery-white  fish  appear,  the  word  goes  out  that  "the 
smelt  are  running  Sandy."  Cars  soon  block  the  highway  for  miles,  while 
hundreds  of  people,  with  sieves,  nets,  buckets,  sacks,  or  birdcages,  snare 
the  fish  (special  license  required;  50$).  Shops  become  overstocked 
with  smelt.  Truck  gardeners  along  the  Columbia  and  many  residents  of 
Portland  formerly  used  them  for  fertilizer  until  prohibited  by  law. 

In  early  days  overland  travelers  were  at  first  not  particularly  im- 
pressed by  this  part  of  the  country.  Their  long  journeys,  begun  along 
the  Missouri  in  late  April  or  early  May,  usually  brought  them  to  Ore- 
gon after  the  rainy  season  had  begun.  Traveling  and  sleeping  without 


Smithsonian  Institution 


SCALPED  HUNTER  (1869) 


THE  COLUMBIA  GORGE 


Oregon  149 

shelter,  sometimes  for  weeks  they  had  no  opportunities  to  dry  their 
clothes.  It  was  always  a  matter  of  wonder  to  them  that  their  health 
continued  to  be  good.  One  trader,  after  many  days  of  travel  in  con- 
tinuous rain,  wrote  ruefully  in  his  diary  that  as  he  fell  asleep  on  the 
soggy  ground  he  was  reminded  of  his  beloved  grandmother's  admoni- 
tion that  he  must  never  permit  himself  to  sleep  between  damp  sheets. 
Between  truck  gardens  and  dairy  farms,  US  30  traverses  the  rolling 
lands  of  the  widening  Columbia  Valley,  and  past  orchards,  bulb  farms, 
and  suburban  homes.  The  highway  crosses  the  Willamette  River. 

PORTLAND,  228.2  m.   (32  alt.,  301,815  pop.)    (see  OREGON 
GUIDE). 

Railroad  Station.  Union  Station,  SW.  6th  Ave.  and  Johnson  St.,  for  Union 
Pacific  R.R.,  Southern  Pacific  R.R.,  Northern  Pacific  Ry.,  Great  Northern  Ry., 
and  Spokane,  Portland,  and  Seattle  Ry. 

Accommodations.  Hotels  and  rooming  houses  of  a  wide  price  range;  well- 
equipped  trailer  camps  along  main  highways  near  city;  many  furnished  apart- 
ments rented  by  the  week. 

Points  of  Interest.  St.  Charles  Hotel,  Esmond  Hotel.  U.S.S.  Oregon,  Oregon 
Historical  Society  Museum,  University  of  Portland,  Sanctuary  of  Our  Sorrowful 
Mother,  and  others. 

Right  from  Portland  on  US  99,  which  crosses  the  Columbia  River  to  VAN- 
COUVER, Wash.,  7.8  m.  (115  alt.,  15,786  pop.),  oldest  place  of  permanent  white 
habitation  west  of  the  Rockies  and  north  of  California.  Mills,  docks,  grain  ele- 
vators, and  canneries  flank  the  riverside,  from  which  streets  stretch  back  into  the 
business  section  between  modern  brick  and  terra-cotta  structures  intermingled 
with  severely  plain  or  crudely  ornate  early  structures. 

Factories  now  stand  at  the  point  where,  in  November  1792,  Capt.  George  Van- 
couver's lieutenant,  William  Broughton,  landed  from  the  Chatham.  When,  in  1824, 
Governor  George  Simpson  and  Chief  Factor  John  McLoughlin  decided  to  transfer 
the  Hudson's  Bay  post  from  Fort  George  to  this  place  (see  WHY  A  TRAIL  TO 
OREGON?),  they  were  determining  the  seat  of  the  government  for  all  the  land 
west  of  the  Rockies  between  the  boundaries  of  California  and  Alaska.  The  Chief 
Factor  was  the  administrator  of  the  feudal  powers  vested  in  his  company,  the 
economic  overlord,  and  the  diplomatic  representative  of  his  government  in  the 
region.  He  also  became  the  host  of  all  visitors  to  the  area,  the  physician-in-chief 
to  whites  and  natives,  the  judge  and  jury  in  trials  for  crime,  and  the  manager 
of  the  only  wholesale  and  retail  store  in  a  vast  wilderness.  From  Fort  Vancouver, 
as  the  settlement  was  called  in  early  days,  he  established  trading  posts  in  many 
spots,  including  Alaska,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  California;  and  he  began  agri- 
cultural development  of  the  country  around  his  capital  and  in  the  Willamette 
Valley.  Had  he  chosen  to  refuse  supplies,  credit,  and  protection  from  Indians  to 
the  missionaries  and  settlers  coming  to  the  area  in  the  days  before  the  United 
States  had  developed  great  interest  in  the  territory,  he  would  doubtless  have 
stopped  the  movement  to  Oregon  because  those  returning  to  the  States  would  have 
circulated  unfavorable  reports  of  the  opportunities  available  there.  Without  set- 
tlers beyond  the  Rockies  it  is  possible  that  the  United  States  would  not  have 
been  able  to  establish  its  claim  to  the  country. 

Fort  Vancouver  had  a  stout  palisade  of  20-foot  fir  posts  enclosing  an  area  of 
750  by  500  feet,  in  which  were  40  wooden  buildings  and  a  stone  powder  maga- 
zine. Workshops,  storehouses,  and  dwellings  ranged  around  the  central  trading 
court;  and  opposite  the  main  entrance  of  double-ribbed  and  riveted  gates  stood 


150  The  Oregon  Trail 

the  executives'  dwelling — with  two  18-pounders  mounted  before  it.  A  schoolhouse 
and  a  chapel  were  less  frequented  than  were  the  dining  hall  and  Bachelors'  Hall, 
to  which  the  men  repaired  after  their  meals.  The  latter  resembled  a  baronial  hall 
of  feudal  days,  the  walls  being  covered  with  weapons  and  trophies. 

In  1826  the  Chief  Factor  opened  a  sawmill  and  installed  a  forge.  Within  a 
few  years  he  had  700  head  of  cattle  nearby. 

In  1833  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  established  the  first  circulating  library  on 
the  Pacific  Coast,  shipping  books  and  papers,  among  them  the  London  Times, 
from  England  to  Vancouver.  John  Ball,  who  arrived  with  Nathaniel  Wyeth  in 
1832,  was  pressed  into  service  by  the  Chief  Factor  to  open  the  first  school. 

While  the  Chief  Factor  assisted  people  from  the  United  States  to  settle  south 
of  the  Columbia  River,  knowing  that  Great  Britain  had  already  decided  that  this 
country  would  undoubtedly  be  lost  when  the  territorial  dispute  was  settled,  he 
strictly  adhered  to  his  company's  orders  to  prevent  settlement  north  of  the  river. 

The  first  man  from  the  United  States  to  attempt  to  settle  on  the  present  town- 
site  was  Henry  Williamson,  of  Indiana,  who  hacked  out  a  clearing  early  in  1845. 
On  March  20,  McLoughlin  wrote  to  his  superior,  "We  found  a  shack  built  four 
logs  high  in  the  forest  west  of  the  fort.  I  ordered  the  men  to  pull  the  place  down 
and  destroy  the  fence  surrounding  it."  Williamson,  however,  rebuilt  his  cabin  and 
filed  the  claim  at  Oregon  City. 

The  next  settlers  arrived  on  Christmas  Day,  1845;  they  were  Amos  and  Esther 
Short,  with  their  eight  children.  Williamson  asserted  they  tried  to  jump  his  claim. 
The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  also  rebuffed  them  and  refused  supplies.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year,  by  the  treaty  of  1846,  the  United  States  won  control  of  what  is  now 
Washington  as  well  as  Oregon ;  in  this  same  year  McLoughlin  was  forced  to  resign 
his  post. 

When,  in  1848,  a  military  post  was  established  here,  Williamson  platted  the 
townsite  and  named  it  Vancouver  City.  New  settlers  were  arriving  down  the  Ore- 
gon Trail  and  the  census  of  1850  listed  95  houses  in  the  newly  organized  Clark 
County,  of  which  Vancouver  was  made  the  seat.  Two  schools  were  opened  and  a 
ferry  franchise  was  granted  for  river  service.  A  newly  appointed  county  agent, 
R.  H.  Lansdale,  replatted  the  townsite,  ignoring  the  earlier  lines  that  started  from 
a  great  cottonwood  on  the  riverbank,  called  the  Witness  Tree.  Lansdale  not  only 
kindled  private  boundary  disputes  but  also  infringed  on  the  military  reserve.  With 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  now  merely  a  foreign  business  concern,  and  the  mis- 
sionaries as  claimants  against  the  War  Department,  six  parties  were  involved  in 
the  controversy;  but  the  Army  and  the  Shorts  persevered  in  occupation.  Patriots 
changed  the  town's  name  to  Columbia  City. 

The  town  flourished,  being  on  the  route  of  much  immigrant  travel,  having  a 
garrison  for  protection  during  the  period  of  Indian  warfare,  and  possessing  a  site 
at  the  junction  of  the  Willamette  where  produce  could  be  transferred  to  sea-going 
vessels. 

In  1852  the  gay  Bonneville  returned  to  the  Columbia  Valley,  now  as  a  lieu- 
tenant-colonel in  command  of  a  post  in  the  area  from  which  he  had  been  politely 
dismissed  twenty  years  before.  Several  men  who  were  later  prominent  in  the  Civil 
War  served  here  early  in  their  careers. 

The  gold  rushes  to  Idaho  and  eastern  Washington  contributed  to  the  town's 
prosperity.  Local  men  engaged  in  river  transportation  made  fantastic  profits;  the 
little  Tenino  cleared  $18,000  for  her  owner  on  a  single  trip. 

The  middle  60's  saw  many  fetes  and  lavish  entertainments,  and  a  rise  of  cul- 
tural interest.  For  the  Saint  Patrick's  Day  ball  of  1866  at  the  Alta  House,  tickets 
cost  $5,  including  supper.  In  1867  an  amateur  dramatic  society  played  Robert 
Macaire,  a  melodrama,  and  later  Toodles,  a  comedy.  A  traveling  troupe  appeared 
in  1869,  playing  Nan  the  Good  For  Nothing  and  A  Kiss  in  the  Dark. 

The  growth  of  the  town  slackened  after  the  gold  fever  had  abated,  but  with 
the  construction  of  a  railroad  from  Kalama  to  Tacoma  (1872-73)  and  its  eventual 


Oregon  151 

extension  southward,  Vancouver  reinforced  its  position  as  shipping  center  for  a 
large  agricultural  area. 

The  bronze  PIONEER  MOTHER,  Esther  Short  Park,  8th  Street  between  Columbia 
and  Esther  Streets,  designed  by  Avard  Fairbanks,  presents  a  woman,  flintlock 
in  hand,  with  three  children  clinging  to  her  skirts.  A  plaque  on  the  obverse  side 
of  the  monument  shows  a  woman  peering  anxiously  from  a  covered  wagon  while 
her  husband  walks  beside  the  wagon  watchfully  directing  his  oxen.  Esther  Short, 
for  whom  the  park  was  named,  had  a  hard  journey  over  the  plains,  bearing  a 
child  on  the  way.  When  employees  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  appeared  to 
raze  the  Short  cabin  at  Vancouver  and  drive  the  family  away,  she  slapped  the 
leader  in  the  face  so  forcibly  that  he  was  knocked  down,  and  fled. 

The  COVINGTON  HOUSE  (open  11-4,  2nd  and  4th  Tues.  each  month),  south- 
west corner  39th  and  Main  Streets,  built  about  1845,  is  a  restoration  of  the  oldest 
house  in  the  State.  Built  by  Richard  Covington  of  roughly  squared  logs  and  clap- 
board siding,  with  a  high,  sloped  roof,  it  reveals  the  influence  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  structures  in  its  mortise  and  tenon  joints.  Known  for  its  entertainment, 
Covington's  home  was  a  social  center  for  young  officers  and  trading  company 
officials  during  the  1850's. 

VANCOUVER  BARRACKS  is  bounded  by  5th  Street  (Evergreen  Highway),  4th 
Plain  Avenue,  and  E.  and  W.  Reserve  Streets.  NUMBER  Two  BARRACKS,  in  Offi- 
cers' Row,  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  300  buildings  on  the  reservation.  Its  log 
walls  have  been  sheathed  with  siding,  but  the  narrow  windows,  angular  outlines, 
and  peaked  roof  are  characteristic  of  one  of  the  least  graceful  periods  of  Ameri- 
can architecture.  When  young  Lt.  Ulysses  S.  Grant  was  stationed  here,  he  planted 
potatoes  in  the  nearby  lowlands  to  augment  the  officers'  mess — and  his  meager 
income — but  spring  floods  washed  his  crop  away;  the  current  price  of  potatoes 
was  $45  for  100  pounds. 

The  FIRST  APPLE  TREE,  E.  7th  and  T.  Streets,  west  of  the  polo  field,  was 
planted  in  1826  by  Dr.  John  McLoughlin.  After  1830  the  post  occupied  land 
between  the  tree  and  the  river,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  water;  erosion  has 
washed  much  of  the  former  area  into  the  river;  the  site  of  the  factor's  mansion  and 
the  boundaries  of  the  fort  were  obliterated  long  ago. 

A  dinner  guest  of  McLoughlin's,  Capt.  Aemilius  Simpson,  absent-mindedly 
drew  from  his  pocket  several  apple  seeds  that  had  been  given  him  by  a  young 
woman  at  his  farewell  dinner  in  London,  with  the  joking  request  that  they  be 
planted  in  the  wilderness.  The  factor  saw  nothing  humorous  in  the  request.  He 
soberly  insisted  on  nurturing  the  seeds  into  shoots,  which  matured  into  the  first 
cultivated  fruit  trees  in  the  Northwest. 

PEARSON  ARMY  AIRPORT,  corner  5th  and  E.  Reserve  Sts.,  has  hangars,  shops, 
and  administration  buildings.  Here  ended  the  63-hour  flight  across  the  North  Pole 
made  by  three  Russians  who  hopped  off  at  Moscow  on  June  18,  1937,  to  test  the 
feasibility  of  air  transportation  across  the  top  of  the  world.  The  Soviet  fliers  landed 
at  this  field  because  of  fog,  short  of  San  Francisco,  their  destination.  When  asked 
the  reason  for  their  explorations  of  the  Arctic,  the  spokesman  for  the  trio  voiced 
the  feeling  that  Jefferson  had  had  150  years  before  them:  "We  do  not  like  blank 
spots  on  the  map." 

The  GRAVE  .OF  ARTHUR  HAINE  in  the  City  Cemetery,  between  10th  and  13th 
Streets,  is  marked  by  a  stone  of  his  own  design  and  the  epitaph,  "Haine  Haint." 
Haine,  who  died  in  1907,  left  a  will  saying,  "Having  lived  as  an  atheist  I  want 
to  be  buried  like  one — without  any  monkey  business." 

Section  14.  Portland  to  Astoria,  104.8  m.  US  30. 

US  30  runs  west  from  Union  St.  in  PORTLAND,  0  m.,  on  St. 
Helens  Road,  a  part  of  the  Lower  Columbia  River  Highway,  and 
passes  through  a  busy  industrial  district  fronting  Portland's  lower 


152  The  Oregon  Trail 

harbor.  Wharves  line  the  Willamette  River  bank  (R),  where  domestic 
and  foreign  vessels  are  moored.  Factories  and  warehouses  occupy  the 
river  flats  (R),  and  a  high,  forested  ridge  hides  from  view  the  Tualatin 
Valley  (L).  Gasoline  distributing  plants  (R),  with  steel  tanks  behind 
close-cropped  lawns,  succeed  the  factories.  There  is  a  virtually  unbroken 
line  of  steel  plants,  construction  yards,  paint  factories,  and  shingle 
mills. 

At  7.2  m.  is  the  eastern  approach  to  ST.  JOHN'S  BRIDGE,  an  unusu- 
ally beautiful  structure.  This  suspension  bridge  rises  203  feet  above 
the  river,  thus  permitting  ocean  liners  to  pass  beneath  it. 

LINNTON,  8.6  m.,  a  part  of  Portland  since  1915,  retains  its  indi- 
viduality. The  town  was  regarded  as  the  possible  site  of  a  future 
metropolis  when  Peter  Burnett  settled  in  the  vicinity  in  1843.  It  has 
become  an  important  commercial  center  since  merging  with  Portland, 
though  even  before  the  union  it  was  the  site  of  several  large  mills.  Mil- 
lions of  feet  of  lumber  are  shipped  annually  from  here. 

At  13  m.  is  a  junction  with  the  Burlington  Ferry  Road,  a  plank 
viaduct  leading  to  a  ferry  (free)  crossing  Willamette  Slough. 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  bank,  0.5  m.,  off  which  is  SAUVIES  ISLAND  (850 
pop.),  which  retains  much  charm,  having  quiet  country  roads,  across  which  swing 
pasture  gates.  It  has  oak  groves  and  several  lakes;  numerous  duck  hunters  come 
to  this  popular  recreational  area. 

Since  farming  began  here  the  island  has  had  a  high  reputation  for  fertility. 
Bulb  culture  and  truck  gardening  have  become  increasingly  important  in  recent 
years. 

The  earliest  known  account  of  the  place  was  written  by  Lewis  and  Clark  on 
November  4,  1805,  when  they  found  a  village  of  200  Indians  here.  The  explorers 
later  called  it  Wapato  Island  because  of  the  prevalence  of  a  tuberous  marsh  plant 
of  that  name,  the  roots  of  which  were  used  for  food  by  the  Indians.  The  Lewis 
and  Clark  party  gathered  some  distance  below  the  village  for  dinner.  "Soon 
after,"  Clark  recorded,  "Several  canoes  of  Indians  from  the  village  above  came 
down,  dressed  for  the  purpose  as  I  supposed  of  Paying  us  a  friendly  visit, 
they  had  scarlet  &  blue  blankets  Salor  Jackets,  overalls,  Shirts  and  hats  inde- 
pendant  of  their  usial  dress;  the  most  of  them  had  either  Muskets  or  pistols  and 
tin  flasks  to  hold  their  powder,  Those  fellows  we  found  assumeing  and  disagree- 
able, however  we  Smoked  with  them  and  treated  them  with  every  attention  & 
friendship. 

"dureing  the  time  we  were  at  dinner  those  fellows  Stold  my  pipe  Tomahawk 
which  they  were  Smoking  with,  I  immediately  serched  every  man  and  the  canoes, 
but  could  find  nothing  of  my  Tomahawk,  while  Serching  for  the  Tomahawk  one 
of  those  Scoundals  Stole  a  cappoe  (coat)  of  one  of  our  interperters,  which  was 
found  Stufed  under  the  root  of  a  tree,  near  the  place  they  Sat,  we  became  much 
displeased  with  those  fellows,  which  they  discovered  and  moved  off  on  their  return 
home  to  their  village." 

In  1829  a  violent  epidemic,  possibly  typhus  brought  in  by  sailors  on  the  Owyhee 
(see  below),  swept  through  the  population,  and  Dr.  McLoughlin  moved  the  sur- 
vivors to  the  mainland  and  burned  many  of  the  straw  huts  of  the  settlement.  The 
Indians  never  went  back. 

In  1834  Capt.  Nathaniel  J.  Wyeth  audaciously  chose  a  site  for  his  trading  post 
near  the  lower  end  of  the  island.  "This  Wappato  Island  which  I  have  selected  for 
our  establishment,"  he  wrote,  "consists  of  woodland  and  prairie  and  on  it  there  is 


Oregon  153 

considerable  deer  and  those  who  could  spare  time  to  hunt  might  live  well  but 
mortality  has  carried  off  to  a  man  its  inhabitants  and  there  is  nothing  to  attest 
that  they  ever  existed  except  their  decaying  houses,  their  graves  and  their  un- 
buried  bones  of  which  there  are  heaps."  Wyeth  named  his  settlement  Fort  Wil- 
liam, and  set  his  coopers  to  work  making  barrels  to  carry  salmon  to  Boston.  His 
trading  activities  met  with  such  firm  and  persistent  opposition  from  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  that  in  1836  he  reluctantly  abandoned  the  unprofitable  enterprise. 

With  the  Wyeth  party  was  J.  K.  Townsend,  an  ornithologist  from  Philadelphia, 
who  pitched  his  camp  near  Fort  William,  and  spent  his  time  collecting  birds  and 
snakes,  preserving  the  latter  in  a  keg  of  spirits.  One  day  he  returned  to  deposit 
another  reptile  in  the  keg  and  found  the  spirits  gone.  A  culprit  confessed  to  the 
dereliction,  pleading  thirst  as  an  apology. 

In  1841  McLoughlin  established  a  dairy  here,  placing  Jean  Baptiste  Sauvie,  a 
superannuated  trapper,  in  charge.  The  place  has  since  borne  the  name  of  the  old 
dairyman. 

Sauvies  Island  figures  prominently  in  Pacific  Northwest  literature.  Besides  its 
extensive  use  in  Frederic  Homer  Balch's  The  Bridge  of  the  Gods,  it  has  served  as 
background  for  Sheba  Hargreaves'  Ward  of  the  Redskins,  and  appears  in  Lightship 
by  Archie  Binns. 

At  18.8  m.  the  barrier  of  hills  (L)  recedes,  and  the  highway  enters 
the  Scappoose  Plains,  a  fertile  district  where  potato  culture,  truck 
gardening,  and  dairying  are  carried  on.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
sent  men  from  Vancouver  in  the  late  1820's  to  raise  vegetables  and 
grain.  Large  dairy  barns,  with  round  silos  of  wood  or  concrete,  and 
comfortable  houses  now  stand  where  the  trapper-farmers  pitched 
their  camps. 

SCAPPOOSE  (Ind.,  gravelly  plain),  21.6  m.  -(56  alt.,  248  pop.), 
is  an  old  Indian  trading  post.  Chief  Caseno,  mentioned  in  the  annals 
of  the  Astorians  and  of  the  North  West  Company,  had  his  main  village 
close  by.  According  to  Gabriel  Franchere,  three  deserters  from  the 
Astorians  were  captured  at  this  place  on  November  21,  1811,  when  their 
pursuers  bribed  the  Indians  with  powder  and  guns  that  were  unfit  for 
use.  The  brig  Owyhee  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  spent  the  winter  of 
1828-9  in  Scappoose  Bay.  Disease,  spreading  from  the  ship,  killed 
many  of  the  natives.  The  boat  picked  up  a  cargo  of  salmon  and  carried 
it  to  Boston. 

Today  Scappoose  is  a  small  but  prosperous  agricultural  community. 
Great  underground  potato  warehouses,  their  ventilators  barely  rising 
above  the  surface,  line  the  railroad  track  in  the  town  square,  and  a 
large  nearby  factory  pickles  cucumbers  from  the  Willamette  Slough. 

Beautiful  MOUNT  RAINIER,  almost  90  miles  to  the  northeast,  is 
sometimes  visible  at  23.2  m.  Mount  Adams  and  Mount  St.  Helens, 
rising  on  the  far  horizon,  seem  but  a  few  feet  apart, 

ST.  HELENS,  28.9  m.  (98  alt.,  3,994  pop.),  a  river  port,  is  also 
a  market  and  court  town.  Its  manufacturing  plants  produce  insulating 
board,  pulp  and  paper,  lumber,  and  dairy  products. 

St.  Helens  was  laid  out  in  1847  on  the  donation  land  claim  of 


154  The  Oregon  Trail 

Capt.  H.  M.  Knighton,  who  launched  the  town  as  an  active  competitor 
of  the  newly  founded  village  of  Portland.  He  contemptuously  referred 
to  his  rival  as  "Little  Stump  Town,"  a  title  suggested  by  its  denuded 
forests.  In  November,  1850,  because  of  its  position  near  deep  water,  the 
town  was  advertised  as  a  terminus  of  the  first  railroad  proposed  for 
Oregon.  The  KNIGHTON  HOUSE  was  built  in  1847  with  lumber  brought 
around  Cape  Horn  from  Bath,  Maine.  Many  of  the  town's  buildings, 
including  the  COLUMBIA  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE,  are  built  of  stone  taken 
from  local  quarries. 

DEER  ISLAND,  34.5  m.,  a  little  community  opposite  a  river  island 
of  that  name,  was  visited  by  Lewis  and  Clark  in  1805  and  again  in 
1806.  Large  herds  of  sleek  cattle  graze  in  the  surrounding  stump  pas- 
tures. 

The  highway  passes  through  a  narrow  gorge,  where  the  hills  (L) 
crowd  upon  the  road.  The  lowlands  (R)  are  sloughs,  with  growths 
of  willows  and  alders. 

The  highway  ascends  a  rugged  promontory ;  at  LITTLE  JACK  FALLS, 
44.3  m.  (125  alt.),  a  cascade  (L)  tumbles  over  a  precipice  almost 
100  feet  high. 

US  30  descends  to  RAINIER,  47.6  m.  (23  alt.,  1,353  pop.),  named 
for  Mount  Rainier,  which  is  often  visible  to  the  northwest.  Rainier 
was  an  important  stop  in  the  days  of  river  commerce.  The  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  boat  Beaver  and  the  Lot  Whitcomb  of  Milwaukee  loaded 
and  discharged  freight  at  its  dock. 

From  the  winding  curves  of  RAINIER  HILL  (671  alt.)  there  is  a 
magnificent  view  of  Longview,  Wash.,  and  the  narrow  roadway  of  the 
bridge  spanning  the  river,  which  is  far  below.  The  summit  is  reached 
at  50.9  m. 

Descending,  the  highway  crosses  ubiquitous  BEAVER  CREEK,  51.7  m. 
Within  the  next  15  miles  westward  the  road  spans  this  stream  or  its 
tributaries  a  dozen  times.  The  route  now  runs  through  cut-over  timber 
lands  along  the  banks  of  the  creek. 

At  62  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  QUINCY,  1  m.,  center  of  a  drained  and  diked  area  of 
the  Columbia  River  lowlands;  L.  here  3  m.  on  a  dirt  road  to  OAK  POINT.  The 
Winship  brothers  of  Boston,  successful  in  the  China  trade,  attempted  to  establish  a 
permanent  trading  post  here  in  1810,  while  Astor  was  still  maturing  his  plans 
for  Astoria.  Capt.  Nathan  Winship  arrived  in  the  Columbia  with  their  ship,  the 
Albatross,  on  May  26,  and  selected  this  place,  long  known  as  Fanny's  Bottom,  as 
the  site  for  the  fortified  two-story  log  post  that  he  built  immediately.  A  June 
freshet  flooded  both  fort  and  garden;  later  when  the  Indians  grew  troublesome, 
Winship  abandoned  the  enterprise  and  returned  to  Boston. 

At  62.4  m.  the  low  logged-off  summits  of  the  Coast  Range,  20 
miles  away,  are  visible.  Denuded  of  their  timber,  they  form  a  desolate 
ridge  against  the  blue  horizon. 


Oregon  155 

CLATSKANIE  is  at  65.1  m.  (16  alt.  739  pop.).  Farmers'  co-opera- 
tive creameries  here  manufacture  dairy  products  from  the  milk  pro- 
duced by  great  herds  of  cattle  on  the  drained  Columbia  River  low- 
lands. The  raising  of  vegetables  on  these  lands  for  canning  is  a  recent 
and  profitable  enterprise.  Clatskanie  (cor.  Tlatskanie)  is  named  for  an 
early  Indian  village  in  the  Nehalem  Valley.  The  natives  also  applied 
the  word  to  certain  streams  to  indicate  the  route  to  the  village. 

At  74.8  m.  is  WESTPORT,  one  of  the  many  lumbering  and  fishing 
towns  scattered  along  the  waters  of  the  Columbia. 

The  highway  ascends  the  Coast  Range  in  a  series  of  hairpin  turns 
to  CLATSOP  CREST,  80  m.,  overlooking  the  Columbia  River  and  the 
country  beyond.  In  the  immediate  foreground  is  long,  flat  PUGET 
ISLAND,  where  grain  fields  and  fallow  lands  weave  patterns  of  green 
and  gray,  and  sluggish  streams  form  silvery  canals.  Although  the 
island  is  close  to  the  Oregon  shore,  it  lies  within  the  State  of  Wash- 
ington. It  was  discovered  in  1792  by  Lieutenant  Broughton  of  the 
British  Navy,  who  named  it  for  Lt.  Peter  Puget. 

US  30  twists  down  to  HUNT  CREEK,  80.8  m.,  then  climbs  a  spur 
from  which  a  desolate  waste  of  logged-over  land  extends  in  all  direc- 
tions. A  high,  sharply  etched  mountain  (L),  with  sides  bare  of  vegeta- 
tion, shows  the  results  of  unrestricted  timber  cutting.  Nearby  are  green- 
gray  underbrush  and  silvery  branched  alders.  The  route  proceeds  for 
many  miles  through  cut-over  country.  Occasionally  a  small  settlement 
appears,  with  rude  buildings  huddling  on  tiny  patches  of  cultivated 
land  among  the  stumps. 

Gradually  the  vegetation  of  the  seacoast  is  seen.  Dogwood,  slim 
alders,  and  salal  bushes — low  shrubs  with  shining  olive-green  leaves — 
hug  the  sandy  ground. 

At  98.2  m.  US  30  crosses  the  little  JOHN  DAY  RIVER.  Small 
gardens  border  its  quiet,  peaceful  course. 

On  November  7,  1805,  Clark  wrote,  "Ocian  in  view!  0!  the  joy"  in 
his  notes  on  the  "Courses  and  Distances."  His  rejoicing  was  premature, 
however;  the  party  was  merely  entering  the  broad  mouth  of  the 
Columbia,  but  buoyed  up  by  their  belief  that  the  end  of  the  journey 
was  near,  they  struggled  along  through  the  rain  and  rough  waves  out 
along  the  northern  shore  of  Gray's  Bay  (R).  On  the  following  day  he 
wrote :  "Some  rain  all  day  at  intervales,  we  are  all  wet  and  disagreeable, 
as  we  have  been  for  several  days  past,  and  our  present  Situation  a 
verry  disagreeable  one  in  as  much,  as  we  have  not  leavel  land  Suffi- 
cient for  an  encampment  and  for  our  baggage  to  lie  cleare  of  the  tide, 
the  High  hills  jutting  in  so  close  and  steep  that  we  cannot  retreat  back, 
and  the  water  too  salt  to  be  used,  added  to  this  the  waves  are  increasing 
to  Such  a  hight  that  we  cannot  move  from  this  place,  in  this  Situation 
we  are  compelled  to  form  our  camp  between  the  Kite  of  the  Ebb  and 
flood  tides,  and  rase  our  baggage  on  logs."  On  the  9th  he  wrote:  "our 
camp  entirely  under  water  dureing  the  hight  of  the  tide,  every  man 


156  The  Oregon  Trail 

as  wet  as  water  could  make  them  all  the  last  night  and  to  day  all  day 
as  the  rain  continued  all  the  day,  at  4  oClock  P  M  the  wind  shifted 
about  to  the  S.W.  and  blew  with  great  violence  imediately  from  the 
Ocean  for  about  two  hours,  notwithstanding  the  disagreeable  Situation 
of  our  party  all  wet  and  cold  (and  one  which  they  have  experienced 
for  Several  days  past)  they  are  chearfull  and  anxious  to  See  further 
into  the  Ocian,  The  water  of  the  river  being  too  Salt  to  use  we  are 
obliged  to  make  use  of  rain  water.  Some  of  the  party  not  accustomed  to 
Salt  water  has  made  too  free  use  of  it  on  them  it  acts  as  a  pergitive. 
At  this  dismal  point  we  must  Spend  another  night  as  the  wind  &  waves 
are  too  high  to  proceed."  Sergeant  Ordway's  comments  were  much 
briefer,  but  he  ended  with  "Some  of  the  party  killed  Several  ducks  in 
the  course  of  the  day." 

At  101  m.  is  TONGUE  POINT  STATE  PARK;  here  is  a  junction  with 
a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  TONGUE  POINT  LIGHTHOUSE  SERVICE  BASE,  0.7  m.  Built 
on  a  projection  extending  into  the  wide  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River,  this  base 
is  the  repair  depot  for  the  buoys  that  guide  navigators  along  the  watercourses  of 
the  two  States.  Tongue  Point  was  so  named  by  Broughton  in  1792. 

On  November  10  the  Lewis  and  Clark  party,  unable  to  go  far  because  of  the 
wind,  camped  on  the  northern  shore  nearly  opposite  this  point.  The  camp  was 
made  on  drift  logs  that  floated  at  high  tide,  "nothing  to  eate  but  Pounded  fish," 
Clark  noted,  "that  night  it  Rained  verry  hard.  .  .  .  and  continues  this  morning, 
the  wind  has  ruled  and  the  waves  are  not  high."  The  party  moved  on  but  after 
they  had  gone  ten  miles  the  wind  rose  and  they  had  to  camp  again  on  drift  logs. 
Neighboring  Indians  appeared  with  fish.  The  camp  was  moved  on  the  12th  to  a 
slightly  less  dangerous  place  and  Clark  attempted  to  explore  the  nearby  land  on 
the  13th:  "rained  all  day  moderately.  I  am  wet  &C.&C."  On  the  14th  "The  rain 
&C.  which  has  continued  without  a  longer  intermition  than  2  hours  at  a  time 
for  ten  days  past  has  destroy'd  the  robes  and  rotted  nearly  one  half  the  fiew 
clothes  the  party  has,  particularly  the  leather  clothes."  Clark  was  losing  his 
patience  by  the  15th;  even  the  pounded  fish  brought  from  the  falls  was  becoming 
mouldy.  This  was  the  eleventh  day  of  rain  and  "the  most  disagreeable  time  I 
have  experenced  confined  on  the  tempiest  coast  wet,  where  I  can  neither  git  out 
to  hunt,  return  to  a  better  situation,  or  proceed  on."  But  they  did  manage  to 
move  to  a  somewhat  better  camp  that  day  and  the  men,  salvaging  boards  from 
a  deserted  Indian  camp,  made  rude  shelters.  The  Indians  began  to  give  them  too 
much  attention,  however.  "I  told  those  people  .  .  .  that  if  any  one  of  their  na- 
tion stole  any  thing  that  the  Senten'l  whome  they  Saw  near  our  baggage  with 
his  gun  would  most  certainly  Shute  them,  they  all  promised  not  to  tuch  a  thing, 
and  if  any  of  their  womin  or  bad  boys  took  any  thing  to  return  it  imediately  and 
chastise  them  for  it.  I  treated  those  people  with  great  distance." 

The  party  moved  on  to  a  place  on  the  northern  shore  of  Baker  Bay,  where 
they  remained  for  about  ten  days.  From  this  point  Clark  went  overland  to  explore, 
inviting  those  who  wanted  to  see  more  of  the  "Ocian"  to  accompany  him.  Nine 
men,  including  York,  still  had  enough  energy  to  go. 

On  the  21st,  "An  old  woman  &  Wife  to  a  Cheif  of  the  Chunnooks  came  and 
made  a  Camp  near  ours.  She  brought  with  her  6  young  Squars  (her  daughters 
&  neices)  I  believe  for  the  purpose  of  Gratifying  the  passions  of  the  men  of  our 
party  and  receving  for  those  indulgiences  Such  Small  [presents]  as  She  (the  old 
woman)  thought  proper  to  accept  of. 

"Those  people  appear  to  View  Sensuality  as  a  Necessary  evel,  and  do   not 


Oregon  157 

appear  to  abhor  it  as  a  Crime  in  the  unmarried  State.  The  young  females  are 
fond  of  the  attention  of  our  men  and  appear  to  meet  the  sincere  approbation  of 
their  friends  and  connections,  for  thus  obtaining  their  favours." 

Here  the  explorers  had  further  evidence  that  English  and  American  sailors 
had  previously  visited  the  Columbia.  The  tattooed  name,  "J.  Bowman,"  was  seen 
on  the  arm  of  a  Chinook  squaw.  "Their  legs  are  also  picked  with  defferent  fig- 
ures," wrote  Clark,  "all  those  are  considered  by  the  natives  of  this  quarter  as 
handsom  deckerations,  and  a  woman  without  those  deckorations  is  Considered  as 
among  the  lower  Class." 

Three  days  later  Lewis  and  Clark  held  a  meeting  to  decide  whether  the  party 
should  go  back  to  the  falls,  remain  on  the  north  shore,  or  cross  to  the  south  side 
of  the  river  for  the  winter.  The  members  with  one  exception  voted  to  move  to 
the  south  shore,  since  game  seemed  to  be  more  plentiful  there,  giving  them  an 
opportunity  to  obtain  better  food  and  replenish  their  stock  of  clothing.  "Janey 
(Sacajawea)  in  favour  of  a  place  where  there  is  plenty  of  pota's."  They  set  up 
a  temporary  camp  here  on  Tongue  Point.  The  rain  continued,  a  steady  downpour. 
From  this  place  they  hunted  a  suitable  site  for  the  permanent  camp. 

ASTORIA,  104.8  m.  (12  alt.,  10,349  pop.),  seat  of  Clatsop  County, 
occupies  a  high  promontory  between  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  and 
Young's  Bay.  The  business  district  lies  on  a  narrow  bench  near  the 
water,  with  the  residential  district  rising  behind  it  on  the  headland. 
Many  of  the  streets  end  abruptly  against  high  yellow  clay  banks  where 
houses  cling  so  precariously  that  they  seem  about  to  tumble  down  on 
the  stores  and  offices  below  them.  The  city's  commercial  life  revolves 
about  fishing,  lumbering,  flour  milling,  and  shipping.  The  shore  line 
is  defined  by  a  row  of  saw  mills,  flour  mills,  tall  elevators,  and  the 
masts  and  smokestacks  of  the  many  vessels  always  crowding  the  docks. 

Beyond,  flocks  of  gulls  circle  overhead  or  float  on  the  tide.  Their 
shrill  cries  are  drowned,  when  the  thick  vapors  drift  in,  by  the  hoarse, 
haunting  bellow  of  foghorns.  At  such  times  buoy  lanterns  mark  the 
river  channel,  and  many  red,  green,  and  white  lights  outline  the 
fishing  nets.  By  day  the  water  is  crowded  with  small  boats,  some  low 
in  the  water  with  the  weight  of  their  catches,  and  along  the  shore  in 
shallow  water  horses  drag  fish  seines.  The  animals  strain  against  the 
laden  nets,  or  swim  ahead  of  them  when  the  incoming  tide  lightens 
their  labors.  During  the  chief  fishing  season  the  horses  are  often  stabled 
in  barns  set  on  piling  in  the  river,  and  for  months  do  not  set  hoof  on 
dry  land. 

English  and  Swedish  or  English  and  Finnish  are  spoken  in  most 
shops  of  the  town,  39  percent  of  Clatsop  County's  population  being  of 
Swedish  or  Finnish  descent.  There  are  also  a  number  of  Japanese 
residents. 

The  settlement  of  Astoria  began  when  John  Jacob  Astor's  ship,  the 
Tonquin,  arrived  in  1811.  (See  WHY  A  ROAD  TO  OREGON?)  The 
post  was  built  facing  north,  with  the  wide  estuary,  its  sandbars  and 
tumultuous  breakers  spread  out  before  it,  and  the  promontory  of  Cape 
Disappointment,  fifteen  miles  distant,  closing  the  prospect  to  the  left. 
When  the  expedition  arrived  the  surrounding  country  was  in  all  the 


158  The  Oregon  Trail 

freshness  of  spring;  the  trees  were  in  young  leaf,  the  weather  was 
superb,  and  everything  looked  delightful  to  men  just  emancipated  from 
a  long  confinement  on  shipboard. 

Washington  Irving  wrote :  "All  hands  now  set  to  work  cutting  down 
trees,  clearing  away  thickets,  and  marking  out  the  place  for  the  resi- 
dence, storehouse,  and  powder  magazine,  which  were  to  be  built  of 
logs  and  covered  with  bark.  Others  landed  the  timbers  intended  for  the 
frame  of  the  coasting  vessel,  and  proceeded  to  put  them  together,  while 
others  prepared  a  garden  spot,  and  sowed  the  seeds  of  various  vege- 
tables. 

"The  next  thought  was  to  give  a  name  to  the  embryo  metropolis; 
the  one  that  naturally  presented  itself  was  that  of  the  projector  and 
supporter  of  the  whole  enterprise.  It  was  accordingly  named  Astoria" 

But  the  War  of  1812  changed  the  picture;  the  Astorians  sold  the 
post  to  the  rival  North  West  Company  when  they  heard  that  a  British 
sloop  was  on  its  way  to  destroy  all  American  trading  posts  on  the  West 
Coast.  When  the  sloop  arrived  its  captain  took  formal  possession  of  the 
territory  as  an  act  of  war.  The  North  West  Company  maintained  the 
post  as  its  headquarters  in  the  area  until  in  1821,  when  the  company 
was  united  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  In  the  meantime,  in  1818, 
exclusive  British  control  of  the  territory  ended,  with  the  Oregon  coun- 
try thrown  open  to  joint  occupation  by  Britain  and  the  United  States 
for  ten  years.  In  1824  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  then  owner  of  the 
post,  determined  to  move  its  departmental  headquarters  to  a  more  suit- 
able spot  inland.  Astoria  was  still  maintained,  however,  but  merely  as 
a  minor  post  and  ship  lookout.  Thereafter  the  importance  of  the  place 
declined  rapidly  and  by  1841  the  seat  of  Astor's  would-be  capital  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  was  merely  a  half-overgrown  clearing  holding  a  shed 
and  single  cabin. 

Shortly  after  the  departure  of  the  Astorians  the  Oregon  country  had 
its  first  white  female  visitor.  On  April  22,  1814,  the  North  West  Com- 
pany's ship,  the  Isaac  Todd,  arrived  with  Donald  McTavish,  the  first 
Governor  of  Fort  George,  and  Jane  Barnes,  an  adventurous  barmaid 
who  had  decided  to  see  the  world  as  a  companion  to  McTavish.  Jane 
changed  protectors  shortly  after  her  arrival,  preferring  Alexander 
Henry,  whom  she  found  at  the  fort.  McTavish  solaced  himself  by  taking 
a  Chinook  wife.  Then  one  day  the  son  of  Chief  Concomly  appeared  at 
the  fort,  decked  out  in  whale  oil  and  red  paint,  to  ask  Jane  to  be  his 
wife,  offering  to  send  a  hundred  of  the  valuable  sea-otters  to  her  rel- 
atives and  promising  that  his  other  wives  should  do  all  the  work  for 
her.  When  she  refused  his  offer  he  planned  to  abduct  her.  Jealousy  and 
wonder  over  Jane's  white  skin  and  London  ruffles  were  becoming  intense 
when  both  McTavish  and  Henry  were  drowned  while  crossing  the 
Columbia.  Jane  decided  to  leave,  but,  scorning  the  attentive  captain  of 
the  Isaac  Todd,  accepted  the  offer  of  the  captain  of  the  Columbia,  also 
in  the  harbor,  to  take  her  home.  Jane's  later  history  is  obscure  but  the 


Oregon  159 

dusty  files  of  the  North  West  Company  show  that  she  later  attempted 
to  collect  an  annuity  for  her  services  to  the  North  West  Company. 

In  1844  immigrants  began  to  arrive  in  the  area  and  on  April  9, 
1847,  the  Astoria  post  office  was  established. 

Beginning  in  1880,  Astoria  had  a  brisk  growth,  but  in  1922,  when 
its  population  had  increased  to  15,000,  fire  broke  out  on  its  waterfront, 
and  reduced  the  structures  on  32  city  blocks  to  ashes.  A  reconstruction 
program  was  then  launched  that  created  a  new  and  modern  city. 

Astoria  is  the  headquarters  of  the  Columbia  River  fishing  industry. 
Since  the  day  when,  according  to  Indian  legend,  the  god  Talapus  cre- 
ated salmon  and,  with  Serpent  holding  one  end  of  the  net,  taught  the 
Indians  to  catch  them  in  spruce-net  snares,  salmon  have  been  of  great 
economic  importance  to  the  lower  Columbia.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany engaged  to  some  extent  in  salmon  fishing,  but  the  first  commercial 
cargo  to  leave  the  river  was  taken  by  the  brig  Owyhee  in  1830.  Five 
years  later  Nathaniel  Wyeth's  Columbia  River  Fishing  and  Trading 
Company  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  establish  the  industry,  but 
all  activities  were  of  desultory  nature  until  1868,  when  the  first  cannery 
was  built.  Others  sprang  up,  and  soon  salmon  was  being  shipped  to 
many  parts  of  the  world.  The  salmon  catch  is  now  the  city's  chief 
asset,  the  annual  pack  being  valued  at  from  three  to  seven  million  dol- 
lars. Recently  the  catching  of  pilchards  off  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
has  grown  into  an  industry  of  major  proportions. 

