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California Trail: Difference between revisions
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The '''California Trail''' went from western [[Missouri]] across the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains Great Plains] into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains Rocky Mountains] to the gold fields of northern [[California Genealogy|California]]. It was most heavily used in the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s. The length of the wagon trail from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River Missouri River] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento,_California Sacramento, California] was about 1,950 miles (3,138 km). It normally took four to six months to traverse the length of the California Trail with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covered_wagon covered wagons] pulled by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox oxen]. About 250,000 pioneers, the most of any American [[US Migration Trails and Roads|emigration trail]], used it to reach California before the [[First Transcontinental Railroad|transcontinental railroad]] in 1869.<ref name="OrTr">Wikipedia contributors, "Oregon Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail (accessed 12 July 2012).</ref> | The '''California Trail''' went from western [[Missouri]] across the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains Great Plains] into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains Rocky Mountains] to the gold fields of northern [[California Genealogy|California]]. It was most heavily used in the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s. The length of the wagon trail from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River Missouri River] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento,_California Sacramento, California] was about 1,950 miles (3,138 km). It normally took four to six months to traverse the length of the California Trail with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covered_wagon covered wagons] pulled by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox oxen]. About 250,000 pioneers, the most of any American [[US Migration Trails and Roads|emigration trail]], used it to reach California before the [[First Transcontinental Railroad|transcontinental railroad]] in 1869.<ref name="OrTr">Wikipedia contributors, "Oregon Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail (accessed 12 July 2012).</ref> | ||
The main California Trail overlapped the [[Oregon Trail]] from western [[Missouri]] to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raft_River Raft River] crossing in [[Idaho]]. This route passed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks, Idaho] and followed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_River Humboldt River] in [[Nevada]] toward California. An alternate California Trail route overlapped the [[Mormon Trail]] all the way [[Image:{{HumRivCam}}]] to [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] and then to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks] in Idaho. The trail ended at several destination places mostly in the gold fields in the mountains of northern California.<ref name="CaTr">Wikipedia contributors, "California Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Trail (accessed 24 July 2011).</ref><br><br> | The main California Trail overlapped the [[Oregon Trail]] from western [[Missouri]] to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raft_River Raft River] crossing in [[Idaho]]. This route passed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks, Idaho] and followed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_River Humboldt River] in [[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]] toward California. An alternate California Trail route overlapped the [[Mormon Trail]] all the way [[Image:{{HumRivCam}}]] to [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] and then to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks] in Idaho. The trail ended at several destination places mostly in the gold fields in the mountains of northern California.<ref name="CaTr">Wikipedia contributors, "California Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Trail (accessed 24 July 2011).</ref><br><br> | ||
=== Background History === | === Background History === | ||
'''Footpaths, wagons, and stagecoaches.''' The overland route over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pass South Pass] was discovered by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_men fur trappers] in 1811. By the 1830s that pass was used as part of the [[Oregon Trail]]. Between 1829 and 1840 other mountain men explored possible additional routes extending through northern [[Utah]] and [[Nevada]] toward [[California Genealogy|California]]. At first these were footpaths or pack train trails. The earliest wagon road was pioneered through South Pass to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Rendezvous mountain man rendezvous] on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_River_%28Utah%29 Green River] in [[Wyoming|Wyoming]] in 1830. By 1836 a wagon road reached as far as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hall Fort Hall], Idaho.<ref name="OrTr" /> In 1841 and 1843 wagon trains started for [[California|California]] but abandoned their wagons in [[Nevada|Nevada]] and went on by foot. The first overland wagon train to reach [[California|California]] arrived in 1844 by leaving the [[Oregon Trail|Oregon Trail]] after crossing the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raft_River Raft River] in [[Idaho|Idaho]]. From there they followed Nevada's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_River Humboldt River] west to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_%28U.S.%29 Sierra Nevada] mountains, up the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truckee_River Truckee River] and over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truckee_River Donner Pass] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento,_California Sacramento, California]. This became the most popular route, but other pioneers also came via [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City, Utah]] to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks]. From 1857 to 1861 the [[Butterfield Overland Mail|Butterfield Overland Mail]] stagecoach route near the Mexican border opened to Calfornia. That mail route was closed in favor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express Pony Express] (Central Overland) route through central Nevada farther south than the Humboldt River. In time these various paths to California were followed by wagon roads, railroads, and modern highways.<ref name="CaTr" /> | '''Footpaths, wagons, and stagecoaches.''' The overland route over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pass South Pass] was discovered by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_men fur trappers] in 1811. By the 1830s that pass was used as part of the [[Oregon Trail]]. Between 1829 and 1840 other mountain men explored possible additional routes extending through northern [[Utah]] and [[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]] toward [[California Genealogy|California]]. At first these were footpaths or pack train trails. The earliest wagon road was pioneered through South Pass to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Rendezvous mountain man rendezvous] on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_River_%28Utah%29 Green River] in [[Wyoming|Wyoming]] in 1830. By 1836 a wagon road reached as far as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hall Fort Hall], Idaho.