Pathway to the “Garden of the World”
Excitement filled the air May 22, 1843 as nearly one
thousand Americans left Missouri toward new lives in the
Oregon Country. During the next two decades more than
50,000 people emigrated to a land of abundance, a land
that Abigal Scott, emigrant of 1852, called the "Garden of
the World."
The Oregon Trail was more than two thousand miles
through what Riley Root, emigrant of 1848, called "Landscape
without soil! River bottoms with scarcely enough
grass to support emigrant teams." The fragile landscape's
ability to sustain life eroded as numbers of emigrants
increased, and privation, illness and death often plagued
emigrants. Survivors endured an extremely wearisome
road, and by the time they reached this portion of the
Trail, with much of the journey behind them, the
"Garden of the World" still seemed very distant.
Remained in camp to graze our poor,
brave cattle. Will start about two and to as
far as we can tonight, as the days are so
excessively hot, and we have 28 miles to go
without water! Felt very unwell today,
Am almost worn down with the fatigue of
the constant travel. Our way seems
endless!
Esther Belle McMillan Hanna
August 13, 1852
