Blazing the Overland Trails Part 1: The – The Mormon Trail

Originally published in El Defensor Chieftain newspaper, Socorro, NM, Saturday, February 6, 2010.

By Paul Harden, [email protected]

Emigrant trails were our country's first “highways.” Unlike today's highways of smooth pavement, the emigrant trails were dusty, rough wagon tracks that stretched endlessly across the West. It was over these trails that the “westward expansion” of the United States occurred during the mid-1800s. Heading west Oregon Historical Society from the Mississippi River and across the Great Plains, Meriweather Lewis and , of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition, were the first to blaze a these trails led settlers into the Rocky Mountains, the route to the Pacific Ocean in 1805. Unfortunately, their Pacific Coast, and the American Southwest. route proved unsuitable for an overland wagon trail. The most famous of the emigrant trails were the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Trail. It is closely shadowed by today's modern highways. estimated by historians that over half a million Interstate 80 closely follows the Oregon-California emigrants traveled these trails to the West from the Trail, I-10 the Butterfield and Southern Emigrant trails, earliest wagon trains in the 1840s to the building of the and I-25 the Camino Real and the Santa Fe Trails. transcontinental railroad in 1869. The formation of these trails, and the thousands of The oldest and longest used emigrant trail in North emigrants that traveled them, changed the face of the America is our own El Camino Real, bringing West, and New , during the 1800s. Due to their immigrants from Spain and Mexico into historical significance, most of the major emigrant from 1598 until the 1880s, when the railroad arrived in trails are now designated National Historic Trails, New Mexico, a period of nearly 300 years. And, of administered by the National Park Service. course, the , originally blazed from Independence, MO to Santa Fe in 1821 as a trade route, Early 1800s Trails to the West it was quickly used by emigrants, explorers, and the In the early 1800s, the Pacific Coast was only U.S. Army for years. accessible by ship. Departing New York City, sailing around the tip of South America took months to reach New Mexico also saw the trail blazed by the Mormon the Pacific Coast. Due to the long journey and expense, Battalion (which passed through Socorro) that led the only a handful of these ships of both British and way for the Southern Emigrant trail and the famous American registry had made the trip. Most were Butterfield Overland Mail route through the southern engaged in buying furs for foreign markets, not for part of the state to California. emigration.

So successful were these early pioneers in eventually The first overland trail is often attributed to Meriwether finding the most direct routes across the West, they are Lewis and William Clark – the famous Lewis and Clark EMIGRANT TRAILS From the period of Mexican occupation (pre–1848) through W A SH I 1869 completion of the Trans-Continental Railroad N GTO N L Map by Paul Harden © 2010 PORTLAND ewis & Cl ark 1 8 0 Oregon MONTANA 4 e y k – r 1 City is r c OREGON o e o 8 0 F R B s 6 . s e ry t ’ g c r F n n e Oregon–California l l i n n r WYOM e F e a p ING d Trail l H n s G S n o ie k r Mormon IDAHO t. r c e 1841–1869 a e p t F d g rm m o r Trail o h ee o a R a i d t d r u CA S r s a y 1846–1869 u s In M w Q t r o a L e o ) no e NE B . n l l r a VAD t S P t y e l n s A . F m o t h i