The  SITE  OF  FORT  ASTORIA  is  on  15th  St.,  between  Duane  and 
Exchange.  At  the  southeast  corner  of  the  City  Hall  is  the  GRAVE  OF 
DONALD  McTAvisn. 

The  ASTOR  COLUMN,  on  the  summit  of  Coxcomb  Hill  (700  alt.), 
at  the  end  of  Coxcomb  Rd.,  is  125  feet  high,  and  bears  a  spiral  frieze 
depicting  the  events  in  the  city's  history  in  their  historical  sequence. 
Vincent  Astor,  great-grandson  of  the  founder  of  Astoria,  supplied  the 
funds  for  its  construction.  An  entrance  at  its  base  opens  upon  a  spiral 
staircase  leading  to  an  observation  platform  a  few  feet  from  the  top, 
from  which  there  is  a  magnificent  view  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  the  Colum- 
bia River,  and  the  mountainous  wooded  region  around  the  city. 

The  PORT  OF  ASTORIA  TERMINAL  is  the  center  of  activity  on  the 
waterfront.  Beginning  in  1909,  the  municipally  owned  Port  of  Astoria 
Corporation  has  gradually  built  up  extensive  properties.  Ships  from 
many  parts  of  the  world  load  and  discharge  cargoes  from  it  and  from 
the  smaller  wharves  along  the  waterfront. 

Nearby  are  the  COLUMBIA  RIVER  PACKERS  ASSOCIATION  PLANT, 
where  salmon  is  canned,  and  the  UNION  FISHERMEN'S  COOPERATIVE 
PACKING  COMPANY  PLANT  (admittance  to  plants  during  canning  season 
by  permission). 

Left  from  Astoria  on  US  101  to  the  ASTORIA  MUNICIPAL  AIRPORT,  6.7  m.  (R). 
Because  of  its  strategic  importance  as  a  seaplane  base,  the  Federal  Government 
contributed  extensively  to  its  development  in  1936. 


160  The  Oregon  Trail 

Left  here  1.5  m.  on  a  graveled  road  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  CLATSOP,  the 
winter  encampment  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  party  in  1805-6. 

Now  overgrown  with  evergreens,  the  site  is  designated  by  a  flagpole  set  in 
concrete  and  is  marked  by  a  bronze  plaque.  The  broad  stump  that  served  Lewis 
as  a  writing  desk  has  decayed.  Koboway,  the  Clatsop  chief  to  whom  the  fort  was 
given,  retired  to  his  lodge  leaving  the  white  men's  house  to  fall  to  ruin.  On  De- 
cember 7,  1805,  Clark  recorded:  ".  .  .  after  breakfast  I  delayed  about  half  an 
hour  before  York  Came  up,  then  proceeded  around  this  Bay  which  I  call  (have 
taken  the  liberty  of  calling)  Meriwethers  Bay  the  Chrisitan  name  of  Capt.  Lewis 
who  no  doubt  was  the  1st.  white  man  who  ever  Surveyed  this  Bay  [Clark  was 
mistaken  about  this],  we  assended  a  river  which  falls  in  on  the  South  Side  of  this 
Bay  3  miles  to  the  first  point  of  high  land  on  the  West  Side,  the  place  Capt. 
Lewis  had  viewed  and  formed  in  a  thick  groth  of  pine  about  200  yards  from 
the  river,  this  situation  is  on  a  rise  about  30  feet  higher  than  the  high  tides  leavel 
and  thickly  Covered  with  lofty  pine.  This  is  certainly  the  most  eligable  Situation 
for  our  purposes  of  any  in  its  neighbourhood." 

On  December  8  the  whole  party  gathered  at  the  site  selected  by  Lewis  on  the 
Netul  River  and  made  camp.  Within  a  short  time  trees  were  felled  and  rude  huts 
erected  around  an  open  square.  Some  of  the  men  were  dispatched  to  the  Pacific 
to  make  salt  from  sea  water,  others  were  ordered  to  hunt,  and  the  remainder, 
working  against  time  and  weather,  completed  the  shelters  sufficiently  to  enable 
the  party  to  move  in  by  Christmas. 

On  Christmas  Day  Clark  wrote:  "at  day  light  this  morning  we  we  [re]  awoke 
by  the  discharge  of  the  fire  arm[s]  of  all  our  party  &  a  Selute,  Shouts  and  a 
Song  which  the  whole  party  joined  in  under  our  windows,  after  which  they  retired 
to  their  rooms  were  chearfull  all  the  morning,  after  brackfast  we  divided  our 
Tobacco  which  amounted  to  12  carrots  one  half  of  which  we  gave  to  the  men  of 
the  party  who  used  tobacco,  and  to  those  who  doe  not  use  it  we  make  a  present 
of  a  handkerchief,  The  Indians  leave  us  in  the  evening  all  the  party  Snugly  fixed 
in  their  huts.  I  reeved  a  pres[e]nt  of  Cap*  L.  of  a  fleece  hosrie  [hosiery]  Shirt 
Draws  and  Socks,  a  pr  Mockersons  of  white  weazils  tails  of  the  Indian  woman, 
&  some  black  root  of  the  Indians  before  their  departure.  .  .  .  The  day  proved 
Showerey  wet  and  disagreeable. 

"we  would  have  Spent  this  day  the  nativity  of  Christ  in  feasting  had  we  any- 
thing either  to  raise  our  Sperits  or  even  gratify  our  appetites,  our  Diner  concisted 
of  pore  Elk,  so  much  Spoiled  that  we  eate  it  thro'  mear  necessity."  According  to 
Gass,  they  were  without  salt  to  season  even  that. 

On  the  26th  the  rain  continued.  Clark  says:  "we  dry  our  wet  articles  and 
have  the  blankets  fleed,  The  flees  are  so  troublesom  that  I  have  slept  but  little 
for  2  night  past  and  we  have  regularly  to  kill  them  out  of  our  blankets  every 
day  for  several  past."  (Fleas  were  left  by  the  Indians  on  each  visit.)  On  the  27th 
in  the  Journals  occurs  the  entry:  "Musquetors  troublesom." 

On  the  29th  the  natives  brought  word  that  a  whale  had  floundered  on  the 
shore  some  distance  south,  and  that  their  people  were  collecting  fat  from  it. 
Although  it  was  planned  to  start  immediately  to  the  place  to  obtain  blubber,  severe 
storms  delayed  the  trip  until  early  in  January.  At  that  time  Sacajawea  made  her 
one  recorded  plea  in  her  own  interests;  Clark  wrote:  "She  observed  that  She  had 
traveled  a  long  way  with  us  to  See  the  great  waters,  and  that  now  monstrous  fish 
was  also  to  be  Seen,  She  though  it  verry  hard  She  could  not  be  permitted  to  See 
either  (She  had  never  yet  been  to  the  Ocian)."  She  was  permitted  to  go  with  the 
men,  carrying  her  baby  on  her  back. 

Under  the  leadership  of  Clark  the  small  party  struggled  around  the  headlands 
to  the  Tillamook  country,  35  miles  south  of  Fort  Clatsop.  Well-laden  with  blubber, 
they  returned  to  the  fort.  During  the  late  winter  and  early  spring  Sacajawea  was 
busy  preparing  moccasins  and  suits  of  buckskin  for  the  explorers. 

Clark  noted:  "With  the  party  of  Clatsops  who  visited  us  last  was  a  man 
of  much  lighter  Coloured  than  the  nativs  are  generaly,  he  was  freckled  with 


Oregon  161 

long  duskey  red  hair,  about  25  years  of  age,  and  must  Certainly  be  half  white 
at  least,  this  man  appeared  to  understand  more  of  the  English  language  than  the 
others  of  his  party,  but  did  not  Speak  a  word  of  English,  he  possessed  all  the 
habits  of  the  indians."  In  Adventures  on  the  Columbia  (1832)  Ross  Cox  describes 
such  a  man  as  the  son  of  a  sailor  who  had  deserted  here  from  an  English  ship. 
He  was  said  to  have  had  the  words  "Jack  Ramsey"  tattooed  on  his  arm.  "Poor 
Jack  was  fond  of  his  father's  countrymen,"  Ross  says,  "and  had  the  decency  to 
wear  trousers  whenever  he  came  to  the  fort  [Astorial.  We  therefore  made  a  col- 
lection of  old  clothes  for  his  use;  sufficient  to  last  him  many  years."  The  man 
was  otherwise  accounted  for  by  other  early  visitors;  the  Indians  told  them  of 
several  parties  of  white  men  who  had  landed  on  the  Oregon  coast  in  the  18th 
century  and  of  a  red-haired  sailor  who  was  washed  ashore  about  1760. 

The  Clatsops  became  such  frequent  visitors  at  the  fort  that  upon  its  comple- 
tion Clark  noted  ".  .  .  at  Sun  set  we  let  the  nativs  know  that  our  Custom  will 
be  in  future,  to  Shut  the  gates  at  Sun  Set  at  which  time  all  Indians  must  go  out 
of  the  fort  and  not  return  into  it  untill  next  morning  after  Sunrise  at  which  time 
the  gates  will  be  opened,  those  of  the  Warciacum  Nation  who  are  very  fofrlward 
left  the  houses  with  reluctianc."  In  view  of  the  Indians'  differing  conceptions  of 
private  property,  this  seems  to  have  been  an  expedient  ruling  on  the  part  of  the 
explorers. 

By  March  the  leaders  believed  that  the  mountain  snows  would  have  melted, 
and  the  winter  quarters  could  be  abandoned.  On  March  23  Clark  reported:  "loaded 
our  canoes  &  at  1  P.  M.  left  Fort  Clatsop  on  our  homeward  journey,  at  this  place 
we  had  wintered  and  remained  from  the  7th  of  Deer.  1805  to  this  day  and  have 
lived  as  we  had  any  right  to  expect,  and  we  can  say  that  we  were  never  one 
day  without  3  meals  of  some  kind  a  day  either  pore  Elk  meat  or  roots.  .  .  ." 

Those  who  write  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  are  apt  to  stress  the  dis- 
comforts and  dangers  the  party  experienced,  forgetting  that  these  were  the  price, 
fully  anticipated  and  gladly  paid,  of  fulfilling  a  dream  centuries  old — that  of 
finding  a  central  route  across  North  America. 


Nebraska-Wyoming 


ALTERNATE  ROUTE 

Ogallala,  Neb.— Scottsbluff— Fort  Laramie,  Wyo.— Casper— Mud- 
dy Gap— South  Pass— Granger,  Wyo.;  570.  4  m.  US  26,  US  87,  US  87E, 
US  287,  and  unnumbered  dirt  road. 

Between  a  point  seven  miles  north  of  Ogallala  and  Torrington  the  Union 
Pacific  R.R.  parallels  the  route;  Burlington  Lines  between  Northport  and  Cas- 
per; Chicago  &  North  Western  Ry.  between  Orin  and  Casper. 
Graveled  roadbed  between  Ogallala  and  Bayard;  paved  between  Bayard  and 
Muddy  Gap;  oiled  gravel  between  Muddy  Gap  and  Hudsons;  unimproved  dirt 
road  between  Hudsons  and  Granger.  Travelers  who  do  not  care  for  rough  trav- 
eling can  turn  south  on  US  287,  paved,  at  Muddy  Gap  to  return  to  US  30;  the 
route  through  South  Pass  is  only  for  the  adventurous  at  present.  Hudsons-Farson 
road  will  probably  be  improved  in  1939.  Inquiry  as  to  weather  conditions  should 
be  made  before  following  US  87E  and  US  287,  which  run  through  country  where 
blizzards  are  frequent  in  winter  and  spring. 
Accommodations  limited  except  in  large  towns. 

US  26  runs  northwestward  across  high  tableland  into  the  Wildcat 
Hills  region.  Between  a  point  near  North  Platte,  Neb.,  and  Guernsey, 
Wyo.,  it  follows  the  north  bank  of  the  North  Platte  River,  the  route 
traversed  by  the  Mormon  Pioneers,  and  parallels  the  Oregon  Trail, 
which  was  on  the  south  bank.  After  1849  the  route  here  was  sometimes 
called  the  California  Trail  because  of  the  goal  of  the  major  migrations. 
The  Pony  Express  riders  and  also  the  first  overland  stages  went 
through  the  valley.  Nearly  all  emigrants  bound  for  central  California 
and  Oregon  traveled  on  one  riverbank  or  the  other  until  1862  and 
quite  a  number  thereafter.  The  route  was  determined  by  two  objectives 
— Fort  Laramie,  which  offered  supplies  and  protection,  and  South  Pass, 
the  lowest  break  in  the  Continental  Divide.  West  of  Fort  Laramie  the 
trails  continued  along  the  North  Platte,  crossed  a  low  divide  to  follow 
the  Sweetwater,  and  left  it  to  reach  the  pass.  The  descent  from  that 
point  to  the  Green  River  was  easy. 

North  from  US  30  at  OGALLALA,  0  m.  (see  SECTION  3),  on  US 
26,  which  crosses  the  North  Platte  River  at  7.7  m.  and  turns  L.,  fol- 
lowing the  course  of  the  river. 

In  the  oxcart  days  few  who  turned  up  this  valley  for  the  first  time 
failed  to  experience  a  quickening  of  interest.  The  flat  monotonous 
prairies,  not  greatly  different  in  appearance  from  the  country  many 
of  them  had  known  in  the  East,  were  being  left  behind ;  the  air  had  an 
increasing  dryness  that  made  their  wagon  beds  and  wheels  shrink  and 
fall  apart;  and  the  bleak,  wind-bitten  landmarks  of  the  badlands  were 
beginning  to  make  their  appearance.  The  travelers  were  approaching 
the  foothills  of  the  Rockies,  of  whose  perils  and  difficulties  they  had 

162 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  163 

long  heard.  Members  of  a  generation  that  had  imbibed  its  ideas  of  the 
wilderness  from  Cooper's  Leatherstocking  series  were  bound  at  this 
moment  to  see  themselves  as  fearless  Hawkeyes  entering  the  scene 
of  heroic  adventure.  After  1848,  however,  those  who  did  not  wander 
from  the  beaten  track  and  who  traveled  in  the  usual  tourist  season  had 
their  romantic  dreams  of  a  lonely  trek  through  wilderness  rudely  shat- 
tered. In  1849  and  for  many  years  thereafter  the  overland  trails  were 
as  lonely  as  Pennsylvania  Avenue  on  Inauguration  Day.  Passing  Fort 
Kearney  on  May  11,  1850,  C.  W.  Smith  wrote  in  his  Journal:  "Nine 
hundred  wagons  are  reported  as  having  passed  this  spring."  Two  days 
later  a  member  of  another  train  reported  three  thousand  two  hundred 
wagons  ahead  of  his  at  this  point.  On  May  17  Lorenzo  Sawyer  noted 
near  the  fort:  "The  opposite  bank  is  lined  with  emigrant  trains  on  the 
Council  Bluff  road."  And  on  May  26  a  traveler  on  the  north  bank 
recorded :  "The  road  on  our  side  of  the  river  for  miles  ahead  are  lined 
with  teams  from  our  camp  to  the  Missouri  behind  us  is  one  continuous 
line  of  wagons." 

At  2.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  61. 

Right  on  this  improved  dirt  road  to  KINGSLEY  DAM,  3  m.,  which  creates 
a  storage  reservoir  on  the  North  Platte  with  a  capacity  of  two  million  acre-feet 
of  water. 

When  the  Mormon  Pioneers  camped  in  this  area  on  May  11,  1847, 
Appleton  Harmon  was  working  on  the  "machinery  for  the  wagon  to 
tell  the  distance  we  travel,"  Clayton  wrote.  The  dreadfully  monotonous 
process  of  counting  the  revolutions  of  the  wagon  wheels  was  nearing 
an  end.  That  day  the  Saints,  finding  no  water  within  half  a  mile  of 
their  camp,  resourcefully  dug  four-foot  wells  to  supply  their  needs. 

On  the  following  day  one  man  found  a  cured  buffalo  skin,  which 
was  frugally  salvaged.  The  Saints  carried  very  little  excess  baggage, 
differing  from  many  later  emigrants.  In  spite  of  the  instructions  of 
Joel  Palmer  (see  APPENDIX)  and  others  on  the  need  of  carrying 
adequate  supplies  of  food,  nearly  every  train  had  many  members  who 
thought  that  they  could  subsist  on  game,  and  therefore  filled  their 
wagons  with  treasured  heirlooms  and  other  non-essentials  in  place  of 
foodstuffs.  A  few  days  of  travel  with  the  oxen  struggling  to  draw  the 
heavy  loads  was  enough  to  convince  the  wiser  travelers  that  their  claw- 
footed  tables  and  mahogany  dressers  were  serious  encumbrances.  By 
the  time  the  trains  reached  this  region,  where  the  road  was  rising 
steadily,  many  more  pioneer  mothers  gave  reluctant  consent  when  their 
husbands  insisted  that  finery  and  Sunday  china  be  thrown  away. 
Diarists  of  the  gold-rush  days  frequently  noted  the  heaps  of  discarded 
goods  and  mourned  because  they  had  no  room  to  carry  the  valuable 
articles  they  could  have  salvaged. 


164  The  Oregon  Trail 

LEWELLEN,  31.8  m.  (419  pop.),  is  in  a  section  that  produces 
alfalfa,  sugar  beets,  and  corn. 

Left  from  Lewellen  on  a  country  road  that  crosses  the  North  Platte  River  to 
ASH  HOLLOW,  3  m.,  a  deep  canyon  where  one  route  of  the  Oregon  Trail,  used 
chiefly  after  Fort  Sedgwick  (see  SECTION  4)  had  been  established  on  the  South 
Platte,  descended  steeply  from  a  plateau  to  the  North  Platte.  The  canyon  was 
so  named  by  Fremont  because  of  "a  few  scattering  ash  trees  in  the  dry  ravine." 
The  precipitous  but  now  easily  passable  road  through  the  canyon,  bordered  by 
rank,  spring-fed  vegetation  and  arching  trees,  contrasts  strikingly  with  the  sweep- 
ing yellow  wheat  fields  on  the  plateau  and  the  sandy  banks  of  the  river  below.  On 
a  knoll  close  to  the  river  is  the  SITE  OF  FORT  GRATTAN,  a  post  that  was  built  of  sod. 

Near  the  mouth  of  the  hollow  is  a  moist  spot  where  in  season  wild  roses,  choke- 
cherries,  gooseberries,  currants,  and  ferns  cover  the  ground  beneath  the  tall  ash 
trees.  Seven-tenths  of  a  mile  from  the  river  are  a  few  small  cedars,  said  to  mark 
the  site  of  a  cabin  built  by  trappers  in  1846.  This  cabin  was  later  a  general  meet- 
ing place  and  unofficial  post  office.  Nearby  are  a  small  grove  of  ash  trees  and  a 
spring. 

Half  a  mile  below  the  edge  of  the  plateau  are  the  RUINS  OF  THE  JOE  CLARY 
HOUSE;  Clary  was  the  first  settler  here.  About  midway  the  road  follows  ruts  of 
the  old  trail  for  a  short  distance. 

At  WINDLASS  HILL,  indicated  by  a  marker,  the  drivers  of  covered  wagons 
experienced  much  difficulty.  Early  accounts  often  mention  the  casualties  to  men, 
beasts,  and  equipment  that  were  common  events  here.  An  English  traveler  who 
made  the  trip  in  1849  wrote  that  the  descent  was  so  breath-taking  that  no  one 
spoke  for  two  miles.  He  reported  that  riders  dismounted  to  lead  their  horses,  that 
wagons  with  wheels  locked  were  steadied  with  ropes,  and  that  two  mules  were 
crushed  under  a  wagon  that  broke  loose.  In  the  1860's  Indians  sometimes  waited 
in  ambush  above  the  narrow  passage. 

Ash  Hollow  and  neighboring  ravines  were  popular  Indian  hunting  grounds.  It 
was  the  scene  of  a  day-long  battle  between  the  Pawnee  and  the  Sioux,  in  which 
the  Pawnee  were  badly  beaten  and  driven  from  the  North  Platte  Valley. 

By  the  time  the  Pioneer  Saints  reached  this  point  the  "roadometer" 
was  operating  successfully,  but  William  Clayton  was  much  annoyed 
to  find  that  Harmon  was  having  it  "understood  that  he  invented  the 
machinery  .  .  .  which  makes  me  think  less  of  him  than  I  formerly 
did.  .  .  .  What  little  souls  work." 

At  33.7  m.  the  highway  crosses  BLUE  WATER  CREEK,  in  1855 
the  scene  of  the  Battle  of  Blue  Water,  also  called  the  Battle  of  Ash 
Hollow.  Several  incidents  led  up  to  the  battle,  notably  the  killing  of 
Lt.  John  Lawrence  Grattan  and  his  force  of  28  men  by  Sioux  (see 
beldw).  Gen.  W.  S.  Harney  with  more  than  a  thousand  men  entered 
the  Platte  country  to  subjugate  the  restless  Indians.  Most  of  the  Sioux, 
when  ordered  to  cross  to  the  south  side  of  the  Platte  River,  did  so,  but 
one  band  of  Brule  stayed  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  It  was  here 
at  Blue  Water  Creek  that  Harney  and  his  men  overtook  and  attacked 
them. 

OSHKOSH,  43.7  m.  (843  pop.),  is  the  seat  of  Garden  County.  In 
1885  Henry  G.  Gumaer,  Alfred  W.  Gumaer,  Herbert  W.  Potter,  and 
John  Robinson  of  St.  Paul,  Neb.,  established  a  cattle  ranch  here.  When 


m 


^S^-. 


Applcton's  Journal 


CROSSING  THE  PLAINS 


SCOTTSBLUFF 


Kirsch 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  165 

a  post  office  was  opened  in  1886  the  settlement  was  named  for  Oshkosh, 
Wis. 

The  soil  of  this  district  is  somewhat  sandy.  The  prairie,  rimmed  with 
bluffs  on  the  south  and  hills  on  the  north,  is  irrigated  and  sugar  beets 
are  the  principal  crop. 

At  44.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  27. 

Right  on  this  graveled,  sandy  road  (make  local  inquiries  as  to  condition)  is 
the  41,000-acre  Federal  migratory  waterfowl  sanctuary,  called  CRESCENT  LAKE 
RESERVE,  22  m.  Thousands  of  ducks  nest  here  during  the  summer.  The  region 
includes  a  number  of  swamps  and  lakes. 

At  BROADWATER,  74.6  m.  (368  pop.),  on  May  23,  1847,  Ap- 
pleton  Harmon  wrote  in  his  Journal:  "I  arose  in  the  morning  &  found 
it  to  be  a  pleasant  one  verry  little  air  stiring  the  Sun  Shone  warm 
I  borrowed  Wm.  Clatons  spy  glass  &  started  off  to  the  bluffs  after 
breakfast  a  bout,  %  past  9  A.  M.  which  was  a  bout  1  mile  distant  as  I 
came  near  the  foot  off  the  Bluff  I  gradually  assended  until  I  came  to 
the  foot  of  a  Piremid  &  by  going  around  it  I  found  that  I  could  assend 
it,  by  Clambering  over  the  fragments  of  rocks  that  had  broken  off 
from  near  the  top  &  ley  in  a  confused  mass,  half  way  down  the  side  I 
succeeded  in  ascending  to  its  sumit  ...  I  was  here  joined  by  3  or  4 
of  the  brethering  who  came  to  visit  the  same  cenerry  .  .  .  we  left  this 
&  went  to  another  larger  &  higher  some  50  or  60  rods  to  the  East  of  uss, 
this  we  assended  from  the  North  side  passing  huge  rocks,  that,  have 
been  rolled  out  of  their  natural  place,  by  the  wash  off  the  heavey 
rains  or  the  convulsive  throughs  of  nature  at  the  crusifixion  off  our 
Saveour." 

US  26  here  turns  L.  and  crosses  to  the  south  side  of  the  North 
Platte,  then  turns  R.,  still  following  the  river. 

BRIDGEPORT,  90.4  m.  (3,653  alt.,  1,421  pop.),  observes  Camp 
Clarke  Days  (four  days.,  first  week  in  Sept.)  annually  with  a  celebra- 
tion opened  by  a  parade  of  floats.  The  oldest  settlers  are  honored; 
pioneer  and  Indian  relics  are  on  display.  There  are  water  contests, 
athletic  events,  band  concerts,  speeches,  and  a  bowery  dance. 

At  Bridgeport  is  the  junction  with  State  86  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  C). 

Left  from  Bridgeport  on  State  88,  a  graveled  road  that  passes  COURTHOUSE 
ROCK  and  JAIL  ROCK  (R),  5  m.  These  old  landmarks  rise  abruptly  from  a 
level  plain  and  form  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  Wildcat  Hills.  Courthouse  Rock, 
according  to  one  account,  was  named  by  migrants  from  St.  Louis,  who  thought  it 
resembled  their  county  building.  The  top  strata  of  the  bluff,  worn  away  on  the 
edges,  roughly  suggest  a  classical  pediment.  Jail  Rock  nearby,  somewhat  smaller, 
is  believed  to  have  been  named  later  by  cowboys  who  remembered  that  a  jail  is 
often  the  structure  nearest  to  a  courthouse.  The  lower  parts  of  the  buttes  are 
composed  of  Brule  clay,  the  upper  of  Gering  sandstone  bands  alternating  with 
clay.  In  recent  years  hundreds  of  tourists,  knives  in  hand,  have  emulated  the 
pioneers  by  carving  their  names  and  accumulated  wisdom  on  the  faces  of  the 


166  The  Oregon  Trail 

rocks,  unaware  that  this  formation  weathers  quickly.  A  single  heavy  storm  has 
been  known  to  change  the  contours. 

Several  Indian  legends  are  associated  with  the  vicinity.  One  concerns  a  Pawnee 
hero  who  was  rewarded  by  the  gods  with  a  magic  horse  for  having  rescued  his 
grandmother,  who  had  been  abandoned  by  the  tribe,  in  accordance  with  custom, 
because  of  her  age.  With  the  aid  of  this  horse  he  inflicted  heavy  losses  on  the 
traditional  enemy,  the  Sioux,  and  performed  a  hunting  feat  that  won  him  the 
chief's  daughter.  Between  these  exploits  he  retired  to  the  rocks  for  communion 
with  his  spiritual  guides.  At  one  time  the  Pawnee,  forced  to  retreat  down  the 
North  Platte  Valley  before  the  encroachments  of  the  Sioux,  left  behind  a  small 
rear  guard,  who  were  outnumbered  and  forced  to  take  refuge  on  top  of  the  bluff. 
The  Sioux  encamped  at  the  base,  trying  to  starve  out  the  Pawnee ;  but  the  Pawnee 
lowered  themselves  one  at  a  time  down  a  crevice  in  the  rock,  crept  through  the 
sleeping  camp,  and  escaped. 

Courthouse  Rock  was  noted  by  many  early  explorers  and  travelers.  Parker, 
the  missionary,  thought  of  it  as  an  old  castle.  James  Clyman  in  his  diary  of  1844 
and  Palmer  in  1845  described  it  as  an  Old  World  ruin.  Bryant  estimated  that  its 
height  was  three  to  five  hundred  feet  and  its  circumference  one  mile.  On  a  nearby 
cliff  of  the  same  formation  the  words  "Post  Office"  had  been  carved  near  the 
top;  travelers  deposited  letters  for  friends  behind  them  on  the  trail  in  boxes  hewn 
in  the  soft  stone  base.  Gilbert  Cole,  who  passed  along  the  trail  in  1852,  wrote  of 
the  long  panorama  of  rocks,  water,  and  sky  in  the  region  and  of  the  cloud  shadows 
on  the  plain. 

BIRDCAGE  GAP,  12  m.,  is  a  break  in  the  Wildcat  Range  that  carried  a 
route  of  the  Oregon  Trail  in  the  days  when  many  emigrants  followed  the  South 
Platte  to  Julesburg  before  turning  northwest  to  Fort  Laramie.  Through  it  ran 
the  stagecoaches  connecting  Sidney  with  the  Black  Hills.  Parts  of  the  trail  are 
still  discernible. 

At  Bridgeport  US  26  recrosses  the  North  Platte  and  follows  the 
north  bank. 

NORTHPORT,  91.8  m.  (3,688  alt.,  150),  opposite  Bridgeport, 
was  so  named  because  of  its  position. 

At  94  m.  is  the  SITE  OF  CAMP  CLARKE,  as  well  as  the  SITE  OF  THE 
CAMP  CLARKE  BRIDGE.  In  1876  the  first  wagon  bridge  across  the  North 
Platte  River  was  built  here  by  Henry  T.  Clarke  of  Omaha,  to  accommo- 
date stages  traveling  between  Sidney  and  the  Black  Hills.  For  a  time 
soldiers  guarded  both  ends  of  the  bridge;  a  toll  of  $1  for  a  team,  50 
cents  for  a  person,  was  charged.  The  bridge  was  used  until  1900. 

At  the  south  end  of  the  bridge  were  a  post  office,  store,  saloon,  stage 
barn,  and  other  buildings  destroyed  by  a  prairie  fire  in  1910. 

BAYARD,  107.5  m.  (3,753  alt.,  1,559  pop.),  was  named  in  1887 
for  Bayard,  Iowa.  The  town's  chief  industry  is  the  manufacture  of  beet 
sugar.  Local  people  like  to  call  the  area  the  Valley  of  the  Nile  because 
of  its  fertility  under  irrigation.  From  the  town  is  a  wide  view  of  the 
blue  hills  of  the  Wildcat  Range  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Standing 
out  distinctly  in  the  center  of  the  valley  is  Chimney  Rock  (see  SIDE 
ROUTE  C),  a  landmark  of  the  Oregon  Trail. 

MINATARE  (L),  120.4  m.  (3,820  alt.,  1,079  pop.),  was  named 
for  the  Minnetaree,  a  Siouan  tribe.  Visible  from  the  town  is  Scott's 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  167 

Bluff   (see  SIDE  ROUTE  C),  a  landmark  that  rises  seven  hundred 
feet  above  the  North  Platte  River. 

At  129.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  1  m.;  R.  here  on  a  dirt  road  running  through  a  farmyard; 
then  on  foot.  It  is  necessary  to  crawl  under  a  barbed-wire  fence  to  reach  the  GRAVE 
OF  REBECCA  WINTERS,  1.5  m.  Rebecca  Winters,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Augusta  Win- 
ters Grant,  wife  of  a  President  of  the  Mormon  Church,  was  a  victim  of  the  cholera 
epidemic  of  1852. 

A  member  of  a  Mormon  train,  she  was  one  of  many  who  developed  cholera 
soon  after  leaving  the  Missouri;  though  she  did  not  die  of  the  disease  it  left  her 
weak  and  wasted.  For  five  hundred  miles  she  lay  on  a  bundle  of  quilts  in  a  jolt- 
ing wagon  before  succumbing.  The  Latter-Day  Saints  have  erected  a  monument 
over  her  grave.  When  the  Burlington  Route  right-of-way  was  surveyed,  the  grave 
was  found  to  be  in  direct  line  with  the  proposed  road.  The  route  was  changed 
to  leave  the  grave  undisturbed. 

SCOTTSBLUFF,  131.9  m.  (4,000  alt.,  8,465  pop.),  was  named 
for  Scott's  Bluff  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  C),  which  had  been  named  for 
Hiram  Scott,  the  trapper.  The  town  was  laid  out  in  1899.  In  the 
spring  of  1905,  some  satirical  person  nicknamed  it  "Venice,"  because 
the  10-foot  plank  sidewalks  bordered  a  foot  of  water  that  lay  on 
Main  Street  and  was  inhabited  by  frogs;  the  citizens  finally  used  sod 
blocks  from  two  old  corrals  to  raise  the  street  level.  The  growth  of  the 
town  has  been  rapid,  the  population  in  1910  having  been  only  1,798. 
Today  it  is  a  shipping  point  for  livestock,  sugar  beets,  and  grain. 

West  of  Scottsbluff  the  highway  continues  along  the  north  bank 
of  the  North  Platte  River,  through  a  hilly  country,  where  in  season  a 
patchwork  landscape  of  sugar  beets,  alfalfa,  corn,  beans,  and  wheat 
is  crisscrossed  by  the  irrigation  ditches  that  have  made  cultivation  pos- 
sible. A  successful  farmer  in  this  section  must  of  necessity  be  some- 
thing of  an  engineer;  he  and  his  workers  are  seen  wading  in  rubber 
boots,  adjusting  dams  and  water  gates,  shoveling  out  ditches,  and  guid- 
ing water  into  the  proper  channels. 

On  the  edges  of  the  beet  fields  are  the  shacks  inhabited  from  mid- 
May  until  October  by  families  of  Mexicans,  Spanish  Americans,  and 
Germans  who  came  to  the  area  from  the  Volga  region  between  1900 
and  1910.  The  owners  of  the  beet  fields  plow,  seed,  and  harrow  their 
land,  but  contract  with  migrant  workers  for  the  handwork.  It  is  cus- 
tomary in  this  area  for  the  head  of  a  family  to  contract  to  handle  as 
many  acres  as  the  size  of  his  household  permits;  a  family  with  three 
working  members  usually  cares  for  about  20  of  the  average  12-ton-crop 
acres.  Thinning  is  carried  on  in  late  May  and  early  June,  hoeing  in  late 
July  and  early  August,  pulling  and  topping  in  October.  In  1937  the 
average  payment  for  a  season's  work  on  an  acre  was  $20.50.  This  wage 
may  be  somewhat  increased  under  the  terms  of  the  Sugar  Control  Act 
of  1937;  this  act  also  forbids  the  labor  of  children  under  14  years  of 
age,  though  the  rule  is  hard  to  enforce.  During  the  winter  many  of  the 
workers  live  in  nearby  villages. 


168  The  Oregon  Trail 

Beet-growing  is  one  of  the  most  profitable  agricultural  activities  in 
Nebraska;  the  average  market  price  for  sugar  beets  is  $6  a  ton. 
At  134.  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  SCOTTSBLUFF  EXPERIMENT  FARM  (open  to 
public),  4  m.,  maintained  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  in  co-operation 
with  the  University  of  Nebraska.  The  farm  includes  160  acres  of  irrigated  land 
and  800  acres  of  pasture. 

It  was  in  this  area,  on  May  29,  1847,  that  Pres*  Brigham  Young 
delivered  an  angry  sermon  denouncing  the  Pioneer  Saints  for  their 
light-heartedness.  He  felt  that  they  were  too  much  enjoying  the  expedi- 
tion whose  solemn  purpose  was  to  find  the  Promised  Land.  On  Satur- 
day, May  22,  Clayton  had  written:  "The  evening  was  spent  very  joy- 
fully by  most  of  the  brethren,  it  being  very  pleasant  and  moonlight. 
A  number  danced  till  the  bugle  sounded  for  bed  time  at  nine  o'clock. 
A  mock  trial  was  also  prosecuted  in  the  case  of  the  camp  vs.  James 
Davenpot  for  blockading  the  highway  and  turning  ladies  out  of  their 
course.  .  .  .  We  have  had  many  such  trials  in  the  camp  which  are 
amusing  enough  and  tend  among  other  things  to  pass  away  the  time 
cheerfully."  But  on  the  following  Friday  night  he  wrote  that  "Elder 
Kimball  came  to  the  next  wagon  where  some  of  the  boys  were  playing 
cards.  He  told  them  his  views  and  disapprobation  of  their  spending 
time  gaming  and  dancing  and  mock  trying,  etc.,  and  especially  profane 
language  uttered  by  some."  It  was  on  the  following  morning  that  Young 
gave  his  rebuke.  In  the  course  of  it,  according  to  Clayton,  he  said,  "I 
have  let  the  brethren  dance  and  fiddle  and  act  the  nigger  night  after 
night  to  see  what  they  will  do,  and  what  extremes  they  will  go  to,  if 
suffered  to  go  as  far  as  they  would.  .  .  .  The  brethren  say  they  want  a 
little  exercise  to  pass  away  time  in  the  evenings,  but  if  you  can't  tire 
yourselves  bad  enough  with  a  day's  journey  without  dancing  every 
night,  carry  your  guns  on  your  shoulders  and  walk,  carry  your  wood  to 
camp  instead  of  lounging  and  lying  asleep  in  your  wagons,  increasing 
the  load  until  your  teams  are  tired  to  death  and  ready  to  drop  to  earth. 
„  .  .  Suppose  the  angels  were  witnessing  the  hoe  down  the  other  eve- 
ning, and  listening  to  the  haw  haws  the  other  evening,  would  they  not 
be  ashamed  of  it." 

Young's  irritation  was  perhaps  excessive  but  it  was  understandable. 
In  settled  places  he  encouraged  recreation  and  himself  took  part  in 
formal  dances.  Here,  however,  he  was  nearing  the  most  difficult  and 
dangerous  part  of  the  journey  and  responsibility  for  the  success  of  the 
home-finding  expedition  rested  heavily  on  him. 

At  MITCHELL,  141.7  m.  (3,945  alt.,  2,058  pop.),  are  the  SCOTTS 
BLUFF  COUNTY  FAIR  GROUNDS. 

HENRY,  155.2  m.  (167  pop.),  originally  built  in  Wyoming,  was 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  169 

moved  into  Nebraska  because  the  inhabitants  wanted  the  advantage  of 
a  difference  in  railroad  freight  rates. 

At  155.5  m.  US  26  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line.  Nearby  is  the  SITE 
OF  AN  ASTORIAN  CAMP;  here  Robert  Stuart  and  the  men  he  led  camped 
for  several  months  in  the  winter  of  1812,  on  their  journey  from  Astoria 
to  St.  Louis. 

Near  the  Wyoming  Line  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  FIRST  RED  CLOUD 
AGENCY.  The  establishment  of  Red  Cloud  Reservation  marked  the  end 
of  the  warfare  carried  on  by  Red  Cloud,  chief  of  the  Ogallala  Sioux, 
against  the  whites.  In  1875  the  agency  was  moved  to  another  site. 

In  Wyoming  the  highway  continues  through  the  North  Platte  Valley, 
following  a  prehistoric  Indian  trail  as  well  as  the  route  of  the  return- 
ing Astorians  in  1812-1813,  of  Captain  Bonneville  in  1832,  and  of  in- 
numerable migrants  in  later  years. 

When  the  Mormon  Pioneers  reached  this  point  their  minds  were 
still  filled  with  Young's  sermon  and  the  promises  they  had  made  for 
better  conduct.  Clayton  said  he  "never  noticed  the  brethren  so  still  and 
sober  on  a  Sunday." 

TORRINGTON,  Wyo.,  163.4  m.  (4,098  alt.,  1,811  pop.),  named 
for  Torrington  in  England,  is  the  seat  of  Goshen  County,  which  has  no 
bonded  indebtedness;  royalties  from  oil,  iron,  coal,  and  other  minerals 
reduce  taxes  and  help  to  maintain  public  schools.  Lying  chiefly  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Platte  River,  Torrington  is  the  trade  center  of  an  area 
producing  sugar  beets,  potatoes,  alfalfa,  and  seed  crops.  The  annual 
Goshen  County  Fair  is  held  here  (usually  second  week  in  September). 
At  167.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  winding  road  2  m.  to  the  ranch  of  the  Lincoln  Land  Company, 
on  which  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  ROCK  RANCH  BATTLE.  One  old  building  on  the 
ranch  was  formerly  a  trading  post;  in  it  are  a  hundred  holes,  locally  called  port 
holes,  that  have  been  blocked  up.  Guns  were  thrust  through  these  during  attacks. 
It  is  said  that  in  the  early  1850's  a  party  of  emigrants,  who  had  slaves  with  them, 
stopped  at  the  post  to  rest.  During  the  day  they  were  attacked  by  Sioux.  Some 
of  the  Negroes  were  killed  and  were  buried  under  the  floor. 

At  LINGLE,  173.3  m.  (4,150  alt.,  415  pop.),  situated  about  a  mile 
north  of  the  Platte  River,  is  a  HYDROELECTRIC  POWER  PLANT  of  the 
North  Platte  Federal  Reclamation  Project. 

At  175.3  m.  (L),  across  the  river  from  US  26,  is  the  SITE  OF  THE 
GRATTAN  INCIDENT  of  August  18,  1854.  Accounts  of  what  happened 
here  vary.  According  to  the  most  reliable  version,  a  party  of  Mormons 
bound  for  Utah  was  passing  an  encampment  of  Sioux  at  this  place;  a 
lame  cow  at  the  rear  of  the  caravan  wandered  into  the  Indian  camp. 
For  some  reason  the  migrants  did  not  go  after  her  but  proceeded  to 
Fort  Laramie,  where  they  reported  the  incident.  The  fort  was  tempo- 
rarily in  command  of  Lt.  John  Lawrence  Grattan,  a  recent  West  Point 
graduate,  who  lacked  frontier  experience.  Grattan  came  to  the  camp 


170  The  Oregon  Trail 

with  an  interpreter  and  28  other  men  and  learned  that  the  cow  had  been 
killed  and  eaten;  he  demanded  that  the  Indians  surrender  those  who 
had  killed  the  animal.  When  the  Indians  refused,  Grattan  rashly  or- 
dered his  men  to  fire  into  the  tepee  of  the  chief  offender.  The  Indians 
returned  the  fire;  Grattan  and  five  soldiers  fell  immediately,  and  others 
were  overtaken  and  killed.  Though  Grattan's  superior  officers  deeply 
regretted  the  affair,  both  because  of  the  deaths  of  the  soldiers  and  the 
enmity  aroused  among  the  Indians,  they  had  to  admit  that  Grattan  had 
conducted  himself  unwisely  and  that  the  Indians  had  acted  under 
extreme  provocation. 

•  For  some  time  afterward,  Fort  Laramie  was  almost  in  a  state  of 
siege. 

At  176.3  m.  (L) ,  across  the  river  from  US  26,  is  the  SITE  OF  FORT 
BERNARD,  a  trading  post  built  in  1849  that  consisted  of  one  crude  log 
structure.  According  to  Ware's  Emigrant  Guide  to  California,  this  post 
had  "accommodations  far  inferior  to  those  of  an  ordinary  stable." 

FORT  LARAMIE,  183.6  m.  (4,250  alt.,  245  pop.),  bears  the  name 
of  the  nearby  fort,  which  took  its  name  from  the  river.  The  river  was 
named  for  Jacques  La  Ramee,  an  early  trapper  (see  SECTION  5) . 

Left  from  the  town  of  Fort  Laramie  on  a  marked  dirt  road  that  is  carried 
across  the  North  Platte  on  a  three-span  bridge. 

OLD  FORT  LARAMIE,  2  m.,  on  180  acres,  has  been  acquired  by  the  State 
of  Wyoming  and  is  to  be  made  a  National  Monument.  A  number  of  early  build- 
ings remain,  including  the  blacksmith  shop  and  supply  house,  the  commissary, 
and  soldiers'  and  officers'  quarters. 

This  place,  on  the  North  Platte  near  the  mouth  of  the  Laramie  River,  was 
one  of  the  most  important  points  on  the  road  to  Oregon  and  California.  The  first 
buildings  were  erected  about  a  mile  upstream.  It  was  settled  in  1834  as  a  fur- 
trading  post,  Fort  William,  by  Robert  Campbell  and  William  Sublette  and  named 
for  the  latter.  A  year  later  the  post  passed  into  the  hands  of  Fitzpatrick,  Sublette, 
and  Bridger  and  shortly  afterward  became  a  post  of  the  American  Fur  Company, 
under  which  it  was  called  Fort  John.  By  1839  the  settlement  had  grown  and  was 
surrounded  by  a  rectangular  stockade  15  feet  high,  with  lookout  towers  on  two 
opposite  corners.  About  1846  the  American  Fur  Company  built  a  new  post  a  mile 
upstream  and  called  it  Fort  Laramie,  which  almost  from  the  beginning  had  been 
the  popular  name  of  the  place.  The  old  post  was  demolished  soon  afterward. 
Three  years  later  the  American  Fur  Company  sold  its  property  here  to  the  U.  S. 
Government  and  Fort  Laramie  became  a  military  post. 