<ref name="OrTr" /> In 1841 and 1843 wagon trains started for [[California|California]] but abandoned their wagons in [[Nevada|Nevada]] and went on by foot. The first overland wagon train to reach [[California|California]] arrived in 1844 by leaving the [[Oregon Trail|Oregon Trail]] after crossing the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raft_River Raft River] in [[Idaho|Idaho]]. From there they followed Nevada's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_River Humboldt River] west to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_%28U.S.%29 Sierra Nevada] mountains, up the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truckee_River Truckee River] and over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truckee_River Donner Pass] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento,_California Sacramento, California]. This became the most popular route, but other pioneers also came via [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City, Utah]] to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks]. From 1857 to 1861 the [[Butterfield Overland Mail|Butterfield Overland Mail]] stagecoach route near the Mexican border opened to Calfornia. That mail route was closed in favor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express Pony Express] (Central Overland) route through central Nevada farther south than the Humboldt River. In time these various paths to California were followed by wagon roads, railroads, and modern highways.<ref name="CaTr" /> | ||
'''Reasons for migrating.''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_men Mountain men fur trappers] were the earliest to use the California Trail. Larger groups of American settlers began arriving in 1846. The outbreak of the [[Mexican War, 1846 to 1848|Mexican-American War 1846-1848]] resulted in American soldiers invading California to help secure it for the United States. Once California was officially United States territory it immediately began to attract more immigrants. Several western gold and silver strikes, productive farm land, lumber, and ranching all increased traffic on the California Trail.<ref name="OrTr" /> The '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush California gold rush]''' attracted adventurers and gold seekers from around the world after gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill. An estimated 90,000 arrived in 1849, about half of them Americans. Americans usually took the California Trail to reach the gold fields. Some came by ship. Others used the [[Oregon Trail|Oregon Trail]] and then came south to California on the [[Siskiyou Trail|Siskiyou Trail]], or [[Applegate Trail]]-Lassen Cutoff.<ref name="CaGoRu">Wikipedia contributors, "California Gold Rush" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush (accessed 24 July 2011).</ref> | '''Reasons for migrating.''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_men Mountain men fur trappers] were the earliest to use the California Trail. Larger groups of American settlers began arriving in 1846. The outbreak of the [[Mexican War, 1846 to 1848|Mexican-American War 1846-1848]] resulted in American soldiers invading California to help secure it for the United States. Once California was officially United States territory it immediately began to attract more immigrants. Several western gold and silver strikes, productive farm land, lumber, and ranching all increased traffic on the California Trail.<ref name="OrTr" /> The '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush California gold rush]''' attracted adventurers and gold seekers from around the world after gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill. An estimated 90,000 arrived in 1849, about half of them Americans. Americans usually took the California Trail to reach the gold fields. Some came by ship. Others used the [[Oregon Trail|Oregon Trail]] and then came south to California on the [[Siskiyou Trail|Siskiyou Trail]], or [[Applegate Trail]]-Lassen Cutoff.<ref name="CaGoRu">Wikipedia contributors, "California Gold Rush" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush (accessed 24 July 2011).</ref> | ||
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=== Main Route === | === Main Route === | ||
The California Trail was miles wide with many variations. Emigrants started on their journey from many sundry "jumping off points" in three states. Some took a variety of shortcuts, and others traveled on different sides of the rivers from other emigrants. Travelers often completed their journey in [[Idaho|Idaho]], [[Nevada]] or places other than northern California. The California Trail was a branch of the Oregon trunk trail.<ref name="OrTr" /> | The California Trail was miles wide with many variations. Emigrants started on their journey from many sundry "jumping off points" in three states. Some took a variety of shortcuts, and others traveled on different sides of the rivers from other emigrants. Travelers often completed their journey in [[Idaho|Idaho]], [[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]] or places other than northern California. The California Trail was a branch of the Oregon trunk trail.<ref name="OrTr" /> | ||
Two of the most popular early outfitting or "jumping off points" were [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence,_Missouri Independence] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph,_Missouri St. Joseph] in western [[Missouri|Missouri]]. Once the river was dredged and steamboats could reach it in the early 1850s, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_Bluffs,_Iowa Council Bluffs, Iowa] became the most popular California Trail starting place.<ref name="EmigTr">Wikipedia contributors, "Emigrant trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emigrant_trail (accessed 15 July 2012).</ref> [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City,_Missouri Kansas City], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence,_Kansas Lawrence], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topeka,_Kansas Topeka] in [[Kansas|Kansas]] were also used. From their starting point emigrants often followed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River Missouri River] up to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_River Platte River]. Another option was to follow the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_River Kansas River] and then the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Blue_River_%28Kansas/Nebraska%29 Little Blue River] toward the Platte River.<ref name="OrTr" /> | Two of the most popular early outfitting or "jumping off points" were [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence,_Missouri Independence] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph,_Missouri St. Joseph] in western [[Missouri|Missouri]]. Once the river was dredged and steamboats could reach it in the early 1850s, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_Bluffs,_Iowa Council Bluffs, Iowa] became the most popular California Trail starting place.<ref name="EmigTr">Wikipedia contributors, "Emigrant trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emigrant_trail (accessed 15 July 2012).</ref> [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City,_Missouri Kansas City], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence,_Kansas Lawrence], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topeka,_Kansas Topeka] in [[Kansas|Kansas]] were also used. From their starting point emigrants often followed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River Missouri River] up to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_River Platte River]. Another option was to follow the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_River Kansas River] and then the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Blue_River_%28Kansas/Nebraska%29 Little Blue River] toward the Platte River.<ref name="OrTr" /> | ||
