The Oregon Trail Journal

June 22 – I woke up at 4:30 am. I caught up with my reading about the Oregon Trail. I saw a beautiful sunrise from the second floor balcony in front of my room.

We traveled to Fort Bridger, National Register of Historic Places No. 17. I took photographs and coordinates of several monuments at Fort Bridger: Fort Bridger, First School House, and Thornburgh.

Fort Bridger was established by Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez in 1843 as an emigrant supply stop along the Oregon Trail. Besides buying supplies and fixing their wagons, the emigrants found abundant clear, sweet water, good grass for their livestock and a place to rest before resuming their journey. In 1858, it became a military post on the Old Oregon Trail & the Carter Military Road 1881-1884. It was abandoned in 1890.

The first school house in Wyoming (Waymark Code: WM1TET) was erected in 1860 by Judge William A. Carter for the education of his children--four daughter and two sons--and the other children of the fort. Competent instructors from the east were employed.

I found the grave of Thornburgh (Waymark Code: WM1TF7), a dog, in the midst of a field. Born about 1879, Thornburgh was a survivor of a wagon train burned during a battle with the Ute Indians near White River Agency. Although Thornburgh had several benefactors on frontier army posts, he did not have a true 'master' until civilian mule-skinner, 'Buck' Buchanan came to work at Fort Bridger and took a personal interest in the dog. It did not take long for the two to become inseparable friends. On September 27, 1888, Thornburgh died from a fatal kick from one of Buck's mules.

Man never had a better,
truer, braver friend.
Sleep on old fellow,
We'll meet "across the range."

I purchased some worry dolls as a gift at the gift shop. We ate a picnic lunch under a shelter at Fort Bridger at 11:15 am. Afterwards I climbed on the picnic table to photograph a bird nest that was located in the rafters.

After lunch, we traveled to Kemmerer, Wyoming, home of the first J.C. Penney store. I took photographs and coordinates of various monuments, etc. in the city park. The bell (Waymark Code: WM1THZ) was used at the Kemmerer Grade School built in 1901 and used until 1926. The bell was made by the C.S. Bell Co., Hillsboro, Ohio. One marker (Waymark Code: WM1THV) was “To all Pioneers who passed this way to win and hold the west.” I visited the Penney store (Mother Store Founded 1902)(Waymark Code: WM1TH3), and toured the historic house of James C. Penney (1875-1971), founder of J.C. Penney Company, Inc. April 14, 1902 in Kemmerer, Wyoming, with the Elderhostel group. The store had a “cash only” policy which proved successful.

We traveled to the National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier, Idaho where we had a guided tour of various exhibits and an early dinner. Afterwards we checked in at the Best Western Clover Creek Inn.

I walked into town where I photographed and got coordinates for a large bell. I found the benchmark (NT0198) in the concrete base of World War Memorial in front of City Hall at Washington and Sixth Streets. I got a vanilla ice cream cone that was so cold it hurt to eat it. I took several more photographs including “Bank Robbers” signboard.

On the afternoon of August 13, 1896, Butch Cassidy and two of his infamous Wild Bunch Gang--Elza Lay and Bob Meeks--invaded Montpelier’s bank and scooped up between $7,000 to $16,500 in gold, silver and currency. Leaving the surprised cashier and terrified customers, they calmly rode away up Montpelier canyon. I photographed the historical Wyoming Marker, the historical signboards and the signatures in the concrete sidewalk. I walked back to the motel through back streets and alleys.