From  1834  until  1862,  when  part  of  the  westbound  traffic  began  to  move  farther 
south,  the  post  was  the  real  jumping-off -place  for  almost  everyone  on  his  way 
to  the  mountains,  to  the  Columbia,  and  to  Utah  and  California.  Until  after  the 
Mormons  reached  Utah  this  was  the  last  point  short  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  terri- 
tory where  it  was  always  possible  to  buy  supplies.  (Though  Jim  Bridger  estab- 
lished a  post  in  the  Green  River  Valley  about  1843,  he  was  often  away  from 
home  when  travelers  most  wanted  his  aid.)  At  Fort  Laramie  travelers  could  always 
find  traders  and  Indians  with  the  latest  news  on  conditions  of  the  route  and  the 
attitude  of  the  Indians.  After  the  Federal  Government  set  up  a  military  estab- 
lishment here  during  the  gold  rush,  the  fort  was  the  scene  of  even  greater  activity. 
The  commandant,  in  addition  to  keeping  an  eye  on  the  Indians,  had  to  act  as 
nursemaid  for  reckless  and  improvident  pioneers.  Some  arrived  at  this  point,  which 
was  less  than  half  way  along  the  trail,  without  supplies  or  the  possibility  of  buy- 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  171 

ing  them.  Others  lacked  most  of  the  equipment  necessary  for  the  difficult  travel 
westward. 

In  1851  the  stage  line  operated  by  John  Hockaday  and  William  Liggett  began 
to  carry  mail,  express,  and  sometimes  passengers  to  western  posts.  Horses  were 
changed  here.  After  the  overland  line  was  put  in  operation  Fort  Laramie  was  a 
regular  stage  station.  In  1860  and  1861  one  of  the  most  exciting  regular  events 
was  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the  Pony  Express  riders;  this  was  one  of  the 
relay  points  where  riders  would  wait  with  saddled  horses  for  the  transfer  of  the 
mail  from  the  East  and  the  West. 

From  the  beginning  the  post  was  a  rendezvous  for  Indians  as  well  as  whites; 
they  came  here  to  steal — when  they  dared,  to  beg,  to  trade,  to  watch  the  white 
men,  to  parley,  and  to  share  the  local  excitement.  Indian  children  and  dogs  played 
about  the  stockades  and  squaws  stood  about  wide-eyed  and  watchful.  Sometimes 
there  would  be  more  than  a  hundred  lodges  on  the  nearby  land.  Gamblers,  traders, 
hunters,  prospectors,  and  journalists  were  always  about  after  the  great  migration 
had  begun. 

Hunting  parties  of  pleasure  seekers  also  outfitted  here.  The  most  spectacular 
expedition  of  this  sort  to  leave  the  post  was  that  of  Sir  George  Gore,  who  traveled 
in  truly  imposing  state  with  Jim  Bridger  as  his  guide. 

A  number  of  important  treaties  with  the  Indians  were  signed  at  or  near  Fort 
Laramie.  Not  all  were  successful.  The  treaty  of  1851  was  considered  the  eventual 
source  of  the  hostilities  that  terrorized  the  northern  plains  for  a  score  of  years  (see 
SIDE  ROUTE  C). 

When  the  Indians  were  making  their  last  attempt  to  drive  away  the  invaders, 
they  drove  off  stock,  pillaged  emigrant  wagons,  and  killed  ranchmen  and  traders, 
keeping  those  at  Fort  Laramie  constantly  on  the  alert  for  attack.  Although  the 
years  1862-65  were  the  "bloody  years"  on  the  Great  Plains,  the  years  of  greatest 
danger  here  were  between  1867-77.  In  1867  Congress  created  a  peace  commission 
with  a  view  to  obtaining  safety  for  travelers  along  the  trans-continental  railways 
and  the  overland  routes.  In  1868  this  commission  succeeded  in  negotiating  the 
Sioux  Treaty,  by  which  the  country  north  of  the  North  Platte  River  and  east 
of  the  summit  of  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  was  recognized  as  belonging  solely  to 
the  Indians.  This  treaty  was  later  broken  by  white  men  who  pushed  into  the 
Indian  country  in  their  eagerness  to  reach  the  Black  Hills  gold  fields. 

On  June  2,  1847,  Appleton  Harmon,  the  Pioneer  Saint,  here  wrote  in  his  diary: 
"we  went  in  to  the  Fort  &  was  kindly  &  genteelly  receivd  by  Mister  Bordeaux 
the  maniger  or  master  of  the  Fort  he  invited  us  in  to  a  room  upstairs  which  look 
verry  mutch  like  a  bar  room  of  an  eastern  hotel  it  was  ornamented  with  several 
drawings  Portraits  &c  a  long  desk  a  settee  &  some  chairs  constituted  the  prin- 
ciple furniture  of  the  room  it  wass  neat  &  comfortable  Mr  Bordeaux,  answered 
the  meney  questions  that  was  asked  by  us  a  bout  the  country  the  Natives  &c  he 
sed  the  seasons  ware  ginerally  dry  that  thare  had  been  no  rain  for  2  years  until 
within  a  few  days  he  said  that  the  Soux  would  not  disturb  the  emegrants  but 
the  crows  ware  verry  annoysome  that  they  came  &  robed  them  of  25  horses  about 
10  days  ago  they  crept  along  under  the  bank  of  Larrieme  fork  until  within  80 
rods  of  the  fort  in  the  day  time  then  rushed  out  between  the  fort  &  the  horses 
&  drove  them  of  in  Spite  of  the  guards,  (for  there  ware  2  a  herdding  them  at 
the  time)  and  had  themsafe  before  one  forse  could  reach  the  spot  from  the  fort, 
The  remainder  of  their  horses  ware  guarded  by  4  men  all  the  time  and  put  in 
the  Fort  at  night,  they  had  just  sent  off  600  packs  of  robes  to  fort  Pier  on  the 
missouri  river  the  distance  nearly  300  miles,  they  said  that  some  traders  ware 
thare  yesturday  that  said  that  6  days  drive  ahead  that  the  Snow  was  midled 
deep  10  days  ago  &  that  it  would  be  dificult  to  find  feed  for  our  teams  he  said 
that  thare  ware  buffalo  2  days  drive  ahead  &  some  grisseley  Bairs  that  he  ex- 
pected some  Oregon  emegrants  soon  he  said  that  the  next  fort  of  trading  post 
we  came  to  was  fort  Bridgeer  the  other  side  of  the  mountains." 

Emigrants  were  less  of  a  novelty  here  and  troops  were  in  command  in  1853 


172  The  Oregon  Trail 

when  James  Farmer,  another  Mormon  emigrant,  arrived,  "we  then  entered  Fort 
Laramie  consisting  of  a  few  wooden  houses  and  about  67  soldiers  stationed  here 
it  lies  in  the  hollow  high  Bluffs  all  around  they  have  6  pieces  of  cannon  and  all 
seem  very  happy  there  are  stores  here  where  we  can  purchase  anything  we  need 
but  very  high  flour  15  dollars  a  sack." 

Here  are  the  RUINS  OF  THE  ENLISTED  MEN'S  BARRACKS,  which  were  three  hun- 
dred feet  in  length  and  built  of  cement,  or  grout;  the  limestone  was  quarried 
from  nearby  hills  by  the  troops.  The  walls  are  more  than  20  inches  thick.  The 
dance  hall  on  the  second  floor  was  a  rendezvous  for  cowboys  and  soldiers  and 
the  scene  of  many  celebrations.  It  was  particularly  gay  in  the  days  when  cattle 
from  Texas  were  being  driven  past  the  fort  on  their  way  to  the  plains  of  Wyoming 
and  Montana  for  fattening  before  being  shipped  to  market. 

The  GUARD  HOUSE,  built  in  1849-59  of  stone,  has  a  double-barred  window.  The 
dungeon  is  in  good  condition.  Directly  north,  on  the  edge  of  the  parade  ground, 
is  the  SITE  OF  FORT  WILLIAM. 

The  SUTLER'S  STORE,  constructed  of  adobe,  is  probably  the  oldest  building  in 
Wyoming.  Jim  Bridger  lived  here  when  serving  the  post  as  a  scout.  Here  in  1868 
Red  Cloud  signed  the  Sioux  Treaty,  and  here  in  1872  one  of  the  Janis  brothers 
was  killed  during  a  Christmas  Day  brawl.  This  store  was  not  only  the  trade  center 
for  people  living  hundreds  of  miles  around,  especially  from  1856  to  1872,  but 
also  contained  banking  facilities. 

OLD  BEDLAM,  the  officers'  club,  was  built  by  the  Government  in  1851  at  a  cost 
of  $70,000.  The  fact  that  all  lumber  for  its  construction  was  hauled  by  oxen  from 
Fort  Leavenworth,  Kans.,  largely  accounts  for  its  cost.  It  was  to  Old  Bedlam  in 
1866  that  "Portugee"  Phillips  brought  news  of  the  disaster  at  Fort  Phil  Kearney 
in  which  Capt.  W.  J.  Fetterman  and  80  men  were  killed.  Phillips'  ride  was  made 
in  subzero  weather,  through  blizzards  and  with  hostile  Indians  on  every  side. 

On  the  south  bank  of  the  North  Platte  River,  in  the  tongue  of  land  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  above  its  junction  with  the  Laramie,  is  the  SITE  OF  FORT 
PLATTE  (see  above).  In  Rocky  Mountain  Life,  Rufus  B.  Sage,  the  journalist  who 
visited  this  spot  about  1841,  related  a  typical  story  of  the  period.  "The  night  of 
our  arrival  at  Fort  Platte  was  the  signal  for  a  grand  jollification  to  all  hands, 
(with  two  or  three  exceptions)  who  soon  got  most  gloriously  drunk,  and  such  an 
illustration  of  the  beauties  of  harmony  as  was  then  perpetrated,  would  have  rivalled 
Bedlam  itself,  or  even  the  famous  council  chamber  beyond  the  Styx. 

"Yelling,  screeching,  firing,  shouting,  fighting,  swearing,  drinking,  and  such 
like  interesting  performances,  were  kept  up  without  intermission, — and  woe  to  the 
poor  fellow  who  looked  for  repose  that  night — he  might  as  well  have  thought  of 
sleeping  with  a  thousand  cannon  bellowing  at  his  ears. 

"The  scene  was  prolonged  till  near  sundown  the  next  day,  and  several  made 
their  egress  from  this  beastly  carousal,  minus  shirts  and  coats, — with  swollen  eyes, 
bloody  noses,  and  empty  pockets, — the  latter  circumstance  will  be  easily  under- 
stood upon  the  mere  mention  of  the  fact,  that  liquor,  in  this  country,  is  sold  for 
four  dollars  per  pint. 

"The  day  following  was  ushered  in  by  the  enactment  of  another  scene  of  comico- 
tragical  character. 

"The  Indians  encamped  in  the  vicinity,  being  extremely  solicitous  to  imitate 
the  example  of  their  illustrious  predecessors,  soon  as  the  first  tints  of  morning 
began  to  paint  the  east,  commenced  their  demands  for  firewater;  and,  ere  the 
sun  had  told  an  hour  of  his  course,  they  were  pretty  well  advanced  in  the  state 
of  how  came  ye  so,  and  seemed  to  exercise  their  musical  powers  in  wonderful 
rivalry  with  their  white  brethren. 

"Men,  women,  and  children  were  seen  running  from  lodge  to  lodge  with  vessels 
of  liquor,  inviting  their  friends  and  relatives  to  drink;  while  whooping,  singing, 
drunkenness,  and  trading  for  fresh  supplies  to  administer  to  the  demands  of  in- 
toxication, had  evidently  become  the  order  of  the  day.  Soon,  individuals  were 
noticed  passing  from  one  to  another,  with  mouths  full  of  the  coveted  fire-water, 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  173 

drawing  the  lips  of  favored  friends  in  close  contact,  as  if  to  kiss,  and  ejecting  the 
contents  of  their  own  into  the  eager  mouths  of  others, — thus  affording  the  de- 
lighted recipients  tests  of  their  fervent  esteem  in  the  heat  and  strength  of  the 
strange  draught. 

"At  this  stage  of  the  game  the  American  Fur  Company,  as  is  charged,  com- 
menced dealing  out  to  them,  gratuitously,  strong  drugged  liquor,  for  the  double 
purpose  of  preventing  a  sale  of  the  article  by  its  competitor  in  trade,  and  of  cre- 
ating sickness,  or  inciting  contention  among  the  Indians,  while  under  the  influence 
of  sudden  intoxication, — hoping  thereby  to  induce  the  latter  to  charge  its  ill  effects 
upon  an  opposite  source,  and  thus,  by  destroying  the  credit  of  its  rival,  monopolize 
for  itself  the  whole  trade. 

"It  is  hard  to  predict  with  certainty,  what  would  have  been  the  result  of  this 
reckless  policy,  had  it  been  continued  through  the  day.  Already  its  effects  became 
apparent,  and  small  knots  of  drunken  Indians  were  seen  in  various  directions, 
quarrelling,  preparing  to  fight,  or  fighting, — while  others  lay  stretched  upon  the 
ground  in  helpless  impotency,  or  staggered  from  place  to  place  with  all  the  re- 
volting attendencies  of  intoxication. 

"The  dram-a,  however,  was  here  brought  to  a  temporary  close  by  an  incident 
which  made  a  strange  contrast  in  its  immediate  results. 

"One  of  the  head  chiefs  of  the  Brule  village,  in  riding  at  full  speed  from  Fort 
John  to  Fort  Platte,  being  a  little  too  drunk  to  navigate,  plunged  headlong  from 
his  horse  and  broke  his  neck  when  within  a  few  rods  of  his  destination.  Then 
was  a  touching  display  of  confusion  and  excitement.  Men  and  squaws  commenced 
bawling  like  children; — the  whites  were  bad,  very  bad,  said  they,  in  their  brief 
to  give  Susu-ceicha  the  fire-water  that  caused  his  death.  But  the  height  of  their 
censure  was  directed  against  the  American  Fur  Company,  as  its  liquor  had  done 
the  deed.  .  .  ." 

Near  Fort  Laramie  the  Mormon  Trail  crossed  to  the  south  bank  of 
the  North  Platte  and  united  with  the  Oregon  Trail. 

GUERNSEY,  196.5  m.  (4,361  alt.,  656  pop.),  bears  the  name  of 
a  ranchman,  Charles  A.  Guernsey.  The  town,  beautifully  situated  just 
below  the  mouth  of  the  picturesque  Platte  River  Canyon,  is  a  trade  cen- 
ter and  supply  base  for  the  iron  mines  and  limestone  quarries  nearby. 
The  surrounding  region  has  yielded  abundant  traces  of  prehistoric  man ; 
archeological  excavations  have  uncovered  implements  of  war  and  agri- 
culture used  by  the  primitive  inhabitants.  Embedded  in  the  concrete  of 
an  OREGON  TRAIL  MARKER  here,  which  bears  the  official  Oregon  Trail 
bronze  plaque,  are  many  relics  that  were  found  on  the  old  trails,  in- 
cluding ox  and  mule  shoes,  bullets,  wagon  irons,  and  guns. 

The  small  HIGH  SCHOOL  MUSEUM  (free),  housed  in  the  basement, 
contains  Indian  and  pioneer  relics,  geological  specimens,  and  artifacts 
from  the  Spanish  Diggings.  Among  the  relics  is  a  small  Mason  and 
Hamlin  melodeon  brought  to  Fort  Laramie  by  ox  team;  it  is  still  in 
good  condition. 

1.  Left  from  Guernsey  on  a  dirt  road  to  REGISTER  CLIFF,  3.3  m.,  a  chalk 
bluff  that  was  a  popular  autograph  album  of  early  travelers.  Of  the  thousands  of 
names  daubed  and  cut  here,  about  seven  hundred  are  still  legible.  One  is  dated 
1842.  The  cliff  was  first  called  Sand  Point.  The  wide,  grassy  meadow  at  its  base 
was  often  used  as  the  first  campsite  west  of  Fort  Laramie.  Traders  named  Ward 
and  Guerrier  operated  a  post  here  for  a  time;  Ward  moved  away  in  1856,  in  1857 


174  The  Oregon  Trail 

becoming  the  post  trader  at  Fort  Laramie,  and  in  the  same  year  Guerrier  was 
killed  when  a  keg  of  powder  exploded. 

A  number  of  people  who  died  on  the  trail  were  buried  at  the  base  of  Register 
Cliff. 

2.  Right  from  Guernsey  on  an  oiled  highway  that  leads  to  HARTVILLE,  6  m. 
(4,900  alt.,  189  pop.).  The  area  often  held  a  populous  Indian  camp  long  before 
the  coming  of  white  settlers  and,  until  the  past  decade,  traces  of  the  camp  could 
be  found  throughout  the  canyon  in  which  the  town  lies.  Rings  of  flat  rocks  out- 
lined the  positions  of  the  tepees  and  lodges.  Scrapers,  arrowheads,  and  stone  axes 
were  formerly  found  in  abundance,  as  well  as  grinders  with  which  the  red  and 
brilliant  yellow  clays  were  prepared  for  purposes  of  personal  adornment. 

Hartville  became  a  settlement  as  the  result  of  a  copper  strike  that  brought 
hundreds  of  prospectors  and  miners  from  the  Black  Hills.  As  the  center  of  a 
copper  district,  the  town  became  a  wild  spot,  with  saloons,  dance  halls,  and 
gambling  houses  running  full  swing  at  all  hours.  Cowboys  from  nearby  ranches 
added  their  noise  to  that  of  the  miners.  There  was  much  gunplay  and  little  law. 
In  the  old  cemetery  near  town  lie  a  number  of  men  who  "died  with  their  boots 
on";  the  early  funeral  services  were  usually  conducted  by  a  bartender.  After  the 
copper  boom  the  town  was  not  entirely  abandoned ;  a  store,  a  saloon,  and  a  lodging 
house  were  kept  in  operation  to  serve  the  ranchers.  In  1899-1900,  when  eastern 
capital  arrived  to  develop  the  iron  deposits  at  the  nearby  Sunrise  and  Chicago 
mines,  the  old  mining  camp  life  revived.  Tents  and  dugouts  housed  a  large  part 
of  the  population,  as  there  was  neither  time  nor  material  for  the  construction  of 
buildings.  Later,  construction  gangs  from  the  Burlington  Route,  which  was  then 
being  extended  from  Nebraska  to  connect  with  the  Colorado  &  Southern  R.R. 
running  north  from  Cheyenne,  added  their  wages  to  the  stream  of  money  that 
flowed  into  the  camp  from  the  pockets  of  miners  and  settlers.  With  the  completion 
of  the  railroad  and  the  centralization  of  mining  operations  in  the  Sunrise  mine, 
the  floating  population  of  Hartville  vanished.  The  town,  while  modern,  has  retained 
much  of  its  frontier  appearance. 

Northwest  of  Hartville  is  SLADE  (SAWMILL)  CANYON,  named  for  Jack 
Slade,  the  stage  line  division  superintendent  (see  SECTION  4).  There  is  a  story 
that  Slade  turned  bandit  after  he  had  to  leave  the  stage  service  and  that  this 
was  a  rendezvous  for  his  gang.  But  this  hardly  accords  with  Slade's  character  as 
vouched  for  by  those  who  best  knew  him.  After  Slade  had  asked  the  advice  of 
officers  at  Fort  Laramie  (see  SECTION  4)  as  to  what  action  he  should  take 
against  the  threatening  Jules  Reni  and  had  privately  been  told  that  he  had  better 
kill  him,  he  sent  four  men  ahead  to  the  stage  station  where  Jules  was  reported 
to  be.  Slade  followed  on  the  box  of  the  stage  and  at  the  station  killed  Jules, 
who  had  already  been  captured.  He  then  returned  to  the  fort,  told  his  story,  and 
was  exonerated;  according  to  the  frontier  code  he  had  done  the  only  possible 
thing.  The  most  reliable  reporters  of  the  incident  said  that  the  oft-repeated  story 
that  Slade  pinned  Beni  to  a  shed  by  the  ears  before  killing  him  and  later  used 
one  of  the  ears  as  a  watch  charm,  was  pure  folklore. 

Another  exploit  connected  with  Slade  took  place  not  far  from  this  canyon. 
In  the  spring  of  1861  an  American  and  a  Mexican,  who  were  riding  the  stage 
as  U.  S.  Mail  service  employees,  had  a  quarrel  that  resulted  in  the  death  of  the 
American.  Slade,  who  had  to  maintain  law  and  order  along  his  division,  at  once 
prepared  to  run  the  Mexican  out  of  the  country.  The  killer  had  taken  himself  to 
the  Sarah  ranch  at  the  head  of  Guernsey  Lake.  Slade  sent  word  to  Sarah  to 
turn  the  Mexican  out  but  Sarah  retorted  that  he  offered  accommodations  to  trav- 
elers and  that  he  would  not  turn  away  anyone  who  paid  his  bill.  Several  nights 
later  a  coachload  of  Slade's  men  arrived  at  the  ranch;  in  the  fight  that  followed, 
Sarah,  his  wife,  an  Indian  staying  at  the  house,  and  an  old  Frenchman  were 
killed.  One  guest  named  Winters  made  his  escape  and  ran  the  25  miles  to  Fort 
Laramie.  Immediate  reparation  was  demanded,  but  without  avail;  no  effort  what- 
ever was  made  to  apprehend  the  murderers.  Sarah's  family  included  four  children, 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  175 

whose  ages  ranged  from  a  few  months  to  12  years.  The  eldest  girl,  with  the  baby 
on  her  back,  and  another  sister  had  climbed  out  of  a  rear  window  and  escaped. 
A  few  weeks  later  their  bodies  were  found  on  the  prairie.  The  boy,  who  became 
separated  from  his  sisters,  was  found  by  a  stage  driver  who  took  him  to  the  stage 
station.  He  was  eventually  adopted  by  Slade  and  went  with  the  Slades  when  they 
left  the  area. 

In  time  Slade  began  to  drink  to  excess  and  when  under  the  influence  of  liquor 
was  insanely  violent.  He  eventually  went  to  live  near  Virginia  City,  Mont.,  and 
after  one  of  his  outbreaks  in  1864  was  hanged  by  vigilantes. 

At  SUNRISE,  7  m.  (4,900  alt.,  360  pop.),  are  the  Sunrise  Mines.  In  1900 
C.  A.  Guernsey  obtained  options  on  the  mining  claims  in  this  vicinity  and  sold 
them  to  a  Colorado  company.  The  GLORY  HOLE,  or  pit  of  the  Sunrise  Mines,  is 
so  large  and  deep  at  present  that  both  the  Colorado  and  Wyoming  Capitols  could 
be  housed  in  it  with  room  to  spare,  while  the  Washington  Monument  could  be 
placed  on  the  lowest  level  and  would  rise  only  a  few  feet  above  its  rim.  Men  at 
work  on  the  far  side  of  the  pit  resemble  pygmy  cave-dwellers;  ladders  and  ore 
cars  cling  to  sheer  walls.  Ore  from  the  mines  is  shipped  to  smelters  at  Pueblo, 
Colo.  Early  explorations  indicated  that  quarrying  operations  had  been  carried  on 
in  this  pit  by  the  Indians,  the  material  probably  having  been -used  by  them  for 
paint. 

At  197  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  WARM  SPRINGS,  2.5  m.,  also  known  as  the  Emigrant's 
Laundry  Tub,  which  was  on  the  Oregon  Trail.  This  large  spring  has  an  abundant 
flow  at  a  temperature  of  70  degrees  throughout  the  year,  and  remains  unfrozen 
during  the  coldest  weather. 

A  major  problem  of  trail  travelers — at  least  the  tidier  members  of  the  trains — 
was  that  of  keeping  their  clothes  clean  and  in  order.  On  the  plains  clothes  usually 
had  to  be  washed  with  cold  water  because  there  was  relatively  little  if  any  wood 
near  the  camp  sites  and  buffalo  chips  did  not  make  a  very  hot  fire.  Most  of  the 
migrants  failed  to  realize  in  advance  what  kind  of  clothing  would  be  suitable  for 
the  overland  journey  and  how  hard  travel  would  be  on  their  garments.  This  was 
particularly  true  of  the  women.  By  the  time  the  trains  reached  the  mountains  the 
members  were  often  clothed  in  rags  or  in  highly  unsuitable  garments.  One  traveler 
told  of  seeing  women  in  beribboned  party  dresses  heavily  coated  with  dust  and 
grime.  Few  people  took  enough  shoes  with  them  and  many  had  to  travel  the  last 
miles  with  their  feet  wrapped  in  rags. 

Fremont  camped  by  this  spring  in  1842.  Nearby  is  an  old  limekiln,  which  was 
probably  used  in  the  1870's  or  1880's  in  the  purification  of  the  water. 

At  198.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  a  short  distance  to  COLD  SPRING,  an  early  landmark.  On  the 
hill  above  the  spring  are  rifle  pits,  believed  to  have  been  thrown  up  by  a  band 
of  whites  when  protecting  themselves  against  Indians. 

US  26  runs  almost  due  west  towards  LARAMIE  PEAK  (alt.  10,274) , 
which  rises  sheer  in  the  distance. 

At  210.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  87;  R.  here  on  US  87,  which 
follows  the  North  Platte. 

The  SITE  OF  THE  HORSESHOE  STAGE  STATION,  231  m.,  is  on  Horse- 
shoe Creek,  near  which  was  timber  and  good  pasturage.  In  1868  an 


176  The  Oregon  Trail 

attack  was  made  on  the  place  by  Ogallala  and  Miniconjou  led  by  Chief 
Crazy  Horse. 

The  place  was  occupied  by  Marion  Thornburg,  William  Warrell, 
and  John  R.  Smith.  On  the  morning  of  March  19  their  dogs  were  so 
uneasy  that  two  of  the  men  went  out  to  investigate.  They  found  60  or 
70  Indians  lurking  nearby  and  hastily  returned  to  the  house,  which  was 
surrounded  by  a  stout  stockade.  Shortly  afterwards  the  Indians  came 
into  the  open,  and  the  white  men  fired  on  them,  killing  two  and  wound- 
ing two.  Though  the  band  was  large,  the  men  felt  reasonably  safe  be- 
hind the  stockade  because  they  had  plenty  of  food  and  ammunition  and 
the  well  was  within  the  enclosure.  The  Indians,  however,  burned  the 
stockade  and  the  stables.  Toward  evening  the  aborigines  retired  but 
shortly  afterward  returned.  About  midnight  the  Indians  set  fire  to  the 
house  and  the  whites  retreated  to  a  cellar  under  the  kitchen ;  there  they 
began  hastily  to  dig  a  tunnel.  While  the  Indians  whooped  and  howled 
about  what  they  believed  to  be  a  funeral  pyre,  the  besieged  men  made 
their  escape.  They  hurried  to  Twin  Springs  where  two  men  were  living; 
these  joined  them  on  a  retreat  to  Fort  Laramie  after  having  cached  pro- 
visions under  the  floor  of  their  shack  and  set  the  house  on  fire.  On  the 
following  day  they  met  a  trapper,  who  joined  the  party.  Shortly  after- 
ward, near  Little  Cottonwood  Creek,  the  Indians  discovered  them;  the 
whites  hid  for  a  time  in  a  wooded  ravine  but  when  they  attempted  to 
steal  away  from  it  two  of  them  were  killed  and  a  third,  wounded  and 
on  the  point  of  being  captured,  killed  himself.  The  remaining  men  de- 
fended themselves  as  best  they  could  and  finally  managed  to  effect  a 
truce  by  offering  the  Indians  the  articles  cached  under  the  Twin  Springs 
ruins;  the  Indians,  according  to  their  code,  had  avenged  the  death  of 
those  killed  in  the  initial  attack  and  were  willing  to  withdraw. 

GLENDO,  233.7  m.  (4,718  alt.,  201  pop.),  is  a  trade  center  for 
ranches. 

^BRIDGER'S  CROSSING,  246.6  m.,  was  used  by  some  migrants  on 
the  trail.  A  ferry  is  said  to  have  once  been  operated  here  by  Jim  Bridger 
for  a  short  time. 

At  247.6  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  US  20,  which  unites  with  US 
87  westward,  whence  the  highway  runs  through  badlands  dotted  with 
unusual  sandstone  formations. 

DOUGLAS,  260.9  m.  (4,815  alt.,  1,917  pop.),  the  seat  of  Converse 
County,  is  the  trade  center  of  a  livestock-raising  and  farming  area. 
There  are  oil  wells  in  the  vicinity.  Large  shade  trees  line  the  straight 
streets. 

During  the  1870's  and  1880's  Fort  Fetterman,  about  eight  miles 
northwest,  was  the  supply  point  for  the  stockmen  of  the  country  and 
a  small  settlement  grew  up  near  it.  When  in  1886  it  was  announced 
that  the  Fremont,  Elkhorn  &  Missouri  Valley  Ry.  would  extend  its  lines 
westward  from  Chadron,  Neb.,  foresighted  people  began  to  settle  not 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  177 

^^-^-  ^-~»~^^-^--~-  ^^-^-^-~~~~~-^-~~-  ^-  ^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^f*^-^-^^^-  ^-^-^^  •^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^-^-^-^- 

far  from  the  confluence  of  Antelope  Creek  and  the  North  Platte  River. 
Before  long  the  ranchmen,  hearing  of  the  larger  stocks  of  merchandise 
in  the  new  tent  town,  began  to  come  here  to  do  their  trading. 

The  first  church  services  in  Tent  Town  were  held  in  May,  1886,  in 
a  saloon,  by  two  theological  students.  The  altar  consisted  of  a  card 
table.  The  bar  nearby  was  partly  hidden  by  a  new  wagon  cover  and 
only  a  few  bottles  remained  in  sight. 

Tent  Town  soon  had  three  streets  and  a  newspaper,  Bill  Barlow's 
Budget.  The  editor  of  the  paper,  Morris  Clark  Barrow,  who  wrote  under 
the  pseudonym  "Bill  Barlow,"  gained  much  attention  for  his  philosophic 
and  humorous  writings.  For  two  years  Barrow  was  city  editor  of  the 
Laramie  Boomerang  under  Bill  Nye. 

About  June  1,  1886,  it  was  announced  that  a  railway  station  and 
townsite  would  be  established  some  10  miles  east  of  Fetterman  on  a 
sagebrush  flat,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Shortly  afterwards, 
when  the  Pioneer  Townsite  Company  had  laid  out  the  new  town  of 
Douglas,  Tent  Town  was  put  on  wheels  and  in  three  days  was  moved 
here. 

On  August  29  the  first  passenger  train  arrived,  loaded  with  people, 
and  the  sale  of  lots  was  started.  For  the  next  60  days  there  was  con- 
tinuous pounding  of  hammers  from  daylight  until  dark.  Five  brick 
buildings  and  many  shacks  were  built.  Construction  crews  mingled  with 
soldiers  and  cowboys  and  for  a  time  the  new  town  had  a  turbulent  life. 
During  the  first  year  of  its  existence  there  were  25  saloons,  but  before 
long  the  number  decreased  to  six. 

Livestock  men  were  attracted  to  the  region  because  of  the  abundance 
of  water  and  the  good  pasturage.  One  of  the  oldest  cattle  brands  in  the 
State,  the  SO,  was  in  use  nearby  in  1870.  In  the  1880's  many  big  outfits 
ran  cattle  into  the  area  from  Texas  and  the  range  was  soon  very  much 
overstocked.  When  the  March  storms  of  1887  came  on  cattle  died  by 
the  thousands. 

Although  several  large  cattle  and  sheep  outfits  grazed  in  the  vicinity, 
the  lands  were  gradually  homesteaded,  and  fences  forced  the  cattle 
kings  to  move  their  herds  and  flocks  to  more  remote  places.  The  slow- 
ness with  which  the  land  was  claimed  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
land  office  for  the  area  was  in  Cheyenne,  about  200  miles  away  by 
wagon  road. 

The  STATE  FAIR  GROUNDS,  on  the  bank  of  the  Platte  River  at  the 
west  end  of  Center  St.,  occupy  several  acres.  The  buildings  include 
racing  stables,  grandstands,  poultry  houses,  exhibition  halls,  a  4-H 
club  building,  and  the  Old  Timers'  Log  Cabin.  The  Old  Timers'  Cabin, 
built  of  logs  in  1926,  with  funds  gathered  by  popular  subscription, 
houses  many  relics  of  the  frontier  days  and  is  the  headquarters  of  the 
Wyoming  Pioneer  Association. 

At  263.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graded  road. 


178  The  Oregon  Trail 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  FETTERMAN,  7  m.,  about  a  quar- 
ter mile  from  the  right  bank  of  La  Prele  Creek  on  a  small  plateau.  The  fort  was 
established  July  19,  1867,  and  named  in  honor  of  Capt.  William  J.  Fetterman,  who 
was  killed  by  Indians  near  Fort  Phil  Kearney  on  Dec.  21,  1866. 

After  the  garrisoning  of  Fetterman,  a  number  of  Arapaho  of  the  Black  Coal 
and  Little  Wolf  bands  and  Cheyenne  of  the  Dull  Knife  groups  traded  here,  but 
they  ceased  their  visits  late  in  1876  and  1877. 

On  March  1,  1876,  Gen.  George  Crook  left  Fort  Fetterman  with  10  companies 
of  cavalry,  two  companies  of  infantry,  and  10  pack  trains,  for  the  purpose  of 
forcing  the  Indians  to  stay  on  the  reservations;  during  the  following  summer  con- 
flicts were  frequent.  In  November  of  that  year  Gen.  Ronald  S.  McKenzie  led  a 
large  force  from  the  Powder  River  territory,  where  they  encountered  Dull  Knife's 
Dand  of  Cheyenne.  In  the  battle  that  followed,  173  lodges  and  all  of  the  Indians' 
ammunition  and  supplies  were  destroyed. 

At  283.7  m.  (1)  is  the  GRAVE  OF  A.  H.  UNTHANK,  -who  died  July  2, 
1850,  while  on  his  way  to  the  Oregon  country.  It  is  a  more  substantial 
marker  than  was  usually  put  over  the  grave  of  an  emigrant. 

During  the  summer  months  plants  and  flowers  of  many  kinds  cover 
the  prairies  here  with  color.  In  this  section  of  the  State  Indian  paint- 
brush, the  Wyoming  State  flower,  grows  along  the  mountain  streams 
and  on  the  plains.  The  wild  iris,  fireweed,  blue  violet,  mountain  phlox, 
sweet  pea,  scarlet  bugler,  forget-me-not,  rose  gentian,  checker  bloom, 
sand  lily,  prairie  larkspur,  and  others  are  on  the  foothills  and  the 
higher  plateaus.  The  dandelion,  soapweed,  round  and  bayonet  cacti, 
nodding  wild  onion,  white  loco,  showy  milkweed,  and  pussy  willows 
are  native  to  the  plains.  The  common  sagebrush,  as  well  as  the  prickly 
pear,  is  abundant  in  the  arid  foothills. 

GLENROCK,  288.5  m.  (4,900  alt.,  819  pop.),  has  good  accom- 
modations. The  refineries  of  the  Continental  Oil  Company  are  west  of 
the  town.  A  30-acre  park,  with  seats,  benches  and  tables,  ovens,  swings 
and  other  conveniences,  is  just  north  of  the  tourist  camps  on  the  eastern 
outskirts.  The  town  is  the  trade  and  social  center  of  a  large  area  and 
has  facilities  unusual  in  a  place  with  such  a  small  population. 

The  Upper  Platte  Indian  Agency,  established  here  near  Deer  Creek 
Station,  a  telegraph  outpost,  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  town.  As  fur- 
ther settlement  took  place  the  site  was  called  Mercedes.  Later  William 
Nuttall  found  coal  and  developed  mines  nearby  and  the  settlement  was 
renamed  in  his  honor.  Glenrock  came  to  life  with  the  building  of  the 
railroad  in  1886  and  1887. 

Left  from  Glenrock  a  dim  trail  leads  to  MORMON  CANYON,  5  m.,  on  Deer 

Creek.  A  party  of  Mormons  came  here  in  1853  to  grow  foodstuffs  for  migrating 
Saints.  They  remained  for  several  years.  Traces  of  irrigation  ditches  and  the  ruins 
of  buildings  are  visible. 

As  the  Mormon  Pioneers  creaked  slowly  along  through  this  area 
they  found  the  route  more  difficult  but  enjoyed  the  new  scenes  and 
plentiful  meals  of  game.  William  Clayton  was  taking  pleasure  in  the 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  179 

operation  of  his  "roadometer"  and  guarded  it  with  care.  Other  migrants 
visited  the  Mormons  to  examine  it,  but  the  Saints  maintained  a  reserve 
toward  them  based  on  past  experience  with  "gentiles."  At  intervals 
Clayton  erected  signboards  with  mileages  and  directions  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Saints  who  were  to  follow  the  pathfinders.  Clayton  and  others 
constantly  consulted  the  report  of  Fremont,  which  was  their  guidebook, 
and  checked  their  observations  against  his.  Later  the  Mormons  prepared 
their  own  guidebook  for  the  use  of  their  travelers. 

Near  La  Bonte  Creek  they  had  met  some  friendly  trappers  who 
told  the  Pioneers  of  the  difficulty  of  the  Upper  Platte  Crossing.  Apple- 
ton  Harmon  wrote  of  this  meeting:  "they  gave  us  the  privilege  of  a 
boat  that  they  had  on  the  North  fork  of  the  platte  a  bout  5  days  drive 
a  head  to  do  our  ferrying  in  several  waggons  ware  sent  a  head  sutch 
as  before  those  emegrants  that  are  jest  a  head  of  us  all  so  to  kell  some 
buffalo  for  they  say  they  are  plenty  on  the  river." 

PARKERTON,  292.5  (5,000  alt.,  367  pop.),  is  in  the  heart  of  the 
Big  Muddy  oil  fields.  Oil  was  first  developed  in  this  basin  in  1915. 
Maximum  production  was  reached  in  1919  when  the  field  yielded  about 
8,000  barrels  a  day,  from  about  200  wells.  In  1936  daily  production 
averaged  about  1,500  barrels. 

At  the  railroad  station  here  is  the  GRAVE  OF  ADA  MAGILL,  aged  6 
years,  who  died  July  3, 1864.  The  child  was  a  member  of  a  wagon  train 
bound  for  Oregon. 

EVANSVILLE  (R),  309.4  m.  (5,103  alt.,  174  pop.),  is  chiefly  a 
collection  of  White  Eagle  and  Texas  Oil  Company  refineries. 

CASPER,  312.4  m.  (5,103  alt.,  16,619  pop.)  (see  WYOMING 
GUIDE),  the  second  largest  city  in  Wyoming,  was  named  for  Fort 
Casper. 

In  1885  the  Chicago  &  North  Western  Ry.,  then  operating  from 
Omaha  to  Chadron,  Neb.,  announced  plans  to  extend  its  line  to  this 
place,  where  settlement  had  already  begun.  Business  was  being  carried 
on  in  tents  and  crudely  constructed  shacks  but  there  were  nearly  a  hun- 
dred residents  when  the  first  passenger  train  arrived  on  June  15,  1888. 

Soon  after  the  establishment  of  the  new  town  a  rumor  spread  that 
gold  had  been  discovered  in  Casper  Mountain;  businessmen,  laborers, 
cowboys,  and  many  others  dropped  their  work,  bought  picks  and  shovels, 
and  started  for  the  hills.  For  a  time  there  was  intense  local  excitement, 
and  then  it  died  as  suddenly  as  it  had  arisen. 

In  the  fall  of  1888  drilling  for  oil  was  begun  in  the  Salt  Creek 
field.  The  first  oil  refinery  in  the  State  was  erected  here  in  1895.  It 
was  a  number  of  years  later,  however,  that  the  real  oil  boom  began. 
North  of  the  city  are  the  Teapot  Dome  oil  fields. 

It  was  not  uncommon  at  night  during  the  oil  boom  times  to  see 
2,500  people  milling  up  and  down  unpaved  Center  Street,  since  there 
was  no  other  place  to  go.  Street  fights  were  common  and  were  enjoyed 


180  The  Oregon  Trail 

by  the  crowds.  The  Bucket-of-Blood  Saloon  was  the  hangout  of  drillers, 
construction  workers,  and  roustabouts  at  the  rigs,  and  a  fight  could  be 
witnessed  there  at  almost  any  time. 

In  the  city  is  a  PIONEER  MONUMENT,  erected  in  1911.  It  is  an  obelisk, 
40  feet  in  height,  of  Indiana  limestone. 

On  June  11,  1847,  the  Pioneer  Saints  reached  a  point  near  the  site 
of  this  town.  They  decided  to  camp  because  two  companies  of  Mis- 
sourians  were  but  half  a  mile  ahead  of  them  and  Missourians  had  been 
among  their  bitterest  enemies  in  the  east.  Harmon  reported:  "we  got 
up  our  teams  at  a  bout  2  AM.  and  after  confabulating  for  a  half  hour 
a  bout  whether  to  cross  the  river  here  or  to  go  a  bout  4  ms  a  head 
whare  our  brethering  that  had  gone  to  git  possesion  of  the  ferry  who 
as  we  under  Stood  by  Br  Chesley  who  came  back  &  met  us  was  buiseyly 
engaged  in  ferreing  2  of  the  small  bands  of  the  Oregon  emegrants  25 
waggons  in  all  for  which  they  received  a  bout  33  dollars  in  remunera- 
tion they  took  the  loading  acrost  in  the  Leeather  Skift  &  drawed  the 
waggons  through  the  river  by  means  of  a  rope  fastend  to  the  end  of 
the  tonge  &  thus  drawing  them  through  they  rec  in  payment  flour  at 
$250  per  hhd  Bacon  at  6  cts  per  Ib  &c  we  traveled  4  ms  &  camped  in 
a  %  circle  on  the  bank  of  a  river  %  a  mile  east  of  the  place  whare 
they  ware  aferrying,  our  H  unters  had  killed  3  buffalo  which  was  verry 
fat  a  black  bair  2  or  3  cubs  &  several  antilope." 

Left  from  Casper  on  a  graveled  road  that  runs  westward  between  the  junc- 
tion of  US  87  and  US  87E  to  Upper  Platte  Crossing,  2.5  m.  Thrifty  Brigham 
Young  was  delighted  with  the  amount  of  business  being  carried  on  near  here 
by  the  Saints  who  had  gone  ahead  to  pre-empt  the  boats  left  by  the  trappers; 
the  men  had  added  to  their  ferrying  facilities  by  building  two  rafts.  The  main 
body  of  the  Pioneers  arrived  at  this  point  on  Saturday  and  lingered  several  days. 
Young  had  intended  to  take  the  whole  party  forward  with  him;  but  as  bodies  of 
emigrants  willing  to  pay  for  ferriage  continued  to  arrive  and  word  came  that  a 
large  train,  possibly  of  Saints,  was  advancing  along  the  Platte,  he  felt  it  wise  to 
allow  some  of  the  brethren  to  remain  behind  and  continue  business,  which  was 
paid  for  chiefly  with  grain.  The  Saints  had  only  a  limited  amount  of  foodstuffs 
and  the  season  was  too  far  advanced  to  make  it  possible  to  raise  crops  that  sea- 
son, when  they  finally  decided  on  a  place  of  settlement.  Elder  Woodruff  wrote: 
"It  looked  as  much  of  a  miracle  to  me  to  see  our  flour  and  meal  bags  replenished 
in  the  Black  Hills  as  it  did  to  have  the  children  of  Israel  fed  with  manna  in  the 
wilderness." 

