A Working Organization Dedicated to Marking the California Trail FALL 2010 THE BOISE ROAD by ROD LATIMER Several people have asked me about the route of the wagon train trip that occurred in June. The route was along the existing original road, as much as possible, via the Stage Stations set up to handle coach traffic to the Idaho diggings. Researching the museum files, I was able to identify all the Stage Stations and most of the re-up stations along the route. In the spring of 1862, John Bidwell received a US government contract to build a road from Chico to the developing gold strike in the Idaho territory. He assembled a group of workers from each town and village he foresaw as being a stop along the selected route, to help motivate their efforts, and began the work at several locations simultaneously. The route he selected from Chico went via Humboldt Peak, hence the name. The work proved to be both hard and dangerous, and progressed far more slowly than Bidwell had committed to in the contract. Repeated Indian raids on the worker’s camps and on the workers in the field meant that almost 30% of Bidwell’s team was on guard duty protecting the others most of the time. So, to shorten the effort, Bidwell elected to use many existing roads and simply improve them to support the larger freight wagons. From Prattville eastward to the vicinity of Westwood, Bidwell followed the Lassen Trail. The recently discovered Fredonier Pass offered a shorter way to Susanville, so Bidwell built eastward from Clear Creek across Mountain Meadows and down the east side of the mountains to cross the Susan River at the Devils Corral. The new road merged with the Nobles Trail near Lake Forest and the road into Susanville was widened and improved. This road proved to be very popular for trade between both towns. Generally, there were re-up stations every 15 to 20 miles to change horses and allow passengers a short break and water. At 30 to 40 miles, or about every other team change there was a Stage Station; the difference between them being that food and lodging was offered at the Stage Stations. Stage coaches traveled about 8 to 10 miles an hour, so the stops were offered about every two hours. A noon meal was provided and the one hour midday stops, and the coach would roll on for at least another four hours before stopping for the night. If the trail was clearly known and easy to follow, the stage might roll on through the night. If not, they would wait for the all clear. So, as an example, a Stage leaving Susanville for Idaho would leave from Main and Gay Streets at 8 AM and head east. A change of horses was made at Shaffer Station (continued on page 9) 1 TRAILS WEST DIRECTORY DIRECTORS OFFICERS STAFF Jon Willers Larry Schmidt – President Dick Brock – Guidebook Editor Ralph Theiss Bob Black – Vice-President Don Buck – Trail Historian Bill Bishell Linda Black – Secretary Richard Halford - Quartermaster Joyce Everett Sandy Theiss – Treasurer Kay Kelso - Archivist Rod Latimer Dave Hollecker – MARKER editor www.EMIGRANTTRAILSWEST.org - For MARKER submissions: [email protected] NOBLES TRAIL FUN TRIP by Janice Brown & Leta Bishell On June 21st to the 25th Trails West members gathered to go on the first, of what we hope is many, of what we are calling our Fun Trips. No work, just trail traveling with a leader that is familiar with the Trail and its history. We all had a wonderful time and are looking forward to the next “Fun Trip”. Following are excerpts from the journals of two of our participants. June 21, 2010 Met with members of "Trails West" in Gerlach, NV. I'm excited to be traveling over the "Nobles Emigrant Trail", which my ancestors probably took on their movement westward in 1854. They eventually settled in Hydesville, California. Janice Brown June 21 Our first night to meet up with our Nobles Trail group after attempting to clear part of the Applegate Trail at Fandango Pass. No luck on the clearing, the Forest Service fire crews were called out on a fire and hadn’t cut the brush and trees. We didn’t mind; it gave us more time to explore. That night, we enjoyed Bruno’s famous raviolis and made plans for the next day trail outing. Leta Bishell June 22 We enjoyed breakfast at "Bruno's Country Club", where we were met by other members who were anxious to begin the trip. Within the first hour and a half I had a blow-out and a flat tire. Thanks to the resourcefulness of the group, I was back on the trail within