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Oregon-California Trails Association

22 hours ago

May 28 – A 5-month virtual road trip along the California TrailOur virtual road trip returns briefly to the Missouri River and follows the Nebraska City road – or roads. There were actually many routes which led out of Nebraska City to eventually join the Platte River road between Council Bluffs and Fort Kearney. The city of York, Nebraska has two historic markers (images downloaded from the Historical Marker Database at https://www.hmdb.org/results.asp?Search=Place&Town=York&State=Nebraska) regarding one of the Nebraska City routes (GPS coordinates -97.557, 40.823 and -97.593, 40.859). It was along one of the Nebraska City routes that David R. Hindman (https://schuyler-ilgw.genealogyvillage.com/FamilyGroupSheets/Hindmangold.html) described, "There was so much sameness in the country over which we were passing that it afforded but little interest to the traveler. The principle thing that attracted our attention for several days was the large number of new-made graves. Many in their haste started too soon, and were delayed for want of sufficient grass for their oxen to subsist on and travel during the day. Cholera broke out among them and many died. Thus ended their golden dreams when far from the “land of gold.” May we not hope that some of them were permitted to enter that City whose streets are paved with gold, and where sickness and death can never enter. One of the difficulties with which we had to contend was lack of fuel, another, bad water." ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

1 day ago

Likely heading to St. Charles. ... See MoreSee Less

Steamboat Arabia Museum Ponders Move from KC to St. Louis Suburb

flatlandkc.org

The Steamboat Arabia Museum, one of Kansas City's bigger tourism draws, has a tentative agreement to set sail from the City Market to St. Charles, Missouri.

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Oregon-California Trails Association

2 days ago

May 27 – A 5-month virtual road trip along the California Trail The combined Independence & St. Joseph roads continue along the Little Blue River to join the Platte River road. Along the way, you pass the site of George Winslow's grave. Winslow was an emigrant from the Boston area. He died from cholera while on the Trail in 1849. His gravesite lies on private property (GPS coordinates -97.206, 40.208) but is accessible to the public. You can find a brief description of the site on the OCTA website at https://octa-trails.org/people-places/george-winslow/. A wonderful research paper about George was published in the "Collections of the Nebraska State Historical Society 1913, vol. 17". It can be read beginning on page 110 at https://www.google.com/books/edition/Collections_of_the_Nebraska_State_Histor/knsSAAAAYAAJ.An excerpt from a letter quoted in the paper states, "At 5 o'clock P. M. there come up a most violent shower such an one you perhaps never saw , there is nothing on these plains to break the wind and it sweeps on most furiously the lightning is truly terrific & when accompanied with wind hail & rain as in this case it is truly sublime. To this storm I attribut G's death . I was however aware of its violence & guarded him as thougroughly as possible with our rubber blankets from all dampness that might come through our covered wagons George did not appear worse . Wednesday morning George remains about the same — travelled most of the day . 3 o'clock George appeared worse . I sent immediately for the Doctor who was behind . Camped as soon as we could get to water. George did not appear better. Uncle Jessee watched the first part of the night but George growing worse uncle Jessee called Staples & myself & we remained with him till he died. Thursday morning George was very sick & much wandering - did not know us only at intervals— seemed to fail very fast - continued to sink very fast 9 o'clock - George is dead — his body lays here in the tent but his spirit has fled - Our company feel deeply this solemn providence." ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

3 days ago

Register now for OCTA's 40th annual convention in Casper, Wyoming. Our dates are from August 28-Septembe 2. Full registration info can be found at:https://octa-trails.regfox.com/2022-octa-convention-casper-wyoming Call us at 816-252-2276 if you have any questions. Paper registration forms will be included in the upcoming News From the Plains and will be added to our homepage as a downloadable PDF. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

3 days ago

May 26 – A 5-month virtual road trip along the California Trail Rock Creek Station State Historical Park (http://outdoornebraska.gov/rockcreekstation/ GPS coordinates -97.061, 40.113) was a stage stop established in 1857. It has trail ruts and buildings and displays about the Pony Express and emigrant trails. The photograph is from Google Maps Streetview. The 1864 journal of George Forman was published in the 1968 Annals of Wyoming (https://archive.org/details/annalsofwyom40121968wyom/page/n9/mode/2up). On June 10th he wrote, "... now in Nebraska.... left the freight [train] and travel alone, meeting the overland Stage everyday and every 14 miles is a Stage Station, but no letters. Crossed Rock Creek. Plenty of Prairie fowl, prairie hens, Pigeons &c. In Kansas the rock is limestone and soil heavy. In Nebraska here it is granite rock and light gravelly soil though rich. Timber all the way is very scarce, only cottonwood & walnut along the Streams. Some spaces of 20 miles without a tree or water." ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

4 days ago

Did you know that OCTA launched a new podcast this week? OCTA's former intern, Charlie Dodge, interviewed "Overland Journal" editor Bob Clark for episode one. Let us know what you think in the comments. Here's the link to the podcast. Please share it if you like it!https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iW41hSGYdfQ418OQhOLbLwCFhQOIDeEz/view ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