Appleton  Harmon  was  one  of  nine  men  selected  to  remain  and  help  run  the 
ferry.  Young  left  strict  instructions,  which  the  brethren  agreed  to  follow,  as  to 
how  they  should  conduct  and  protect  themselves.  As  reported  in  Harmon's  pho- 
netic spelling,  Brigham  Young  instructed:  "be  a  greed  in  all  your  operations  act 
ing  in  concrt  keeping  to  gether  continually  and  not  Scatter  to  hunt  &c  and  at 
your  leasure  moments  put  you  up  a  comfortable  room  that  will  afford  your  selves 
&  horses  protection  a  gainst  the  Indians  should  a  war  party  pass  this  way,  but 
first  of  all  See  that  your  boats  is  properly  Secured  by  fastining  raw  hides  over 
the  tops  of  the  ca  noos  or  some  better  process  compleete  the  landings,  and  be  care 
fol  of  the  lives  &  property  of  all  you  labor  for  remembering  that  you  are  respon- 
sible for  all  accidents  through  your  carelessness  or  negligence  and  that  you  retain 
not  that  which  belongeth  to  the  Traveler 


Neb.  Hist.  Soc. 


SETTLERS   (1864) 


ALONG  THE  TRAIL 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  181 

"For  one  waggon  familey  &c  you  will  charge  $1.50  cts  payment  in  flour  & 
provisions  at  State  Prices  or  $3.00  in  cash  but  you  had  better  take  young  stock 
at  a  fair  valuation  in  Stead  of  cash  &  a  team  if  you  shall  want  the  same  to 
remove 

"Should  general  Emegration  cease  before  our  breathering  arive  Cash  your 
effects  &  re  turn  to  laramie  and  wait  their  arival,  and  come  on  with  them  to 
the  place  of  location,  and  we  promise  you  that  the  Superintendant  of  the  ferry 
Shall  never  lack  wisdom  or  knowledge  to  devise  &  council  you  in  righteousness 
and  for  your  best  good,  if  you  will  all  ways  bee  a  greed  and  in  all  humilety  watch 
&  pray  with  out  ceasing 

"When  our  Emegration  Companies  arive  if  the  river  is  not  fordable  ferry  them 
and  let  them  who  are  able  pay  a  reasonable  sum  the  council  of  their  camp  will 
decide  who  are  able  to  pay 

"Let  a  Strict  a  count  becept  of  everry  mans  labor  also  of  all  waggons  &  teams 
ferried  and  of  all  receipts  &  ex  penditures  allowing  each  man  acording  to  his 
labour  and  justice,  and  if  eney  one  feels  a  greeved  let  heim  not  murmer  but  be 
patient  until  you  come  up  and  let  the  council  decide,  and  the  way  not  to  bee  a 
greeved  is  for  everry  man  to  love  his  brother  as  him  self 

"By  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  council  we  remain  your  Brothering  in  Christ 

Brigham  Young  President" 

Among  those  left  behind  were  Luke  Johnson,  who  was  an  amateur  doctor  and 
dentist,  and  Davenport,  the  blacksmith;  Young  had  seen  the  heavy  demand  for 
the  services  of  these  craftsmen  and  determined  to  use  them  to  augment  the  Mor- 
mon community  funds.  After  the  main  body  of  Pioneers  started  westward  those 
who  remained  behind  decided  to  move  the  ferrying  equipment  a  short  distance 
eastward  to  what  seemed  a  better  position.  They  discovered  that  three  other  men, 
who  had  come  in  advance  of  an  Oregon-bound  train,  had  also  started  a  ferrying 
business,  but  the  equipment  of  the  rivals  was  primitive  and  the  men  lacked  skill, 
so,  by  a  judicious  lowering  of  the  established  rates — considered  a  justifiable  de- 
parture from  Young's  instructions — the  Saints  soon  achieved  a  monopoly.  Two 
Saints  who  were  sent  back  to  Deer  Creek  (Glenrock)  for  some  "stone  coal'* 
erected  a  signboard  there: 

"Notice 

"To  the  ferry  28  ms  the  ferry  good  &  safe  maned  by  experienced  men  black 
Smithing  horse  &  ox  Shoing  done  all  so  a  wheel  right 

Thomas  Grover," 

On  Sunday,  July  27,  1847,  Harmon  wrote:  "a  Company  of  11  wagons  drove 
up  Mr  Cox  foreman  we  ferryed  them  for  $16.00  in  cash  &  done  $3.75  worth 
of  blacksmithing  for  them  Capt  Brown  arived  with  his  Battalion  a  bout 
8  A.  M.  Capt  Saunders  company  arived  a  bout  2  P.  M.  and  refused  to  pay 
us  75cts  a  waggon  for  ferrying  them  &  so  they  went  up  the  river  a  bout  2  ms 
&  Swam  the  river  &  got  a  raft  that  was  left  thare  by  Some  of  the  former 
Companies  &  commenced  operations  Some  Jobs  of  Smithing  Commenced  for 
Capt  Browns  Company  7  of  Capt  Saunders  Co  got  Sick  of  raft  ing  &  returned 
to  us  &  we  ferryed  them  for  75cts  a  wagon  the  morning  of  the  28th" 

But  "Capt"  Saunders'  attempt  to  take  his  company  across  without  expense 
was  unsuccessful'.  On  July  30  Harmon  reported:  "Capt  Brown  &  his  Detachment 
Started  asall  So  Amasa  Lyman  we  ferryed  Capt  Saunders  Co  or  the  remainder 
of  it  who  had  refused  to  give  us  75  cts  a  waggon  they  havein  worked  2  days 
&  got  2  waggons  a  crost  only,  &  then  returned  to  us  &  wated  until  we  ferryed 
90  waggons  that  ware  a  head  of  them  &  they  paid  us  $1.00  a  waggon  for  the 
12  waggons  remaining  we  then  ferryed  Capt  Higgins  Co  of  23  waggons  for 
$23.00  in  cash  allso  Capt  McClays  Co  of  23  waggons  &  Capt  Taylors  Co  of  12 
waggons  &  Capt  Patter  Sons  Co  of  16  waggons  &  done  $6.50  worth  of  black 
Smithing  this  day  we  have  ferryed  73  waggons  &  made  2  extra  trips  2  of  the 
trips  Namely,  Pugmyer  &  East  man  Stade  here  on  a  furlow." 


182  The  Oregon  Trail 

By  July  1  Harmon  wrote  that  the  "brethering"  were  "all  verry  tiard  and 
wanted  rest,"  but  Oregon  emigrants  continued  to  arrive  in  large  numbers.  On  July 

3  they  had  an  eastbound  visitor  who  bore  a  letter  from  "prest"  Young.  Harmon 
recorded  it  as  follows: 

"June  29,  1847  Little  Sandy 

"Mr.  Thomas  Grover  and  Company 

"we  introduce  to  your  notice  Mr.  James  Bridger  who  we  expect  ed  to  have 
seen  at  his  fort  he  is  now  on  his  way  to  Fort  Laramie  we  wish  you  to  cross 
him&  his  2  men  on  our  a  count  BY  he  was  agoing  to  Laramie  &  expected  to 
return  to  his  fort  in  time  to  Pilot  the  Pioneers  through  to  Salt  Lake  he  said 
that  he  could  take  us  to  a  place  that  would  Suit  us,  thare  ware  4  of  our  Soldiers 
form  Browns  detachment  came  back  with  Mr  Bridger  on  a  furlow  &  was  agoing 
to  the  States." 

The  throngs  of  customers  continued  to  arrive  and  on  July  8  Harmon  noted: 
"thare  was  done  $6.40cts  worth  of  black  Smithing  &  Some  other  jobs  commenced 
Luke  Johnson  got  |3.00  for  cleaning  teeth  &  Doctoring  which  was  put  into  the 
jineral  pile." 

On  July  16  the  Saints  witnessed  a  social  event:  "Stil  remained  here  gitting 
work  done  near  evening  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Cooper  was  married 
to  Kittean  Huckelbee  by  ex  Squire  Tullis  of  said  Company  from  the  State  of 
Indianna." 

The  brethren  accumulated  a  considerable  number  of  cattle  by  their  labors; 
in  caring  for  them  they  were  "assisted  by  Yerick  a  faithful  watch  dog  and  3  or 

4  other  assistant  dogs." 

When  the  tourist  season  was  over  the  Mormon  ferrymen  went  on  to  Fort 
Bridger  for  the  winter,  as  Young  had  told  them  to  do,  and  in  the  spring  Harmon 
returned  to  Winter  Quarters  to  help  his  family  on  the  overland  journey. 

When  Lorenzo  Sawyer  reached  this  place,  in  1850,  Mormons  were  still  carry- 
ing on  the  ferry  business,  but  by  this  time  they  were  willing  to  accept  cash 
payments.  The  charge  was  $4  a  wagon  and  $.25  for  each  head  of  cattle.  The 
Mormons  had  made  additions  to  the  equipment;  a  pulley  and  ropes  drew  some 
wagons  across  the  stream.  Because  of  the  time  needed  to  take  large  numbers 
across  the  river,  various  traders  came  here  at  intervals  to  do  business  while  the 
travelers  awaited  their  turns.  In  June,  1850,  when  Kit  Carson  was  here  with  a 
herd  of  horses  and  mules  for  sajle,  the  banks  of  the  river  were  so  covered  with 
travelers  that  people  had  to  register  and  wait  their  turns  for  ferriage;  some- 
times it  would  be  nearly  a  week  before  they  could  obtain  service  and  fore- 
sighted  companies  approaching  this  place  sent  horsemen  ahead  to  make  reser- 
vations for  them.  The  well-to-do  also  offered  higher  pay  for  quick  service. 

In  1859  Louis  Canard  built  a  thousand-foot  bridge  of  cedar  logs  on  cribs 
filled  with  stone.  The  structure,  which  cost  about  $60,000,  was  called  Platte 
Bridge.  Indians  found  the  spot  favorable  for  raiding  wagon  trains  and  in  July, 
1859,  a  few  droops  were  stationed  here,  but  they  were  withdrawn  in  the  following 
April.  More  troops  were  sent  in  May,  1862,  but  a  formal  post  was  not  estab- 
lished until  1863.  One  of  the  early  telegraph  stations  was  here;  the  Indians 
repeatedly  broke  the  wires  and  burned  the  poles  in  the  area. 

In  the  summer  of  1865  some  three  thousand  Sioux,  Cheyenne,  and  Arapaho 
assembled  under  cover  on  the  hills  north  of  the  river  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  bridge,  planning  to  attack  it.  On  the  morning  of  July  25  a  small  Govern- 
ment wagon  train,  consisting  of  14  teams,  5  wagons,  and  10  soldiers  of  the 
Eleventh  Kansas  Cavalry,  started  for  this  place  from  Sweetwater  Station  (see 
below),  where  they  had  taken  supplies  for  troops.  They  camped  at  Willow 
Spring.  During  the  night  21-year-old  Lt.  Caspar  W.  Collins,  who  had  gone  to 
Fort  Laramie  to  obtain  horses  for  his  men,  arrived  here  on  his  way  to  Sweet- 
water  Station,  where  he  was  then  stationed.  Collins  learned  that  a  large  party 
of  Indians  had  appeared  in  the  afternoon  and  had  driven  off  a  number  of  horses 
from  the  Government  herd.  A  detachment  from  the  garrison,  pursuing  the  Indians, 
had  killed  High-Backed  Wolf,  a  chief. 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  183 

Word  came  that  the  wagon  train  encamped  at  Willow  Spring  was  in  great 
danger.  The  commander  of  the  troops  here  ordered  Lieutenant  Collins  to  pro- 
ceed with  25  men  to  relieve  and  escort  the  train  to  Platte  Bridge.  When  the 
group  advanced  across  the  bridge  they  were  immediately  attacked  by  Indians. 
Collins  and  four  of  his  men  lost  their  lives.  The  wagon  train  that  Collins  and 
his  detachment  had  attempted  to  escort  to  the  fort  was  later  practically  annihil- 
ated (see  below}. 

In  November,  1865,  the  post  at  Platte  Bridge  was  named  FORT  CASPER  in 
honor  of  Lt.  Caspar  Collins.  A  clerical  error  resulted  in  the  spelling,  "Casper." 
The  post  and  the  bridge  have  been  reconstructed. 

Left  from  Casper  on  US  87E,  which  runs  southwest  through  a  stretch 
of  rolling  prairie  and  semidesert  country  along  the  North  Platte  River. 

At  321.7  m.  is  BESSEMER  BEND,  a  pleasant  valley  at  the  west 
end  of  the  Casper  Mountain  foothills  and  along  the  east  bank  of  the 
North  Platte  River.  The  ranches  in  this  valley  are  protected  from  the 
winds  that  usually  sweep  down  over  the  country,  and  a  large  spring  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river  furnishes  water  for  use  in  irrigation. 

In  1812  Robert  Stuart  and  his  six  companions,  on  their  return  trip 
from  Astoria  to  St.  Louis,  erected  a  cabin  in  this  bend  near  where 
Poison  Spider  Creek  flows  into  the  river. 

On  December  10,  Stuart  wrote:  "Relying  with  confidence  on  the 
snugness  of  our  retreat  which  from  its  isolated  situation  we  supposed 
sufficiently  concealed  to  elude  even  the  prying  investigation  of  Indian 
spies,  we  were  astonished  and  confounded  at  hearing  the  savage  yelp 
early  this  morning  in  the  vicinity  of  our  Hut — Seizing  our  arms  we 
rushed  out  when  twenty  three  Arapohays  made  their  appearance  and 
after  the  first  surprise  was  over  (on  either  side)  they  advanced  in  a 
friendly  manner,  telling  us  they  were  on  a  war  excursion  against  the 
Absarokas  who  had  (some  time  ago)  stole  a  great  many  of  their  Horses, 
taken  some  of  their  women  prisoners  &  were  then  on  a  River  six  days 
march  to  the  Northward  where  they  were  going  in  hopes  of  obtaining 
revenge.  .  .  ." 

The  following  day  Stuart  added :  "The  behaviour  of  the  Indians  was 
far  more  regular  and  decent  than  we  had  any  reason  to  expect  from  a 
War  party;  they  threw  up  two  breastworks  of  Logs  where  the  whole 
excepting  Cheif  and  his  Deputy  betook  themselves  to  rest  tolerably 
early;  these  two  we  permitted  to  sleep  in  our  hut,  and  one  of  us  re- 
mained awake  alternately  all  night — They  all  ate  voraciously  and  de- 
parted peaceably  about  10  A.M.  carrying  with  them  a  great  proportion 
of  our  best  meat  in  which  we  willingly  acquiesced — They  begged  a 
good  deal  for  ammunition  but  a  peremptory  refusal  soon  convinced 
them  that  all  demands  of  that  nature  were  unavailing  and  they  laugh- 
ingly relinquished  their  entreaties.  .  .  ." 

Fearing  that  the  Indians  might  return  in  a  different  mood,  the  party 
packed  and  left  the  hut  on  December  13,  moving  eastward  to  camp  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  site  of  modern  Torrington  (see  above). 

Nearby  is  the  SITE  OF  BESSEMER,  a  town  established  in  the  summer 


184  The  Oregon  Trail 

of  1888  and  called  by  its  enthusiastic  citizens  the  "Queen  City  of  the 
West."  The  site  was  surveyed,  49  blocks  were  platted,  and  grounds 
were  reserved  "upon  which  to  erect  the  future  capitol  buildings  of 
Wyoming."  For  a  time  a  stage  ran  twice  daily  between  Casper  and 
Bessemer.  In  1889,  when  Natrona  was  separated  from  Carbon  County, 
Bessemer  was  a  rival  of  Casper  for  the  county  seat.  It  is  said  that  at 
least  three  times  as  many  votes  were  cast  as  there  were  men,  women, 
and  children  in  Bessemer;  Casper  electors  were  said  also  to  have  exer- 
cised their  franchise  more  than  once  that  day.  Only  the  Bessemer  vote 
was  thrown  out,  however,  and  Casper  became  the  seat  of  Natrona 
County.  Two  years  later  the  county  took  over  the  bridge  at  Bessemer 
because  of  unpaid  taxes.  The  town  soon  disappeared. 

Southwestward  the  highway  runs  through  BESSEMER  CANYON, 
also  called  Jackson  Canyon,  for  William  H.  Jackson,  who  served  as 
photographer  in  Dr.  F.  V.  Hayden's  first  Geological  Survey  party  in 
this  area.  The  route  skirts  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Platte  River  for  two 
miles.  From  the  western  end  of  the  canyon  the  PEDRO  MOUNTAINS, 
with  GARFIELD  PEAK  of  the  Rattlesnake  Range  beyond,  are  visible  (R). 

At  322.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  road. 

Right  on  this  dirt  road  to  THE  GOOSE  EGG  RANCH,  2.5  m.,  whose  large  stone 
house  was  built  in  1880.  The  lumber,  hardware,  and  other  material  were  hauled 
by  freight  teams  from  Cheyenne,  a  distance  of  225  miles.  This  was  the  scene 
of  an  incident  described  in  Owen  "Wister's  The  Virginian;  two  cowboys  decided 
to  play  a  joke  on  their  friends  who  were  attending  a  dance  here,  and  secretly 
exchanged  the  clothing  and  blankets  on  the  sleeping  infants  of  the  dancers.  The 
parents  did  not  discover  the  mistake  until  early  morning  when  they  had  driven 
many  miles  on  their  homeward  journeys. 

The  dirt  road  runs  through  the  supposed  RED  BUTTES  BATTLEFIELD, 
4  m.  In  this  battle  which  occurred  July  26,  1865,  21  out  of  24  men  were  killed. 
The  men,  under  the  command  of  Sgt.  Amos  J.  Custart,  left  Sweetwater  Station 
on  July  25  (see  above),  after  having  been  warned  that  Indians  were  gathering  in 
the  neighborhood.  Nonetheless,  Custart  refused  to  make  a  forced  march  to  the 
Platte  Bridge  and  went  into  camp  for  the  night  near  Willow  Spring.  In  the 
meantime  Collins  was  being  started  from  Platte  Bridge  Station  to  escort  the 
wagons  to  safety.  Custart's  company  was  attacked  by  warriors  of  five  tribes: 
Cheyenne,  Sioux,  Arapaho,  Blackfeet,  and  Comanche.  Three  of  the  whites  escaped 
by  running  to  the  river.  The  others  sought  the  shelter  of  the  wagons,  which 
were  quickly  corralled.  The  Indians  rolled  logs  in  front  of  themselves  as  breast- 
works, gradually  overwhelmed  the  soldiers,  and  mutilated  their  bodies  beyond 
recognition. 

At  324.7  m.  are  the  RED  BUTTES  (R).  There  is  a  sharp  contrast 
between  the  fertile  Platte  River  Valley  and  the  alkali  and  sand  country 
to  the  west.  A  sign  here  says  that  the  Battle  of  Red  Buttes  was  fought 
here  on  July  26,  1865,  but  the  actual  site  of  the  battle  (see  above)  is 
some  four  miles  from  the  buttes. 

FREMONT'S  ISLAND,  338.7  m.,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  North 
Platte  River,  is  the  site  of  a  camp  of  Lt.  John  C.  Fremont  when  on  his 
first  trip  to  the  Far  West  in  1842. 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  185 

ALCOVA,  342.9  m.  (6,000  alt.),  is  in  a  beautiful  valley  encircled 
by  rock-ribbed  hills.  The  townsite  was  purchased  in  1891  by  an  eastern 
syndicate;  a  score  or  more  hot  springs  flowed  at  that  time  from  the 
solid  rock  walls  of  the  nearby  canyon  and  the  promoters  of  the  town 
attempted  to  popularize  the  place  as  a  health  resort.  Despite  the  efforts 
of  the  company,  the  settlement  remained  small  for  more  than  40  years. 
In  1933  new  life  was  injected  into  the  town  as  a  result  of  the  Con- 
gressional appropriation  for  an  irrigation  project. 

1.  Left  from  Alcova  on  a  graveled  road  to  the  major  site  of  the  CASPER- 
ALCOVA  IRRIGATION  AND  POWER  DEVELOPMENT,  1  m.  A  total  of  $22,- 
700,000  was  originally  earmarked  for  this  project  by  the  Public  Works  Adminis- 
tration, but  the  amount  was  later  reduced  to  $7,000,000.  The  project  includes 
the  Seminoe  Dam,  the  Alcova  Diversion  Dam,  and  the  Casper  main  canal.  It  has 
two   units,  containing  35,000  acres  and  31,000   acres   apiece. 

2.  Left  from  Alcova  on  a  trail  to  the  Grand  Canyon  of  the  Platte  in  which 
are  the  FIERY  NARROWS,  7  m.,  so  named  by  Robert  Stuart  and  his  party, 
who  were  here  on  October  31,  1812.  The  name  of  the  canyon  has  been  changed 
a   number   of   times;    it   is   now   commonly   called    Pathfinder    Canyon.    On   the 
northern  rim,  500  feet  above  the  turbulent  waters  of  the  river,  are  the  REMAINS 
OF  A  CABIN,  whose  roof  is  a  ledge  projecting  16  or  18  feet.  The  sides,  chimney, 
and  fireplace  are  built  of  flat  rocks.  A  hole  in  the  front  wall,  evidently  a  door- 
way, was  probably  covered  with  cowhides  in  winter.  A  high  window  in  the  eastern 
wall  commands  a  wide  view.  It  is  said  that  in  the  early  days  half  a  doze«  cattle 
rustlers  used  this  cabin  as  a  hide-out. 

3.  Left  from  Alcova  on  a  rough,  lonely  trail  to  MONUMENT  CREEK,  18  m., 
and  a  spot  marked  with  a  slab  of  rough  Pennsylvania  granite.  S.  Morris  Wain  of 
Haverford,  Pa.,  and  C.  H.   Strong  of  New  York  City  went  West  early  in  the 
spring  of  1888  on  a  hunting  and  prospecting  trip.  They  had  a  wagon,  a  team  of 
mules,  and  two  saddle  ponies;  a  man  named  O'Brien  had  been  hired  in  Denver 
to  act  as  cook,  guide,  and  teamster.  Near  Rock  Creek,  Wyo.,  they  found  game  in 
abundance  and  remained  in  that  vicinity  two  days.  Half  a  month  later  the  bodies 
of  two  men  were  discovered  here  by  cowboys  riding  the  range.  Various  clues, 
including  a  letter  that  had  been  torn  up  and  scattered  near  a  campfire,  established 
the  identities  of  the  murdered  men  as  Wain  and  Strong.  O'Brien,  the  murderer, 
was  trailed  to   Aspen,   Colo.,  where  he   had   disposed   of   the   mules   and   other 
property  stolen  from  the  travelers.   From  Aspen  he  went  to   Colorado   Springs, 
and  there  stole  some  horses.  He  was  later  captured,  tried  and  convicted  of  horse 
stealing,  and  sentenced  to  14  years  in  the  penitentiary.  He  was  never  tried  for  the 
Wyoming  murders. 

West  of  Alcova  US  87E  runs  through  open  country  where  antelope 
are  frequently  seen;  it  leaves  the  North  Platte  banks. 
At  348.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  the  PATHFINDER  DAM,  6  m.,  completed  in  1919  at  an 
approximate  cost  of  $1,200,000.  The  dam  is  95  feet  wide  and  218  feet  high.  At 
the  base  are  tunnels  and  a  culvert  through  which  three  huge  columns  of  water 
rush  forth  in  a  foaming  spray.  The  Pathfinder  Reservoir  spreads  over  22,700 
acres.  Large  diversion  tunnels,  cut  through  solid  granite,  are  on  both  sides  of 
the  river. 

At  355.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 


186  The  Oregon  Trail 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  SITE  OF  BOTHWELL,  2  m.  During  the  summer 
of  1889  the  town  had  a  store,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  newspaper  called  the 
Sweetwater  Chief,  a  post  office,  and  a  saloon  owned  by  Jim  Averell.  But  the 
owner  suspended  publication  of  the  newspaper  for  lack  of  news  and  support, 
the  storekeeper  moved  away,  the  blacksmith  shop  was  closed,  and  the  settlers 
drifted  away.  Two  graves  remain — those  of  Jim  Averell  and  his  consort,  Ella 
Watson.  Ella,  known  as  Cattle  Kate,  ran  a  hog  ranch  near  AverelPs  saloon  and 
store.  Averell's  place  was  a  hang-out  for  rustlers,  though  cowboys  also  came  there 
for  a  night's  carousal;  before  they  left  the  place  Averell  usually  had  all  their 
money  and  Cattle  Kate  had  the  promise  of  her  brand  on  from  one  to  half  a  dozen 
calves.  In  a  few  months  Kate's  fenced-in  pasture  held  a  herd  of  questionable 
origin.  Cattle  owners  of  the  neighborhood  decided  that  drastic  measures  must 
be  adopted.  Accordingly,  a  group  of  cowmen  took  Averell  and  the  woman  to 
Spring  Creek  gulch,  some  five  miles  from  Averell's  place,  and  hanged  them 
from  the  limbs  of  a  scrub  pine.  The  deputy  sheriff,  who  later  found  the  bodies, 
brought  them  back  here  for  burial.  In  time  six  men  accused  of  the  lynching 
were  arrested  but  the  case  was  dismissed. 

At  366.9  m.  the  highway  is  across  the  river  from  the  SITE  OF 
SWEETWATER  STATION  at  the  Sweetwater  Crossing.  The  highway  here 
runs  close  to  the  Oregon  Trail.  James  Abbey  found  the  Sweetwater  "a 
small  stream  of  clear  water,  twenty  yards  wide,  with  a  very  swift  cur- 
rent. The  country  is  quite  barren  and  grass  very  short;  no  wood,  even 
for  culinary  purposes,  our  substitute  for  which  is  wild  sage  and  buffalo 
chips.  Near  this  point  are  several  small  lakes,  the  water  of  which  has 
evaporated,  leaving  deposits  or  incrustations  of  carbonate  of  soda.  They 
resemble  ponds  of  frozen  water.  Several  trains  of  emigrants  have  here 
supplied  themselves  with  saleratus  for  culinary  purposes.  .  .  ." 

Sweetwater  Station  was  a  military  post  established  by  the  Govern- 
ment for  the  protection  of  travelers  on  the  trail.  Fights  with  the  Indians 
were  frequent  in  this  vicinity.  On  April  3,  1863,  Indians,  presumably 
Cheyenne,  attacked  the  station,  but  were  driven  off  after  they  had  se- 
verely wounded  one  soldier. 

In  1849  Appleton  Harmon,  sent  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  take  up  his 
work  again  at  the  ferry,  wrote  of  an  incident  in  this  area : 

"While  passing  from  Independance  Rock  to  Willow  Springs  a  party 
of  Crow  Indians  came  up  with  us  and  traveled  along  with  us.  as  we 
ware  passing  large  herds  of  Buffalo  &  antilope  we  though  to  avail  our 
Selves  of  a  Supply  of  the  former,  and  acordingly  commenced  our  pur- 
suit, the  indians  Joined  in  the  chace  and  one  of  the  expert  ones  Seemed 
to  take  the  lead  Charged  upon  a  herd  and  run  them  until  the  fattest 
ones  began  to  lag  behind  then  selected  his  choice,  &  prohibited  eneyone 
to  fire  at  it  until  he  give  the  Signal  they  chaced  the  Cow  to  the  road 
and  to  the  verry  place  whare  we  ware  to  camp  then  gave  the  Signal 
when  a  Shower  of  arrows  &  musketry  was  pourd  into  the  fatieuged 
animal  which  brought  her  to  the  ground  we  drove  up  our  waggons  and 
camped  for  the  night,  dressed  the  Buffalo  and  kept  a  dilegent  watch 
through  the  night  for  fear  of  treacherey  and  next  day  proceeded  on 
accompanied  by  the  Indian  party  who  ware  Swaped  for  theirs  some 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  187 

times  gitting  2  &  3  for  one  ...  we  sloped  at  the  Willow  Springs  for 
our  noon  halt  whare  we  finished  our  trades  and  after  our  refreshment 
Started  on  and  Br.  M.  D.  Hambleton  haveing  taried  a  fiew  maments  in 
trying  to  make  a  nother  trade,  as  we  ware  perhaps  3  or  4  hundred 
yards  distant  and  just  passed  over  a  little  hill  one  Indian  catched  his 
horse  the  others  pulled  him  off  and  gave  him  in  exchange  a  quiver  Bow 
&  3  arrows  and  exclamed  in  Broken  English  Swap  Swap,  acompaning 
the  expresion  with  a  sighn  Signifying  the  Same  they  then  mounted  their 
horses  and  drove  off  their  prize  in  a  South  wester  ly  direction  direction 
over  the  Sand  hills  at  the  light  of  Speed  and  by  the  time  Br.  Hamble- 
ton came  up  with  us  and  had  told  his  Story  the  red  skims  ware  out  of 
Sight  and  probablly  2  miles  distant." 

In  April,  1850,  a  General  Conference  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-Day  Saints  meeting  at  Salt  Lake  City  appointed  Harmon  an 
elder  of  the  Church  and  drafted  him  for  a  period  of  missionary  work 
in  England.  Shortly  afterward  he  set  out  for  "the  States"  with  other 
missionaries  and  resumed  the  writing  of  a  daily  journal.  On  this  over- 
land journey  he  met  many  of  the  victims  of  the  gold  rush  fever;  some 
were  near  South  Pass  in  May,  having  come  from  the  Missouri  in  an 
incredibly  short  time — 39  days. 

On  May  17  he  wrote:  "This  morning  we  found  the  river  risen  con- 
ciderable  but  forthunately  we  ware  acrost  it  but  the  golddiggers  had  it 
yet  to  cross,  it  put  them  to  conciderable  trouble,  meney  of  them  got 
their  goods  wet  and  one  waggon  capsised,  and  Blankets,  Kettles,  Pans, 
Bottles,  Buckets,  and  lumber  could  be  seen  floating  off  down  the  river, 
Several  men  jumped  in  to  save  all  they  could  and  right  waggon  while 
others  followed  down  the  stream  to  save  the  floating  articles  as  they 
would  come  near  to  the  shore  in  passing  a  bend  in  the  river  and  Some- 
times wadeing  in  up  to  their  middles  to  catch  a  passing  article,  in  this 
way  they  Saved  most  of  their  goods  altho  their  sugar  flour  and  Salt 
would  be  a  total  loss." 

On  May  21  "we  met  a  hardy  Scotch  man  with  his  all  upon  a  wheel 
barrow  going  to  the  gold  mines,  he  had  traveled  in  this  way  one  thou- 
sand miles  and  felt  encouraged  with  the  prospects  before  him  and  fully 
believed  that  he  could  make  the  journey  in  that  way.  and  said  he  could 
travel  as  fast  as  eney  of  the  horses  or  mule  teams — that  he  never  lost 
eney  Sleep  for  fear  of  a  Stampeed  or  of  his  bosses  being  Stole  by  the 
Indians." 

By  June  3,  1850,  Harmon,  now  a  seasoned  overland  traveler,  had 
become  exasperated  by  the  foolhardy  manner  in  which  the  men  rushing 
to  the  mines  had  equipped  and  were  conducting  themselves. 

"We  met  a  continual  Stream  of  Emegration  for  the  mines  runing 
meney  of  them  half  prepaird  frantick  mad  Crasey  or  distracted,  be- 
cause a  Latter-day  Saint,  had  in  California  oncaped  Some  of  the  Shine- 
ing  Ore,  and  exposed  it  in  all  its  tempting  excitement  to  a  frantick 
world  who  with  eager  spetites  Swallowed  down  everey  favourable  tale 


188  The  Oregon  Trail 

of  a  few  forthunate  ones  whose  Stories  lost  nothing  by  being  often 
told  until  they  had  increased  the  desire  for  gold  in  to  a  dreadful  malady, 
known  as  the  (yellow)  Gold  fever  which  during  this  year  1850  is  car- 
reying  off  an  agregate  of  40000  Souls  via.  an  overland  route  to  Cali- 
fornia and  like  the  Colerey  it  did  not  give  them  eney  to  mutch  warning 
to  prepair  for  their  long  Journey  of  two  thousand  miles  a  cross  ex- 
tensive plains  deserts  streams  and  ruged  mountains,  and  they  in  their 
hurey  had  started  none  to  well  prepaird.  and  it  was  not  uncomon  to 
see  a  man  that  his  horse  had  died  or  been  stolen  by  the  Indians,  with 
a  rifle  and  pack  on  his  back,  with  Scarce  a  weeks  provisions,  following 
in  the  wild  prevelent  excitement  faceing  the  ruged  path,  that  I  had  just 
passed  over  a  part  of,  then  on  over  ruged  ways,  Crosing  the  Sirenavada 
Mts.  their  paths  ware  yet  1200  miles  long  yet." 

INDEPENDENCE  ROCK,  367.2  m.  (L),  a  landmark  on  the  Ore- 
gon Trail  covering  an  area  of  more  than  53  acres,  resembles  a  huge 
prehistoric  animal  sprawling  on  the  arid  plain.  Almost  every  one  who 
traveled  through  South  Pass  camped  near  the  formation — and  before 
1850  most  of  them  found  enough  energy  to  climb  it  and  paint  their 
names  in  black,  red,  or  yellow  on  its  face.  By  that  year  several  Mor- 
mons "with  stone-cutting  tools  were  located  on  the  spot  and  did  a 
profitable  business  in  cutting  names  on  the  rock  at  a  charge  of  from 
one  to  five  dollars,  according  to  the  location,"  as  an  emigrant,  Theodore 
Potter,  reported.  Potter,  who  displayed  the  usual  hostility  of  the  period 
toward  the  Saints,  added  bitterly  that  after  the  Mormons  had  "made  a 
nice  fortune  from  the  emigrants  by  cutting  their  names  for  a  fancy 
price,  and  when  they  had  passed  on  erasing  their  names  and  cutting 
others  in  their  places."  It  is  apparent  that  Potter  had  hoped  to  im- 
mortalize his  name  here,  because  he  ended  the  story  with  "So  transient 
is  our  fame." 

When  Wyeth  went  by  in  1834  the  custom  of  autographing  this  rock 
was  already  well  established ;  a  member  of  his  party,  examining  names, 
found  that  two  Sublettes,  Captain  Bonneville,  Fontanelle,  and  many 
others  had  left  their  records  for  posterity  on  the  hard  face.  Fremont 
in  1842  innocently  left  a  mark  that  was  later  to  embarrass  him;  remem- 
bering that  many  whose  names  and  initials  were  there  had  already  died, 
he  thought  of  the  formation  as  a  giant  gravestone  and  left  a  large  cross 
on  it,  covered  with  "a  black  preparation  of  India-rubber,  well  calcu- 
lated to  resist  the  influence  of  wind  and  rain."  At  some  later  time  a 
group  of  migrants  who  were  hostile  to  Roman  Catholicism  dynamited 
the  rock  at  this  point  to  destroy  what  they  considered  a  symbol  of  that 
sect.  At  the  time  when  Fremont  was  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency, 
the  fact  that  he  had  placed  the  cross  here  was  used  to  inflame  feeling 
against  him. 

No  one  knows  who  first  gave  the  rock  its  name,  but  it  is  assumed 
that  a  party  of  traders  did  so  after  celebrating  the  Fourth  of  July  near 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  189 

it.  On  July  4,  1862,  a  group  of  Masons  held  a  lodge  meeting  on  top 
of  the  rock  and  the  State  lodge  in  1920  commemorated  the  event  with 
a  plaque  that  was  cemented  to  the  face.  Since  then  a  number  of  other 
commemorative  plates  have  been  added.  On  July  4,  1930,  the  rock  was 
formally  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  the  pioneers  of  the  West  in  the 
course  of  the  Covered- Wagon  Centennial  sponsored  by  the  Oregon  Trail 
Memorial  Association. 

It  was  in  this  area  that  westbound  travelers  neared  the  most  diffi- 
cult stage  of  their  journeys.  The  oxen  and  cattle  were  beginning  to 
show  the  strain  of  the  overland  haul  and  anxious  householders  spent 
their  evenings  anointing  sore  hoofs  with  grease  and  gunpowder,  or 
other  home  remedies,  and  padding  the  yokes  that  were  making  ugly 
sores  on  the  necks  of  the  oxen.  Many  articles  that  had  seemed  indis- 
pensable at  earlier  stages  of  the  journeys — when  fine  furniture  and  like 
vanities  were  discarded — were  here  recklessly  thrown  away  in  the  hope 
of  lightening  the  loads.  In  the  1850's  and  1860's  the  area  around  Inde- 
pendence Rock  and  westward  was  strewn  with  anvils,  bellows,  plows, 
bar  iron,  stoves,  kegs,  axes,  and  even  extra  wheels  and  axletrees. 

US  87E  bears  southwest  from  Independence  Rock,  crossing  flat  sage- 
covered  country  along  the  Sweetwater  to  DEVIL'S  GATE,  373  m.,  a 
cleft  in  the  granite  mountain.  The  river  turns  abruptly  west  and  passes 
through  the  chasm. 

Many  of  the  Mormon  Pioneers  attempted  to  explore  the  gate;  the 
group  that  included  Brigham  Young  reported  gayly  on  their  return  that 
the  devil  would  not  let  them  pass.  The  brethren  with  whom  Clayton 
visited  the  gap  fired  off  a  rifle  and  rolled  pieces  of  rock  into  the  cre- 
vasses in  order  to  hear  thundering  reverberations.  The  walls  of  the 
gorge  are  of  gray  granite.  A  streak  of  black  granite  running  from  the 
bottom  to  the  top  of  the  southern  ridge  at  first  sight  appears  to  be  a 
roadway.  Neither  the  appearance  of  the  gorge  nor  any  other  evidence 
indicates  that  the  opening  was  cut  by  erosion.  It  seems  rather  to  have 
been  formed  by  some  convulsion  of  nature.  The  chasm,  330  feet  deep,  is 
only  30  feet  wide  at  the  bottom.  Capt.  Hiram  M.  Chittenden,  who  with  a 
corps  of  engineers  made  an  investigation  of  the  gorge  in  1901-02  with  a 
view  to  constructing  a  dam,  pronounced  the  gate  "one  of  the  most 
notable  features  of  its  kind  in  the  world." 

During  the  days  when  the  Indians  were  actively  opposing  the  white 
advance,  they  frequently  lay  in  ambush  not  far  from  this  place.  Troops 
were  sent  here  at  intervals  in  the  1860's  to  provide  protection. 

In  the  early  1860's  four  women,  members  of  a  train  camped  at  this 
point,  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  ridge  above  the  gorge.  One  of  them,  18 
years  old,  venturing  too  close  to  the  edge,  fell  and  was  killed.  She  was 
buried  in  the  gorge  and  her  grave  board  was  inscribed  with  this  epitaph : 

"Here  lies  the  body  of  Caroline  Todd 
Whose  soul  has  lately  gone  to  God; 


190  The  Oregon  Trail 

Ere  redemption  was  too  late, 

She  was  redeemed  at  Devil's  Gate." 

At  375.3  m.  is  a  monument  erected  in  memory  of  the  Mormon 
handcart  party  marooned  here  in  1856.  This  company  (see  SECTION 
3),  containing  576  European  converts,  was  the  last  to  start.  It  was  late 
in  the  year  when  they  reached  central  Wyoming,  and  they  met  storms 
and  blizzards.  One  by  one  they  gave  up,  and  groups  were  strung  along 
the  route  for  about  a  hundred  miles.  When  Brigham  Young  was  ap- 
prised of  their  plight  he  dispatched  20  wagons  loaded  with  provisions. 
Members  of  the  rescue  party  were  shocked  by  the  condition  of  those 
who  were  still  alive  and  by  the  number  that  had  died  of  cold  and 
hunger.  More  than  a  hundred  died  near  here  in  nine  days;  they  were 
buried  in  a  trench  two  miles  above  the  gate. 

In  telling  of  his  journey  past  this  place  in  1843,  Fremont  dictated 
to  bright-eyed  Jessie:  "Here  passes  the  road  to  Oregon;  and  the  broad 
smooth  highway,  where  the  numerous  heavy  wagons  of  the  emigrants 
had  entirely  crushed  the  artemisia,  was  a  happy  exchange  to  our  poor 
animals." 

At  MUDDY  GAP,  386.5  m.,  is  the  junction  with  US  287. 

Left  here  on  US  287,  following  Muddy  Creek.  At  47  m.,  in  RAWLINS,  is  a 
junction  with  US  30  (see  SECTION  7). 

Right  from  Muddy  Gap  on  US  287,  here  having  a  graveled  road- 
bed and  following  the  early  overland  route  for  about  34  miles.  (From 
this  point  westward  there  is  no  paved  route  uniting  the  Alternate  Route 
with  US  30;  those  following  the  Alternate  Route  west  of  this  point, 
and  particularly  those  considering  travel  through  South  Pass,  should 
make  careful  inquiries  locally  concerning  conditions  of  travel.  This 
route  is  passable  only  during  summer  months.  Supplies  should  include 
a  good  spare  tire,  a  rope,  and  food  for  emergency  use.  Be  sure  gas  tank 
is  full.) 

US  287  runs  northwest  approaching  the  Sweetwater  and  then  west- 
ward at  the  foot  of  the  northern  slope  of  the  Green  Mountains.  Emi- 
grant guidebooks  warned  travelers  of  sandy  and  difficult  roads  in  this 
area  and  gave  divergent  advice  as  to  which  bank  of  the  Sweetwater 
should  be  followed  westward. 

At  397.8  m.  is  SPLIT  ROCK  (R),  a  rocky  ridge  with  a  deep  cleft. 
It  was  a  landmark  on  the  overland  trail. 

At  about  408.9  m.  US  287  runs  near  the  SITE  OF  THREE  CROSS- 
INGS, a  telegraph  and  stage  station  of  the  1860's  that  was  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  river,  near  the  mouth  of  Sage  Hen  Creek. 

The  highway  traverses  country  that  is  pungent  with  the  odor  of 
sagebrush.  Antelope  and  sage  chickens  are  plentiful  here. 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  191 

HUDSONS,  431.2  m.,  is  chiefly  a  post  office  and  filling  station  by 
the  old  SWEETWATER  BRIDGE,  on  which  US  287  crosses  the  river.  Troops 
were  stationed  here  at  various  times  to  escort  the  covered-wagon  trains. 

The  Journal  of  William  Knox,  kept  during  the  overland  journey  in 
1855,  contains  a  typical  record  of  experiences  in  this  area:  "it  is  very 
Cold  Lion  one  of  my  oxen  came  in  from  the  herd  with  A  sore  foot 
the  11  Setterday  .  .  .  my  ox  is  very  lame  we  Camped  314^/2  Miles 
from  the  velly  I  got  my  ox  thron  down  and  dressed  his  foot  with  lard 
and  gun  Powder  I  have  got  two  oxen  lame  out  of  the  four 

"the  12  Sunday  this  morning  we  renewed  our  journey  sore  against 
my  mind  on  account  of  it  being  Sunday  I  wanted  the  oxen  to  rest  but 
I  had  to  submit  we  traveled  about  Miles  and  Camped  for  the  Day 

"the  13  Monday  one  ox  left  and  traveled  about  15  Miles 

"the  14  Tusday  we  renewed  our  journy  and  Crossed  this  smal  river 
the  5  time  we  travled  about  22  miles  my  ox  is  very  lam  I  feel  sorry 
for  him  this  Day  is  A  very  heavy  Day  Sandy  Roads  the  oxen  is  giving 
out  My  ox  feel  down 

"the  15  Wednesday  this  morning  I  got  my  ox  have  down  and  tried  to 
Cut  open  his  foot  by  working  A  small  Roap  back  and  forward  within 
his  Clews  untill  the  Blood  came  and  then  power  into  his  foot  boiling 
Tar  one  ox  died  this  morning  Belonging  to  Bro.  Aston  there  is  no  feed 
at  this  Creek  we  started  very  soon  this  Morning  I  got  A  Boy  to  drive 
my  teem  and  I  drove  Lion  that  is  the  name  of  My  ox  that  is  lame  .  .  . 
I  did  feel  like  sloping  at  this  place  on  acount  of  the  feed  and  the  poor 
ox  I  started  after  the  wagons  with  my  poor  ox  some  times  upon  his 
feet  and  some  times  down  I  got  him  about  7  Miles  past  this  place  and 
had  to  leave  him  where  the  Road  wind  round  A  section  of  Hills  for 
three  Miles  I  got  him  about  A  Mile  from  the  River  Bro.  Burgas  fur- 
nished me  with  one  I  feel  thankful  for  the  same" 

At  432.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road  that  follows  the  over- 
land trail  (see  below)  through  South  Pass. 

Right  (straight  ahead)  at  the  junction,  continuing  on  US  287.  (For  full 
description  of  this  route  between  Hudsons  and  Fort  Washakie,  see  WYOMING 
GUIDE.) 