a short time. Thanks to Bob Black and Bill Bishell we visited almost every marker from N-1/A-10 to N-12. I especially enjoyed driving across the playa and seeing the variety of water features in such inhospitable places. The roof of the trading post at "Deep Hole Springs is falling in. I'm glad Bob Black took the picture that is in our guidebook. In a short time it will be lost to the elements. What a great day on the trail. Janice Brown June 22 Today started off with a bang – two flat tires between Gerlach and Rabbit Hole Springs. A great example of why all of us (continued on page 8) 2 Johnson Cutoff field trip September 7 and 8, 2010 by Larry Schmidt September 7 was a clear, warm day and we gathered Carson Route Marker # 29. It is located at the Carson River, east of Carson City, in the new boat launch ramp parking area near the BLM office. Dee and Glen Owens, Jon Noland, Bob Black and Larry Schmidt comprised a group for the first day. We traveled from the junction to the site of Eagle Station at 5th and Thompson in Carson City. Eagle Station was a prominent point mentioned in the journals that describe the Johnson Cutoff route to Placerville California. From Eagle Station we continued up Kings Canyon to a low summit where the trail dropped in to the Clear Creek drainage. The low summit offered a nice view of a little valley and the Clear Creek drainage giving a perspective of how the route dropped down then continued over the pass at Spooner Summit. We discussed briefly the fact that Sam Clemons, in his book Roughing It , described a trip to Lake Tahoe that ½ summits first one being low on the second when being higher and still not being able to see Lake Bigler now called Lake Tahoe. This description fits the Johnson cutoff. And this information coupled with the rest of his description enabled finding the location of his camp at Lake Tahoe. Bob black kept a preliminary log of the trip to help in provide future driving instructions. John Nolan verified points with a GPS, all which will be helpful in the future in getting this segment of the trail marked. The group then continued back through Carson City and up Clear Creek Canyon to the point where the trail dropped off the Kings Canyon Pass and looked to the marker site. Then we continued on up to the rest area near Spooner summit had lunch and discussed some the local history in the area. We continued on to the Spooner Summit fire station and took forest road #33 to two of the sites for markers along that route. We discussed some of the trail evidence in the area. Glen had hiked a considerable portion of the trail of the first section and we were able to fairly well establish the route along with some the earlier work that John Nolen had done on the sand. We then continued on to the second marker site which was near an apparent ford that had been constructed that John and Larry had found on a previous trip. This is also near the site where John discovered a cast iron cooking pot part that he has begun reassembling for display. We retraced our steps to highway #50 and continued on down Cali Park where the trail dropped off in the vicinity of Edgewood near what would later become Friday Station. We continued from there along Pioneer Trail which closely approximates the Johnsons route through the southern part of the Tahoe Basin. We stopped at Trout Creek which could serve as another site plan for a marker and then continued on to the base of the ascent to Johnsons Pass near the upper Truckee River. On the morning of the eighth, the group assembled near the junction of highway #89 and #50 and John Winner took over guiding the group down the Johnson cutoff from Johnson pass to Placerville. ~ NEW OPPORTUNITY TO ORDER TRAIL WEST SHIRTS . AND HATS Don Enneking is putting together a new order for shirts and hats for delivery this Spring. These shirts have the Trails West covered wagon logo above the pocket. Show your support for Trails West by ordering and wearing these shirts and hats. We need your orders on the order form sent to Don Enneking by February 1, 2011. SEE PAGE 6 3 TRAILS WEST, INC., NEW-REINSTATED MEMBERS SINCE LAST ROSTER WAS MAILED ON JUNE 22, 2010 Kenneth Allen Neal/ Marian Johns 3170 Carson Road 13825 Lytle Grove Lane Placerville, Ca. 95667 Lytle Creek, Ca 92358 [email protected] [email protected] Lee Black 5505 Edwards Drive, N.E. John/ Kaia McLaughlin Albuquerque, NM. 87111 5313 Shepard Avenue [email protected] Sacramento, Ca.