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a ( s–Co A C l IOWA U S nti .t B A nen F N S Salt Lake tal RR I (18 NEB. U Sutter’s Return to Valley COL 69) O ORAD o San Salt Lake O l s L Mill U b t’ . TAH e n Ft. Leavenworth T Francisco t S u e r P B o KANSAS MONTERREY ME X ICO F IL (u nt i l 1848) Independence Ra ton Pas s MISSOURI AR NE ( ( Ft. Dodge Los IZONA W Santa Fe MEXICO Angeles Cimmaron Trail s SANTA FE Las Vegas a e 1821–1880 g Cut–off m a i la P l Albuquerque m i V OKLAHOMA ARKANSAS u n San Diego Y o Mormon s SOCORRO c Battalion u DISTANCES T 1846–1848 780 mi. Santa Fe Trail Independence to Santa Fe TEXAS 1,300 mi. Mormon Trail Nauvoo to Salt Lake El Paso 1,800 mi. Railroad Omaha to Sacramento Southern Emigrant 1,940 mi. Oregon Trail Independence to Oregon City and ButterfieldTrail 2,040 mi. California Trail St. Louis to Sacramento 1847–1882 2,400 mi. Mormon Battalion Council Bluffs to Monterrey expedition of 1804–1806. Commissioned by President They returned to Washington D.C. to report to Thomas Jefferson to explore the new Louisiana President Jefferson the wondrous country of the Purchase and find the headwaters of the Missouri Louisiana Purchase, but no “magic route” to the Pacific River, they had also hoped to establish an overland Ocean. Like finding the Northwest passage, an route to the Pacific Ocean. overland route to the Pacific seemed a myth.

To avoid entering Mexico, which included present day The very year of Lewis and Clark's return, Zebulon California, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, Lewis and Pike and a handful of U.S. Army soldiers were sent by Clark stayed well to the north through today's Dakotas, President Jefferson to explore the Arkansas River and Montana, Idaho and Oregon. Their route is shown on the headwaters in Colorado. By February 1807, Pike the map accompanying this article. and his men hunkered down for the winter in the San Luis Valley of Colorado – though in 1807, well inside They were successful in blazing the first trail to the New Spain. Historians still argue whether ending up in Pacific Ocean, arriving near present day Portland, Spanish territory was by accident, or if Pike was Oregon. However, this was a circuitous route through ordered by President Jefferson to “get a peek” inside treacherous mountain ranges and rafting down rivers. the territory controlled by Spain. They also discovered that winter along the northern Continental Divide was outright brutal. These factors Regardless, Pike and his men were promptly made their route unsuitable for establishing the hoped- discovered by Spanish soldiers, arrested for spying for for overland wagon road to the Pacific. the United States, and imprisoned in Santa Fe and later Chihuahua. Though From the Sweetwater finally released to the River, earlier United States, it sent a explorers continued strong message that west for the New Spain was not treacherous climb over open to “outsiders.” the Rocky Mountains, then the equally In 1821, the Spanish treacherous Bitteroot empire fell and much Mountains in Idaho. of today's western United States became Instead of this part of Mexico. The mountainous route, the newly formed White party ventured Mexican government further south to find a in Santa Fe was more natural pass through Library of Congress San Diego History friendly towards the Zebulon Pike and his band of Fur trapper Jedediah Smith the Rockies missed by United States, U.S. soldiers were arrested by was arrested for trespassing in earlier explorers. permitting the opening Spain for tresspassing in the Mexico in 1826 for his attempt Called South Pass, this of the Santa Fe Trail, San Luis Valley in Colorado – to establish a trail through gentle 20-mile gap in allowing some of the then a part of New Spain. California to the Pacific Ocean. the Continental Divide first Anglos to enter eased the rigors of New Mexico. crossing several mountain ranges and greatly attributed to the success of the Oregon Trail. A few years later, Jedediah Smith traveled along the and through the Mojave Desert looking From South Pass, the White party continued west and for a route to California, another stronghold of Mexico. northwest, following the Snake River through Idaho Arriving in 1826, Smith learned the Mexicans in until meeting the Columbia River. From there, the river California were not nearly as friendly as those in Santa was followed to the Pacific Ocean; the trail ended in Fe. Like Zebulon Pike, he was promptly arrested for Oregon City, Oregon, a distance of nearly 2,000 miles entering Mexican California without permission. from Independence, Missouri. Convinced Smith was a harmless fur trapper and not a United States spy, he was released and told never to Word of the new route and their successful arrival in return. Another trail to the Pacific hit a dead end. Oregon made its way back to Missouri. Oregon fever had begun. By the following year, between 700 and Not discouraged, Smith returned to California by the 1000 emigrants were assembled for the trip to Oregon. same route the following year – and again, promptly arrested by the Mexican governor of Alto California for trespassing. After some negotiations, he was again released with the promise never to return to Mexico's California. Jedediah Smith must have finally gotten the message for he headed north and explored Oregon instead, but never developed his hoped-for trail.