At  31.7  m.  from  the  junction  near  Hudsons  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road 
that  is  passable  for  automobiles  during  the  summer.  (Drive  with  care.)  This 
offers  the  only  automobile  approach  to  South  Pass  at  present.  Left  24  m.  on  this 
road  which  passes  through  ATLANTIC  CITY  (limited  accommodations),  and 
SOUTH  PASS  CITY,  26  m.,  now  merely  a  store  and  gasoline  station.  Gold  was 
discovered  near  here  in  1842  by  an  employee  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  who 
was  killed  by  Indians  shortly  afterward.  It  was  1855,  however,  before  prospectors 
arrived.  Mining  was  carried  on  intermittently,  with  little  luck  until  1867,  when 
what  became  the  Carissa  mine  was  discovered.  South  Pass  City  came  into  ex- 
istence almost  overnight  and  it  is  said  to  have  had  a  population  of  about  four 
thousand  at  one  time.  Its  history  is  that  of  many  old  western  mining  towns 
that  are  now  ghosts.  In  1869  it  won  world-wide  notoriety  when  William  Bright, 
a  tent-dwelling  citizen,  became  a  member  of  Wyoming's  first  Territorial  Legisla- 
ture and,  moved  perhaps  by  the  dearth  of  "ladies"  in  the  area,  introduced  and 
put  through  the  bill  that  gave  women  full  and  unrestricted  franchise. 


192  The  Oregon  Trail 

At  35  m.  on  the  dirt  road,  close  to  South  Pass,  is  the  junction  with  the 
main  course  of  the  Alternate  Route  (see  below). 

US  287  runs  northwest  beyond  the  junction  with  the  dirt  road  to  South  Pass 
City.  LANDER,  39  m.,  has  adequate  accommodations  (see  WYOMING  GUIDE). 

At  Lander  is  the  junction  (L)  with  State  287;  the  route  continues  on  State 
287,  which  runs  through  the  Wind  River  Reservation. 

At  53.6  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  1  m.  on  this  road  to  WIND  RIVER,  the  original  settlement  on  the 
reservation.  Here  is  an  old  blockhouse  with  portholes,  used  by  the  settlers  and 
soldiers  as  a  fortification. 

The  road  continues  to  the  old  WIND  RIVER  CEMETERY,  3.2  m.,  which  contains 
what  is  probably  the  GRAVE  OF  SACAJAWEA,  the  Boat  Pusher,  often  mistranslated 
Bird  Woman;  the  woman  buried  here  died  on  April  4,  1884.  There  has  been 
much  controversy  about  the  death  of  the  woman  who  guided  and  aided  the 
Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  on  its  trip  to  and  from  the  Pacific  Coast  in  1804-5. 
On  the  basis  of  a  single  entry  in  a  post  record  that  the  "wife  of  Charbonneau" 
had  died,  it  has  been  contended  that  the  Shoshone  woman  died  when  a  young 
woman.  Painstaking  research  by  two  people,  one  representing  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment, has  amassed  a  record  of  incidents  and  evidence,  not  yet  refuted,  to 
prove  that  Sacajawea  eventually  left  her  half-breed  husband,  married  a  Comanche, 
left  the  Comanche  reservation  after  his  death,  and  rejoined  her  fellow-tribesmen 
about  1843.  A  few  stories  are  told  of  her  later  years.  One  concerns  her  efforts 
to  reconcile  her  relatives  to  the  white  invaders,  whom  she  had  aided  in  their 
first  penetration  of  her  homeland.  Another  tells  of  her  constant  repetition  of 
the  story  of  the  "big  fish"  she  saw  on  the  Pacific  Coast  (see  SECTION  14) 
and  of  her  auditors'  scornful  "Liar!"  There  are  also  tales  of  her  wanderlust, 
which  moved  Slade,  the  stage-line  division  agent,  to  give  her  a  pass  enabling 
her  to  visit  the  West  Coast  again. 

FORT  WASHAKIE,  54.6  m.  (5,570  alt.,  30  pop.),  is  the  U.  S.  Indian  Bureau 
Agency  for  the  Wind  River  (Shoshone)  Indian  Reservation. 

Left  from  US  287  on  the  dirt  road  (impassable  for  automobiles,  1938)  branch- 
ing near  Hudsons  (see  page  191  at  432  m.).  The  road  follows  the  Sweetwater  and 
also  the  broad  course  of  the  old  trail  to  South  Pass.  The  rise  to  this  pass  is  gentle 
but  the  scenery  has  a  grandeur  that  is  typical  of  the  area  along  the  Continental 
Divide. 

At  442.7  m.  (R)  is  the  SITE  OF  ST.  MARY'S  TELEGRAPH  STA- 
TION, also  called  Rocky  Ridge. 

During  the  brief  existence  of  the  Pony  Express  the  riders  used  South 
Pass.  It  was  one  of  the  pleasures  of  migrants  to  watch  the  swift  passage 
of  "The  Mail."  The  riders  loved  to  put  on  impressive  bursts  of  speed 
as  they  passed  the  plodding  trains,  but  they  were  grateful  for  the  pro- 
tection afforded  by  the  wagon  trains  in  areas  such  as  this,  where  there 
were  many  hiding  places  for  Indians.  Except  during  July,  August,  and 
September,  when  most  of  the  trains  poured  over  the  Divide,  the  ride 
took  courage.  During  the  Pony  Express  days  the  panic  of  the  Indians 
was  mounting.  Between  reckless  slaughter  for  beef,  for  pleasure,  and 
for  hides  to  make  sleigh  and  carriage  robes,  extermination  of  the  buf- 
falo was  progressing  rapidly.  Indian  fathers  faced  the  winters  without 
adequate  supplies  of  meat — their  chief  foodstuff — for  their  families; 
slow,  dreadful  starvation  seemed  the  fate  of  all  the  tribesmen.  While 
they  did  not  dare  attack  well-organized  trains,  lone  riders  were  objects 
of  their  vengeance. 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  193 

The  road  forks  Rock  Creek  at  449.7  m.  A  short  distance  upstream 
near  this  creek  is  the  CAMPSITE  OF  WILLIE'S  COMPANY  of  the 
Mormon  handcart  migration  of  1856.  This  was  one  of  the  brigades  that 
started  westward  late  in  the  season  and  reached  the  mountains  after 
winter  had  begun ;  the  first  severe  storm  overtook  them  near  the  Upper 
Platte  Crossing.  The  hardier  struggled  on.  Help  was  rushed  to  the  im- 
migrants from  Salt  Lake  City  (see  above)  but  many  succumbed.  Most 
of  the  survivors  were  carried  or  escorted  to  Salt  Lake  City  but  a  few 
men  were  left  behind  at  Devil's  Gate  to  guard  the  property  that  had 
to  be  abandoned  on  the  road. 

When  Appleton  Harmon  returned  to  Wyoming  with  his  family  in 
1848  on  their  way  to  Salt  Lake  City,  he  wrote  feelingly  of  his  hunting 
experiences  along  the  Sweetwater:  "when  the  camp  was  leying  Still,  I 
went  with  5  or  6  others  after  tramping  untill  the  Sun  began  to  approach 
toward  the  western  Horizen  we  discovered  the  object  of  our  Search 
namely  a  band  of  Buffalo,  we  then  Cast  lots  which  2  of  us  Should  go 
and  commence  an  assult.  it  fell  on  my  Self  and  Ira  Spaulding.  after 
Crawling  for  Conciderable  distance  we  keeping  a  Small  bunch  of  grees- 
wood  between  us  and  the  Buffalo  we  Suceeded  in  giting  with  in  rifle 
Shot  we  then  commenced  our  attact  both  rifle  Shots  took  affect  the 
wounded  anamal  ran  a  flew  yards  and  Stoped  and  we  had  to  wait  for 
him  to  die  not  dareing  to  approach  him  while  he  had  life  for  he  was 
rather  a  ferotious  loking  and  acting  Sort  of  anamal.  we  then  dressed 
the  buffalo  took  each  of  us  a  back  load  and  Started  for  our  Camp  and 
the  Sun  went  behind  one  of  the  grey  granate  range  of  the  Sweet  waiter 
Mts.  and  son  its  gilding  rays  upon  the  Snow  coverd  peak  gradually 
disappeards  and  the  red  Sky  of  the  west  turned  grey  like  other  parts 
of  the  Horison  and  the  little  Stars  grew  bright  and  twinkled  in  the  dis- 
tance, the  moon  cold  and  pale  was  watched  as  it  began  to  Sink  behaind 
those  ruged  peaks  that  a  Short  time  preveous  had  Concealec  the  King 
of  day  from  our  view,  while  we  ware  taking  what  proved  to  be  a  cir- 
cuitous route,  as  we  passed  a  long  the  Hard  beaten  trails  of  the  Buf- 
falo the  Smell  of  the  fresh  meat  caused  the  wolves  to  howl  and  follow 
our  track,  we  after  Clambering  over  one  or  2  raged  Cliffs  and  long! 
long!  walk  at  last  came  in  Sight  of  our  Camp  fires  and  after  2  hours 
smart  walking  came  tired  to  our  camp  about  2  O'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  I  had  40  Ibs  of  good  Beef  for  my  day  and  nights  work." 

BURNT  RANCH,  464.7  m.,  a  stage  and  telegraph  station  of  the 
early  days,  was  twice  burned  by  Indians.  Here  was  the  eastern  end  of 
the  Lander  Road,  the  only  part  of  the  road  to  Oregon  that  was  im- 
proved by  the  Federal  Government.  It  was  a  cut-off  to  Fort  Hall  and 
crossed  the  Divide  through  a  gap  north  of  South  Pass  and  500  feet 
higher.  It  was  built  between  1857  and  1859  and  named  for  Col.  F.  W. 
Lander,  the  engineer  in  charge  of  its  construction.  Lander  reported  that 
9,000  emigrants  used  it  in  1859,  the  first  year  it  was  open.  It  was 


194  The  Oregon  Trail 

planned  in  part  because  of  the  feud  in  progress  between  the  Federal 
Government  and  the  Mormons  in  order  to  take  travelers  north  out  of 
the  Mormon  Territory,  but  the  dispute  was  ended  by  1858;  and  Brig- 
ham  Young  provided  most  of  the  laborers  required  to  build  the  road. 
After  the  first  few  years  it  fell  into  disuse,  much  former  Oregon  Trail 
traffic  shifting  to  the  Cherokee  Trail  when  the  older  route  was  blocked 
by  hostile  Indians. 

SOUTH  PASS,  474.7  m.  (7,550  alt.),  during  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century  was  used  by  the  vast  majority  of  those  traveling  be- 
tween the  Missouri  and  the  Columbia  Basin.  Some  historians  believe 
that  the  first  white  men  to  use  the  pass  were  the  eastbound  Astorians, 
but  others  dispute  the  matter.  If  Robert  Stuart  and  his  party  happened 
to  find  this  passage  over  the  Continental  Divide,  no  one  in  the  following 
decade  realized  the  fact;  credit  for  the  discovery  is  generally  given  to 
an  Ashley  party  led  in  1824  by  Smith  and  Fitzpatrick.  The  pass  is  not 
impressive;  the  approach  is  so  gradual  that  Fremont  likened  it  to  the 
slope  of  Capitol  Hill  in  Washington.  Travelers  eager  to  celebrate  as 
they  passed  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  slope  were  often  puzzled 
to  know  at  what  point  the  transition  was  actually  made.  Joel  Palmer 
in  the  list  of  mileages  at  the  rear  of  his  guide-journal  (see  APPEN- 
DIX), in  noting  the  Divide,  departed  from  dry  statistics  long  enough 
to  note  "Here  Hail  Oregon." 

Captain  Bonneville,  in  1832,  was  the  first  to  take  wagons  over  it. 

Fremont  wrote  of 'the  pass:  "We  left  our  encampment  with  the  ris- 
ing sun.  As  we  rose  from  the  bed  of  the  creek,  the  snow  line  of  the 
mountains  stretched  grandly  before  us,  the  white  peaks  glittering  in  the 
sun.  .  .  .  The  ascent  has  been  so  gradual,  that,  with  all  the  intimate 
knowledge  possessed  by  Carson,  who  had  made  this  country  his  home 
for  seventeen  years,  we  were  obliged  to  watch  very  closely  to  find  the 
place  at  which  we  had  reached  the  culminating  point.  .  .  ." 

Lorenzo  Sawyer  said:  "Most  emigrants  have  a  very  erroneous  idea 
of  the  South  Pass,  and  their  inquiries  about  it  are  often  amusing  enough. 
They  suppose  it  to  be  a  narrow  defile  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  walled 
in  by  perpendicular  rocks  hundreds  of  feet  high.  The  passage  of  this 
point  is  somehow  regarded  important,  which  causes  a  great  rush  to  get 
through  the  'pass.'  The  fact  is  they  are  in  the  South  Pass  all  the  way 
up  the  Sweet  Water.  The  'pass'  is  a  valley  some  twenty  miles  wide, 
with  the  Sweet  Water  mountains  on  one  side,  and  Rattlesnake  moun- 
tains and  the  Wind  River  range  on  the  other.  .  .  .  The  summits  of  the 
whole  range  are  buried  in  deep  snows,  which  extend  far  down  their 
sides." 

In  the  pass  is  a  monument  commemorating  the  religious  service  held 
here  by  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman  on  July  4,  1836.  With  Dr.  Whitman  was 
a  colleague,  the  Rev.  H.  H.  Spalding;  the  wives  of  the  two  men  were 
the  first  white  women  to  reach  this  part  of  the  Oregon  Trail.  It  is  re- 


Nebraska-Wyoming,  Alternate  Route  195 

ported  that  here  Dr.  Whitman  knelt  to  pray  with  a  Bible  in  one  hand 
and  an  American  flag  in  the  other. 

Near  the  pass  are  two  springs  named,  by  romantic  early  travelers, 
Atlantic  and  Pacific.  It  was  a  routine  boast  made  by  each  migrant  that 
he  had  drunk  a  rare  brew,  waters  of  the  Atlantic  mixed  with  those  of 
the  Pacific. 

PACIFIC  SPRINGS,  479.9  m.,  is  by  the  site  of  a  stage  station  of 
the  same  name.  This  place  was  a  favorite  camp  site. 

The  old  trail  closely  follows  Pacific  Creek  through  a  long  stretch 
of  sagebrush-covered  country  to  the  CROSSING  OF  THE  LITTLE 
SANDY,  506.9  m.  In  Ware's  Emigrant's  Guide  to  California  it  was 
advised : 

"When  you  cross  the  Dry,  or  Little  Sandy,  instead  of  turning  to 
the  left  and  following  the  river,  strike  out  across  to  the  Big  Sandy, 
twelve  miles.  If  you  get  to  the  river  along  through  the  day,  camp  'till 
near  night.  From  the  Big  Sandy  to  Green  River,  a  distance  of  thirty-five 
miles,  there  is  not  a  drop  of  water.  By  starting  from  the  Sandy  at  the 
cool  of  the  day,  you  can  get  across  easily  by  morning.  Cattle  can  travel 
as  far  again  by  night  as  they  can  during  the  day,  from  the  fact  that 
the  air  is  cool,  and  consequently  they  do  not  need  water." 

Near  South  Pass  the  Mormon  Pioneers  met  eight  traders  on  their 
way  back  from  Oregon;  one  of  them,  named  Harris,  decided  to  return 
to  Fort  Bridger  with  the  Saints.  Harris  had  six  different  copies  of  the 
Oregon  newspaper,  the  first  issue  dated  February  11,  1847,  and  also 
a  copy  of  the  California  Star.  The  brethren  examined  them  eagerly,  but 
Clayton  noted  with  disappointment  that  they  found  "little  interesting 
news."  As  they  descended  from  the  pass  the  trader  did  a  lively  business, 
selling  skins  and  buckskin  pants,  jackets,  and  shirts;  Clayton  thought 
Harris  asked  very  high  prices  for  his  goods,  and  the  brothers,  though 
good  swappers  themselves,  found  it  "difficult  to  obtain  even  a  fair 
trade."  Brigham  Young  later  discouraged  the  greenhorn  vanity  that  de- 
manded expensive  buckskin  garments. 

A  far  more  important  meeting  took  place  near  the  Crossing  of  the 
Sandy.  Here  the  Saints  met  Jim  Bridger,  the  scout,  whom  they  had 
planned  to  consult  at  his  post  about  the  advisability  of  settling  near 
the  Great  Salt  Lake.  Brigham  Young  had  read  various  reports  of  this 
region,  last  of  all  Fremont's — which  was  much  more  encouraging  than 
most  of  the  others.  He  had  also  read  of  the  possibilities  of  cultivation 
by  irrigation  and  remembered  the  fertility  of  the  irrigated  Nile  Valley. 
In  tentatively  selecting  the  Salt  Lake  region  as  a  place  of  settlement, 
he  had  been  governed  first  by  the  fact  that  the  area  was  then  a  part  of 
Mexico  and  as  such  not  subject  to  the  United  States  Government.  His 
second  reason  was  even  more  practical:  the  so-called  desert  region,  he 
said,  was  not  a  get-rich-quick  land  and  therefore  would  not  attract  many 
immigrants;  those  people,  Saints  included,  who  were  willing  to  home- 


196  The  Oregon  Trail 

stead  in  a  region  demanding  hard  work  would  make  a  body  of  more 
than  ordinarily  desirable  citizens. 

Bridger  was  on  his  way  to  Fort  Laramie,  but  obligingly  offered  to 
camp  with  the  Saints  for  the  evening  and  tell  them  what  he  knew. 
Bridger  knew  the  West  better  than  any  other  man,  but  his  rambling 
manner  of  answering  questions  and  giving  information  annoyed  the 
methodical  Clayton.  Bridger  did  not  advise  the  Saints  to  settle  around 
the  Great  Salt  Lake,  though  he  admitted  that  there  was  rich  land  around 
the  northern  end;  at  one  minute  he  was  discouraging  the  homeseekers 
by  stories  of  the  region's  aridity  and  of  the  mean  character  of  the  In- 
dians, and  in  the  next  telling  them  that  there  was  a  region  about  a  hun- 
dred miles  southeast  of  the  lake  that  was  the  promised  land,  if  such 
a  thing  existed.  He  also  said  that  the  Utah  mountains  held  great  min- 
eral wealth,  including  gold  and  silver.  Brigham  Young  had  heard 
enough;  he  determined  to  go  forward  and  judge  the  region  for  himself. 
Bridger  promised  to  return  and  guide  the  Saints  to  desirable  spots  (see 
above)  and  continued  his  journey  with  a  note  from  Young  providing 
him  free  passage  on  the  Mormon-operated  Platte  ferry.  By  the  time  he 
returned  the  Saints  had  already  settled. 

While  the  majority  of  the  emigrants  for  many  years  went  south- 
west from  this  point  to  Fort  Bridger,  others  made  short  cuts,  turning 
west  over  routes  followed  by  the  fur  traders,  the  chief  of  which  was 
known  as  Sublette's  Cut-off.  It  was  not  popular,  however,  because  there 
was  a  50-mile  stretch  between  the  Big  Sandy  and  Green  Rivers  that 
was  without  water.  The  cut-off  crossed  Green  River  near  Names  Hill. 

At  FARSON,  513.7  m.  (6,580  alt.),  is  the  junction  with  US  187 
(see  SIDE  ROUTE  A),  a  paved  road  that  branches  north  from  US  30. 

West  of  US  187  a  dirt  road  in  poor  condition  continues  along  the 
general  route  of  early  overland  travelers.  It  roughly  follows  the  course 
of  the  Sandy  to  its  junction  with  GREEN  RIVER,  544.4  m.  There  was 
no  special  ford  where  the  majority  of  the  emigrants  crossed  this  branch 
of  the  Colorado,  though  in  later  years  a  ferry  was  established  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Sandy.  The  banks  of  Green  River  were  soft  and  the  lum- 
bering passage  of  a  few  wagons  was  enough  to  turn  them  into  a  morass. 

At  570.4  m.,  at  the  northern  end  of  GRANGER,  is  the  junction 
with  US  SON  (see  SECTION  7), 


Wyoming 


SIDE  ROUTE  A 

Rock  Springs— Pinedale— Jackson;  178.2  m.  US  187. 

Route  paved  between  Rock  Springs  and  Sublette's  Flat;  oiled  gravel  between 
Sublette's  Flat  and  "The  Rim";  remainder  paved  except  for  a  five-mile  graveled 
stretch.  During  winter  months  the  highway  between  the  junction  with  US  89 
and  Jackson  is  closed  because  of  snow.  Accommodations  limited  except  in  Pine- 
dale  and  Jackson. 

North  from  Rock  Springs,  0  m.  (see  SECTION  7),  on  US  187, 
which  traverses  rolling  plains. 

PILOT  BUTTE  (L),  4.5  m.,  a  formation  along  Bitter  Creek  that 
was  a  landmark  for  those  traveling  on  the  Overland  Trail,  now  serves 
the  same  purpose  for  airplane  pilots. 

THE  WELLS,  25  m.,  a  ranch  on  high  prairies  where  sage  hens  and 
antelopes  are  numerous,  has  large  corrals  and  sheep-shearing  pens. 

EDEN,  37  m.  (6,590  alt.),  where  cabins,  supplies,  and  a  telephone 
are  available,  is  the  center  of  a  28,000-acre  irrigation  project.  In  a 
pleasant  little  valley  much  scientific  work  is  carried  on  by  the  STATE 
AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION.  Horace  Greeley  spent  the  night 
of  August  16,  1859,  in  a  very  primitive  log  cabin  here. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  FARSON,  41.6  m.  (6,580  alt.),  emigrants 
who  came  through  South  Pass  crossed  the  Big  Sandy.  Here  the  dirt 
road  that  roughly  follows  the  old  trail  crosses  US  187.  (See  ALTER- 
NATE ROUTE.)  James  Abbey,  in  his  A  Trip  Across  the  Plains  (1850), 
wrote  of  his  journey  in  this  region:  "The  mirage  has  deceived  us  sev- 
eral times  today.  While  worn  with  travel  and  thirsting  for  water,  there 
might  be  seen,  sometimes  to  the  right,  sometimes  to  the  left,  and  then 
in  front,  representations  of  large  rivers,  lakes  and  streams  of  pure 
water;  but  as  we  would  advance  in  the  direction  whence  they  would 
appear,  they  would  recede  or  fade  away,  leaving  nothing  to  view  but 
the  barren  desert  and  the  blighted  hopes  of  the  weary  traveler  .  .  ." 

At  42.1  m.  (L)  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  BIG  SANDY  STAGE  STATION, 
destroyed  in  1862  when  the  Indians  made  an  organized  attack  on  every 
stage  station  between  Big  Sandy  and  Thirty-two-Mile  Creek. 

HAYSTACK  BUTTE  (R),  51  m.,  is  visible  for  many  miles  as  the 
highway  traverses  a  long  stretch  of  open  country. 

SUBLETTE'S  FLAT  (L),  a  favorite  camping  place  of  the  early-day 
trappers,  extends  along  the  highway  for  some  miles.  On  the  flat  is  Sub- 
lette's Spring. 

PINEDALE,  100.1  m.  (7,175  alt.,  219  pop.),  the  seat  of  Sublette 

197 


198  The  Oregon  Trail 

County,  is  a  modern  trade  center  in  a  ranching  area  and  an  outfitting 
point  for  automobile  and  pack  trips  to  the  surrounding  recreational 
region  of  lakes,  forests,  and  mountains.  The  earliest  white  settlers 
entered  Green  River  Valley  in  1878  and  1879,  to  occupy  the  natural 
meadows  of  the  lower  Green  River  and  the  Piney  Creeks.  They  were 
attracted  to  the  region  because  it  afforded  pasturage  for  herds  even 
during  the  most  severe  winters. 

Stock-raising  is  still  the  leading  industry  in  the  vicinity;  sheep, 
cattle,  and  horses — both  draft  and  saddle — are  bred. 

At  111.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  89,  which  has  an  oiled  gravel 
roadbed. 

Left  on  US  89  is  DANIEL,  2  m.  (7,192  alt.,  30  pop.),  on  Green  River;  it  is 
a  supply  point  for  the  surrounding  valley. 

1.  Right  from  Daniel  4  m.  on  a  dirt  road  in  fair  condition  to  the  SITE  OF 
FORT  BONNEVILLE,  established  in  August  1832,  by  Capt.  B.  L.  E.  Bonneville,  who 
had  journeyed  to  this  spot  with  110  men,  28  mule-drawn  wagons,  horses,  oxen, 
provisions,  ammunition,  and  merchandise.  The  fort  was  promptly  dubbed  "Fort 
Nonsense"  because  of  its  situation  in  hostile  Indian  country. 

Bonneville's  cavalcade  was  the  first  of  its  kind  to  reach  the  Rockies.  Accord- 
ing to  Irving  in  his  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville,  "the  unusual  sight  of  a 
train  of  wagons  caused  quite  a  sensation  among  these  savages;  who  thronged 
about  the  caravan,  examining  everything  minutely,  and  asking  a  thousand  ques- 
tions; exhibiting  a  degree  of  excitability,  and  a  lively  curiosity,  totally  opposite 
to  that  apathy  with  which  their  race  is  so  often  reproached.  .  .  . 

"Some  of  the  (Indian)  scouts,  who  were  ranging  the  country  at  a  distance 
from  the  main  body,  had  discovered  the  party  of  Captain  Bonneville.  They  had 
dogged  it  for  a  time  in  secret,  astonished  at  the  long  train  of  wagons  and 
oxen,  and  especially  struck  with  the  sight  of  a  cow  and  calf,  quietly  following 
the  caravan;  supposing  them  to  be  some  kind  of  tame  buffalo.  Having  satisfied 
their  curiosity,  they  carried  back  to  their  chief  intelligence  of  all  that  they  had 
seen.  He  had,  in  consequence,  diverged  from  his  pursuit  of  vengeance,  to  behold 
the  wonders  described  to  him.  'Now  that  we  have  met  you,'  said  he  to  Captain 
Bonneville,  'and  have  seen  these  marvels  with  our  own  eyes,  our  hearts  are  glad.' 
In  fact,  nothing  could  exceed  the  curiosity  evinced  by  these  people  as  to  the 
objects  before  them.  Wagons  had  never  been  seen  by  them  before,  and  they 
examined  them  with  the  greatest  minuteness;  but  the  calf  was  the  peculiar  object 
of  their  admiration.  They  watched  it  with  intense  interest  as  it  licked  the  hands 
accustomed  to  feed  it,  and  were  struck  with  the  mild  expression  of  its  countenance, 
and  its  perfect  docility. 

"After  much  sage  consultation,  they  at  length  determined  that  it  must  be  the 
'great  medicine'  of  the  white  party;  an  appellation  given  by  the  Indians  to  any- 
thing of  supernatural  and  mysterious  power,  that  is  guarded  as  a  talisman.  They 
were  completely  thrown  out  in  their  conjecture,  however,  by  an  offer  of  the  white 
men  to  exchange  the  calf  for  a  horse;  their  estimation  of  the  great  medicine 
sank  in  an  instant,  and  they  declined  the  bargain." 

Ostensibly,  Bonneville  came  into  the  territory  as  a  fur  trader;  when  Irving 
rewrote  and  elaborated  on  the  notes  of  the  expedition,  which  he  had  bought 
from  Bonneville,  he  accepted  the  officer's  version  of  his  reason  for  going  west. 
Other  writers  have  done  the  same  without  question,  and  many  have  made  scath- 
ing remarks  about  Bonneville's  lack  of  success  as  a  trader  and  the  amount  of 
time  he  wasted  on  social  diversions,  drinking  with  British  and  French  trappers, 
and  paying  court  to  Indian  women. 

At  the  time  Bonneville  went  west  various  people  were  trying  to  spur  the 
U.  S.  Government  into  imperialistic  activity  in  Oregon.  Although  many  reports 


Side  Routes  199 

had  been  made  to  the  Federal  Government  by  traders  who  had  visited  the  Colum- 
bia Basin  by  sea  and  land,  there  had  been  no  careiul,  official  report  on  the 
region  since  Lewis  and  Clark  had  visited  it.  If  the  United  States  were  to  attempt 
to  end  by  force  the  treaty  on  the  joint  occupancy  of  Oregon  with  Great  Britain, 
if  citizens  of  the  United  States  were  to  be  encouraged  to  settle  in  the  territory, 
it  was  necessary  for  the  Government  to  know  exactly  what  the  British  were 
doing  in  Oregon  and  to  have  maps  of  the  intricate  terrain. 

Publicly,  Bonneville  received  leave  from  the  Army  to  try  his  hand  at  trading; 
but  a  Bonneville  letter  dated  July  18,  1831,  and  recently  discovered  in  files  of 
the  War  Department,  says:  "I  have  now  completed  arrangements  to  enable  me  to 
collect  information  .  .  .  promised  in  my  letter  to  you  dated  at  Washington  City 
the  21st  of  May  last."  The  letter  was  written  to  Maj.  Gen.  Alexander  McComb, 
General-in-Chief  of  the  U.  S.  Army  (1828-41).  Bonneville  wrote  to  him  two  years 
later:  "I  would  not  have  presumed  this  much  were  I  not  aware  how  desirous  you 
are  of  collecting  certain  information  respecting  this  country  ...  I  have  con- 
stantly kept  a  journal  .  .  .  The  information  I  have  already  obtained  authorizes 
me  to  say  this  much;  that  if  the  government  ever  intend  taking  possession  of 
Oregon,  the  sooner  it  shall  be  done,  the  better." 

Bonneville  supplied  the  War  Department  with  maps;  he  also  estimated  the 
strength  of  the  British  at  Vancouver  and  Walla  Walla,  as  well  as  the  military 
force  he  believed  would  be  necessary  to  seize  Oregon;  and  made  suggestions  as 
to  where  military  posts  should  be  erected  along  the  road  to  Oregon.  Much  has 
been  made  of  the  fact  that  Bonneville's  name  was  dropped  from  the  Army  rolls 
in  May  1834,  his  leave  having  extended  only  to  October  1833;  but  military 
records  show  that  Bonneville  received  $1,600  for  pay,  subsistence,  and  servants 
between  October  1832  and  September  1834. 

The  Continental  Divide  was,  in  this  region,  the  more  or  less  accepted  boundary 
of  the  territory  acquired  by  the  Louisiana  Purchase,  and  South  Pass  provided 
the  main  route  of  travel  through  it.  A  post  at  this  point,  on  the  western  slope 
of  the  Divide  and  close  to  the  transcontinental  trail,  provided  ample  opportuni- 
ties to  see  who  was  going  where.  The  fort  was  a  solid  though  rudely  built  affair, 
but  Bonneville  soon  abandoned  it. 

Near  this  spot  in  1835  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  who  had  come  west  with  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Parker  in  company  with  fur  traders,  met  a  Nez  Perce  chief,  who 
"expressed  great  satisfaction  at  seeing  us  and  said  he  was  very  simple  and 
ignorant  about  the  worship  of  the  Almighty.  That  ever  since  he  had  heard  of 
the  worship  of  the  whites  he  had  been  unhappy.  He  said  he'  had  heard  something 
about  the  worship  of  God  from  the  traders  but  he  did  not  understand  it;  it  had 
only  reached  his  ears;  he  desired  to  be  taught  so  that  it  might  sink  deep  into  his 
inward  parts."  This  convinced  Whitman  that  he  need  not  go  farther  before 
reporting  to  the  American  Board  of  Missions  that  there  was  a  field  ripe  for 
missionary  harvest.  He  immediately  started  back  east  while  Parker  went  into 
Oregon  to  scout  for  mission  sites. 

Before  Whitman  started  back  he  performed  a  number  of  medical  services, 
including  at  least  one  operation.  In  1832  Jim  Bridger  had  been  wounded  in  the 
back  by  an  arrow  whose  head  had  remained  for  three  years  in  his  flesh.  Whitman 
extracted  it.  The  operation  was  difficult  "because  the  arrow  head  was  hooked 
at  the  point  by  striking  a  large  bone,  and  a  cartilaginous  substance  had  grown 
around  it.  The  doctor  pursued  the  operation  with  great  self-possession  and 
perseverance;  and  his  patient  manifested  equal  firmness.  The  Indians  looked  on 
meanwhile  with  countenances  indicating  wonder,  and  in  their  own  peculiar  man- 
ner expressed  great  astonishment  when  it  was  extracted." 

2.  Left  from  Daniel  1  m.  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  site  known  as  LA  PRAIRIE 
DE  LA  MESSE.  When  Flathead  Indians  went  to  St.  Louis  to  ask  for  some  of  the 
white  medicine  men  for  their  tribe,  they  had  Roman  Catholic  priests  in  mind. 
But  the  Catholics  had  no  missionaries  available  for  several  years.  Finally,  in 
1840,  Father  Pierre  J.  DeSmet  was  sent  out.  Traveling  with  an  annual  expedition 
of  the  American  Fur  Company,  he  reached  this  place  and  on  July  5  celebrated 


200  The  Oregon  Trail 

mass  before  a  motley,  yet  respectful,  crowd  of  Indians,  white  men,  fur  traders, 
hunters,  and  trappers.  The  altar,  erected  on  a  small  mound,  was  decorated  with 
bows  and  arrows  and  garlands  of  wild  flowers.  The  spot  was  afterwards  pointed 
out  by  the  Indians  as  the  Prairie  of  the  Mass.  Father  DeSmet  was  the  founder 
of  missions  in  the  Bitter  Root  Valley  and  at  Coeur  d'Alene,  and  was  in  and  out 
of  the  Northwest  for  many  years. 

In  1925  the  Knights  of  Columbus  of  Wyoming  placed  a  monument — a  STONE 
ALTAR — on  this  spot.  Mass  is  now  celebrated  here  annually. 

US  187  continues  north  from  the  junction  with  US  89. 

At  133  m.  US  187  leaves  the  Green  River  Valley  region  and  enters 
the  WYOMING  NATIONAL  FOREST  at  "The  Rim"  (7,921  alt.).  The  forest 
lies  in  a  great  horseshoe  around  the  headwaters  of  Green  River  and  is 
largely  covered  with  lodgepole  pine.  More  than  230,000  animals,  mostly 
sheep,  are  grazed  on  its  summer  ranges.  On  the  eastern  arm  of  the 
horseshoe  the  beautiful  peaks  of  the  Wind  River  Range  extend  high 
above  timber  line ;  at  their  base  is  a  little-known  region. 

The  highway  passes  ranches  that  cater  to  tourists.  (Guides  and 
outfits  for  camping  and  hunting  trips  available.) 

At  152  m.  is  the  entrance  to  the  V-V  RANCH,  whose  acres  embrace 
the  spot  where  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parker  preached  to  the  Indians  in 
August  1835.  Parker  had  made  the  most  of  every  opportunity  to  visit 
with  the  Indians,  on  the  journey  overland;  the  Indians  were  equally 
interested  in  him  because  the  interpreters  explained  that  he  was  a  white 
medicine  man.  They  were  beginning  to  feel  that  their  own  medicine  men 
were  not  as  competent  as  they  should  be,  since  they  did  not  know  the 
magic  that  provided  the  whites  with  technological  luxuries.  Parker  was 
delighted  to  find  the  savages  receptive,  but  much  annoyed  that  he  had 
to  communicate  with  them  through  interpreters  with  limited  vocabu- 
laries. 

Of  one  of  his  Sabbath  services  on  this  journey  he  wrote:  "An  In- 
dian whom  I  attempted  to  teach  last  Sabbath,  came  to  me  again  to-day, 
and  manifested  that  he  wished  me  to  instruct  him.  I  endeavored  to  com- 
municate to  his  mind  some  ideas  of  God,  and  sang  the  hymn,  'Watch- 
man, tell  us  of  the  night.'  He  and  those  with  him,  shook  hands  with  me 
as  a  token  of  their  satisfaction,  and  left  me.  He  soon  returned,  how- 
ever, bringing  others,  that  they  too,  might  hear  what  he  had  heard 
with  so  much  apparent  pleasure,  and  they  again  shook  hands  with  me. 
This  was  several  times  repeated.  These  Indians  appear  not  only  friendly 
to  white  men,  but  kind  in  their  intercourse  with  each  other,  and  in  no 
instance  did  I  witness  any  quarrels  among  them.  Their  minds  are  un- 
commonly gifted  and  noble,  their  persons  are  finely  formed,  and  many 
of  them  are  truly  'nature's  grenadiers.'  The  women  are  graceful,  and 
their  voices  are  soft  and  expressive.  I  was  agreeably  surprised  to  see 
tall  young  chiefs,  well  dressed  in  their  own  mode,  walking  arm  in  arm 
with  their  ladies.  This  is  what  I  had  not  expected  to  see  among  those 
whom  we  term  'savages.'  It  is  true  that  they  are  heathen,  in  all  the 
guilt  of  sin  and  destitute  of  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  hopes  of 


Side  Routes  201 

the  gospel,  but  in  politeness  and  decency,  as  well  as  in  many  other  re- 
spects, they  are  very  unlike  the  frontier  Indians,  who  have  been  cor- 
rupted and  degraded  by  their  acquaintance  with  ardent  spirits,  and 
wicked  white  men." 

HOBACK  CANYON,  165  m.,  was  named  for  John  Hoback,  who 
guided  Hunt's  party  of  Astorians  over  Teton  Pass  and  through  this 
canyon  in  1812.  The  defile  is  deep,  with  narrow  ledges  at  the  bottom. 
In  many  places  the  road  is  at  the  edge  of  the  water.  There  are  evi- 
dences throughout  of  many  snow  slides.  The  "Bull-of-the-Woods"  is  an 
annual  phenomenon ;  each  spring  a  great  slide  comes  down  a  steep  and 
winding  gulch,  crosses  the  river  without  touching  the  ice,  rushes  up  the 
hillside  beyond  for  several  hundred  yards,  and  then  returns  to  the 
river  bed. 

Running  along  the  Hoback  River  the  highway  skirts  a  point  of  rocks 
north  of  the  river  in  which  there  is  a  large  hole  resembling  a  gigantic 
picture  frame,  from  which  is  a  magnificent  view  of  the  lower  Hoback 
River  and  Valley.  A  few  rods  from  the  hole  is  a  grave  commonly  be- 
lieved to  be  that  of  John  Hoback,  who  came  back  into  this  region  as 
an  employee  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company.  Authorities,  however,  say 
that  Hoback  was  killed  by  Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  Boise  River  in 
Idaho,  and  that  this  grave  holds  the  bodies  of  More  and  Foy,  of  an 
1832  Sublette  party,  who  were  killed  by  Indians  when  they  were  pro- 
ceeding up  the  canyon  ahead  of  their  party. 

At  169  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road,  which  parallels  the  Snake  River,  into  the  GRAND  CANYON 
OF  THE  SNAKE.  At  4  m.  is  COUNT'S  HOT  SPRING;  a  crude  wooden  tub  shel- 
tered by  a  cabin  provides  an  opportunity  to  bathe.  During  a  flood  in  the  spring  of 
1927,  when  the  great  natural  dam  across  the  upper  Gros  Ventre  River  gave  way 
and  released  quantities  of  water,  the  Snake  River,  into  which  the  Gros  Ventre 
flows,  rose  rapidly  and  flooded  the  land  far  from  its  banks.  When  the  water 
receded,  several  springs,  including  this  one,  were  found  to  have  changed  their 
positions. 

At  178.2  m.,  at  the  southern  edge  of  Jackson,  is  the  junction  with 
Wyo.  22  (see  SIDE  ROUTE  B). 


Idaho- Wyoming 


SIDE  ROUTE  B 


Pocatello,  Idaho,  to  Jackson,  Wyo.;  160  m.  US  91,  US  191,  Idaho  33, 
and  Wyo.  22. 

Most   of   route    paved;    remainder   graveled.   Limited   accommodations. 
North  from  POCATELLO,  0  m.  (see  SECTION  8). 

FORT  HALL,  12  m.  (4,445  alt.,  150  pop.),  is  the  headquarters  of 
the  U.  S.  Indian  agency  of  the  FORT  HALL  RESERVATION,  which 
is  occupied  by  members  of  the  Bannock,  Shoshone,  and  other  tribes. 
The  Indians  here  are  engaged  in  agriculture,  and  have  a  reservoir  for 
impounding  water  to  irrigate  their  lands.  They  hold  annual  dances  of 
unusual  interest :  the  Sun  Dance  about  July  24th,  followed  by  the  War, 
Owl,  Rabbit,  and  Grass  Dances,  each  with  its  own  characteristic  songs 
and  drumbeats.  The  Warm  Dance,  held  in  late  January  or  early  Febru- 
ary, is  intended  to  hasten  the  end  of  winter.  Later  there  is  an  Easter 
Dance  accompanied  by  an  egg  feast.  The  Indians  on  the  reservation 
are  excellent  artisans;  the  women  engage  in  many  kinds  of  intricate 
beadwork  upon  such  articles  of  clothing  as  moccasins  and  vests.  These, 
as  well  as  other  products  of  handicraft,  are  for  sale  in  Fort  Hall  stores. 

Near  the  Fort  Hall  agency,  on  a  road  built  recently  by  the  Indians, 
is  a  lava  rock  monument  commemorating  the  SITE  OF  FORT  HALL. 

On  July  14,  1834,  Nathaniel  J.  Wyeth  reached  the  Snake  River,  and 
on  the  following  day  selected  this  spot  for  the  establishment  of  a  trad- 
ing post.  He  had  contracted  to  transport  three  thousand  dollars'  worth 
of  merchandise  for  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  to  its  Green 
River  rendezvous.  At  Green  River  the  representative  of  the  company, 
which  was  on  the  point  of  dissolution,  refused  to  accept  the  goods.  After 
a  short  period  of  indignation  Wyeth  decided  to  use  them  himself,  and  to 
establish  a  post  on  the  upper  Snake. 

Early  in  August  Wyeth  felt  that  construction  was  far  enough  ad- 
vanced for  him  to  continue  to  the  Columbia.  His  diary  reads:  "Having 
done  as  much  as  was  requisite  for  safety  to  the  fort  and  drank  a 
bale  of  liquor  and  named  it  Fort  Hall  in  honor  of  the  oldest  partner 
of  our  concern,  we  left  it  and  with  it  Mr.  Evans  in  charge  of  eleven 
men  and  fourteen  horses  and  mules  and  three  cows."  Wyeth  later  wrote 
a  letter  in  which  he  said  that  they  had  "manufactured  a  magnificent 
flag  from  some  unbleached  sheeting,  a  little  red  flannel  and  a  few  blue 
patches;  saluted  it  with  damaged  powder  and  wet  it  in  villainous  alco- 
hol. .  .  .  After  all  it  makes,  I  do  assure  you,  a  very  respectable  appear- 
ance among  the  dry  and  desolate  regions  of  central  America.  Its  bastions 
stand  a  terror  to  the  skulking  Indians  and  a  beacon  of  safety  to  the 

202 


Side  Routes  203 

fugitive  hunter.  It  is  manned  by  12  men  and  has  constantly  loaded  in 
the  bastions  100  guns  and  rifles.  These  bastions  command  both  inside 
and  outside  of  the  fort." 

In  1838,  after  Wyeth  had  given  up  his  attempt  to  compete  with  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  he  sold  the  post  to  that  company,  which  en- 
larged it. 

Fort  Hall  became  the  most  important  trading  post  in  the  Snake 
River  Valley.  It  was  the  only  inhabited  place  between  Fort  Bridger, 
Wyo.,  and  Fort  Boise,  Idaho.  Here  the  immigrants  on  the  Oregon  Trail 
made  preparations  for  the  last  stage  of  their  journeys  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  River  or  to  California.  Members  of  wagon  trains  coming 
out  of  the  lonely  deserts  and  valleys  eastward  could  see  from  afar  its 
cool  whitewashed  walls  and  its  red  flag  lettered  "H.B.C.";  old  trappers 
said  the  letters  stood  for  "Here  Before  Christ."  The  post  became  the 
rendezvous  of  Indians,  Spaniards,  and  French  Canadians,  priests,  doc- 
tors, and  missionaries,  as  well  as  hordes  of  nondescript  adventurers  of 
all  kinds.  Some  came  to  rest,  some  to  trade,  some  to  celebrate  on  liquor 
distilled  from  wild  honey,  and  some  to  heal  wounds  made  by  Indian 
arrows.  The  fortified  trading  center  covered  half  an  acre  of  ground  and 
was  surrounded  by  a  wall  5  feet  high  and  19  inches  thick.  Within  the 
stockade  were  dwellings,  stores,  and  barns,  all  overshadowed  by  a  two- 
story  blockhouse  or  bastion.  Standing  on  a  sagebrush-covered  plain  be- 
tween warring  Indian  tribes,  it  was  in  constant  danger  of  attack. 