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:*[[Idaho]] | :*[[Idaho]] | ||
:*sometimes [[Utah]] | :*sometimes [[Utah]] | ||
:*[[Nevada]] | :*[[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]] | ||
:*[[California Genealogy|California]] | :*[[California Genealogy|California]] | ||
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Several migration pathways had junctions at various places '''''along the middle''''' of the California Trail: | Several migration pathways had junctions at various places '''''along the middle''''' of the California Trail: | ||
:*[[Oregon Trail]] 1830s (and California Trail 1841) from western [[Missouri]] were the main trunk trails. The California Trail usually split off from the [[Oregon Trail]] after the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raft_River Raft River] crossing near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_River Snake River] in [[Idaho]]. The California Trail headed toward northern [[California Genealogy|California]] via [[Nevada]]. The [[Oregon Trail]] continued to follow the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_River Snake River] to [[Oregon Genealogy|Oregon]] and beyond.<ref name="CaTr" /> | :*[[Oregon Trail]] 1830s (and California Trail 1841) from western [[Missouri]] were the main trunk trails. The California Trail usually split off from the [[Oregon Trail]] after the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raft_River Raft River] crossing near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_River Snake River] in [[Idaho]]. The California Trail headed toward northern [[California Genealogy|California]] via [[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]]. The [[Oregon Trail]] continued to follow the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_River Snake River] to [[Oregon Genealogy|Oregon]] and beyond.<ref name="CaTr" /> | ||
:*[[Mormon Trail]] 1847 from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha,_Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska] branched off the California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bridger Ft. Bridger], Wyoming going to [[Salt Lake City, Utah]]. | :*[[Mormon Trail]] 1847 from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha,_Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska] branched off the California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bridger Ft. Bridger], Wyoming going to [[Salt Lake City, Utah]]. | ||
:*'''''Salt Lake Cutoff ''''' 1848, an alternate route from [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] that rejoined the main California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks] in [[Idaho]].<ref name="MorTr" /> | :*'''''Salt Lake Cutoff ''''' 1848, an alternate route from [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] that rejoined the main California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Rocks_National_Reserve City of Rocks] in [[Idaho]].<ref name="MorTr" /> | ||
:*[[Cherokee Trail]] (aka Trapper's Trail) 1849 to early 1890s from Salina, [[Oklahoma]] merged with the California Trail near [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bridger Ft. Bridger], Wyoming<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Cherokee Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_Trail (accessed 15 July 2012).</ref> | :*[[Cherokee Trail]] (aka Trapper's Trail) 1849 to early 1890s from Salina, [[Oklahoma]] merged with the California Trail near [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bridger Ft. Bridger], Wyoming<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Cherokee Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_Trail (accessed 15 July 2012).</ref> | ||
:*[[Central Overland Trail]] 1859 from [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] through central [[Nevada]] rejoined the California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparks,_Nevada Carson City, Nevada]. | :*[[Central Overland Trail]] 1859 from [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] through central [[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]] rejoined the California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparks,_Nevada Carson City, Nevada]. | ||
:*[[Bozeman Trail]] 1863 branched from the California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Fetterman Ft. Fetterman], near Douglas, Wyoming heading to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozeman,_Montana Bozeman, Montana]<ref name="BozTr">Wikipedia contributors, "Bozeman Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozeman_Trail (accessed 15 July 2012).</ref> | :*[[Bozeman Trail]] 1863 branched from the California Trail at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Fetterman Ft. Fetterman], near Douglas, Wyoming heading to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozeman,_Montana Bozeman, Montana]<ref name="BozTr">Wikipedia contributors, "Bozeman Trail" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozeman_Trail (accessed 15 July 2012).</ref> | ||
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*Betty Yohalem, ''"I remember..." : stories and pictures of El Dorado County pioneer families'' ([Placerville, Calif.] : El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce, 1977). [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3657533 WorldCat entry]. {{FHL|75462|item|disp=FHL Book 979.441 H2y}}.<br><br> | *Betty Yohalem, ''"I remember..." : stories and pictures of El Dorado County pioneer families'' ([Placerville, Calif.] : El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce, 1977). [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3657533 WorldCat entry]. {{FHL|75462|item|disp=FHL Book 979.441 H2y}}.<br><br> | ||
Some California Trail pioneers also settled in [[Oregon Genealogy|Oregon]], [[Nevada]], or [[Idaho|Idaho]]. Local histories and biographies from those places may also include some pioneers who traveled the California Trail. | Some California Trail pioneers also settled in [[Oregon Genealogy|Oregon]], [[Nevada Genealogy|Nevada]], or [[Idaho|Idaho]]. Local histories and biographies from those places may also include some pioneers who traveled the California Trail. | ||
=== Other Wiki Pages === | === Other Wiki Pages === | ||