4 days ago

May 25 – A 5-month virtual road trip along the California TrailThere is an Oregon Trail Marker located on the Kansas / Nebraska boundary at the intersection of State Line road and 582nd Ave (GPS coordinates -96.916, 40.002). The marker indicates the point at the state line where the Trail crosses. The photograph is from Google Maps Streetview. It was near here that Alonzo Delano (https://archive.org/details/lifeonplainsamon01dela/page/n7/mode/2up) reached the road in 1849. The company he was traveling with had opted to begin their journey about sixty-five miles north of St. Joseph (but south of Nebraska City) and "take an obscure route, over which only one train had passed, about four years previous, and strike the St. Joseph and Platte road at a point which it was said would put us in advance of the St. Joseph and Independence trains, at least ten days." However, on May 20th he wrote, "Our road, like that of yesterday, was over broad table-land, and we were able to keep a direct south-south-west course. But where the dickens was the St. Joseph road? Where were we?—and where had we been? We had now been out nineteen days upon the wilderness. Our object in taking this new route had been to save time, and of getting in advance of other trains; and the question naturally arose, Had we succeeded? Had we gained anything by our erratic course?" It was later that day that they found the road. Continuing in his journal Delano wrote, "We encamped on a fine bottom near a pretty creek, a mile from the road, and a camp of emigrants was reported below us, to which Henderson repaired, and learned that a large number of wagons were ahead, and that we were only an hundred and fifty miles from St. Joseph. From the latter place we had been actually traveling twenty-four days, nineteen of which were upon the prairie, to reach this point; while the trains that had come by the road, direct, had come through without difficulty in eleven days. This was gaining time and getting ahead with a vengeance!" ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

5 days ago

On this day in history, May 24, 1846, Edwin Bryant wrote in his journal:"I am beginning to feel alarmed at the tardiness of our movements, and fearful that winter will find us in the snowy mountains of California, or that we shall suffer from the exhaustion of our supply of provisions. I do not fear for myself, but for the women and children of the emigrants. Singular as it may seem, there are many of our present party who have no just conceptions of the extent and labor of the journey before them."Bryant was, of course, with the Donner-Reed Party. They were camped this night near what is now Blaine, Kansas and would cross the Black Vermillion River the next day around noon, taking about four hours to cross. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

5 days ago

May 23 – A 5-month virtual road trip along the California TrailThe St. Joseph and Independence Roads join about nine miles west of the Big Blue River crossing (discussed in yesterday's post), southeast of Hanover, KS (GPS coordinates -96.814, 39.877). The two photos of markers were downloaded from the OCTA Gateway Chapter website at https://www.gateway-octa.org/trail-gallery-1 and can be found somewhere along the roads that circuit the junction. Vincent Geiger (https://archive.org/details/trailtocaliforni000849mbp/page/n99/mode/2up) camped just a little west of the Big Blue River on May 20, 1849. He said, "We got into camp 2 miles from the Big Blue about 4 o'clock P.M. and commenced lightening our loads. We threw away a large lot of horse shoes, all the boxes, lard & many other things. We are now fairly on the road. Many are complaining and if chance offered would like much to return. We have been vexed & delayed. Our teams are young & unbroke & the men do not feel as much interest as was to be expected. Our company is too large. The country is not so much rolling – more plain. We are about 1 mile from the Big Blue. May 21st – An early start gave us a good march today. Just as we drove out from camp, Comegys broke a fore-wheel to his wagon, but as we had saved one from the destruction of yesterday it delayed us but little. In nine miles from camp we struck the Independence Trail and fell in with a Missouri Company, of 40 wagons & 130 men. Passed them." ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

6 days ago

May 23 – A 5-month virtual road trip along the California TrailThe St. Joseph and Independence Roads join about nine miles west of the Big Blue River crossing (discussed in yesterday's post), southeast of Hanover, KS (GPS coordinates -96.814, 39.877). The two photos of markers were downloaded from the OCTA Gateway Chapter website at https://www.gateway-octa.org/trail-gallery-1 and can be found somewhere along the roads that circuit the junction. Vincent Geiger (https://archive.org/details/trailtocaliforni000849mbp/page/n99/mode/2up) camped just a little west of the Big Blue River on May 20, 1849. He said, "We got into camp 2 miles from the Big Blue about 4 o'clock P.M. and commenced lightening our loads. We threw away a large lot of horse shoes, all the boxes, lard & many other things. We are now fairly on the road. Many are complaining and if chance offered would like much to return. We have been vexed & delayed. Our teams are young & unbroke & the men do not feel as much interest as was to be expected. Our company is too large. The country is not so much rolling – more plain. We are about 1 mile from the Big Blue. May 21st – An early start gave us a good march today. Just as we drove out from camp, Comegys broke a fore-wheel to his wagon, but as we had saved one from the destruction of yesterday it delayed us but little. In nine miles from camp we struck the Independence Trail and fell in with a Missouri Company, of 40 wagons & 130 men. Passed them." ... See MoreSee Less

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Featured Products

Bruff's Wake: J. Goldsborough Bruff & the California Gold Rush, by H. L James $24.95
The Oregon Trail Revisited, by Gregory M. Franzwa $24.95
In Pursuit of a Dream (DVD) $20.00
Reading, Writing and Riding Along the Oregon-California Trails (An Educational Activity Book), by William E. Hill $8.95

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