After  the  Whitman  party  had  arrived  at  the  fort  in  1836  with  the 
two-wheeled  cart  they  later  managed  to  take  as  far  as  Fort  Boise,  no 
vehicle  reached  Fort  Hall  for  four  years.  In  1840  one  wagon  was 
brought  in  by  Joel  P.  Walker,  and  two  others  by  missionaries.  Warned 
that  it  was  not  possible  to  take  them  farther,  these  emigrants  continued 
their  journeys  with  pack  horses.  It  was  not  until  after  1843  that  carts 
were  used  regularly  west  of  this  point. 

Fort  Hall  was  somewhat  east  of  the  point  where  a  trail  to  Cali- 
fornia left  the  Oregon  Trail.  At  the  post  emigrants  anxiously  collected 
news  and  gossip  concerning  the  routes  ahead  of  them  and  many  changed 
their  minds  as  to  where  they  wanted  to  go  within  a  few  hours  of  their 
arrival  at  the  post.  If  they  met  people  who  told  of  Indian  attacks  and 
difficulties  on  the  California  route,  which  crossed  northern  Nevada,  they 
were  apt  to  decide  to  turn  toward  Oregon.  On  the  other  hand>  a  single 
discouraging  report  on  the  difficulty  of  going  down  the  Columbia  River 
Valley  would  start  some  of  them  on  their  way  to  California.  In  the  days 
when  California  was  under  foreign  sovereignty,  people  from  the  United 
States  who  had  settled  in  that  area  sent  propagandists  to  Fort  Hall  and 
other  key  points  to  induce  immigrants  to  join  them  and  strengthen  their 
numbers. 

Palmer  relates  in  his  Journal  of  Travels  over  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
1845-46:  "While  we  remained  in  this  place  [Fort  Hall],  great  efforts 
were  made  to  induce  the  emigrants  [bound  for  Oregon]  to  pursue  the 


204  The  Oregon  Trail 

route  to  California.  The  most  extravagant  tales  were  related  respecting 
the  dangers  that  awaited  a  trip  to  Oregon,  and  of  the  difficulties  and 
trials  to  be  surmounted.  The  perils  of  the  way  were  so  magnified  as  to 
make  us  suppose  the  journey  to  Oregon  almost  impossible.  For  instance, 
the  two  crossings  of  Snake  river,  and  the  crossing  of  the  Columbia,  and 
other  smaller  streams  were  represented  as  being  attended  with  great 
danger;  also  that  no  company  heretofore  attempting  the  passage  of 
these  streams,  succeeded,  but  with  the  loss  of  men,  from  the  violence 
and  rapidity  of  the  current;  as  also  that  they  had  never  succeeded  in 
getting  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  head  of  cattle  into  the  Willamette 
valley.  In  addition  to  the  above,  it  was  asserted  that  three  or  four  tribes 
of  Indians,  in  the  middle  region,  had  combined  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
venting our  passage  through  their  country,  and  should  we  attempt  it, 
we  would  be  compelled  to  contend  with  these  hostile  tribes.  In  case  we 
escaped  destruction  at  the  hands  of  the  savages,  that  a  more  fearful 
enemy,  that  of  famine,  would  attend  our  march;  as  the  distance  was 
so  great  that  winter  would  overtake  us  before  making  the  passage  of 
the  Cascade  Mountains. 

"On  the  other  hand,  as  an  inducement  to  pursue  the  California  route, 
we  were  informed  of  the  shortness  of  the  route,  when  compared  with 
that  to  Oregon ;  as  also  of  many  other  superior  advantages  it  possessed. 

"These  tales,  told  and  rehearsed,  were  likely  to  produce  the  effect 
of  turning  the  tide  of  emigration  thither.  Mr.  Greenwood,  an  old  moun- 
taineer, well  stocked  with  falsehoods,  had  been  dispatched  from  Cali- 
fornia to  pilot  the  emigrants  through;  and  assisted  by  a  young  man 
by  the  name  of  McDougal,  from  Indiana,  so  far  succeeded  as  to  induce 
thirty-five  or  thirty-six  wagons  to  take  that  trail." 

The  fort  was  abandoned  in  1855  but  continued  to  serve  as  a  trail 
resting  place  until  a  flood  demolished  it  in  1863.  For  many  years  its 
site  was  forgotten.  A  well,  formerly  in  the  center  of  the  stockaded 
area,  and  triangular  rifle  pits,  now  bedded  in  grass,  are  all  that  remain. 

BLACKFOOT,  25  m.  (4,505  alt.,  3,199  pop.),  was  named  for  the 
Blackfoot  Indians. 

US  91  here  closely  follows  the  course  of  the  Snake  River,  running 
through  Idaho's  potato-growing  area,  the  center  of  which  is  SHELLEY, 
42  m.  (4,624  alt.,  1,447  pop.).  From  the  highway  can  be  seen  the 
mountain  range  that  spills  westward  from  the  Wyoming  Line  (R)  and 
the  fertile  valley  that  reaches  away  to  the  volcanic  lava  plains  (L). 

IDAHO  FALLS,  52  m.  (4,709  alt.,  9,429  pop.),  third  city  in  size 
in  the  State,  has  a  large  municipally  owned  hydroelectric  plant;  its 
electric  power  rate  is  one  of  the  lowest  in  the  Northwest,  and,  because 
of  revenues  from  public  utility  operation,  its  city  tax  rate  is  about  a 
third  of  the  average  in  Idaho.  The  town  has  one  of  the  few  potato-flour 
mills  in  the  world. 

The  TAYLOR  TOLL  BRIDGE  at  Idaho  Falls,  of  which  only  the  stone 


Side  Routes  205 


abutments  remain,  was  built  across  Snake  River  in  1866-7.  The  timbers 
were  hauled  from  Beaver  Canyon,  80  miles  north,  and  the  iron  was 
obtained  from  old  freight  wagons  and  from  a  wrecked  steamboat  on  the 
Missouri  River.  The  stage  station  and  post  office  here  were  formerly 
called  Eagle  Rock  because  a  great  stone  out  in  the  river  was  for  many 
years  the  nesting  place  of  an  eagle. 

US  191  leads  northwest  from  Idaho  Falls.  Soon  after  REXBURG, 
81  m.  (4,861  alt.,  3,048  pop.),  was  founded  in  1883  under  instructions 
from  the  Mormon  Church,  mills  and  a  school  were  established;  five 
years  later  a  college  was  opened.  Typical  Mormon  planning  is  seen  in 
the  breadth  of  the  town's  streets. 

At  86  m.  is  the  junction  with  Idaho  33. 

Straight  ahead  7  m.  on  US  191  is  ST.  ANTHONY  (4,958  alt.,  2,778  pop.), 
named  for  St.  Anthony  Falls  in  Minnesota.  The  town  is  the  center  of  the  seed- 
pea  industry  in  eastern  Idaho. 

Left  7  m.  from  St.  Anthony  on  an  unimproved  road  that  leads  to  the  SITE  OF 
FORT  HENRY,  near  the  point  where  the  village  of  Egin  now  stands.  This  broad 
flat  valley  was  first  explored  by  Andrew  Henry  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company. 
In  the  fall  of  1810  Henry  moved  across  the  Continental  Divide  and  established 
this  post  on  the  north  fork  of  the  Snake  River,  known  ever  since  that  time  as 
Henry's  Fork.  The  trading  post  consisted  of  several  cabins  and  a  dugout.  After 
Henry  and  his  band  had  trapped  here  and  traded  with  the  Shoshone  for  a  brief 
period  they  abandoned  the  place.  While  the  group  had  not  been  molested  by 
Indians,  there  was  little  game,  and  the  men  had  been  forced  to  kill  their 
horses  for  food  during  the  severe  winter. 

In  October,  1811,  the  fort  was  used  by  the  Astorians  under  the  leadership 
of  Wilson  Price  Hunt.  It  was  here  that  Hunt,  yielding  to  the  desires  of  most 
of  his  party,  made  the  mistake  of  agreeing  to  attempt  the  remainder  of  the 
journey  by  water.  Fort  Henry  was  occupied  long  enough  for  the  Astorians  to 
build  15  cottonwood  canoes  in  which  to  venture  down  La  Maudite  Riviere  Enragee 
(Fr.,  the  accursed  mad  river),  as  the  Snake  was  named  by  Hunt's  voyageurs  after 
they  had  come  to  grief  upon  its  falls  and  cascades  (see  SECTION  9). 

For  nearly  a  century  the  exact  site  of  the  old  fort  was  unknown,  but  in  1927 
a  rock  was  unearthed  that  bore  the  inscription:  "Al  the  cook  but  nothing  to 
cook."  This  stone  and  two  others  inscribed  "Gov't  Camp,  1811"  and  "Fort  Henry 
1811  by  Captain  Hunt"  are  now  in  Rexburg. 

Right  from  US  191  on  Idaho  33;  fishing  is  good  along  the  entire 
length  of  this  road. 

Near  DRIGGS,  127  m.,  seat  of  Teton  County,  is  the  largest  bed 
of  coal  known  to  exist  in  the  State.  This  town  was  named  for  Don  C. 
Driggs  (1867-1933),  its  founder. 

TETON  BASIN,  130  m.,  formerly  called  Pierre's  Hole,  is  one  of 
the  most  famous  points  of  rendezvous  in  the  history  of  the  American 
fur  trade.  Partners  and  chief  traders  of  the  fur  companies  came  here 
annually  to  meet  the  trappers  who  brought  in  the  beaver  skins  col- 
lected during  the  perilous  winter  expeditions;  the  trappers  were  paid 
off,  or  drew  supplies  for  further  expeditions,  and  were  encouraged  to 
drink  and  gamble  themselves  into  debt  to  the  companies.  The  carouses, 


206  The  Oregon  Trail 

with  their  gun  and  fist  fights,  were  notorious.  Often  groups  from  rival 
companies  met  at  the  same  time  in  the  valley,  which  is  30  miles  long 
and  15  wide — "under  the  Three  Tetons,"  as  the  records  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Fur  Company  described  it.  Nez  Perces,  Flatheads,  and  other 
Indians  pitched  their  lodges  nearby  to  trade,  steal,  and  share  the  ex- 
citement. The  Indian  girls  also  looked  forward  to  the  rendezvous,  hop- 
ing to  have  the  luck  of  acquiring  white  or  half-breed  husbands.  Most 
of  the  trappers  made  such  matches,  sooner  or  later,  because  the  Indian 
women  were  the  only  ones  able  to  share  the  wilderness  life. 

In  1835  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parker  wrote:  "A  few  days  after  our  ar- 
rival at  the  place  of  rendezvous,  and  when  all  the  mountain  men  had 
assembled,  another  day  of  indulgence  was  granted  to  them,  in  which 
all  restraint  was  laid  aside.  These  days  are  the  climax  of  the  hunter's 
happiness.  I  will  relate  an  occurrence  which  took  place  near  evening, 
as  a  specimen  of  mountain  life.  A  hunter,  who  goes  technically  by  the 
name  of  the  great  bully  of  the  mountains,  mounted  his  horse  with  a 
loaded  rifle,  and  challenged  any  Frenchman,  American,  Spaniard,  or 
Dutchman,  to  fight  him  in  single  combat.  Kit  Carson,  an  American, 
told  him  if  he  wished  to  die,  he  would  accept  the  challenge.  Shunar 
defied  him.  C.  [Kit  Carson]  mounted  his  horse,  and  with  a  loaded  pis- 
tol, rushed  into  close  contact,  and  both  almost  at  the  same  instant  fired. 
C's  ball  entered  S's  hand,  came  out  of  the  wrist  and  passed  through 
the  arm  above  the  elbow.  Shunar's  ball  passed  over  the  head  of  Carson ; 
and  while  he  went  for  another  pistol,  Shunar  begged  that  his  life  might 
be  spared.  Such  scenes,  sometimes  from  passion,  and  sometimes  for 
amusement,  make  the  pastime  of  their  wild  and  wandering  life.  They 
appear  to  have  sought  for  a  place  where,  as  they  would  say,  human 
nature  is  not  oppressed  by  the  tyranny  of  religion,  and  pleasure  is  not 
awed  by  the  frown  of  virtue.  .  .  .  They  disdain  the  common-place 
phrases  of  profanity  which  prevail  among  the  impious  vulgar  in  civi- 
lized countries,  and  have  many  set  phrases,  which  they  appear  to  have 
manufactured  among  themselves,  and  which,  in  their  imprecations,  they 
bring  into  almost  every  sentence,  and  on  all  occasions.  By  varying  the 
tones  of  their  voices,  they  make  them  expressive  of  joy,  hope,  grief,  and 
anger.  In  their  broils  among  themselves,  which  do  not  happen  every 
day,  they  would  not  be  ungenerous.  They  would  see  'fair  play,'  and 
would  'spare  the  last  eye' ;  and  would  not  tolerate  murder,  unless  drunk- 
enness or  great  provocation  could  be  pleaded  in  extenuation. 

"Their  demoralizing  influence  with  the  Indians  has  been  lamentable, 
and  they  have  practiced  impositions  upon  them,  in  all  the  ways  that 
sinful  propensities  dictate.  It  is  said  they  have  sold  them  packs  of  cards 
at  high  prices,  calling  them  the  Bible;  and  have  told  them,  if  they 
should  refuse  to  give  white  men  wives,  God  would  be  angry  with  them 
and  punish  them  eternally;  and  on  almost  any  occasion  when  their 
wishes  have  been  resisted,  they  have  threatened  them  with  the  wrath 
of  God.  If  these  things  are  true  in  many  instances,  yet  from  personal 


Side  Routes  207 

observation,  I  should  believe,  their  more  common  mode  of  accomplish- 
ing their  wishes  has  been  by  flattery  and  presents ;  for  the  most  of  them 
squander  away  their  wages  in  ornaments  for  their  women  and  chil- 
dren. .  .  ." 

Those  who  came  to  the  fur  rendezvous  were  of  many  types;  in  addi- 
tion to  the  partners  and  agents  of  the  fur  companies,  there  were  voy- 
ageurs  and  "mountaineers."  The  first  were  French-Canadian  boatmen 
who  had  served  in  the  Canadian  fur  trade  where  the  business  was  car- 
ried on  along  the  shores  of  the  innumerable  lakes  and  rivers.  In  the 
United  States  they  were  employed  in  transporting  the  furs  and  supplies 
on  the  rivers  between  the  rendezvous  and  headquarters.  The  second  were 
either  employees  of  the  fur  trading  companies  or  independent  trappers ; 
they  usually  pursued  their  hazardous  vocations  alone  or  in  small  com- 
panies. They  were,  according  to  Irving  in  Adventures  of  Captain  Eon- 
neville,  "hardy,  lithe,  vigorous,  and  active;  extravagant  in  word,  and 
thought,  and  deed;  heedless  of  hardship;  daring  of  danger;  prodigal 
of  the  present,  and  thoughtless  of  the  future.  .  .  .  There  is,  perhaps, 
no  class  of  men  on  the  face  of  the  earth  .  .  .  who  lead  a  life  of  more 
continued  exertion,  peril,  and  excitement,  and  who  are  more  enamored 
of  their  occupations,  than  the  free  trappers  of  the  West.  No  toil,  no 
danger,  no  privations  can  turn  the  trapper  from  his  pursuit.  His  pas- 
sionate excitement  at  times  resembles  a  mania.  In  vain  may  the  most 
vigilant  and  cruel  savages  beset  his  path;  in  vain  may  rocks  and  preci- 
pices, and  wintry  torrents  oppose  his  progress;  let  but  a  single  track 
of  a  beaver  meet  his  eye,  and  he  forgets  all  dangers  and  defies  all  dif- 
ficulties. At  times,  he  may  be  seen  with  his  traps  on  his  shoulder,  buf- 
feting his  way  across  rapid  streams,  amid  floating  blocks  of  ice;  at 
other  times,  he  is  to  be  found  with  his  traps  swung  on  his  back  climbing 
the  most  rugged  mountains,  scaling  or  descending  the  most  frightful 
precipices,  searching,  by  routes  inaccessible  to  the  horse,  and  never 
before  trodden  by  white  man,  for  springs  and  lakes  unknown  to  his 
comrades,  and  where  he  may  meet  with  his  favorite  game.  Such  is  the 
mountaineer,  the  hardy  trapper  of  the  West;  and  such,  as  we  have 
slightly  sketched  it,  is  the  wild,  Robin  Hood  kind  of  life,  with  all  its 
strange  and  motley  populace,  now  existing  in  full  vigor  among  the 
Rocky  Mountains." 

In  1832  occurred  the  Battle  of  Pierre's  Hole.  The  annual  rendezvous 
had  begun  to  break  up.  There  were  various  accounts  of  the  battle;  the 
one  most  often  quoted  is  in  Irving's  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville. 
It  is  pure  melodrama.  The  careful  reporter,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parker, 
wrote  in  his  Journal:  "...  I  was  shown  the  place  where  the  men  of 
the  fur  companies,  at  the  time  of  their  rendezvous  two  years  before, 
had  a  battle  with  the  Blackfeet  Indians.  Of  the  Blackfeet  party  there 
were  about  sixty  men,  and  more  than  the  same  number  of  women  and 
children ;  of  the  white  men  in  the  valley,  there  were  some  few  hundred 
who  could  be  called  into  action.  From  the  information  given  me,  it  ap- 


208  The  Oregon  Trail 

peared  that  these  Indians  were  on  their  way  through  this  valley,  and 
unexpectedly  met  about  forty  hunters  and  trappers  going  out  from 
rendezvous  to  the  south-west  on  their  fall  and  winter  hunt.  These  In- 
dians manifested  an  unwillingness  to  fight,  and  presented  tokens  of 
peace;  but  they  were  not  reciprocated.  Those  who  came  forward  to 
stipulate  terms  of  peace  were  fired  upon  and  killed.  When  the  Indians 
saw  their  danger,  they  fled  to  the  cotton-wood  trees  and  willows  which 
were  scattered  along  the  stream  of  water,  and,  taking  advantage  of 
some  fallen  trees,  constructed  as  good  defense  as  time  and  circum- 
stances would  permit.  They  were  poorly  provided  with  guns,  and  were 
still  more  destitute  of  ammunition.  The  trappers  keeping  out  of  the 
reach  of  their  arrows,  and  being  well  armed  with  the  best  of  rifles,  made 
the  contest  unequal;  and  it  became  still  more  unequal,  when,  by  an 
express  sent  to  rendezvous,  they  were  reinforced  by  veterans  in  moun- 
tain life.  The  hunters  keeping  at  a  safe  distance,  in  the  course  of  a 
few  hours  killed  several  of  the  Indians,  and  almost  all  their  horses, 
which,  in  their  situation,  could  not  be  protected,  while  they  themselves 
suffered  but  small  loss.  Those  killed,  on  both  sides,  have  been  differ- 
ently stated,  but  considering  the  numbers  engaged,  and  the  length  of 
time  the  skirmishing  continued,  it  could  not  have  been  a  bloody  battle; 
and  not  much  to  the  honor  of  civilized  Americans.  The  excuse  made 
for  forcing  the  Blackfeet  into  battle  is,  that  if  they  had  come  upon  a 
small  part  of  the  trappers,  they  would  have  butchered  them  and  seized 
upon  the  plunder.  If  heathen  Blackfeet  would  have  done  so,  civilized 
white  men  should  not.  .  .  . 

"When  night  approached,  the  hunters  retired  to  their  encampment 
at  the  place  of  rendezvous,  and  the  Indians  made  their  escape.  Thus 
the  famous  battle  of  Pierre's  Hole  began  and  ended.  .  .  ." 

Parker  added  in  a  footnote:  "Since  my  return,  I  have  seen  an  ac- 
count of  this  battle  [i.e.,  Irving's],  written  by  a  graphic  hand,  in  all  the 
fascinating  style  of  romance,  representing  the  Indians  as  having  en- 
trenched themselves  in  a  swamp,  so  densely  wooded  as  to  be  almost 
impenetrable;  and  there  they  kept  the  trappers  at  bay,  until  they  were 
reinforced  from  rendezvous.  When  the  Blackfeet  saw  the  whole  valley 
alive  with  horsemen,  rushing  to  the  field  of  action,  they  withdrew  into 
the  dark  tangled  wood.  When  the  leaders  of  the  several  hunting  parties 
came  into  the  field,  they  urged  their  men  to  enter  the  swamp,  but  they 
hung  back  in  awe  of  the  dismal  horrors  of  the  place,  regarding  it  im- 
penetrable and  full  of  danger.  But  the  leaders  would  not  be  turned 
from  their  purpose — made  their  wills — appointed  their  executors — 
grasped  their  rifles,  and  urged  their  way  through  the  woods.  A  brisk 
fire  was  opened,  and  the  Blackfeet  were  completely  overmatched,  but 
would  not  leave  their  fort,  nor  offer  to  surrender.  The  numerous  vet- 
eran mountaineers,  well  equipped,  did  not  storm  the  breastwork,  even 
when  the  Blackfeet  had  spent  their  powder  and  balls,  but  only  kept 
up  the  bloody  battle  by  occasional  firing  during  the  day.  The  Black- 


Side  Routes  209 


feet  in  the  night  effected  their  retreat;  and  the  brave  mountaineers 
assembled  their  forces  in  the  morning,  and  entered  the  fort  without 
opposition. 

"With  those  who  have  seen  the  field  of  battle,  the  glowing  descrip- 
tion, drawn  out  in  long  detail,  loses  its  interest;  for  although  I  saw  it, 
yet  I  did  not  see  dense  woods,  nor  a  swamp  of  any  magnitude  any 
where  near." 

Arrows  and  spear  points,  and  occasionally  stone  axes  and  toma- 
hawks, are  still  found  on  the  battlefield. 

Pierre's  Hole  continued  to  be  one  of  the  notorious  spots  of  the  West 
long  after  the  fur  trade  had  disappeared  from  the  area  because  of  the 
depletion  in  the  number  of  beavers  and  the  displacement  of  beaver  hats 
by  silk  ones.  It  saw  many  battles  during  the  cattle  days.  But  it  has  set- 
tled down  to  a  polite  old  age  with  dog  racing  and  a  winter  ski  carnival 
to  attract  visitors. 

Idaho  33  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line  at  141  m. ;  beyond  this  point 
the  highway  is  Wyo.  22. 

The  route  leads  through  TETON  PASS  (8,429  alt.),  which  offers 
one  of  the  most  spectacular  views  in  the  West.  JACKSON,  160  m. 
(6,209  alt.,  538  pop.),  seat  of  Teton  County,  is  the  chief  outfitting  center 
for  big-game  hunts  and  trail  trips  in  the  TETON  NATIONAL  FOREST, 
whose  headquarters  is  here. 

The  town  is  the  center  of  JACKSON  HOLE,  a  beautiful  and  fertile 
mountain  valley  of  approximately  four  hundred  square  miles.  It  was 
named  in  honor  of  David  Jackson,  an  associate  of  Jedediah  Smith  and 
Captain  Sublette.  Traversed  by  the  Snake  River  and  crossed  by  numer- 
ous streams  that  flow  into  the  Snake,  the  valley  is  formed  by  the  Wind 
River  Mountains  on  the  east,  the  Gros  Ventre  Mountains  on  the  south, 
and  the  Teton  Range  on  the  west.  Yellowstone  National  Park  is  on  the 
north.  Rugged,  snow-capped  peaks  are  mirrored  in  the  several  crystal- 
clear  lakes  of  the  valley. 

Long  before  its  discovery  by  white  men,  Jackson  Hole  was  the  hunt- 
ing and  trapping  ground  of  roving  bands  of  Indians  and  may  have  been 
the  home  of  a  prehistoric  race.  Recently  what  appears  to  have  been 
the  site  of  a  prehistoric  village  with  stone  foundations  has  been  dis- 
covered. 

Here  for  many  years  the  fur  trader  held  rendezvous  with  the  Indian 
and  swapped  baubles,  merchandise,  and  whiskey  for  valuable  furs; 
here  the  Indians  fought  and  failed  to  halt  the  whites  as  they  pushed 
westward;  here  the  cowman  made  his  own  law  and  rid  the  country  of 
the  outlaw,  the  cattle  rustler,  and  the  horse  thief;  and  here  today  come 
thousands  of  visitors  in  search  of  recreation. 

John  Colter,  a  member  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  white  man  to  visit  what  is  now  Jackson  Hole. 
As  the  party  was  on  its  way  down  the  Missouri  he  met  traders  who 
asked  him  to  go  back  with  them  to  the  mountains  and  he  promptly 


210  The  Oregon  Trail 

asked  to  be  discharged  from  the  exploring  group  whose  work  was  nearly 
completed.  Colter  came  south  through  the  Big  Horn  Basin,  crossed 
Union  Pass,  and  went  up  Hoback  Canyon  into  Jackson  Hole  in  1807. 
Then  he  climbed  Teton  Pass,  passed  through  Pierre's  Hole  and,  re- 
turning to  Wyoming,  discovered  the  wonders  of  Yellowstone  National 
Park. 

The  Astorians,  Jim  Bridger,  William  Sublette,  Captain  Bonneville, 
and  many  other  traders  of  note  passed  through  the  valley.  In  the  pos- 
session of  Al  Austin  of  Jackson  is  a  flintlock  rifle  that  was  found  near 
the  Hoback  River.  It  bears  marks  indicating  that  it  was  manufactured 
in  London,  England,  in  1776.  This  may  have  been  dropped  by  the 
Astorians  or  by  some  Canadian  trapper. 

The  first  white  settlers  arrived  about  1883,  but  the  valley  remained 
isolated  for  some  years  owing  to  the  lack  of  roads.  Some  ranches  in 
Jackson  Hole  are  vast  estates  of  thousands  of  acres.  There  are  other 
thousands  of  acres  of  virgin  lands. 

Several  ranches  in  the  valley  specialize  in  purebred  cattle.  The  cat- 
tle and  horses  are  branded  in  the  spring  and  fall  round-ups.  Owing 
chiefly  to  the  isolation  of  the  country,  Jackson  Hole  is  the  home  of 
many  wild  animals,  including  a  large  elk  herd.  There  are  also  bear, 
deer,  moose,  and  mountain  sheep.  Against  the  picturesque  background 
many  famous  "Western"  motion  pictures  have  been  filmed,  notably 
The  Covered  Wagon  and  The  Big  Trail. 

In  1890  John  D.  Sargent  brought  a  sailboat  of  clinker  design  to 
the  valley.  It  was  carried  in  by  four  men  on  the  old  Conant  Trail,  over 
which  Owen  Wister's  Virginian  followed  the  cattle  thief  Trampas.  The 
boat  was  used  to  carry  supplies  from  the  southern  end  of  Jackson  Lake, 
where  the  road  ended,  to  the  Marymere  Ranch,  later  known  as  the  May 
Lou  Lodge.  Jackson  Lake  was  earlier  known  as  Lake  Biddle,  in  honor 
of  Nicholas  Biddle,  the  editor  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Journals,  pub- 
lished in  1814. 

At  Jackson  is  the  junction  with  US  187  (see  Side  Route  A). 


Nebraska 


SIDE  ROUTE  C 

Bridgeport — Chimney     Rock — Scott's     Bluff — Horse     Creek     Treaty 
Ground;  55.1  m.  Neb.  86. 

Graveled  roadbed;  limited  accommodations  except  in  Gering. 

West  from  BRIDGEPORT,  0  m.  (see  ALTERNATE  ROUTE),  on 
Neb.  86,  which  crosses  the  North  Platte  and  then  turns  R.  along  its 
south  bank,  roughly  following  the  course  of  the  Oregon  Trail. 

CHIMNEY  ROCK,  16  m.  (4,242  alt.),  rising  abruptly  from  the 
valley  floor,  is  an  eroded  formation  with  a  bare,  conical  base  of  reddish 
sandstone  covering  about  40  acres.  From  the  center  rises  a  narrow  shaft 
about  150  feet  high.  The  pinnacle  is  weathering  away  more  or  less  rap- 
idly. Though  it  does  not  particularly  resemble  a  chimney,  it  has  borne 
the  name  since  Joshua  Pilcher  gave  it  in  1827.  The  Indians  called  it 
the  Tepee. 

Most  western  explorers  and  travelers  described  the  formation.  The 
eastbound  Astorians  passed  it  in  1813,  as  did  Lt.  John  C.  Fremont  in 
1842;  he  thought  it  looked  like  a  factory  chimney.  The  Rev.  Samuel 
Parker,  who  climbed  to  the  base  of  the  column,  objected  to  calling  it  a 
chimney  and  recommended  Beacon  Hill.  Members  of  his  party  amused 
themselves  by  shooting  away  small  projections  at  the  top  of  the  spire, 
pieces  of  which  they  carried  away  with  them  as  souvenirs.  Bonneville 
was  content  with  "shaft"  or  "column"  as  descriptive  terms,  and  esti- 
mated the  height  at  525  feet.  Least  impressed  of  all  was  the  diarist  of 
the  Birmingham  Emigrating  Company,  whom  it  reminded  of  a  potato 
hole  (the  mound  over  a  vegetable  cache  and  its  identifying  stake) . 

A  natural  amphitheater  at  the  base  of  the  rock  has  for  many  years 
been  used  for  the  presentation  of  a  pageant,  The  Gift  of  God  (adm. 
free),  performed  on  four  successive  nights  about  the  middle  of  June. 
In  this  pageant,  composed  by  the  Rev.  Louis  Kaub,  the  life  of  Christ 
is  portrayed  by  125  actors  to  music  provided  by  a  hidden  choir.  The 
only  man-made  parts  of  the  setting  are  a  stone  front  to  the  cave  stable 
and  three  white  crosses  on  a  knoll.  Many  spectators  camp  overnight  on 
the  patrolled  grounds  and  most  of  them  bring  basket  meals. 

At  20.8  m.  is  McGREW  (128  pop.). 

Left  from  McGrew  on  a  country  road  to  TABLE  ROCK,  11.5  m.  South  of  this 
point  are  STEAMBOAT  ROCK,  TWIN  SISTERS,  and  SMOKESTACK  ROCK,  all 
landmarks  named  by  early  travelers. 

GERING,  34  m.  (3,902  alt.,  2,531  pop.),  seat  of  Scotts  Bluff 
County,  was  named  for  Martin  Gering,  a  Civil  War  veteran  and  banker 

211 


212  The  Oregon  Trail 

who  was  a  member  of  the  group  formed  in  1887  to  plat  the  town.  The 
town's  chief  industrial  plant  is  the  Great  Western  Sugar  Company's 
refinery. 

The  people  here,  like  those  of  other  western  Nebraska  towns,  have 
interests  more  akin  to  Wyoming  and  Colorado  than  to  Nebraska;  the 
larger  Colorado  newspapers  have  more  circulation  in  the  region  than 
have  those  of  Omaha  or  Lincoln. 

A  two-day  celebration  known  as  Oregon  Trail  Days  is  held  here 
annually  during  the  week  in  which  July  17  falls.  This  date  was  chosen 
because  the  group  of  trappers  led  by  William  Sublette,  the  first  man 
to  take  wagons  across  the  plains,  camped  near  the  site  of  the  town  on 
July  17,  1830.  Among  the  features  of  the  celebration  are  the  display  of 
pioneer  relics,  Sioux  dances  and  songs,  a  public  wedding,  and  a  parade 
with  floats  commemorating  historical  events  and  advertising  local  in- 
dustries. 

Left  from  Gering  on  State  29,  a  graveled  road,  to  the  junction  with  a  dirt 
road,  2  m.;  R.  here  to  ROUBIDOU  PASS,  8  m.,  used  by  wagon  trains  before 
Mitchell  Pass  was  cleared. 

The  pass  is  named  for  a  French  fur  trader,  Basil  Roubidou,  who  at  one  time 
contracted  smallpox  and  was  abandoned  by  his  comrades;  he  was  rescued  by  a 
Sioux  medicine  man,  who  nursed  him  back  to  health.  In  1848  he  established  at 
the  western  end  of  the  pass  a  trading  post  that  was  destroyed  about  1852  by 
the  Arapaho.  A  stone  marker  indicates  the  spot  where  the  post's  blacksmith  shop 
stood.  Southwest  of  Roubidou  Pass  is  SIGNAL  BUTTE,  which  is  entirely  separated 
from  the  main  range  and  almost  perpendicular  on  each  side. 

Northwest  of  Signal  Butte,  on  the  bank  of  a  dry  creek,  is  a  quarry  excavated 
by  a  field  party  from  the  University  of  Nebraska  Museum.  Here  were  found  the 
bones  of  30  or  40  bison  of  a  species  now  extinct.  Some  Indian  artifacts  unearthed 
with  the  bones  indicate  a  culture  earlier  than  that  of  the  Plains  Indians. 

A  short  distance  north  of  Signal  Butte  is  Kiowa  Creek,  where  a  battle  was 
fought  in  1865  between  the  Sioux  and  the  Kiowa. 

On  State  29  at  7  m.  is  HELVAS  CANYON,  a  minor  gap  in  the  Wildcat 
Hills,  near  which  a  trading  post  and  blacksmith  shop  were  established  in  1849, 
probably  by  the  American  Fur  Company. 

At  10  m.  the  highway  crosses  STAGE  HILL,  so  called  because  the  stage- 
coaches between  Kimball  and  Gering  passed  over  it.  On  the  hill  is  the  WILDCAT 
STATE  GAME  PRESERVE  (shelters,  picnicking  facilities,  trails},  an  840-acre 
tract  of  extremely  rugged  country.  The  ravines  and  higher  slopes  are  wooded 
with  pine,  and  the  canyon  floors  are  overgrown  with  cotton  wood,  oak,  boxelder, 
willow,  chokecherry,  and  buffalo  berry.  Wild  flowers  dot  the  open  spaces  in  sea- 
son; the  most  common  are  the  wild  rose,  cream-colored  yucca,  and  brush  morning 
glory. 

SCOTTS  BLUFF  NATIONAL  MONUMENT,  36.7  m.  (camping 
and  picnicking  facilities],  a  tract  of  3,240  acres  just  south  of  the  North 
Platte  River,  was  acquired  by  the  National  Park  Service  in  December, 
1919. 

SCOTT'S  BLUFF  (4,662  alt.),  which  rises  750  feet  above  the  plain, 
was  always  a  point  of  major  interest  to  early  overland  travelers,  many 
of  whom,  in  order  to  do  local  sightseeing,  camped  near  its  base.  The 


Side  Routes  213 


name  is  also  applied  to  the  nearby  group  of  bluffs.  The  lower  two-thirds 
of  the  bluff  is  a  flesh-colored  clay  similar  to  that  in  the  badlands  along 
the  river;  the  top  third  is  sandstone. 

The  ravines,  the  northwestern  slope,  and  the  summit  bear  a  light 
growth  of  juniper  and  pine.  A  hard  stratum  of  volcanic  ash,  just  above 
the  talus  slope  on  the  west  face  of  the  bluff,  was  formerly  covered  with 
names  and  dates.  The  inscriptions  have  almost  entirely  flaked  off. 

In  The  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville,  Irving  told  the  origin  of 
the  name: 

"A  number  of  years  since,  a  party  were  descending  the  upper  part 
of  the  river  in  canoes,  when  their  frail  barks  were  overturned  and  all 
their  powder  spoiled.  Their  rifles  being  thus  rendered  useless,  they  were 
unable  to  procure  food  by  hunting  and  had  to  depend  upon  roots  and 
wild  fruits  for  subsistence.  After  suffering  extremely  from  hunger,  they 
arrived  at  Laramie's  Fork.  .  .  .  Here  one  of  the  party,  by  the  name  of 
Scott,  was  taken  ill ;  and  his  companions  came  to  a  halt,  until  he  should 
recover  health  and  strength  sufficient  to  proceed  .  .  .  they  discovered 
a  fresh  trail  of  white  men,  who  had  evidently  but  recently  preceded 
them.  What  was  to  be  done?  By  a  forced  march  they  might  overtake 
this  party,  and  thus  be  able  to  reach  the  settlements  in  safety.  Should 
they  linger  they  might  all  perish  of  famine  and  exhaustion.  Scott,  how- 
ever, was  incapable  of  moving;  they  were  too  feeble  to  aid  him  for- 
ward. .  .  .  They  determined,  therefore,  to  abandon  him  to  his  fate. 
Accordingly,  under  pretence  of  seeking  food,  and  such  simples  as  might 
be  efficacious  in  his  malady,  they  deserted  him  and  hastened  forward 
upon  the  trail.  They  succeeded  in  overtaking  the  party  of  which  they 
were  in  quest,  but  concealed  their  faithless  desertion  of  Scott,  alleging 
that  he  had  died  of  disease. 

"On  the  ensuing  summer,  these  very  individuals  visiting  these  parts 
in  company  with  others,  came  suddenly  upon  the  bleached  bones  and 
grinning  skull  of  a  human  skeleton,  which  by  certain  signs  they  rec- 
ognized for  the  remains  of  Scott.  This  was  sixty  long  miles  from  the 
place  where  they  had  abandoned  him ;  and  it  appeared  that  the  wretched 
man  had  crawled  that  immense  distance  before  death  put  an  end  to  his 
miseries." 

The  OREGON  TRAIL  MUSEUM  (free),  at  the  base  of  the  bluff,  is  con- 
structed of  brick  painted  a  buff-cream ;  it  is  modern  in  style  and  is  with- 
out windows.  In  it  are  about  150  maps  and  water  colors,  and  three 
dioramas.  A  large  collection  of  historical  relics,  fossils,  and  artifacts 
has  also  been  accumulated  through  loans  and  donations. 

Right  from  the  museum  on  Summit  Road,  built  at  a  cost  of  nearly  half  a  mil- 
lion dollars.  The  view  from  the  top  is  fantastic  but  beautiful.  Not  far  from  this 
road,  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff  on  the  eastern  side,  is  (R)  HIRAM  SCOTT  SPRING. 
Scott's  body  was  supposedly  found  here. 

MITCHELL  PASS,  37  m.,  divides  the  bluff  in  half.  Before  1852 
travelers  used  the  Roubidou  Pass  (see  above).  This  route  was  impass- 


214  The  Oregon  Trail 

able  until  it  was  cleared,  probably  by  soldiers  from  Fort  Laramie,  Wyo. 
Mitchell  Pass  was  traversed  by  Pony  Express  riders,  by  the  first  stages, 
and  by  emigrant  trains;  the  first  transcontinental  telegraph  line  ran 
through  it. 

A  military  post,  first  called  Camp  Schuman  and  later  Fort  Mitchell, 
was  established  near  here  in  1864  for  the  protection  of  travelers. 

HORSE  CREEK  TREATY  GROUNDS,  55.1  m.,  is  near  Horse 
Creek,  which  flows  into  the  North  Platte  River.  The  creek  was  so  named 
because  in  1824  Thomas  Fitzpatrick  was  robbed  of  his  horses  here  by 
Indians.  The  largest  assembly  of  Indians  in  American  history  gathered 
here  with  Government  representatives  in  September,  1851,  when  the 
Fort  Laramie  Treaty,  covering  boundary  lines  and  privileges,  was  nego- 
tiated. Messengers  were  sent  out  to  the  tribesmen  a  year  before  the  date 
of  the  meeting.  All  the  Indian  nations  of  the  plains  and  the  foothills, 
from  the  Arkansas  River  to  Canada,  were  told  to  come  to  this  central 
place,  where  there  was  water  for  the  horses  and  excellent  grazing  land. 
More  than  10,000  arrived:  Shoshone,  Sioux,  Cheyenne,  Assiniboine, 
Arapaho,  Blackfeet,  Arikara,  Gros  Ventre,  Mandan,  and  Crow.  Clusters 
of  tepees  made  a  tent  city.  A  large  pavilion  was  built  by  the  women 
in  the  angle  between  Horse  Creek  and  North  Platte  River;  here  the 
meetings  were  held,  beginning  on  September  8  when  a  cannon  shot  was 
fired  as  a  signal  of  the  event. 


APPENDICES 


JEFFERSON'S  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  LEWIS 

To  Meriwether  Lewis,  esquire,  Captain  of  the  1st  regiment  of  in- 
fantry of  the  United  States  of  America:  Your  situation  as  Secretary  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States  has  made  you  acquainted  with  the 
objects  of  my  confidential  message  of  Jan.  18,  1803,  to  the  legislature, 
you  have  seen  the  act  they  passed,  which,  tho'  expressed  in  general 
terms,  was  meant  to  sanction  those  objects,  and  you  are  appointed  to 
carry  them  into  execution. 

Instruments  for  ascertaining  by  celestial  observations  the  geography 
of  the  country  thro'  which  you  will  pass,  have  already  been  provided, 
light  articles  for  barter,  &  presents  among  the  Indians,  arms  for  your 
attendants,  say  for  from  10  to  12  men,  boats,  tents,  &  other  travelling 
apparatus,  with  ammunition,  medicine,  surgical  instruments  &  provi- 
sions you  will  have  prepared  with  such  aids  as  the  Secretary  at  War 
can  yield  in  his  department ;  &  from  him  also  you  will  recieve  authority 
to  engage  among  our  troops,  by  voluntary  agreement,  the  number  of 
attendants  above  mentioned,  over  whom  you,  as  their  commanding  of- 
ficer are  invested  with  all  the  powers  the  laws  give  in  such  a  case. 

As  your  movements  while  within  the  limits  of  the  U.S.  will  be  better 
directed  by  occasional  communications,  adapted  to  circumstances  as 
they  arise,  they  will  not  be  noticed  here,  what  follows  will  respect  your 
proceedings  after  your  departure  from  the  U.S. 

Your  mission  has  been  communicated  to  the  Ministers  here  from 
France,  Spain  &  Great  Britain,  and  through  them  to  their  governments: 
and  such  assurances  given  them  as  to  it's  objects  as  we  trust  will  satisfy 
them,  the  country  of  Louisiana  having  been  ceded  by  Spain  to  France, 
the  passport  you  have  from  the  Minister  of  France,  the  representative 
of  the  present  sovereign  of  the  country,  will  be  a  protection  with  all 
it's  subjects:  And  that  from  the  Minister  of  England  will  entitle  you 
to  the  friendly  aid  of  any  traders  of  that  allegiance  with  whom  you 
may  happen  to  meet. 

The  object  of  your  mission  is  to  explore  the  Missouri  river,  &  such 
principal  stream  of  it,  as,  by  it's  course  &  communication  with  the 
waters  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  may  offer  the  most  direct  &  practicable 
water  communication  across  this  continent,  for  the  purposes  of  com- 
merce. 

Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  you  will  take  observations 
of  latitude  &  longitude,  at  all  remarkable  points  on  the  river,  &  espe- 
cially at  the  mouths  of  rivers,  at  rapids,  at  islands  &  other  places  & 
objects  distinguished  by  such  natural  marks  &  characters  of  a  durable 

215 


216  The  Oregon  Trail 

kind,  as  that  they  may  with  certainty  be  recognized  hereafter,  the  courses 
of  the  river  between  these  points  of  observation  may  be  supplied  by 
the  compass,  the  log-line  &  by  time,  corrected  by  the  observations  them- 
selves, the  variations  of  the  compass  too,  in  different  places,  should  be 
noticed. 

The  interesting  points  of  the  portage  between  the  heads  of  the  Mis- 
souri &  the  water  offering  the  best  communication  with  the  Pacific 
Ocean  should  also  be  fixed  by  observation,  &  the  course  of  that  water 
to  the  ocean,  in  the  same  manner  as  that  of  the  Missouri. 