The Oregon– California Trail The most traveled route to the West and the Pacific became known as the Oregon– California Trail.

In 1841, about 100 people are the first known emigrant party to make the overland trip to Oregon. The following year, Methodist missionary Dr. Elijah White organized and led a party of 200 people to Oregon. Courtesy Historic Trails website They followed the Missouri River to its headwaters in Tracks of the Oregon-California Trail through South central Wyoming, then the Sweetwater River to the Pass, Wyoming as they appear today. This is where the Continental Divide. trail crossed the Continental Divide. An 1850s map of the “Old Oregon Trail” as published in Ezra Meekers guide book. Many guidebooks and maps were printed for travelers along the Oregon Trail. Earlier travelers, however, did not have the luxury of a map.

Leaving Missouri in the spring of 1843, this massive techniques along the trail that were unequalled. In wagon train became known as the “Great Migration” addition to the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake, they also and is the celebrated beginning of the Oregon Trail. blazed trails and established communities throughout eastern Arizona, western New Mexico, and southern Emigrants relocating to Oregon were those looking for Colorado. The trail to California blazed by the Mormon a better life. Oregon offered excellent farm land, a Battalion became the Southern Immigrant Trail, the lumber industry and trapping. Gold was discovered at approximate route of today's I-10. (The Mormon Sutter's Mill in California in 1848, luring thousands of Battalion is presented in Part 2 of this article). more to head West. They also followed the Oregon Trail to beyond South Pass, then blazed a new trail to the gold Why did 50,000 Mormons make the trek to Utah – fields near Sacramento. The branch to California marking the largest organized migration in American renamed the route to the Oregon-California Trail. history?

Over the years, literally hundreds of thousands of emigrants followed the 2,000 mile trek to chase one The Early Mormon Church dream or another. About one-tenth of the emigrants Joseph Smith, of Palmyra, NY, received prophetic died on the trail. visions from the angel Moroni beginning at a young age. Moroni guided Smith to locate a set of ancient In spite of movies and western stories, attacks by golden tablets. The Book of Mormon is the translation Indians were relatively rare; most died of cholera – a of these tablets. gastrointenstinal disease caused by ingesting contaminated water or food, or from other diseases. Smith and five others founded the Church of Christ in Others lost their lives from accidents along the trail or 1830, renamed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day getting stranded in the mountains in the winter months Saints in 1834. To many, the Book of Mormon filled a – such as the ill fated Donner Party. The scarcity of void many had in good, clean water and fire wood for cooking food killed expressing their love far more travelers than did the Indians. and faith in God and Jesus as the Christ. The However, the largest organized migration over the trail church quickly began to was not by emigrants from the East, but by thousands of grow. Mormons heading for the Great Salt Lake. They blazed their own trail from the Mississippi River to intercept The great westward the Oregon Trail in Nebrask. Their route to Utah migration of the became known as the Mormon Trail. Mormons actually began in 1831 when The contribution made by the Mormons in establishing Joseph Smith selected new trails through the West is often under appreciated. Kirtland, Ohio to be the Courtesy LDS Church They became skilled pioneers, developing survival home of his church. Joseph Smith About 2,000 Mormons quickly moved to Kirtland. Just as quickly, the locals began persecuting the Mormons for their communal life, opposition to slavery, and other views.

Within two years, they had moved to Independence, Missouri, then to western Missouri, finally settling at Commerce, Illinois in 1838. Joseph Smith renamed the town Nauvoo and received a charter from the state legislature, giving the Mormons full control of the police and courts. Joseph Smith was elected mayor.

