We started out about the middle of July to follow the Mormon Trail from Salt Lake City, Utah to Nauvoo, Illinois. The trail is well-marked most of the way with auto tour route signs when the trail parallels today's roads and with BLM concrete marker posts in other places. We went on backroads most of the time rather than freeways. Taking our time, we stopped at any historical sites we could find. This was in part a family history research adventure as many of Fred's ancestors traveled this trail between 1846 and 1869. There were birth and death sites of family members along the trail and we tried to document these sites with pictures. The modern day trail started for us at Ft. Bridger, Wyoming.
We were amazed to see the trail so well outlined after over 150 years. One could stand in the middle of the paved road and looking to the east could see the trail stretching out for miles, then turning to the west the trail would curve out of sight in the distance. It was a delight for us to approach the Green River after passing through miles of sagebrush. And green it was, with its fringe of trees and bushes along the edge while within a few yards from the river was only sagebrush. We reflected how much the pioneers must have anticipated coming to this resting spot with fresh water once again.
After passing over the South Pass, we approached where the Willie handcart company was stranded. Further on we came to Martin's Cove, the site of so much suffering. We were traveling in comfort with food in an ice chest, yet we could imagine the hardships so many pioneers had as they crossed this barren land especially in the late fall. We were filled with gratitude for their sacrifice.
Devil's Gate was a landmark and a beautiful area, but can you just imagine the wind whistling through those rocks, much less a blizzard?!
Independence rock was another landmark that was highly anticipated on the trail. Like many before us, we climbed a ways up the rock to see the landscape around us.
Outside of Ft. Laramie close to the North Platte River is a ridge of rock rising from the river. The wagon trains came up a gentle rise to the top of this ridge and on to a meadow where they often camped. As the metal wheels came through this rocky ridge, they gradually created deep ruts in the rocks. It was truly awe inspiring to walk those trails that were worn in places five feet deep into solid rock.
Register Cliff is another landmark close to Ft. Laramie. Unfortunately, travelers over the years to the present day have been encouraged to etch their names and dates into the cliff, as a result it is hard to find the really old etchings.
As you draw near to the restored Ft. Laramie, you cross over the North Platte. This is the remains of an old wooden bridge that is not longer used except by walkers. I thought it was quite interesting and certainly was a photo shoot.
Leaving Wyoming and heading into Nebraka, we came to Scotts Bluff. This picture is of the very area the wagon trains traveled on as they went between the bluffs. It was covered with meadow grass and flowers--a beautiful area.
We stopped in Kearney, Nebraska to visit a wonderful museum that is built over the freeway. They have done a fantastic job of illustrating the role of transportation in the settling of this country. The museum is filled with life-sized dioramas with special lighting and sound effects that are outstanding such as this one depicting the rescue of the handcart companies.
I was entranced with this root was at the bottom of a statue in the cemetery in Winter Quarters, Nebraska. "In loving memory of six thousand pioneers who died on the plains between 1846-1869," is inscripted on the cemetery gates.
Passing over the Missouri River, we entered Iowa. About half-way across Iowa, we stopped at a permanent camp for the pioneers at Garden Grove which was a welcome reprieve for the weary Saints. Several of Fred's ancestors remained here for a year, planting crops for those who would come later, before traveling on.
Crossing the wide Mississippi, we entered Illinois and reached our destination of Nauvoo.
This picture depicts the beautiful Nauvoo Temple with brass statues of Joseph and Hyrum riding to Carthage. Our testimonies of the restored gospel were strengthen as we transversed this trail and we gained an even greater appreciation for our pioneer ancestors. We are very grateful for the opportunity that we had to
Walk in Their Footsteps.
As I have canned peaches over the past two days, it has brought back sweet memories of canning peaches with my mother. I can't really remember when I started canning peaches with my mother. It just seems like every fall as far back as my memory goes, we were canning apricots and peaches. I believe peaches were fuzzier in those days because they always made my arms itch! I hated the itching but loved the fresh fruit. Another thing I didn't like to do though was to go down into the basement to get a jar of fruit. The stairs were outside and always seemed to have spiders in them. I can remember slipping slowly and carefully pass any webs. To me, every web was made by a black widow spider. The basement itself had a cement floor but just bare earth for walls so it always was a little creepy. There was a light bulb with a string hanging down to pull on for illumination and in my child's mind I imaged all kinds of scary creatures hiding in the dim cool dark reaches of that basement. It took me a long time to grab that jar of peaches and dash back upstairs.
Another sweet memory has been canning peaches with my daughters when they were young (I believe David even got involved a few times). Their first job was slipping the skins from the scalded peaches; then as they got older they learned and had a part in the whole process. It is still fun to get with my daughters and now granddaughters to can. I treasure those times over the years with my mother and daughters as we grew closer as we visited while working together with those sweet smelling peaches.