Your  observations  are  to  be  taken  with  great  pains  &  accuracy,  to 
be  entered  distinctly,  &  intelligibly  for  others  as  well  as  yourself,  to 
comprehend  all  the  elements  necessary,  with  the  aid  of  the  usual  tables, 
to  fix  the  latitude  and  longitude  of  the  places  at  which  they  were  taken, 
&  are  to  be  rendered  to  the  war  office,  for  the  purpose  of  having  the 
calculations  made  concurrently  by  proper  persons  within  the  U.S.  sev- 
eral copies  of  these,  as  well  as  your  other  notes,  should  be  made  at 
leisure  times  &  put  into  the  care  of  the  most  trustworthy  of  your  at- 
tendants, to  guard  by  multiplying  them,  against  the  accidental  losses 
to  which  they  will  be  exposed,  a  further  guard  would  be  that  one  of 
these  copies  be  written  on  the  paper  of  the  birch,  as  less  liable  to  injury 
from  damp  than  common  paper. 

The  commerce  which  may  be  carried  on  with  the  people  inhabiting 
the  line  you  will  pursue,  renders  a  knolege  of  these  people  important, 
you  will  therefore  endeavor  to  make  yourself  acquainted,  as  far  as  a 
diligent  pursuit  of  your  journey  shall  admit, 

with  the  names  of  the  nations  &  their  numbers; 
The  extent  &  limits  of  their  possessions; 
their  relations  with  other  tribes  or  nations; 
their  language,  traditions,  monuments; 
their  ordinary  occupations  in  agriculture,  fishing,  hunting,  war, 

arts,  &  the  implements  for  these; 
their  food,  clothing,  &  domestic  accommodations; 
the  diseases  prevalent  among  them,  &  the  remedies  they  use; 
moral  &  physical  circumstances  which  distinguish  them  from  the 

tribes  we  know; 

peculiarities  in  their  laws,  customs  &  dispositions; 
and  articles  of  commerce  they  may  need  or  furnish,  &  to  what 

extent. 

And  considering  the  interest  which  every  nation  has  in  extending  & 
strengthening  the  authority  of  reason  &  justice  among  the  people  around 
them,  it  will  be  useful  to  acquire  what  knolege  you  can  of  the  state  of 
morality,  religion  &  information  among  them,  as  it  may  better  enable 
those  who  endeavor  to  civilize  &  instruct  them,  to  adapt  their  measures 
to  the  existing  notions  &  practises  of  those  on  whom  they  are  to  operate. 


Appendices  217 

Other  object  worthy  of  notice  will  be 

the  soil  &  face  of  the  country,  it's  growth  &  vegetable  produc- 
tions; especially  those  not  of  the  U.S. 

the  animals  of  the  country  generally,  &  especially  those  not 
known  in  the  U.S. 

the  remains  and  accounts  of  any  which  may  be  deemed  rare  or 
extinct; 

the  mineral  productions  of  every  kind;  but  more  particularly 
metals,  limestone,  pit  coal  &  saltpetre;  salines  &  mineral 
waters,  noting  the  temperature  of  the  last,  &  such  circum- 
stances as  may  indicate  their  character. 

Volcanic  appearances. 

climate  as  characterized  by  the  thermometer,  by  the  proportion 
of  rainy,  cloudy  &  clear  days,  by  lightening,  hail,  snow,  ice, 
by  the  access  &  recess  of  frost,  by  the  winds  prevailing  at  dif- 
ferent seasons,  the  dates  at  which  particular  plants  put  forth 
or  lose  their  flowers,  or  leaf,  times  of  appearance  of  par- 
ticular birds,  reptiles  or  insects. 

Altho'  your  route  will  be  along  the  channel  of  the  Missouri,  yet 
you  will  endeavor  to  inform  yourself,  by  inquiry,  of  the  character  & 
extent  of  the  country  watered  by  it's  branches,  &  especially  on  it's 
Southern  side,  the  North  river  or  Rio  Bravo  which  runs  into  the  gulph 
of  Mexico,  and  the  North  river,  or  Rio  Colorado,  which  runs  into  the 
gulph  of  California,  are  understood  to  be  the  principal  streams  head- 
ing opposite  to  the  waters  of  the  Missouri,  and  running  Southwardly, 
whether  the  dividing  grounds  between  the  Missouri  &  them  are  moun- 
tains or  flatlands,  what  are  their  distance  from  the  Missouri,  the  char- 
acter of  the  intermediate  country,  &  the  people  inhabiting  it,  are  worthy 
of  particular  enquiry.  The  Northern  waters  of  the  Missouri  are  less  to 
be  enquired  after,  because  they  have  been  ascertained  to  a  considerable 
degree,  and  are  still  in  a  course  of  ascertainment  by  English  traders  & 
travellers,  but  if  you  can  learn  anything  certain  of  the  most  Northern 
source  of  the  Missisipi,  &  of  it's  position  relative  to  the  lake  of  the 
woods,  it  will  be  interesting  to  us.  some  account  too  of  the  path  of  the 
Canadian  traders  from  the  Missisipi,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ouisconsin 
river,  to  where  it  strikes  the  Missouri  and  of  the  soil  &  rivers  in  it's 
course,  is  desireable. 

In  all  your  intercourse  with  the  natives  treat  them  in  the  most 
friendly  &  conciliatory  manner  which  their  own  conduct  will  admit; 
allay  all  jealousies  as  to  the  object  of  your  journey,  satisfy  them  of 
it's  innocence,  make  them  acquainted  with  the  position,  extent,  char- 
acter, peaceable  &  commercial  dispositions  of  the  U.  S.  of  our  wish 
to  be  neighborly,  friendly  &  useful  to  them,  &  of  our  dispositions  to 
a  commercial  intercourse  with  them;  confer  with  them  on  the  points 
most  convenient  as  mutual  emporiums,  &  the  articles  of  most  desireable 


218  The  Oregon  Trail 

interchange  for  them  &  us.  if  a  few  of  their  influential  chiefs,  within 
practicable  distance,  wish  to  visit  us,  arrange  such  a  visit  with  them, 
and  furnish  them  with  authority  to  call  on  our  officers,  on  their  enter- 
ing the  U.  S.  to  have  them  conveyed  to  this  place  at  public  expence. 
if  any  of  them  should  wish  to  have  some  of  their  young  people  brought 
up  with  us,  &  taught  such  arts  as  may  be  useful  to  them,  we  will  re- 
ceive, instruct  &  take  care  of  them,  such  a  mission,  whether  of  influen- 
tial chiefs,  or  of  young  people,  would  give  some  security  to  your  own 
party,  carry  with  you  some  matter  of  the  kine-pox,  inform  those  of 
them  with  whom  you  may  be  of  its  efficacy  as  a  preservative  from  the 
small-pox;  and  instruct  &  incourage  them  in  the  use  of  it.  this  may  be 
especially  done  wherever  you  winter. 

As  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  foresee  in  what  manner  you  will  be 
received  by  those  people,  whether  with  hospitality  or  hostility,  so  is  it 
impossible  to  prescribe  the  exact  degree  of  perseverance  with  which  you 
are  to  pursue  your  journey,  we  value  too  much  the  lives  of  citizens 
to  offer  them  to  probably  destruction,  your  numbers  will  be  sufficient 
to  secure  you  against  the  unauthorised  opposition  of  individuals,  or  of 
small  parties:  but  if  a  superior  force,  authorised  or  not  authorised,  by 
a  nation,  should  be  arrayed  against  your  further  passage,  &  inflexibly 
determined  to  arrest  it,  you  must  decline  it's  further  pursuit,  and  return, 
in  the  loss  of  yourselves,  we  should  lose  also  the  information  you  will 
have  acquired,  by  returning  safely  with  that,  you  may  enable  us  to 
renew  the  essay  with  better  calculated  means,  to  your  own  discretion 
therefore  must  be  left  the  degree  of  danger  you  may  risk,  &  the  point 
at  which  you  should  decline,  only  saying  we  wish  you  to  err  on  the 
side  of  your  safety,  &  bring  back  your  party  safe,  even  if  it  be  with 
less  information. 

As  far  up  the  Missouri  as  the  white  settlements  extend,  an  inter- 
course will  probably  be  found  to  exist  between  them  and  the  Spanish 
posts  at  St.  Louis,  opposite  Cahokia,  or  Ste.  Genevieve  opposite  Kas- 
kaskia.  from  still  farther  up  the  river,  the  traders  may  furnish  a  con- 
veyance for  letters,  beyond  that  you  may  perhaps  be  able  to  engage 
Indians  to  bring  letters  for  the  government  to  Cahokia  or  Kaskaskia, 
on  promising  that  they  shall  there  receive  such  special  compensation 
as  you  shall  have  stipulated  with  them,  avail  yourself  of  these  means 
to  communicate  to  us,  at  seasonable  intervals,  a  copy  of  your  journal, 
notes  &  observations  of  every  kind,  putting  into  cypher  whatever  might 
do  injury  if  betrayed. 

Should  you  reach  the  Pacific  ocean  (One  full  line  scratched  out, 
indecipherable. — Ed.)  inform  yourself  of  the  circumstances  which  may 
decide  whether  the  furs  of  those  parts  may  not  be  collected  as  advan- 
tageously at  the  head  of  the  Missouri  (convenient  as  is  supposed  to 
the  waters  of  the  Colorado  &  Oregon  or  Columbia)  as  at  Nootka  sound 
or  any  other  point  of  that  coast;  &  that  trade  be  consequently  con- 
ducted through  the  Missouri  &  U.  S.  more  beneficially  than  by  the 


Appendices  219 

circumnavigation  now  practised. 

On  your  arrival  on  that  coast  endeavor  to  learn  if  there  be  any  port 
within  your  reach  frequented  by  the  sea-vessels  of  any  nation,  and  to 
send  two  of  your  trusty  people  back  by  sea,  in  such  way  as  shall  appear 
practicable,  with  a  copy  of  your  notes,  and  should  you  be  of  opinion 
that  the  return  of  your  party  by  the  way  they  went  will  be  eminently 
dangerous,  then  ship  the  whole,  &  return  by  sea  by  way  of  Cape  Horn 
or  the  Cape  of  good  Hope,  as  you  shall  be  able,  as  you  will  be  without 
money,  clothes  or  provisions,  you  must  endeavor  to  use  the  credit  of 
the  U.  S.  to  obtain  them;  for  which  purpose  open  letters  of  credit  shall 
be  furnished  you  authorising  you  to  draw  on  the  Executive  of  the  U.  S. 
or  any  of  its  officers  in  any  part  of  the  world,  on  which  drafts  can  be 
disposed  of,  and  to  apply  with  our  recommendations  to  the  Consuls, 
agents,  merchants  or  citizens  of  any  nation  with  which  we  have  inter- 
course, assuring  them  in  our  name  that  any  aids  they  may  furnish  you, 
shall  be  honorably  repaid,  and  on  demand.  Our  consuls  Thomas  Howes 
at  Batavia  in  Java,  William  Buchanan  of  the  isles  of  France  and  Bour- 
bon, &  John  Elmslie  at  the  Cape  of  good  hope  will  be  able  to  supply 
your  necessities  by  draughts  on  us. 

Should  you  find  it  safe  to  return  by  the  way  you  go,  after  sending 
two  of  your  party  round  by  sea,  or  with  your  whole  party,  if  no  con- 
veyance by  sea  can  be  found,  do  so ;  making  such  observations  on  your 
return  as  may  serve  to  supply,  correct  or  confirm  those  made  on  your 
outward  journey. 

In  re-entering  the  U.  S.  and  reaching  a  place  of  safety,  discharge 
any  of  your  attendants  who  may  desire  &  deserve  it,  procuring  for  them 
immediate  paiment  of  all  arrears  of  pay  &  cloathing  which  may  have 
incurred  since  their  departure;  &  assure  them  that  they  shall  be  recom- 
mended to  the  liberality  of  the  legislature  for  the  grant  of  a  soldier's 
portion  of  land  each,  as  proposed  in  my  message  to  Congress  &  repair 
yourself  with  your  papers  to  the  seat  of  government. 

To  provide,  on  the  accident  of  your  death,  against  anarchy,  disper- 
sion &  the  consequent  danger  to  your  party,  and  total  failure  of  the 
enterprise,  you  are  herby  authorised,  by  any  instrument  signed  &  written 
in  your  hand,  to  name  the  person  among  them  who  shall  succeed  to  the 
command  on  your  decease,  &  by  like  instruments  to  change  the  nomina- 
tion from  time  to  time,  as  further  experience  of  the  characters  accom- 
panying you  shall  point  out  superior  fitness:  and  all  the  powers  & 
authorities  given  to  yourself  are,  in  the  event  of  your  death,  transferred 
to  &  vested  in  the  successor  so  named,  with  further  power  to  him,  & 
his  successors  in  like  manner  to  name  each  his  successor,  who,  on  the 
death  of  his  predecessor,  shall  be  invested  with  all  the  powers  &  au- 
thorities given  to  yourself. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  20th  day  of 
June  1803 

Th.  Jefferson 
Pr.  U  S.  of  America 


220  The  Oregon  Trail 


NECESSARY  OUTFITS  FOR  EMIGRANTS  TRAVELING 
TO  OREGON 

(From  Joel  Palmer's  Journal  of  Travels  over  the  Rocky  Mountains, 

1845-1846) 

For  burthen  wagons,  light  four  horse  or  heavy  two  horse  wagons 
are  the  size  commonly  used.  They  should  be  made  of  the  best  material, 
well  seasoned,  and  should  in  all  cases  have  falling  tongues.  The  tire 
should  not  be  less  than  one  and  three  fourth  inches  wide,  but  may  be 
advantageously  used  three  inches;  two  inches,  however,  is  the  most 
common  width.  In  fastening  on  the  tire,  bolts  should  be  used  instead 
of  nails;  it  should  be  at  least  %  or  %  inches  thick.  Hub  boxes  for  the 
hubs  should  be  about  four  inches.  The  skeins  should  be  well  steeled. 
The  Mormon  fashioned  wagon  bed  is  the  best.  They  are  usually  made 
straight,  with  side  boards  about  16  inches  wide,  and  a  projection  out- 
ward of  four  inches  on  each  side,  and  then  another  side  board  of  ten 
or  twelve  inches;  in  this  last,  set  the  bows  for  covers,  which  should 
always  be  double.  Boxes  for  carrying  effects  should  be  so  constructed 
as  to  correspond  in  height  with  the  offset  in  the  wagon  bed,  as  this 
gives  a  smooth  surface  to  sleep  upon. 

Ox  teams  are  more  extensively  used  than  any  others.  Oxen  stand  the 
trip  much  better,  and  are  not  so  liable  to  be  stolen  by  the  Indians,  and 
are  much  less  trouble.  Cattle  are  generally  allowed  to  go  at  large,  when 
not  hitched  to  the  wagons;  whilst  horses  and  mules  must  always  be 
staked  up  at  night.  Oxen  can  procure  food  in  many  places  where  horses 
cannot,  and  in  much  less  time.  Cattle  that  have  been  raised  in  Illinois 
or  Missouri,  stand  the  trip  better  than  those  raised  in  Indiana  or  Ohio ; 
as  they  have  been  accustomed  to  eating  the  prairie  grass,  upon  which 
they  must  wholly  rely  while  on  the  road.  Great  care  should  be  taken 
in  selecting  cattle;  they  should  be  from  four  to  six  years  old,  tight  and 
heavy  made. 

For  those  who  fit  out  but  one  wagon,  it  is  not  safe  to  start  with  less 
than  four  yoke  of  oxen,  as  they  are  liable  to  get  lame,  have  sore  necks, 
or  to  stray  away.  One  team  thus  fitted  up  may  start  from  Missouri  with 
twenty-five  hundred  pounds  and  as  each  day's  rations  make  the  load 
that  much  lighter,  before  they  reach  any  rough  road,  their  loading  is 
much  reduced.  Persons  should  recollect  that  every  thing  in  the  outfit 
should  be  as  light  as  the  required  strength  will  permit;  no  useless 
trumpery  should  be  taken.  The  loading  should  consist  of  provisions 
and  apparel,  a  necessary  supply  of  cooking  fixtures,  a  few  tools,  etc. 
No  great  speculation  can  be  made  in  buying  cattle  and  driving  them 
through  to  sell;  but  as  the  prices  of  oxen  and  cows  are  much  higher 
in  Oregon  than  in  the  States,  nothing  is  lost  in  having  a  good  supply 
of  them,  which  will  enable  the  emigrant  to  wagon  through  many  articles 
that  are  difficult  to  be  obtained  in  Oregon.  Each  family  should  have  a 


Appendices  221 

few  cows,  as  the  milk  can  be  used  the  entire  route,  and  they  are  often 
convenient  to  put  to  the  wagon  to  relieve  oxen.  They  should  be  so 
selected  that  portions  of  them  would  come  in  fresh  upon  the  road. 
Sheep  can  also  be  advantageously  driven.  American  horses  and  mares 
always  command  high  prices,  and  with  careful  usage  can  be  taken 
through;  but  if  used  to  wagons  or  carriages,  their  loading  should  be 
light.  Each  family  should  be  provided  with  a  sheet-iron  stove,  with 
boiler;  a  platform  can  easily  be  constructed  for  carrying  it  at  the  hind 
end  of  the  wagon;  and  as  it  is  frequently  quite  windy,  and  there  is 
often  a  scarcity  of  wood,  the  stove  is  very  convenient.  Each  family 
should  also  be  provided  with  a  tent,  and  to  it  should  be  attached  good 
strong  cords  to  fasten  it  down. 

The  cooking  fixtures  generally  used  are  of  sheet  iron;  a  dutch  oven 
and  skillet  of  cast  metal  are  very  essential.  Plates,  cups,  etc.,  should  be 
of  tin  ware,  as  queens-ware  is  much  heavier  and  liable  to  break,  and 
consumes  much  time  in  packing  up.  A  reflector  is  sometimes  very  use- 
ful. Families  should  each  have  two  churns,  one  for  carrying  sweet  and 
one  for  sour  milk.  They  should  also  have  one  eight  or  ten  gallon  keg 
for  carrying  water,  one  axe,  one  shovel,  two  or  three  augers,  one  hand 
saw,  and  if  a  farmer  he  should  be  provided  with  one  cross-cut  saw 
and  a  few  plough  moulds,  as  it  is  difficult  getting  such  articles.  When 
I  left  the  country,  ploughs  cost  from  twenty-five  to  forty  dollars  each. 
A  good  supply  of  ropes  for  tying  up  horses  and  catching  cattle,  should 
also  be  taken.  Every  person  should  be  well  supplied  with  boots  and 
shoes  and  in  fact  with  every  kind  of  clothing.  It  is  also  well  to  be  sup- 
plied with  at  least  one  feather  bed,  and  a  good  assortment  of  bedding. 
There  are  no  tame  geese  in  the  country,  but  an  abundance  of  wild  ones ; 
yet  it  is  difficult  procuring  a  sufficient  quantity  of  feathers  for  a  bed. 
The  Muscovy  is  the  only  tame  duck  in  the  country. 

Each  male  person  should  have  at  least  one  rifle  gun,  and  a  shot  gun 
is  also  very  useful  for  wild  fowl  and  small  game,  of  which  there  is 
an  abundance.  The  best  sized  calibre  for  the  mountains  is  from  thirty- 
two  to  fifty-six  to  the  pound;  but  one  of  from  sixty  to  eighty,  or  even 
less,  is  best  when  in  the  lower  settlements.  The  buffalo  seldom  range 
beyond  the  South  Pass,  and  never  west  of  Green  river.  The  larger  game 
are  elk,  deer,  antelope,  mountain  sheep  or  bighorn,  and  bear.  The  small 
game  are  hare,  rabbit,  grouse,  sage  hen,  pheasant,  quail,  etc.  A  good 
supply  of  ammunition  is  essential. 

In  laying  in  a  supply  of  provisions  for  the  journey,  persons  will 
doubtless  be  governed,  in  some  degree,  by  their  means;  but  there  are 
a  few  essentials  that  all  will  require. 

For  each  adult,  there  should  be  two  hundred  pounds  of  flour,  thirty 
pounds  of  pilot  bread,  seventy-five  pounds  of  bacon,  ten  pounds  of  rice, 
five  pounds  of  coffee,  two  pounds  of  tea,  twenty-five  pounds  of  sugar, 
half  a  bushel  of  dried  beans,  one  bushel  of  dried  fruit,  two  pounds  of 
saleratus,  ten  pounds  of  salt,  half  a  bushel  of  corn  meal;  and  it  is  well 


222  The  Oregon  Trail 

to  have  a  half  bushel  of  corn,  parched  and  ground;  a  small  keg  of 
vinegar  should  also  be  taken.  To  the  above  may  be  added  as  many  good 
things  as  the  means  of  the  person  will  enable  him  to  carry;  for  what- 
ever is  good  at  home  is  none  the  less  so  on  the  road.  The  above  will 
be  ample  for  the  journey;  but  should  an  additional  quantity  be  taken, 
it  can  readily  be  disposed  of  in  the  mountains  and  at  good  prices,  not 
for  cash,  but  for  robes,  dressed  skins,  buckskin  pants,  moccasins,  etc. 
It  is  also  well  for  families  to  be  provided  with  medicines.  It  is  seldom 
however,  that  emigrants  are  sick;  but  sometimes  eating  too  freely  of 
fresh  buffalo  meat  causes  diarrhoea,  and  unless  it  be  checked  soon  pros- 
trates the  individual,  and  leaves  him  a  fit  subject  for  disease. 

The  time  usually  occupied  in  making  the  trip  from  Missouri  to  Ore- 
gon city  is  about  five  months;  but  with  the  aid  of  a  person  who  has 
traveled  the  route  with  an  emigrating  company  the  trip  can  be  per- 
formed in  about  four  months. 

Much  injury  is  done  to  teams  in  racing  them,  endeavoring  to  pass 
each  other.  Emigrants  should  make  an  every  day  business  of  travel- 
ing— resting  upon  the  same  ground  two  nights  is  not  good  policy,  as 
the  teams  are  likely  to  ramble  too  far.  Getting  into  large  companies 
should  be  avoided,  as  they  are  necessarily  compelled  to  move  more 
tardily.  From  ten  to  twenty-five  wagons  is  a  sufficient  number  to  travel 
with  safety.  The  advance  and  rear  companies  should  not  be  less  than 
twenty;  but  between,  it  may  be  safe  to  go  with  six.  The  Indians  are 
very  annoying  on  account  of  their  thieving  propensities,  but  if  well 
watched,  they  would  seldom  put  them  into  practice.  Persons  should 
always  avoid  rambling  far  from  camp  unarmed,  or  in  too  small  par- 
ties; Indians  will  sometimes  seek  such  opportunities  to  rob  a  man  of 
what  little  effects  he  has  about  him;  and  if  he  attempts  to  get  away 
from  them  with  his  property,  they  will  sometimes  shoot  him. 

There  are  several  points  along  the  Missouri  where  emigrants  have 
been  in  the  practice  of  fitting  out.  Of  these  Independence,  St.  Joseph, 
and  Council  Bluffs,  are  the  most  noted.  For  those  emigrating  from 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  northern  Missouri,  Iowa  and  Michigan,  I 
think  St.  Joseph  the  best  point;  as  by  taking  that  route  the  crossing  of 
several  streams  (which  at  the  early  season  we  travel  are  sometimes  very 
high)  is  avoided.  Outfits  may  be  had  at  this  point,  as  readily  as  at  any 
other  along  the  river.  Work  cattle  can  be  bought  in  its  vicinity  for  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  dollars  per  yoke,  cows,  horses,  etc.,  equally  cheap. 

Emigrants  should  endeavor  to  arrive  at  St.  Joseph  early  in  April,  so 
as  to  be  in  readiness  to  take  up  the  line  of  march  by  the  middle  of 
April.  Companies,  however,  have  often  started  as  late  as  the  tenth  of 
May;  but  in  such  cases  they  seldom  arrive  in  Oregon  until  after  the 
rainy  season  commences  in  the  Cascade  range  of  mountains. 

Those  residing  in  northern  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  etc., 
who  contemplate  traveling  by  land  to  the  place  of  rendezvous,  should 
start  in  time  to  give  their  teams  at  least  ten  days  rest.  Ox  teams,  after 


Appendices  223 

traveling  four  or  five  hundred  miles  in  the  states,  at  that  season  of  the 
year,  would  be  unfit  to  perform  a  journey  across  the  mountains;  but 
doubtless  they  might  be  exchanged  for  others,  at  or  near  the  rendezvous. 

Farmers  would  do  well  to  take  along  a  good  supply  of  horse  gears. 
Mechanics  should  take  such  tools  as  are  easily  carried ;  as  there  are  but 
few  in  the  country,  and  those  are  held  at  exorbitant  prices.  Every  family 
should  lay  in  a  good  supply  of  school  books  for  their  children. 

In  case  of  an  emergency,  flour  can  be  bought  at  Fort  Hall,  and  Fort 
Bois,  two  trading  posts  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  at  twenty  dol- 
lars per  hundred;  and  by  forwarding  word  to  Spalding's  mission,  on 
the  Kooskooskee,  they  will  pack  out  flour  to  Fort  Bois,  at  ten  dollars 
per  hundred,  and  to  the  Granol  Round  at  eight  dollars,  and  will  take 
in  exchange  dry  goods,  groceries,  etc.;  but  at  Forts  Hall  and  Bois,  the 
company  will  take  nothing  in  payment  but  cash  or  cattle.  At  Dr.  Whit- 
man's station,  flour  can  be  bought  at  five-  dollars  per  hundred,  corn 
meal  at  four  dollars,  beef  at  six  and  seven  cents  per  pound,  potatoes, 
fifty  cents  a  bushel.  It  is  proper  to  observe  that  the  flour  at  Spalding's 
and  Whitman's  stations  will  be  unbolted.  Emigrants  however,  should 
be  cautious,  and  lay  in  a  sufficient  supply  to  last  them  through. 


THE    UNITED    STATES,    1837-1860 

1837  v      Prosperity;  panic;  recession;   depression. 

Great  activity  and  excited  speculation,  first  quarter,  followed  by  slacken- 
ing and  depression;  many  failures;  unemployment;  complete  collapse  of 
cotton  market,  spring;  commodity  prices  decline;  foreign  trade  restricted. 

Money  very  tight;  panic  begins,  March,  in  New  Orleans;  worst  in  New 
York,  May;  general  suspension  of  specie  payments;  high  gold  premium; 
over  six  hundred  bank  failures. 

1838  Depression;  slight  revival. 

Stagnation  gradually  yields  to  improvement  and  increased  activity,  sum- 
mer; commodity  prices  reach  bottom  and  rise;  many  failures  early  in  year; 
further  decline  in  foreign  trade. 

Money  eases;  gradual  resumption  of  specie  payments  by  banks  begins, 
May. 

Fair  wheat  crop,  lower  price;  poor  cotton  yield,  high  price. 

Jason  Lee  lectures  on  Oregon. 

1839  Jason  Lee  sets  out  for  Oregon  by  sea  with  51  settlers. 
Revival;  panic;  recession. 

Continued  improvement;  revival  of  land  speculation  early  in  year;  rapid 
decline  to  depression,  autumn;  many  failures;  commodity  prices  collapse 
after  rapid  rise;  recovery  in  foreign  trade. 

Further  resumption  led  by  United  States  Bank,  January;  money  market 
tightens  to  panic  and  bank  failures,  October;  specie  payments  again 
suspended,  except  New  England  and  New  York,  last  quarter. 

Excellent  wheat  harvest,  record  cotton  crop;   prices  collapse. 

War  with  England  over  boundary  threatened,  January. 

1840  Depression. 

Stagnation;  commodity  prices  decline  rapidly;  revival  of  export  trade, 
very  small  imports,  favorable  balance. 

Continued  financial  strain,  especially  in  West;  slowly  easing  money  mar- 
ket; gold  at  premium;  Sub-Treasury  Bill  passed;  declining  security  prices. 

Large  wheat,  fair  cotton  crop;  stronger  prices. 

1841  In  Spring  about  500  assemble  at  Independence,  Mo.,  for  trip  to  California. 
Depression. 

Dullness;  commodity  prices  decline;  many  failures;  improved  imports 
and  smaller  exports  cause  return  to  unfavorable  balance. 

Money  easier;  attempt  to  open  the  Bank  of  the  United  States  and  make 
resumption  general  fails,  February;  many  bank  failures  in  West;  Sub- 
Treasury  scheme  annulled;  declining  security  prices,  especially  last  quarter. 

Good  wheat,  poor  cotton  crop;   higher  wheat  price,  lower  cotton. 

Tyler,  Democrat,  becomes  President  upon  death  of  Harrison. 

1842  In  spring  White's  party  of  100  emigrants  leaves  for  Oregon. 
Depression. 

Continued  dullness;  many  failures,  spring;  marked  decline  in  commodity 
prices,  especially  last  half-year;  foreign  trade  small. 

Tight  money  eases;  specie  payments  resumed  in  eastern  cities,  March; 
bank  failures  numerous;  slower  resumption  with  panics  in  interior,  espe- 
cially New  Orleans,  spring;  securities  reach  bottom,  February,  and  rise 
rapidly,  second  quarter. 

224 


Appendices  225 

Abundant  crops,  especially  cotton;  very  low  prices. 

High  tariff  passed,  August;  Dorr's  rebellion;   Seminole  War  ended. 

1843  In  spring  about  875  leave  the  Missouri  for  the  West. 
Depression ;    revival. 

Inactivity  gradually  yields  to  improvement,  summer,  except  in  South;  com- 
modity prices  reach  low  point  and  improve,  autumn;  excellent  exports,  small 
import  trade. 

Money  easy;  active  speculation,  security  prices  advancing  to  July. 

Good  cereal  crops,  especially  corn;  poor  cotton  yield;  very  low  wheat 
price. 

1844  In  spring  1400-1500  leave  the  Missouri  for  Oregon, 
Revival;  prosperity. 

Continued  improvement  in  manufacturing;  prices  of  manufactured  prod- 
ucts rise,  foodstuffs  decline;  cotton  speculation  appears;  revived  imports, 
exports  dull. 

Easy  money  tightens  temporarily,  February  and  August;  further  rise  in 
security  prices,  spring;  stock  exchange  panic  after  election. 

Agriculture  depressed;  poor  wheat  and  corn,  excellent  oats  and  cotton 
crops;  severe  fall  in  prices  of  agricultural  commodities. 

1845  In  spring  3,000  leave  for  Oregon. 
Prosperity;   brief  recession. 

General  prosperity,  aided  by  marked  improvement  in  South;  slump 
ascribed  to  political  difficulties,  May;  return  to  activity,  October;  slight 
rise  in  commodity  prices;  exports  increase,  smaller  imports. 

Money  tight;  stock  market  depressed,  summer,  but  revives  with  active 
railroad  speculation  late  in  year. 

Excellent  wheat,  fair  cotton  and  oats,  and  poor  corn  crops;  rising  prices; 
active  wheat  speculation,  last  quarter. 

Annexation  of  Texas,  March;  Oregon  trouble  with  England,  April. 

1846  In  spring  about  2,000  leave  for  Oregon.  Mormons  driven  from  Nauvoo. 
Recession;   mild  depression. 

Slackening  of  activity  to  dullness;  some  advance  of  commodity  prices; 
prosperity  continues  in  South;  smaller  exports,  larger  imports. 

Severe  pressure  in  money  market,  May,  and  late  in  year;  sub-treasuries 
established;  security  prices  fall. 

Large  wheat,  short  cotton  crop;   agricultural  prices  rise  late  in  year. 

War  with  Mexico  declared,  May,  followed  by  rapid  successes;  Oregon 
controversy  settled,  June;  more  liberal  tariff  becomes  effective,  December. 

1847  Mormons  go  to  Salt  Lake  City;  many  settlers  go  to  Oregon  Territory  and 
California. 

Revival;  prosperity;  panic;  recession. 

Rapid  improvement  begins,  January;  great  activity;  full  employment; 
high  commodity  prices;  activity  slackens  with  collapse  of  English  exchange 
and  cotton  prices,  November;  large  foreign  trade. 

Money  eases  with  large  importation  of  specie;  panic,  November;  tight 
money  and  break  in  security  prices. 

1848  Mild  depression;  revival. 

Dullness  in  industry  and  trade;  gradual  improvement  late  in  year  with 
California  boom;  commodity  prices  decline;  failures;  foreign  trade  slackens, 
though  exports  of  foodstuffs  continue  large. 

Very  tight  money  eases  slightly;  bonds  advance  late  in  year,  stock  prices 
decline;  Mexico  makes  indemnity  payments. 

Record  crops,  very  low  prices. 


226  The  Oregon  Trail 

Gold  discoveries  in  California,  January;  treaty  with  Mexico,  February; 
Taylor,  Whig,  elected. 

1849  Gold  rush  by  land  and  sea;  20,000  left  Missouri  in  April  and  many 
thousands  more  in  May. 

Prosperity. 

Widespread  activity  in  industry;  California  expansion  and  speculation; 
commodity  prices  reach  minimum ;  very  active  railroad  construction ;  foreign 
trade  recovers. 

Money  eases,  summer;   rising  security  prices,  first  half-year. 

Excellent  crops  except  cotton;   higher  prices. 

Cholera  scare,  summer. 

1850  Gold  rush  by  land  and  sea. 
Prosperity. 

Unusual  activity  and  expansion;  commodity  prices  advance;  very  active 
railroad  construction;  foreign  trade  booms,  especially  import  trade. 

Money  easy;  revival  of  stock  market,  especially  railroad  securities,  late 
in  year;  influx  of  gold  from  California  commences. 

Fair  wheat,  poor  cotton  crops,  good  wheat  price,  very  high  cotton. 

1851  Western  migration  continues. 
Prosperity. 

Continued  activity  despite  failures,  summer,  due  to  collapse  of  specula- 
tion in  California  shipments;  further  advance  in  commodity  prices;  enor- 
mous expansion  in  foreign  trade,  especially  exports. 

Money  tightens,  July;  railroad  stock  prices  reach  peak,  May,  decline 
sharply  to  September,  and  then  partially  recover. 

Fair  wheat,  very  large  cotton  crop;  high  wheat  price,  rapid  decline  in 
price  of  cotton. 

1852  By  this  year,  probably  100,000  had  gone  overland. 
Prosperity. 

Widespread  activity  and  expansion;  lower  commodity  prices;  active 
speculation;  real  estate  boom;  large  foreign  trade. 

Money  easier;  security  prices  rise;  railroad  stocks  reach  peak,  end  of 
year. 

Good  wheat  and  record  cotton  crops;   much  lower  prices. 

Pierce,   Democrat,   elected   President. 

1853  Prosperity;  recession. 

Continued  activity  and  expansion,  slackening  last  quarter;  iron  and  steel 
industry  severely  depressed;  commodity  prices  rise  rapidly;  very  active  rail- 
road construction;  extensive  speculation;  great  activity  in  foreign  trade. 

Money  tightens  severely;  panics  and  distress  in  interior  cities;  decline  in 
railroad  stock  prices. 

Record  wheat,  poor  cotton  crops;  wheat  price  low. 

1854  Recession;   depression. 

Declining  industrial  activity;  unemployment  appears,  autumn;  continued 
rise  of  commodity  prices  and  feverish  speculation  to  autumn;  railroad  con- 
struction halted;  many  failures;  continued  activity  in  foreign  trade. 

Schuyler  frauds  bared,  July,  precipitating  stock  exchange  panic;  money 
very  tight;  financial  panic,  September;  many  private  bank  failures;  finan- 
cial distress  especially  severe,  San  Francisco;  railroad  stock  prices  steady 
to  June,  and  then  collapse. 

Very  small  wheat  and  cotton  crops;  wheat  price  rises  strongly. 

Japan  opened  to  the  United  States. 


Appendices  227 

1855  Depression ;   revival. 

Dullness  continues  to  autumn,  when  revival  sets  in;  slack  foreign  trade, 
especially  imports. 

Money  eases,  but  tightens,  autumn;  railroad  securities  reach  low  point 
and  recover  somewhat. 

Excellent  wheat,  oats,  corn  and  cotton  crops;   high  prices. 

1856  Prosperity. 

General  activity  and  expansion;  revival  in  railroad  construction;  in- 
creased number  of  failures  late  in  year;  very  active  commodity  speculation; 
foreign  trade  recovers  with  favorable  balance. 

Money  very  easy  to  autumn;  severe  stringency,  November;  excited  and 
declining  stock  market  with  prices  fairly  steady  and  higher,  summer. 

Excellent  wheat,  small  cotton  crop;  wheat  price  falls. 

1857  Prosperity;  panic;  recession;  depression. 

Activity  gives  way  to  dullness,  spring,  and  stagnation,  autumn;  com- 
modity prices  decline  late  in  year;  many  failures;  enormous  foreign  trade 
checked. 

Money  very  tight;  panic,  August;  runs  on  banks  and  bank  failures, 
October;  specie  payment  suspended,  October  to  December;  stock  prices 
collapse  with  low  point,  October;  bonds  collapse  temporarily,  autumn. 

Good  wheat  and  cotton  crops,  lower  prices. 

1858  Depression. 

Dullness  continues;  many  failures;  commodity  prices  decline;  further 
reduction  in  construction;  foreign  trade  restricted. 

Money  eases;  security  markets  depressed  after  temporary  recovery,  first 
quarter. 

Excellent  crops,  low  prices. 

1859  Gold  stampede  to  Colorado. 
Revival. 

Gradual  improvement ;  commodity  prices  steady ;  foreign  trade  very  active. 
Money  easy;  further  decline  in  railroad  stock  prices  to  low  point,  August; 
lower  bond  prices. 

Good  wheat,  enormous  cotton  crops;  price  for  wheat  low,  high  for  cotton. 

1860  Prosperity;  recession. 

Continued  activity,  slackening  late  in  year;  foreign  trade  booms. 

Money  tight  after  easing,  summer;  financial  panic,  November,  neces- 
sitates issuing  of  clearing  house  certificates;  slight  recovery  in  railroad 
stock  prices  to  peak,  September;  bond  prices  advance  to  summer  and  then 
decline. 

Good  wheat  and  cotton  crops,  lower  prices. 

(Reprinted,   with   exception   of   statements   on   migrations,   from   Business 
Annals   (1926),  courtesy  of  the  National  Bureau  of  Economic  Research.) 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

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&  Norman,  and  J.  R.  Nunemacher,  1850. 

Bryce,  George.  The  Remarkable  History  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
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Burton,  Richard  F.  The  City  of  the  Saints.  New  York,  Harper  & 
Bros.,  1862. 

Chambers,  J.  S.  The  Conquest  of  Cholera.  New  York,  Macmillan, 
1938. 

Chittenden,  Hiram  Martin.  The  American  Fur  Trade  of  the  Far  West 
(2  vols.).  Introduction  and  notes  by  Stallo  Vinton.  New  York,  R.  R. 
Wilson,  Inc.,  1936.  Best  volume  available  on  early  fur  trade,  though 
both  text  and  notes  are  occasionally  inaccurate. 

Clayton,  William.  Journal.  Salt  Lake  City,  Deseret  News,  1921. 
Diary  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Mormon  Pioneers. 

Driggs,  Howard  R.,  Proctor,  Arthur  W.,  and  Meeker,  Ezra.  Covered- 
Wagon  Centennial  and  Ox-Team  Days.  New  York,  World  Book  Co., 
1931. 

Driggs,  Howard  R.  The  Pony  Express  Goes  Through.  New  York, 
Frederick  A.  Stokes  Co.,  1935. 

Fremont,  Capt.  John  C.  Report  of  the  Exploring  Expedition  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  the  Year  2842,  and  to  Oregon  and  North  Cali- 
fornia in  the  Years  2843-4.  Washington,  Gales  &  Seaton,  1845. 

Fuller,  George  W.  A  History  of  the  Pacific  Northwest.  New  York, 
Alfred  A.  Knopf,  1931.  Very  valuable. 

Ghent,  W.  J.  The  Road  to  Oregon.  New  York,  Tudor  Publishing 
Co.,  1934.  Most  comprehensive  book  on  Oregon  Trail,  but  prejudiced 
on  Indian  material. 

Greeley,  Horace.  An  Overland  Journey  from  New  York  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. New  York,  C.  M.  Saxton,  Barker  &  Co.,  1860. 

Gregg,  Josiah.  Commerce  of  the  Prairies  (2  vols.).  New  York,  H.  G. 
Langley,  1844. 

Historical  Records  Survey,  Works  Progress  Administration,  Wash- 
ington. Copies  of  many  unpublished  early  Mormon  and  other  travel 
diaries. 

Hulbert,  Archer  B.,  ed.  Overland  to  the  Pacific  (6  vols.).  Denver, 
Public  Library,  1932-36.  Annotated  early  travel  journals. 

Humfreville,  J.  Lee.  Twenty  Years  Among  our  Hostile  Indians.  New 
York,  Hunter  &  Co.,  1899. 

Irving,  Washington.  Astoria.  New  York,  Belford,  Clarke  &  Co.,  1836. 
Based  largely  on  the  American  Fur  Company  records  of  his  friend, 
John  Jacob  Astor. 

Irving,  Washington.  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville.  New  York, 
Belford,  Clarke  &  Co.,  1837.  Romanticized  revision  of  the  Bonneville 
notes. 

228 


Bibliography  229 

Langford,  Nathaniel  P.  Vigilante  Days  and  Ways  (2  vols.).  Boston, 
J.  G.  Cupples  Co.,  1890. 

Lewis,  Meriwether,  and  Clark,  William.  Original  Journals  of  the 
Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition,  1804-6  (8  vols.).  Edited  by  Reuben  Gold 
Thwaites.  New  York,  Dodd,  Mead  &  Co.,  1904-5.  The  most  compre- 
hensive and  authoritative  publication  on  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedi- 
tion, unfortunately  printed  in  an  expensive  and  small  edition.  The 
notes  are  as  valuable  as  the  Journals,  which  were  copied  from  the 
official  documents.  These  were  placed  in  the  custody  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society  by  Thomas  Jefferson  who  feared  their  loss  in 
the  absence  of  any  safe  repository  for  national  documents. 

Mackenzie,  Sir  Alexander.  Voyages  from  Montreal  through  the  Con- 
tinent of  North  America  to  the  Frozen  and  Pacific  Oceans  in  1789  and 
1793  (2  vols.).  New  York,  Allerton  Book  Co.,  1922. 

Marcy,  Capt.  Randolph  B.  The  Prairie  Traveler.  Edited  by  Richard 

F.  Burton.  London,  Trubner  &  Co.,  1863.  Published  in  U.S.  by  authority 
of  the  War  Dept. 

Montgomery,  Richard  H.  The  White-Headed  Eagle.  New  York,  Mac- 
millan,  1935.  Best  account  of  McLoughlin. 

Old  Oregon  Trail,  The.  Washington,  Government  Printing  Office, 
1925.  Hearings  before  the  Committee  on  Roads,  House  of  Representa- 
tives, show  confusion  as  to  where  the  Oregon  Trail  ran ;  idea  of  officially 
marking  trail  was  subsequently  abandoned. 

Ordway,  John,  and  Lewis,  Meriwether.  Journals  of  Captain  Meri- 
wether Lewis  and  Sergeant  John  Ordway,  1803-6.  Edited  by  Milo  M. 
Quaife.  Madison,  Wisconsin  Historical  Society,  1916. 

Oregon  Historical  Quarterly.  Portland,  Oregon-Statesman  Publish- 
ing Co. 

Pacific  Northwest  Quarterly.  Seattle,  University  of  Washington. 

Palmer,  Joel.  Journal  of  Travels  over  the  Rocky  Mountains,  1845-6. 
Cincinnati,  J.  A.  &  U.  P.  James,  1847. 

Parker,  Rev.  Samuel.  Journal  of  an  Exploring  Tour  beyond  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  1835.  Auburn,  J.  C.  Derby  &  Co.,  1846.  (First  edi- 
tion, 1838.) 

Parkman,  Francis.  The  California  and  Oregon  Trail.  New  York, 

G.  P.  Putnam,  1849. 

Paullin,  Charles  0.,  and  Wright,  John  K.  Atlas  of  the  Historical 
Geography  of  the  United  States,  Washington,  Carnegie  Institution,  and 
New  York,  American  Geographical  Society,  1932. 

Paxson,  Frederic  L.  History  of  the  American  Frontier,  1763-1893. 
Boston,  Houghton  Mifflin,  1924.  Very  valuable. 

Sage,  Rufus  B.  Rocky  Mountain  Life.  Boston,  F.  Hewes  &  Co.,  1857. 

