Whitman Route Oregon Trail 1843-1847

Whitman Route Oregon Trail 1843-1847. . , In 1843, the first large party of emigrants, about 1,000, ventured along the Oregon Trail to the Whitman Mission. Only after 1845 did travelers continue west from the base of the Blues near Cayuse through the present locations of Pendleton and Echo. The route to the Whitman Mission was almost due north from Cayuse to the campsite a mile north of this location, and then on to Pine Creek, the Mojonnier crossing of the Walla Walla River, and the mission. Few traveled the route to the mission after it was destroyed in November 1847., In 1854, Winfield Scott Ebey (and others) followed the same route to Pine Creek, but then veered west to traverse the southern edge of the Walla Walla Valley. Both the mission route and Ebey's route led to the Hudson Bay Company's Fort Walla Walla on the Columbia River., Diary Entry of Winfield Scott Ebey , Saturday, September 9, 1854 , On leaving the camp on Wildhorse Creek: , "We pass over a high rich rolling prairie for 12 miles to foot of Big Hill where we enter the celebrated Walla Walla Valley. Here the trail forks, the right hand goes to the Settlement on the Walla Walla River the left is our road. We turn down a dry branch and over a hill 4 miles to a branch and one mile to this camp.", Diary Entries of James Nesmith , Wednesday, October 4, 1843 , "Weather stormy; rain and hail. We got underway and traveled twelve miles down the west side of the Blue Mountains, when we struck the Umatilla River. Went three miles down it and encamped near some Cayuse lodges." , Thursday, October 5, 1843 , "Delayed some time in camp this morning. Started about noon on the trail for Dr. Whitman's. Traveled eight miles and encamped for the night." , Friday October 6, 1843 , "This morning I joined with Otey and Haggard and went on with the carriages to Dr. Whitman's where we arrived about two o'clock."