Nauvoo was a small village on the swampy banks of the Mississippi River. In two short years, 10,000 hard working Mormons had drained the swamps into fruitful farmland and built an impressive city and river port town. By 1844, Nauvoo grew to 12,000 residents – rivaling Chicago at the time. Joseph Smith was elected mayor and proved successful at organizing and building a fruitful community.

Joseph Smith for President In 1844, at age 38, Joseph Smith ran for president, choosing church elder Sydney Rigdon as his vice presidential running mate. Fellow Mormon William Law started a local newspaper called the Nauvoo Expositor. The first issue of the Expositor attacked Smith's stance for straying from the church in order to run for president and other criticisms. Courtesy Mormon History Online Joseph Smith for president of the United States. He was The night after the first issue was printed, some zealous killed by an angry mob before the 1844 elections. Mormon followers set fire to the newspaper office and printing press. Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum, Others stepped forward as well, some no doubt with a were arrested for their suspected involvement in zeal to lead the church, and others simply being ordering the newspaper's destruction and were jailed. opportunistic. Numerous splinter groups of the Mormon church were formed during this time. Before the guilt or innocence of Joseph Smith could be determined in a court of law, an angry mob broke into However, the Mormon church was not in the total state the jail and shot and killed both the prophet and his of disarray that many historians portray. Most churches brother. have some sort of governing body to determine the policies, doctrine and theocratic direction of the Church Turmoil church. Though Joseph Smith did not leave a successor, Joseph Smith had left no clear line of succession for the he did hand-select a governing body called the Quorum rapidly growing Mormon church, throwing the of Twelve. After praying on the matter, they selected membership into turmoil. Several men stepped forward , who was ordained President of the claiming their rightful inheritance to the church church in December 1847. leadership. This included elder Sydney Rigdon (Smith's presidential running mate), William Law, the After Brigham Young's selection, persecution of the owner of the Nauvoo Expositor newspaper, those who Mormons continued to mount. Non-Mormons felt felt Joseph Smith's 11-year-old son should be church threatened by the political and economic power of the leader, and another young Mormon prophet named Mormons, escalating into what is sometimes called James Colin Brewster. [Brewster eventually moved his “The Mormon Wars.” Fields and homes were burned splinter group to Socorro, New Mexico in 1850 – see and people killed. It was this maltreatment of the Part II of this article.] Mormon people that drove Brigham Young to make the very difficult decision emergency preparedness, food storage, and generous to abandon their gift offerings to others in need, including non- beloved city and move Mormons. This is not necessarily in anticipation of his people out West some end-of-the-world apocalyptic event, but in where they could live response to their years of persecution in Ohio, Missouri in peace. and Nauvoo, Illinois, and their early sufferings on the trail to Utah. The Mormon Trek to Utah – The Mormon Many of these Mormon trail communities still exist Trail today. For example, many of the Mormon pioneers Brigham Young's stranded in Nebraska built shelters on the Missouri planned exodus to River at a place they called Winter Quarters. This Utah, then a province became a popular winter stopping point for future of Mexico, was Courtesy LDS Church emigrants along the Mormon Trail. Today, Winter planned for April Brigham Young led 50,000 Quarters is Omaha, Nebraska. 1846. However, Mormon’s to Salt Lake beginning in 1846, building Over the following years, over 50,000 Mormons would continued persecution the famed Mormon Trail. of the Mormons in make the exodus to Salt Lake. It was a two year trip, Nauvoo forced the crossing of the Mississippi to begin traveling to their Winter Quarters community in in February. The earlier than planned departure left Nebraska during the first year, then continuing to Utah many ill-prepared for the trip and less organized than during the second year. originally planned. Over 3,000 Mormons had crossed into Iowa by the end of February. Seeing the suffering of his people during the first two years on the trail, Brigham Young organized wagon In June 1847, the advanced guard of Brigham Young's companies with experienced guides to carry and escort push to Utah arrived at Fort Laramie. Departing the the Latter Day Saints to Utah. They built bridges and Oregon Trail at Fort Bridger, Wyoming, they entered ferries along precarious portions of the trail and dug the Salt Lake Valley on July 7. Brigham Young and his wells where there was no water. Combined with their party arrived on July 27 and declared their long communities across the Great Plains, this ensured safe anticipated destination to be “the right place.” By travel for their brothers and sisters, and the growing December, 1,600 Mormons had made the 1,300 mile number of others that quickly learned to “tag along” trip. with the Mormons.