Sawyer,  Lorenzo.  Way  Sketches,  St.  Joseph  to  California  in  1850. 
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its  quotes  from  and  notes  on  rare  unpublished  manuscripts. 


230  The  Oregon  Trail 

Stuart,  Robert.  The  Discovery  of  the  Oregon  Trail.  Edited  by  Philip 
Ashton  Rollins.  New  York,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  1935. 

Thwaites,  Reuben  Gold,  ed.  Early  Western  Travels,  1748-1846  (32 
vols).  Cleveland,  A.  H.  Clarke  Co.,  1904-7.  Annotated  reprints  of  some 
of  the  best  and  rarest  contemporary  travel  volumes. 

Wagner,  Henry  R.  The  Plains  and  the  Rockies.  Revised  by  Charles 
L.  Camp.  San  Francisco,  Grabhorn  Press,  1937.  Comprehensive  bibli- 
ography of  original  travel  narratives,  1800-1865. 

Washington  Historical  Quarterly.  Seattle,  University  of  Washington. 

Werner,  M.  R.  Brigham  Young.  New  York,  Harcourt  Brace,  1925. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abbey,  James,  186,  197 

Abbott,  C.  S.,  74 

Adams,  E.  L.,  141 

Adobe  Towns,  94 

Alcova,  Wyo.,  185 

Alda,  Neb.,  67 

Almond  Stage  Station,  95 

American  Falls,  Idaho,  108 

American  Falls  Reservoir,  108 

American  Fur  Co.,  15,  19,  49,  52,  86, 

170,  173,  191,  199,  212 
American  Philosophical  Society,  7,  12 
Ames,  Neb.,  61 

Ames,  Oakes  and  Oliver,  61,  84 
Apple  Growers  Association  Cannery,  142 
Archer,  Wyo.,  84 
Arlington,  Ore.,  135 
Ash  Hollow,  164 

Ashley,  William  H.,  19,  54,  55,  96,  194 
Astor,  John  Jacob,  15,  17,  157 
Astoria,  Ore.,  16,  18,  121,  154,  157 
Astorians,  2,  54,  55,  108,  111,  116,  122, 

123,  125,  136,  153,  169,  201,  205, 

210 

Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Ry.,  38 
Atkinson,  Henry,  57 
Atlantic  City,  Wyo.,  191 
Auburn,  Ore.,  126 
Auger  Falls,  114 
Austin,  Idaho,  114 
Averell,  Jim,  186 

Baker,  Col.  E.  D.,  125 

Baker,  Ore.,  125 

Baggs,  Wyo.,  94 

Balch,  Frederic  Homer,  140,  141,  144, 

153 

Ball,  John,  150 
Barbe-Marbois,  10 
Barlow,  Samuel  K.,  143 
Barnes,  Jane,  158 
Barrel  Springs  Stage  Station,  95 
Barrow,  Morris  Clark,  177 
Bathtub  Rock,  111 
Bayard,  Neb.,  166 
Beadle,  J.  Hanson,  quoted,  56,  92,  95, 

104,  105 
Bear  Lake  Valley,  103 


Beaver  Creek,  154 
Beaver,  Rev.  Herbert,  26 
Becknell,  William,  38 
Beckwith,  James  (see  Beckwourth) 
Beckwourth,  James,  19 
Beer,  Thomas,  53 
Beet  fields,  167 
Beet  sugar,  66 
Benton,  Jessie,  45 

Benton,  Sen.  Thomas  Hart,  29,  38,  45 
Benton,  Wyo.,  91 
Bessemer  Bend,  183 
Bessemer  Canyon,  184 
Bessemer,  Wyo.,  183 
Biddle,  Nicholas,  210 
Bidwell,  John,  29,  104 
Big  Sandy  Stage  Station,  197 
Big  Springs,  Neb.,  78 
Binns,  Archie,  153 
Birdcage  Gap,  166 
Birmingham  Emigrating  Co.,  211 
Bishop's  Cap,  147 
Blackfoot,  Idaho,  204 
Black  Hills,  80 
Blairs'  Trading  Post,  95 
Blalock,  Ore.,  136 
Bliss,  Idaho,  115 
Bloomer,  Amelia  Jenks,  53 
Bloomington  Lake,  103 
Blue  Canyon  Creek,  126 
Blue  Lakes,  113 
Blue  Mountains,  129 
Blue  Water  Creek,  164 
Boardman,  Ore.,  135 
Boggs,  Gov.  Lilburn,  43 
Boise,  Idaho,  117 

Bonneville,  Capt.  Benjamin  L.  E.  de,  24, 
145,  150,  169,  188,  194,  198,  210 
Bonneville,  quoted,  127 
Bonneville  Dam,  141,  145 
Bonneville,  Ore.,  144 
Boomerang,  newspaper,  87 
Boot  Hill  Cemetery,  77 
Borah,  William  E.,  118 
Border,  Idaho,  103 
Bosler,  Wyo.,  88 
Bothwell,  Wyo.,  186 
Bower,  B.  M.,  115 


233 


234 


Index 


Boyd,  James  E.,  68 

Brady,  Neb.,  74 

Bridal  Veil,  Ore.,  147 

Bridge  of  the  Gods,  144 

Bridgeport,  Neb.,  165,  211 

Bridger,  Jim,  19,  45,  98,  170,  172,  182, 

195,  199,  210 
Bridger's  Crossing,  176 
Bridger  Pass,  94 
Bright,  William,  191 
Broadwater,  Neb.,  165 
Broughton,  Lieut.  William,  148,  149,  155 
Brown,  Ben,  128 
Brule,  Neb.,  77 
Buchanan,  James,  100 
Buchanan,  Neb.,  59 
Buffalo  Horn,  Chief,  116 
Buford,  Wyo.,  84 
Buhl,  Idaho,  114 
Bunyan,  Paul,  112 
Buried  treasure,  79,  89,  111 
Burley,  Idaho,  110 

Burlington  &  Missouri  River  R.R.,  68 
Burnt  Ranch  Stage  Station,  193 
Burris,  Charlie,  92 
Burton,  Richard,  51,  101 
Bushnell,  Neb.,  82 

Cache  National  Forest,  103 
Caldron  Linn,  111 
Caldwell,  Billy,  52 
Caldwell,  Idaho,  121 
Calhoun,  John  C.,  57 
California  Gulch,  126 
California  Hill,  78 
California  Trail,  104,  110,  162,  203 
Camp  Clarke,  166 
Camp  Missouri,  57 
Camp  Scott,  100 
Campbell,  Robert,  170 
Cape  Horn  Palisades,  147 
Caribou  National  Forest,  103 
Carson,  Kit,  182,  206 
Cascade  Locks,  Ore.,  143 
Caseno,  Chief,  153 

Casper-Alcova  Irrigation  and  Power  De- 
velopment, 185 
Casper,  Wyo.,  179 
Cassidy,  Butch,  94 
Castle  Rock,  99 
Castle  Rock,  Ore.,  135 


Castorville,  Ore.,  127 

Cattle  drives,  77,  172 

Cattle  ranges,  123 

Cayuse,  Ore.,  131 

Celilo,  Ore.,  137 

Celilo  Falls,  137 

Central  City,  Neb.,  64 

Central  Overland  California  and  Pike's 
Peak  Express  Co.,  48 

Central  Pacific  R.  R.    (see  also  Union 
Pacific  R.  R.),  33 

Central  Pacific  Railroad  Co.,  Construc- 
tion camps  of,  57 

Champagne  Spring,  104 

Chapman,  Neb.,  65 

Chappell,  Neb.,  79 

Charbonneau,  13 

Cherokee  Trail,  83,  86,  194 

Cheyenne,  Wyo.,  84 

Chimney  Rock,  Neb.,  211 

Chinese  workers,  96 

Chisholm  Cattle  Trail,  77 

Chittenden,  Hiram  M.,  189 

Cholera,  31,  41,  42,  45,  116,  167 

Chouteau,  Pierre,  Jr.,  99 

Church  Buttes,  98 

Church,  Harrison,  101 

Clark,  George  Rogers,  7 

Clark,  Gen.  John  B.,  43 

Clark,  William,  12,  55,  135 
quoted,  138,  155,  156 

Clarke,  Henry  T.,  166 

Clary,  Joe,  164 

Clatskanie,  Ore.,  155 

Clatsop  Crest,  155 

Clayton,  William,  57,  61,  66,  70,  163, 
164,  168,  178,  189,  195 

Cleft,  Idaho,  117 

Clyman,  James,  166 

Coal,  90,  101 
labor  troubles,  96 

Cody,  "Buffalo  Bill,"  76 

Coe,  Mrs.  Nathaniel,  141 

Cokeville,  Wyo.,  102 

Cold  Spring,  175 

Cole,  Gilbert,  166 

Collins,  Caspar  W.,  182 

Colter,  John,  209 

Columbia,  the,  158 

Columbia   River   Fishing   and   Trading 
Co.,  159 


Index 


235 


Columbia  River  Packers  Assn.,  159 
Columbia  Gorge  Hotel,  142 
Columbus,  Neb.,  62 
Command  and  General  Staff  School  (Ft. 

Leavenworth),  47 
Como  Bluffs,  Wyo.,  90 
Conant  Trail,  210 

Connor,  Gen.  Patrick  Edward,  104 
Continental  Divide,  93 
Coopey  Falls,  147 
Cooper,  James  Fenimore,  24,  174 
Cooper  Lake,  88 
Corbett,  Ore.,  148 
Coston,  I.  N.,  118 
Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  51 
Count's  Hot  Spring,  201 
Courthouse  Rock,  165 
Covered-Wagon  Centennial,  189 
Covington,  Richard,  151 
Cox,  Ross,  161 
Cozad,  Neb.,  72 
Crag  Rats  Clubhouse,  142 
Crater  Rings,  117 
Crazy  Horse,  Chief,  176 
Crescent  Lake  Reserve,  165 
Creston,  Wyo.,  93 
Cronyn,  George  W.,  141 
Crook,  George,  178 
Crown  Point,  147 
Cruzat,  Peter,  133 
Currie,  "Flat  Nose  George,"  89 
Curtis,  Edward,  138 
Custart,  Amos  J.,  184 

Dakota  Territory,  87 
Dalles,  The,  Ore.,  139 
Dana,  Wyo.,  91 
Daniel,  Wyo.,  198 
Darrow,  Clarence,  118 
Davis,  H.  L.,  140 
Day,  John,  136 
Dead  Man's  Flat,  116 
Dead  Man's  Gulch,  116 
Dead  Man's  Pass,  130 
Deer  Creek,  181 
Deer  Island,  Ore.,  154 
DeLamar,  J.  R.,  118 
Deschutes  River,  137 
Deseret,  State  of,  99 
DeSmet,  Father  Pierre  J.,  29,  52,  139, 
199 


Devil's  Gate,  189 

Devil's  Kitchen,  105 

Diamond  Springs  Pony  Express  Station, 

78 

Diamondsville,  Wyo.,  101 
Dodge,  Gen.  G.  M.,  75 
Donner  party,  32,  100 
Dorion,    Marie    and    Pierre,    112,    116, 

121,  127,  130 
Douglas,  Wyo.,  176 
Driggs,  Don  C.,  205 
Driggs,  Idaho,  205 
Duc-sac-hi  Bridge,  Chief,  137 
Duncan,  Neb.,  64 
Durkee,  Ore.,  125 

Eagle  Creek  Park,  Ore.,  144 
Eastern  Oregon  Normal  School,  129 
Eastern  Oregon  State  Experiment  Sta- 
tion, 128 

Eastern  Oregon  State  Hospital,  132 
Eden,  Wyo.,  197 
Eells,  Myron  F.,  134 
Eliot  Park,  Ore.,  142 
Elkhorn  Peak,  126 
Elkhorn  Range,  126 
Elkhorn  River,  56,  59 
Elkhorn  Valley  R.  R.,  60 
Elk  Mountain,  Wyo.,  90 
Elm  Creek,  Neb.,  71 
Emigrant  Crossing,  122 
Emigrant  Hill,  130 
Emigrant  Rock,  110 
Emigrant  Springs,  102 
Emigrant  Springs  State  Park,  Ore.,  130 
Emigrants'  Laundry  Tub,  175 
Emigrants : 

delight  in  pioneer  role,  31,  40,  73, 
168,  195 

equipment,  37 

hardships  of,  61,  62 

improvidence  of  some,  40,  163,  187 

organization  of  trains,  41 

outfits  for,  220 

passion   for   leaving   autographs,   74, 

110,  140,  173,  188 
Epsom  Salt  Beds,  90 
Euwer,  Anthony,  141 
Evansville,  Wyo.,  179 

Fanny's  Bottom,  154 
Farmer,  James,  172 


236 


Index 


Farewell  Bend,  124 

Farnham,  Thomas  J.,  39 

Farson,  Wyo.,  196 

Fetterman,  W.  J.,  172,  178 

Field  Home,  Eugene,  51 

Fiery  Narrows,  185 

Filer,  Idaho,  114 

Fink,  Mike,  19,  55 

Firehole  Basin,  98 

First  Dragoons,  47 

Fishing,  157,  159 

Fitzpatrick,   Thomas,    19,  29,  55,   170, 

194,  214 

Fletcher,  Mary  and  Lizzie,  88 
Florence,  Neb.,  56 
Fontanelle,  188 
Forts  and  Trading  Posts: 

Astoria,  15,  16,  157,  159 

Atkinson,  47,  57,  63 

Bernard,  170 

Boise,  115,  121,  203 

Bonneville  (Fort  Nonsense),  198 

Bridger,  98,  182,  195,  203 

Calhoun,  57 

Casper,  179,  183 

Childs,  68 

Clatsop,  160 

Connor,  104 

Croghan,  52 

Fetterman,  176,  178 

Fred  Steele,  91 

George,  149 

Grattan,  164 

Hall,  25,  30,  101,  115,  121,  193,  202 

Halleck,  91 

Henry,  15,  112,  205 

John,  170 

Kearney,  59,  69,  163 

Kiowa,  63,  64 

Laramie,  54,  78,  162,  170,  182 

Leavenworth,  38 

McPherson,  73 

Mitchell,  214 

Nez  Perces,  133 

Osage,  38 

Phil  Kearney,  172 

Platte,  172 

Raines,  144 

St.  Vrain's,  100 

Sedgwick,  79 

Sidney,  80 


Forts  and  Trading  Posts — Continued 

Supply,  99 

Tilton,  63 

Vancouver,  18,  22,  134,  145,  149 

Walla  Walla,  132 

Washakie,  Wyo.,  192 

William,  114,  153,  170,  172 
Fort  Dalles  Historical  Society,  140 
Fort  Hall  Reservation,  202 
Fort  Laramie,  Treaty  of,  214 
Fort  Leavenworth  Military  Reservation, 

46 

Fossil  Beds,  Como  Bluffs,  90 
Fossil  Fish  Bed,  102 
Fowler,  Jacob,  38 
Franchere,  Gabriel,  153 
Fraser,  Alexander,  18 
Freezout  Gulch,  126 
Fremont,  John  C.,  29,  45,  59,  90,  105, 

164,  184,  188,  190,  194,  211 
Fremont,  Neb.,  59 
Fremont  Island,  Neb.,  59 
Fremont's  Island,  Wyo.,  184 
Fremont     State    Recreation     Grounds, 

Neb.,  60 
Frey,  Johnny,  50 
Friends,  Society  of,  65 
Frizzell,  Mrs.,  quoted,  37 
Frobisher,  Benjamin  and  Joseph,  6 
Frontier  justice,  80,  86,  206 
Fruitland,  Idaho,  121 
Fuller,  George  W.,  133 

Ganard,  Louis,  182 

Gangloff  State  Park,  Ore.,  129 

Garden  of  Yesterday,  113 

Garfield  Peak,  184 

Gaskill  Botanical  Garden,  113 

Gass,  Patrick,  14 

Geer,  T.  T.,  129 

Gering,  Martin,  211 

Gering,  Neb.,  211 

Gibbon,  Neb.,  68 

Gilman  Ranch  House,  73 

Glass,  Hugh,  19,  55,  62 

Glendo,  Wyo.,  176 

Glenrock,  Wyo.,  178 

Glory  Hole,  175 

Gold  rush: 

California,  45,  99,  187 

Colorado,  59 


Index 


237 


Gold  rush — Continued 

Idaho,  121,  150 

Oregon,  126,  128,  134 

Wyoming,  191 
Gold  seekers,  187 
Goodwin,  M.  E.,  131 
Goose  Egg  Ranch,  184 
Gore,  Sir  George,  171 
Gothenburg,  Neb.,  73 
Gottsch-Tramm  Graves,  65 
Grace,  Idaho,  105 
Grand  Canyon  of  the  Snake,  201 
Grande  Ronde  Valley,  127 
Grand  Island,  54,  69 
Grand  Island,  Neb.,  65 
Granger,  Wyo.,  101,  196 
Granite  Canyon,  Wyo.,  84 
Grant,  Ulysses  S.,  151 
Grattan,  John  Lawrence,  164,  169 
Gray,  Capt.  Robert,  7,  18,  29 
Great  Salt  Lake,  195 
Great  Western  Stage,  68 
Greeley,  Horace,  30,  48,  96,  197 
Green  River,  196 
Green  River,  Wyo.,  97 
Gregg,  Josiah,  39 
Griffin,  Henry,  126 
Griffin's  Gulch,  126 
Groseilliers,  Sieur  de,  4 
Grover,  Thomas,  181 
Guernsey,  C.  A.,  175 
Guernsey,  Wyo.,  173 
Guittar,  Francis,  52 
Gunnison,  J.  W.,  99 
Gwin,  Sen.  W.  M.,  48 


Hart's  Bluff,  52 

Hartville,  Wyo.,  174 

Haslem,  Bob,  50 

Hastings,  L.  W.,  100 

Hayden,  F.  V.,  184 

Haystack  Butte,  197 

Helvas  Canyon,  212 

Henry,  Alexander,  5,  158 

Henry,  Andrew,  15,  19,  55,  62,  98,  205 

Henry,  Neb.,  168 

Heppner  Junction,  Ore.,  135 

Hermiston,  Ore.,  132 

Hill,  Samuel,  136 

Hoback  Canyon,  201 

Hoback,  John,  201 

Hockaday,  John,  171 

Hoff,  Harry,  50 

Holladay,  Ben,  48,  78,  86 

Homestead  Act  of  1862,  58,  68 

Hood  River,  Ore.,  141 

Hood  River  Distilleries,  142 

Horn,  Tom,  88 

Horse  Creek  Treaty  Grounds,  214 

Horseshoe  Stage  Station,  175 

Horsetail  Falls,  146 

Hot  Lake,  Ore.,  128 

Hudsons,  Wyo.,  191 

Hudson's  Bay  Co.,  4,  17,  20,  25,  31,  109, 

114,  120,  134,  139,  150,  153,  158, 

203 

Hunt  Creek,  155 
Huntington,  Ore,  124 
Hunt,  Wilson  Price,  15,  113,  127,  205 
Hyde,  Orson,  53,  99 


Haberman,  Idaho,  114 

Haine,  Arthur,  151 

Haines,  Ore.,  126 

Halleck,  Henry  W.,  91 

Hanna,  Wyo.,  90 

Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  R.  R.,  49 

Hansen  Bridge,  112 

Hansen,  Idaho,  112 

Hargreaves,  Sheba,  153 

Harmon,  Appleton,  163,  164 

quoted,  57,   71,   165,   171,   179,  180, 

186,  193 

Harney,  W.  S.,  164 
Harris,  Col.  John,  45 


Idaho  City,  Idaho,  119 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho,  204 
Independence,  Mo.,  29,  30,  37 
Independence  Rock,  188 
Indians : 

as  traders,  139 

attacks  by,  67,  109,  171 

celebrations,  202 

conflict  with  whites,  109,  170,  176 

debauched,  172 

fear  of  whites,  134 

missionaries  among,  200 

panic  among,  192,  208 

pictographs,  120 


238 


Index 


Indians — Continued 

relations  with  whites,  20,  32,  74,  133, 

172,  198,  199,  206,  209 
tribes: 

Arapaho,  74,  83,  86,  178,  182,  183, 
184 

Aricara,  63 

Bannock,  202 

Blackfeet,  84,  184,  207 

Brule,  77,  164 

Cayuse,  130,  134 

Cherokee,  83 

Cheyenne,  65,  72,  74,  83,  182,  184, 
186 

Clatsop,  161 

Comanche,  184 

Crow,  97,  186 

Delaware,  46 

Flathead,  25,  206 

Fox,  46 

Kanza,  46 

Mandan,  6,  13,  63 

Minnetaree,  166 

Nez  Perces,  206 

Omaha,  47 

Otoe,  47 

Pawnee,  47,  64,  70,  72,  74,  166 

Potawatomi,  52 

Sac,  46 

Shawnee,  46 

Shoshone,  202 

Sioux,  67,  70,  74,  83,  84,  164,  166, 
169,  171,  182,  184 

Sioux,  Ogallala,  77,  169 

Umatilla,  130 

Umpqua,  22 

Ute,  84 

Utes,  White  River,  91 

Walla  Walla,  130 

Wyandotte,  46 
Indian  Springs,  Idaho,  108 
Ingalls,  Eleaser,  49 
Inkom,  Idaho,  106 
Invalids  on  Plains,  39 
Irrigation,  108,  111,  121,  132,  135,  167, 

185 

Irrigon,  Ore.,  135 

Irving,  Washington,  15,  24,  25,  39,  46, 
54,  111,  136,  138,  145,  158,  198, 
207,  213 
Isaac  Todd,  the,  158 


Jackson,  Andrew,  83 
Jackson,  David,  209 
Jackson  Hole,  95,  209 
Jackson,  William  H.,  184 
Jackson,  Wyo.,  209 
Jacobs,  Everett,  57 
Jail  Rock,  165 
James,  Jesse,  51 
Jefferson  Barracks,  47 
Jefferson,  Thomas,  7 

instructions  to  Meri wether  Lewis,  215 

message  to  Congress,  9 
John  Day  River,  155 
Johnson,  Luke,  61,  181 
Johnston,  Albert  Sidney,  100 
Joliet,  explorer,  5 
Jones,  John  S.,  48 
Julesburg,  Colo.,  48,  75,  78 

Kamela,  Ore.,  129 
Kane,  Thomas  L.,  53 
Kanesville,  Iowa,  53,  56 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  44 
Kansas-Nebraska  Bill,  48 
Kaub,  Rev.  Louis,  211 
Kearney,  Neb.,  68 
Kearny,  Stephen  Watts,  68 
Keetley,  Jack,  50 
Kelley,  Hall  J.,  24,  26 
Kemmerer,  Wyo.,  101 
Kimball,  Heber,  57,  70 
Kimball,  Neb.,  82 
Kinkaid  Act,  75 
King  Hill,  Idaho,  116 
Kingsley  Dam,  163 
Kinport  Peak,  107 
Knighton,  H.  M.,  154 
Knox,  William,  191 

La  Grande,  Ore.,  128 
Lake  Bonneville,  106 
Lakeview  Park,  120 
Lake  Walcott,  110 
Lander  Cut-off,  2,  110 
Lander,  F.  W.,  193 
Lander,  Wyo.,  192 
Lansdale,  R.  H.,  150 
La  Ramee,  Jacques,  85,  86,  170 
Laramie  Mountains,  84 
Laramie  Peak,  175 
Laramie,  Wyo.,  85 


Index 


239 


La  Salle,  explorer,  5 

Last  Chance  Saloon,  131 

Latourelle  Falls,  147 

Lava  Hot  Springs,  Idaho,  105 

Leavenworth  Federal  Penitentiary,  48 

Leavenworth,  Henry  H.,  47 

Leavenworth,  Kans.,  48 

Leavenworth  and  Pike's  Peak  Stage  and 

Express,  48 
Ledyard,  John,  7 
Lee,  Daniel,  139 

Lee,  Jason,  25,  28,  30,  39,  130,  139 
Lewellen,  Neb.,  164 
Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition,  1,  11,  52, 
57,  122,  123,  124,  133,  143,  154, 
192,  199 

equipment,  12 

planned,  9 

object  of  expedition,  215 

on  the  Columbia,  132,  134,  136,  137, 
141,  147,  148,  160 

records  to  be  made  by,  215 
Lewis,  Meriwether,  8,  55 

quoted,  12,  138,  152 
Lexington,  Neb.,  71 
Liggett,  William,  171 
Lime,  Ore.,  125 
Lindsay  Creek,  142 
Lingle,  Wyo.,  169 
Linnton,  Ore.,  152 
Lisa,  Manuel,  14,  55 
Littlefield,  David,  126 
Little  Jack  Falls,  154 
Little  Sandy,  195 
Livingston,  Robert,  8 
Lockwood,  Neb.,  65 
Lodgepole  Creek,  79,  82 
Lodgepole,  Neb.,  80 
Lone  Tree,  Neb.,  64 
Long  Party,  54 
Louisiana,  5,  8,  15 
Loup  River  Public  Power  Project,  62 
Lower  California  Crossing,  78 
Lye  Lake,  115 
Lyman,  Wyo.,  98 


Machette  Station,  Fred,  73 
Mackenzie,  Alexander,  6 
Magill,  Ada,  179 
Magnolia  Saloon,  120 


Majors,  Alexander,  48 
Malad  River,  115 
Mammoth  Soda  Spring,  104 
Marcy,  Capt.  R.  B.,  40 
Marie,  Queen  of  Roumania,  136 
Marquette,  explorer,  5 
Maryhill  Castle,  136 
Massacre  Rocks,  109 
Mayer  State  Park,  Ore.,  140 
McComb,  Alexander,  199 
McCoy,  John  C.,  44 
McCoy,  Rev.  Isaac,  44 
McDougall,  Duncan,  16 
McDougall  Field,  Idaho,  107 
McKay,  Alexander,  15,  18 
McKay,  Thomas,  114 
McKenzie,  Ronald  S.,  178 
McLeod,  John,  114 

McLoughlin,  Dr.  John,  18,  21,  24,  28, 
30,  120,  134,  143,  149,  151,  152 
McTavish,  Donald,  158,  159 
McTavish,  Simon,  6 
Meacham,  A.  B.,  130 
Meacham,  Ore.,  130 
Medicine  Bow  Peak,  88 
Medicine  Bow,  Wyo.,  90 
Meeker,  Ezra,  129 
Meeker,  Nathan  C.,  91 
Memaloose  Island,  141 
Meridian,  Idaho,  120 
Michaux,  Andre,  7 
Midland  College,  Neb.,  60 
Miller,  Andrew  J.,  74 
Miller's  Hollow,  53 
Milner  Dam,  111 
Milner,  Idaho,  111 
Minatare,  Neb.,  166 
Minidoka  Dam,  110 
Mission,  Ore.,  131 
Missouri  Fur  Co.,  201,  205 
Mist  Falls,  147 
Mitchell,  Neb.,  168 
Mitchell  Pass,  213 
Mitchell  Tunnel,  142 
Modoc  Peace  Commission,  130 
Monroe,  James,  9 
Montpelier,  Idaho,  103 
Monument  Creek,  185 
Mormon  Auditorium,  Independence,  43 
Mormon  Battalion,  52 
Mormon  Canyon,  178 


240 


Index 


Mormon  Ferry,  42,  102 
Mormon  Trail,  54,  69,  173 
Mormons : 

at  Independence,  43 

Camp  of  Israel,  56 

conflict  with  U.  S.  Govt.,  99 

eviction  from  Nauvoo,  52 

Handcart  Brigade,  66,  72,  190,  193 

Immigration  Fund,  66 

missionaries,  187 

Pioneers  of  1847,  2,  54,  56,  60,  62, 
66,  70,  71,  99,  162,  163,  168,  169, 
178,  180,  189,  195 

Winter  Quarters,  56,  182 
Morrisites,  104 
Mosier  Tunnels,  141 
Mount  Adams,  140 
Mount  Hood,  136 
Mount  Rainier,  153 
Mountain  Home,  Idaho,  116 
Muddy  Gap,  Wyo.,  190 
Mulally  Station,  Pat,  73 
Multnomah  Falls,  146 
Murphy,  Idaho,  121 
Murphy  wagons,  38 
Museums : 

Crabtree,  112 

Hutton,  97 

Idaho  State  Historical  Society,  118 

Kuenzli,  64 

Oregon  Trail,  213 

Perrine,  113 

Weaver,  113 

Whitaker's  Taxidermist,  113 

Naked  Truth  Saloon,  119 

Names  Hill,  102 

Nampa,  Idaho,  120 

Nampuh,  Chief,  120 

Napoleon,  8 

Nauvoo,  111.,  43 

Neapolis,  Neb.,  60 

Nebraska  Central  College,  65 

Nebraska  State  Hospital,  69 

Nebraska  State  Teachers  College,  69 

Nebraska  Territory,  56 

Neville,  William,  75 

Newcomb,  Silas,  41,  49 

New  Orleans,  8 

New  Plymouth,  Idaho,  121 

Nickell,  Willie,  88 


Nicollet,  Jean  Nicholas,  45 
North  Bend,  Neb.,  61 
North,  Frank,  72 

North  Platte  Federal  Reclamation  Proj- 
ect, 169 

North  Platte,  Neb.,  74 
Northport,  Neb.,  166 
North  Powder,  Ore.,  127 
North  West  Co.,  6,  16,  17,  133,  158 
Northwest  Passage,  5,  7 
Nuttall,  William,  178 
Nye,  Bill,  87,  177 

Oakley,  Idaho,  110 

Oak  Point,  Ore.,  154 

O'Fallons,  Neb.,  76 

O'Farrell  Cabin,  118 

Ogallala,  Neb.,  77,  162 

Ogden,  Peter  Skene,  22,  122,  125,  134 

Oil,  production,  179 

Old  Bedlam,  172 

Old's  Ferry,  Ore.,  124 

Omaha,  Neb.,  55 

Oneonta  Gorge,  146 

Ontario,  Ore.,  123 

Opal,  Wyo.,  101 

Ordway,  Sergeant,  quoted,  132,  134,  138 

Oregon: 

claims  to,  28,  158 

controversy  over,  19,  31 

joint  occupation,  17 
Oregon  Pony,  locomotive,  144 
Oregon   Railroad   and   Navigation   Co., 

134,  144 

Oregon  State  Fish  Hatchery,  144 
Oregon  State  Pheasant  Farm,  131 
Oregon  Trail,  2,  31,  48,  49,  54,  69,  76, 
99,  101,  108,  116,  123,  124,  127, 
130,  162,  170,  188,  211 

after  1870,  33 

marker,  173 

Oregon  Trail  Memorial  Assn.,  189 
Oshkosh,  Neb.,  164 
Ostner,  Charles,  117 
Overland  route,  2,  49 
Overland  Stage  Line,  48,  94 
Overland  Trail,  83,  97 
Ouryhee,  the,  152 

Pacific  Fur  Co.,  15 
Pacific  Railway  Act,  57 


Index 


241 


Pacific  Springs,  Wyo.,  195 

Palmer,  quoted,  203 

Palmer,  Joel,  31,  163,  194 

Parco,  Wyo.,  92 

Paris,   Idaho,    103 

Paris,  Treaty  of  (1763),  5 

Paris,  Treaty  of  (1783),  7 

Parker,  Rev.  Samuel,  26,  133,  199,  200, 

206,  207,  211 
Parkerton,  Wyo.,  179 
Parkman,  Francis,  37,  46 
Parrott,  George,  92 
Pathfinder  Dam,  185 
Patterson,  Ferd,  119 
Pawnee  Hunting  and  Burial  Grounds, 

64 

Paxton,  Neb.,  77 
Payette,  Francois,  121 
Payette,  Idaho,  122 
Pearce,  Ira  B.,  118 
Pearson  Army  Airport,  151 
Pedro  Mountains,  184 
Pendleton,  George  Hunt,  131 
Pendleton,  Ore.,  131 
Pendleton  Round-Up,  132 
Peniston,  William,  74 
Perkins,  H.  K.  W.,  139 
Petrified  Forest,  90 
Pierre's  Hole,  205 
Pierre's  Hole,  Battle  of,  207 
Pilcher,  Joshua,  211 
Pillars  of  Hercules,  147 
Pilot  Butte,  96,  197 
Pilot  Knob,  88 
Pine  Bluffs,  Wyo.,  83 
Pinedale,  Wyo.,  197 
Pioneer  Mother,  the,  151 
Pitts,  Captain,  52 
Placerville,  Idaho,  120 
Platte  Crossing,  Upper,  180 
Platte  Purchase,  49 
Platte  River,  54 
Pleasant  Valley,  125 
Plum  Creek,  71 
Pocahontas,  Ore.,  126 
Pocatello,  Idaho,  106 
Point  of  Rocks,  Neb.,  81 
Point  of  Rocks,  Wyo.,  95 
Poker  Gulch,  126 
Pony  Express,  33,  48,  50,  74,  112,  162, 

171,  184,  192,  214 


Portland,  Ore.,  149 

Portneuf  River,  105 

Potter,  Neb.,  81 

Potter,  Theodore,  188 

Powder  Springs  Gang,  94 

Powell,  J.  W.,  98 

Prairie  De  La  Messe,  Wyo.,  199 

Provot,  fitienne,  19 

Puget  Island,  155 

Puget,  Lt.  Peter,  155 

Pulpit  Rock,  140 

Quincy,  Ore.,  154 

Radisson,  Pierre,  4 

Railroads,  hazards  of  travel  on,  72 

Rainier  Hill,  154 

Rainier,  Ore.,  154 

"Ramsey,  Jack,"  161 

Rankin,  Joe,  91 

Rawlins,  Gen.  John  A.,  92 

Rawlins,  Wyo.,  92,  190 

Reardon  Home,  45 

Red  Buttes,  184 

Red  Buttes  Battlefield,  184 

Red  Cloud  Agency,  First,  169 

Red  Desert,  94 

Reeder,  Andrew  H.,  47 

Register  Cliff,  173 

Reni,  Jules,  78,  174 

Rexburg,  Idaho,  205 

Riley,  James  Whitcomb,  87 

Robidoux,  Joseph,  49 

Robidoux  House,  Joseph,  51 

Rock  Creek,  88 

Rock  Ranch  Battle,  169 

Rock  River,  Wyo.,  89 

Rock  Springs,  Wyo..  95 

Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Co.,  202,  205 

Ross,  Alexander,  122 

Ross  Park,  Idaho,  107 

Roswell,  Idaho,  121 

Roubidou,  Basil,  212 

Roubidou  Pass,  212 

Rowena  Dell,  141 

Rowena,  Ore.,  140 

Rufus,  Ore.,  136 

Rupert,  Idaho,  110 

Russell,  William  H.,  48 

Sacajawea,  13,  100,  161,  192 
Sage,  Rufus  B.,  quoted,  20,  172 


242 


Index 


Sage,  Wyo.,  102 

Sager  children,  116 

St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  205 

St.  Helens,  Ore.,  153 

St.  John's  Bridge,  152 

St.  John's   Roman   Catholic    Cathedral, 

Boise,  118 
St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  49 
St.  Louis  Missouri  Fur  Co.,  14 
St.  Mary's  Telegraph  Station,  192 
St.  Michael's    Episcopal    Cathedral, 

Boise,  118 

St.  Peters  Dome,  146 
Salmon,  137,  144 
Sand  Dunes,  95 
Sandwich  Islands,  27 
Sandy  River,  148 
Santa  Fe  Trail,  38,  42,  44 
Santo  Domingan  revolt,  10 
Sargent,  John  D.,  210 
Sauvie,  Jean  Baptiste,  153 
Sauvies  Island,  Ore.,  152 
Sawyer,  Lorenzo,  182,  194 

quoted,  163 
Scappoose,  Ore.,  153 
Schuyler,  Neb.,  61 
Scott,  Hiram,  167 
Scott,  Gen.  Winfield,  47 
Scotts  Bluff  National  Monument,  212 
Scottsbluff  Experiment  Farm,  168 
Scottsbluff,  Neb.,  167 
Seufert,  Ore.,  139 
Shaw,  Quincy  A.,  37 
Shell  Rock  Mountain,  143 
Shelley,  Idaho,  204 
Shelton,  Neb.,  67 
Shepperd's  Dell,  147 
Sheridan,  Philip  H.,  143 
Sherman  Range,  85 
Sherman  Station,  Wyo.,  84 
Short,  Amos,  150 
Short,  Esther,  150 
Shoshone  Falls,  113 
Showberger  Botanical  Gardens,  122 
Sidney,  Neb.,  80 
Signal  Butte,  212 
Silent  City  of  Rocks,  110 
Silver  City,  Idaho,  121 
Simpson,  Aemilius,  151 
Simpson,  George,  18,  22,  28,  149 
Sioux  City  &  Pacific  R.  R.,  60 


Slacum,  Captain,  26 

Slade  Canyon,  174 

Slade,  Jack,  79,  174 

Smelt,  148 

Smith,  C.  W.,  163 

Smith,  Jedediah  S.,  19,  22,  209 

Smith,  John  R.,  176 

Smith,  Joseph,  43,  52 

Smokestack  Rock,  211 

Snake  River,  103,  107,  122 

Soda  Point,  105 

Soda  Springs,  Idaho,  29,  104 

South  Pass,  2,  19,  188,  192,  193,  194 

South  Pass  City,  Wyo.,  191 

Spalding,  Rev.  Henry,  27,  114,  194 

Split  Rock,  190 

Stage  Hill,  212 

Stage  Travel: 

discomforts  of,  130 

hardships  of,  101 

robberies,  106,  111 
Stampede  Park,  105 
Standard  Cattle  Co.,  61 
Stanfield,  Ore.,  132 

Starvation  Creek  State  Park,  Ore.,  142 
Steamboat  Rock,  211 
Steamboat  Spring,  104 
Stegmiller,  Joseph,  45 
Steunenberg,  Frank,  118 
Strahan,  Kay  Cleaver,  129 
Strong,  C.  H.,  185 
Stuart,  Robert,  122,  136,  169,  183,  185, 

194 
Sublette,  Capt.  William,  19,  170,  188, 

209,  210,  211 

Sublette  Cut-Off,  2,  101,  196 
Sublette's  Flat,  197 
Sublette,  John,  91 
Sulphur  Springs,  104 
Sunday,  Billy,  141 
Sunrise,  Wyo.,  175 
Sutherland,  Neb.,  76 
Sutherland  Reservoir,  76 
Sweetwater  Bridge,  191 
Sweetwater  Station,  184,  186 

Table  Rock,  211 
Talbot  Park,  Ore.,  147 
Talleyrand,  French  minister,  8,  10 
Taylor,  Til,  132 
Taylor  Toll  Bridge,  204 


Index 


243 


Teapot  Dome,  179 

Telegraph  line,  transcontinental,  33 

Telephone  Canyon,  85 

Teton  Basin,  205 

Teton  National  Forest  headquarters,  209 

Teton  Pass,  201 

Thomas,  Becky,  95 

Thompson,  David,  6,  16 

Thornburg,  Marion,  176 

Thornburg,  Thomas  F.,  91 

Thorp,  Col.  John,  68 

Thousand  Springs,  114 

Three  Crossings,  190 

Three  Island  Ford,  116 

Todd,  Caroline,  189 

Tollgate  Rock,  97 

Tongue  Point  Lighthouse  Service  Base, 

156 

Tongue  Point  State  Park,  Ore.,  156 
Torrington,  Wyo.,  169 
Touchet,  Ore.,  134 
Tourists  in  early  West,  39,  171 
Townsend,  J.  K.,  153 
Tracy,  Mo.,  46 
Trading  posts  (see  Forts) 
Trading  posts,  government,  9,  19,  20 
Train  robberies,  81 
Trans-polar  fliers,  151 
Trappers,  205 

Trenner  Memorial  Park,  108 
Turkey  Leg,  Chief,  72 
Twain,  Mark,  73 
Twin  Falls,  Idaho,  112,  113 
Twin  Sisters,  211 


Umatilla  Irrigation  Project,  132 

Umatilla,  Ore.,  134 

Union  Fishermen's  Cooperative  Pack- 
ing Co.,  159 

Union,  Ore.,  128 

Union  Pacific  R.  R.,  33,  53,  56,  57,  60, 
65,  78,  84,  86,  96 

Union  Pacific,  construction  camps,  92, 
106 

University  of  Idaho,  107 

University  of  Wyoming,  88 

Unthank,  A.  H.,  178 

Upper  California  Crossing,  78 

Urguides,  Jesus  Kossuth,  119 

Utah  Territory,  48,  99 


Valley,  Neb.,  59 
Vancouver  Barracks,  151 
Vancouver,  George,  149 
Vancouver,  Wash.,  149 
Vantage  Point,  124 
Vasquez,  Louis,  99 
Verendrye,  Pierre,  5 
Viento,  Ore.,  142 
Viento  State  Park,  142 
Vincent,  Tip,  92 
Vista  House,  148 
Volcano  Hill,  105 


Waddell,  W.  B.,  48 
Waggoner,  George  A.,  140 
Waggoner,  George  H.,  124 
Wahkeena  Falls,  147 
Waiilatpu,  Wash.,  134 
Walker,  Joel  P.,  203 
Walla  Walla,  Wash.,  116 
Waller,  Reverend  Mr.,  28 
Wallula,  Ore.,  132 
Wain,  S.  Morris,  185 
Walters  Ferry,  Idaho,  120 
Wamsutter,  Wyo.,  94 
Warm  Springs,  Wyo.,  175 
Warrell,  William,  176 
Warrendale,  Ore.,  146 
Waterloo,  Neb.,  59 
Watson,  Ella,  186 
Watson,  H.  D.,  71 
Waw-Guin-Guin  Falls,  142 
Wayer,  Jacob,  122 
Weiser,  Idaho,  122 
Wells  Fargo  Express,  95,  130 
Weston,  Samuel,  38 
Westport,  Battle  of,  45 
Westport,  Mo.,  44 
Westport,  Ore.,  155 
Westward  migration: 

expedition  of  1841,  29 

propaganda  against,  24 

propaganda  for,  28,  30 

reasons  for,  22 
White,  Dr.  Elijah,  30 
Whitehouse,  Joseph,  20 
Whitman,  Dr.  Marcus,  26,  30,  114,  134, 

194,  199,  203 
Whitman  Massacre,  139 
Whitman  National  Forest,  Ore.,  126 


244 


Index 


Widowfield,  Ed,  92 

Wilcox  Robbery,  89 

Wildcat  State  Game  Preserve,  Neb.,  212 

Willamette  River,  128 

Willamette  Valley,  149 

Williamson,  Henry,  150 

Wilson,  Edgar  (see  Bill  Nye),  87 

Windlass  Hill,  164 

Wind  Mountain,  143 

Wind  River,  192 

Wind  River  Reservation,  89 

Winship,  Nathan,  154 

Winters,  Rebecca,  167 

Wiser,  Peter,  122 

Wishram,  Ore.,  138 

Wister,  Owen,  90,  184,  210 

Woman's  Suffrage,  87,  191 

Woodbury,  Daniel  P.,  70 

Wood  River,  Neb.,  67 


Woodruff,  Elder,  180 

Woodson,  Samuel  H.,  Stages  of,  42 

Wyeth,  Nathaniel,  24,  25,  54,  123,  150, 

152,  159,  188,  202 
Wyoming  National  Forest,  200 
Wyoming  State  Agricultural  Experiment 

Station,  197 

Wyoming  State  Experiment  Farm,  84 
Wyoming  State  Fair  Grounds,  177 
Wyoming  State  Penitentiary,  93 
Wyoming,  Territory  of,  87 

XY  Company,  6 

Yankees,  Galvanized,  70 
Yellowstone  National  Park,  210 
Yeon,  John  B.  State  Park,  146 
Young,  Brigham,  51,  52,  56,  57,  66,  99, 
103,  168,  180,  189,  190,  194,  195 


NORTHWESTERN    EXPLORATIONS 

1804    1847 

LEGEND 

LEWIS  AND  CLAHK      1OO4  .  I0O5  «  _  »_ ,       FREMONT      1043       tt>46 

OREGON  TRAIL MORMONS •••••• 

FREMONT     1843  -  IB44 ASTOHIANS      tail  -lets ,     , 

3  ZOOMIICS 
— 1 

Note:    Some  routes  are  slightly  displaced  on  account  of  the  congestion  of  lines.