Location: Springfield, IL, USA Quotation: I was a child when we started to California, yet I remember the journey well and I have cause to remember it, as our little band of emigrants who drove out of Springfield, Illinois, that spring morning of 1846 have since been known in history as the "Ill-fated Donner party" of "Martyr Pioneers." Original text: Springfield, Illinois Date of arrival: Date of departure: 1846-04-14 Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC002 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Kansas River, Kansas, USA Quotation: The first Indians we met were the Caws, who kept the ferry, and had to take us over the Caw River. Original text: Caw River Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC003 Transportation: wagons Marker: water |
Location: 39.188056, -96.527778 Quotation: We came to the Big Blue River, which was so swollen that we could not cross, but had to lie by and make rafts on which to take the wagons over. Original text: Big Blue River Date of arrival: 1846-05-27 Date of departure: 1846-05-29 Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC004 Transportation: rafts Marker: water |
Location: Manhattan, KS, USA Quotation: That grave has never been disturbed; the wilderness blossomed into the city of Manhattan, Kansas, and we have been told that the city cemetery surrounds the grave of Sarah Keyes. Original text: Manhattan, Kansas Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC005 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Gibbon, NE 68840, USA Quotation: Stretching out before us as far as the eye could reach was a valley as green as emerald, dotted here and there with flowers of every imaginable color, and through this valley flowed the grand old Platte, a wide, rapid, shallow stream. Original text: Platte Date of arrival: 1846-06-16 Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC006 Transportation: wagons Marker: water |
Location: 41.596944, -103.115833 Quotation: Traveling up the smooth valley of the Platte, we passed Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and made from fifteen to twenty miles a day, shortening or lengthening the distance in order to secure a good camping ground. Original text: Court House Rock Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC007 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: 41.703678, -103.348217 Quotation: Traveling up the smooth valley of the Platte, we passed Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and made from fifteen to twenty miles a day, shortening or lengthening the distance in order to secure a good camping ground. Original text: Chimney Rock Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC008 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: 41.834722, -103.707222 Quotation: Traveling up the smooth valley of the Platte, we passed Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and made from fifteen to twenty miles a day, shortening or lengthening the distance in order to secure a good camping ground. Original text: Scott's Bluffs Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC009 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Brule, NE 69127, USA Quotation: I remember that she had the cream all ready for the churn as we drove into the South Fork of the Platte, and while we were fording the grand old stream she went on with her work, and made several pounds of butter. Original text: South Fork of the Platte Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC010 Transportation: wagons Marker: water |
Location: Fort Laramie, WY, USA Quotation: At Fort Laramie, two hundred miles farther on, we celebrated the fourth of July in fine style. Original text: Fort Laramie Date of arrival: 1846-06-27 Date of departure: 1846-07-06 Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC011 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Fort Bridger, WY, USA Quotation: A new route had just been opened by Lansford W. Hastings, called the "Hastings Cut-off," which passed along the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake rejoining the old "Fort Hall Emigrant" road on the Humboldt. Original text: Hastings Cut-off Date of arrival: 1846-07-27 Date of departure: 1846-07-31 Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC012 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Weber Canyon, South Weber, UT 84405, USA Quotation: We were seven days in reaching Weber Cañon, and Hastings, who was guiding a party in advance of our train, left a note by the wayside warning us that the road through Weber Cañon was impassable and advising us to select a road over the mountains, the outline of which he attempted to give on paper. Original text: Weber Cañon Date of arrival: 1846-08-06 Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC013 Transportation: wagons Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA Quotation: Worn with travel and greatly discouraged we reached the shore of the Great Salt Lake. It had taken an entire month, instead of a week, and our cattle were not fit to cross the desert. Original text: Great Salt Lake Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC014 Transportation: wagon Marker: water |
Location: Grantsville, UT 84029, USA Quotation: We were now encamped in a valley called "Twenty Wells." The water in these wells was pure and cold, welcome enough after the alkaline pools from which we had been forced to drink. Original text: Twenty Wells Date of arrival: 1846-08-30 Date of departure: 1846-09-10 Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC015 Transportation: wagon Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Great Salt Lake Desert, United States Quotation: We prepared for the long drive across the desert and laid in, as we supposed, an ample supply of water and grass. This desert had been represented to us as only forty miles wide but we found it nearer eighty. It was a dreary, desolate, alkali waste; not a living thing could be seen; it seemed as though the hand of death had been laid upon the country. Original text: desert Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC016 Transportation: foot Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Humboldt River, Nevada, USA Quotation: We resumed our journey and soon reached Gravelly Ford on the Humboldt. Original text: Humboldt Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC017 Transportation: foot Marker: water |
Location: Beowawe, NV, USA Quotation: On the 5th day of October, 1846, at Gravelly Ford, a tragedy was enacted which affected the subsequent lives and fortunes of more than one member of our company. Original text: Gravelly Ford Date of arrival: 1846-10-05 Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC018 Transportation: foot Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Truckee Canyon, Toiyabe National Forest, Verdi-Mogul, NV 89523, USA Quotation: On the 19th of October, while traveling along the Truckee, our hearts were gladdened by the return of Stanton, with seven mules loaded with provisions. Original text: Truckee Date of arrival: 1846-10-19 Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC019 Transportation: mule Marker: blu_stars |
Location: 39.32155,-120.32341 Quotation: The few who knew the danger that the night might bring yielded to the many, and we camped within three miles of the summit. Original text: summit Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC020 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Donner Memorial State Park, 12593 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA 96161, USA Quotation: That camp, which proved the camp of death to many in our company, was made on the shore of a lake, since known as "Donner Lake." Original text: Donner Lake Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC021 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Truckee, CA 96161, USA Quotation: The Donners were camped in Alder Creek Valley below the lake, and were, if possible, in a worse condition than ourselves. Original text: Alder Creek Valley Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC022 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA Quotation: Most of the survivors, when brought in from the mountains, were taken by the different relief parties to Sutter's Fort, and the generous hearted captain did everything possible for the sufferers. Original text: Sutter's Fort Date of arrival: 1847-04-29 Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC023 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA Quotation: Before us now lay, in all its beauty, the broad valley of the Sacramento. Original text: Sacramento Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC024 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |
Location: Napa Valley, CA, USA Quotation: I remember one day, when traveling down Napa Valley, we stopped at noon to have lunch under the shade of an oak; but I was not hungry; I was too full of the beautiful around me to think of eating. Original text: Napa Valley Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC025 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |
Location: San Jose, CA, USA Quotation: San Jose, CAL Original text: San Jose, CAL Date of arrival: Date of departure: Traveller: Murphy, Virginia Reed, 1834?- Photograph: Web link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/reed/donner/donner.html#GC026 Transportation: walk Marker: blu_stars |