However, an early series of snow storms stranded By 1852, many of the original Nauvoo members had nearly 10,000 others across the Great Plains, forcing arrived in Salt Lake. However, persecution of them to stop for the winter. The exhausted pioneers, Mormons throughout the eastern United States caused many living in tents or their wagons, suffered greatly in many more to follow the Mormon Trail to Utah over the the bitter cold and from lack of food. Many perished. next fifteen years. This included many poor European When Spring finally arrived, many struck to the trail, emigrants who had converted to the LDS faith. struggling for months until reaching their brothers in Salt Lake by late 1848. Indeed, the once ill-prepared Mormons had become skilled pioneers and orchestrated the largest mass These hardships taught the Mormons to be skilled migration in American history, and one of the largest pioneers. They built their road across the Great Plains organized movements of a religious group in world to where it joined the Oregon Trail near present day history. They employed techniques of improving Kearney, Nebraska. They sent out parties to establish survival on the trail not used by any other group of small communities along the trail about every five days emigrants to ensure their safe travel. of travel. These people built designed communities consisting of housing, lodging, and farms for growing However, it was not just the Mormons that benefited crops – specifically to sustain the emigrants traveling from their efforts, but nearly everyone who traveled the along the Mormon Trail. Never again would they perish Mormon and Oregon-California trails. Though the from want for food or the ravages of weather. Mormons migrated to Utah to escape religious persecution, their successful resettlement encouraged Today, the Mormons are well known for their others being persecuted for other reasons to migrate to the West as well. As a result, Germans, Italians, Quakers and others comprised many of the thousands that settled the West, following the Mormon lead.

In 1869, the golden spikes were driven into the rails at Promontory, Utah – not far from bustling Salt Lake City – marking the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The completion of the railroad marked the end of the Oregon and Mormon trails, and the end of the true days of the trail pioneers. Mormon emigrants continued to arrive at Salt Lake, but now by the railroad, not the trail. Those arriving by train after 1869 are not considered a Mormon Pioneer – a distinction reserved only for those who toiled by wagon or foot along the Mormon Pioneer Trail. National Park Service A photograph of a 1930s reenactment of travel along the The Salt Lake basin became so full of Mormons, the Oregon-California and Mormon Trails. Wagon trains of church began to assign newly arriving families to new 100 or more wagons were not uncommon along the locations to settle and evangelize. Many were sent famous trail. south where they established many of today's Eastern Arizona communities, such as St. Johns. Ramah and Next month, in Part II, a look at the Mormon Battalion Luna are examples of Mormon established towns in through Socorro in 1846, the Butterfield Overland Mail western New Mexico. route through New Mexico, and an off-shoot group of dissident Mormons that attempted to build a utopian Just as the Mormons founded communities throughout society near Luis Lopez in 1850. the West, so did others. Those traveling along the Oregon Trail founded today's cities of Portland, Tacoma and Seattle. Those traveling to California Some of the references used in this article: founded Sacramento, Reno, Carson City, and about “The Emigrant Trail” by Geraldine Bonner (1910); every other town where an ounce of gold was found. “The Old Oregon Trail” by Ezra Meeker (1907); Church History of the LDS Church The Oregon-California and Mormon Trails were only (http://www.lds.org); Oregon-California Trail in use for about 30 years, far short of the 300-year Association (OCTA); National Park Service, National history of El Camino Real. Still, the West as we know it Historic Trails; “The Gathering of Zion”by Wallace today, from the Rio Grande to California and the Pacific Stegner (1964); and field research by the author. Northwest, is due to the westward expansion by the tens of thousands of people who toiled along these emigrant trails.