The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what is now the state of Kansas and nearly all of what are now the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. The western half of the trail spanned most of the current states of Idaho and Oregon.
The Shasta Cascade region of California is located in the northeastern and north-central sections of the state bordering Oregon and Nevada, including far northern parts of the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The Mormon Trail is the 1,300-mile (2,100 km) long route from Illinois to Utah on which early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) traveled from 1846–47. Today, the Trail is a part of the United States National Trails System, known as the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail.
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about 1,600 mi (2,600 km) across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California. After it was established, the first half of the California Trail followed the same corridor of networked river valley trails as the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail, namely the valleys of the Platte, North Platte, and Sweetwater rivers to Wyoming. The trail has several splits and cutoffs for alternative routes around major landforms and to different destinations, with a combined length of over 5,000 mi (8,000 km).
Ross Quartz McCloud was a California pioneer and early settler in Northern California. While he is regarded by some as a namesake of the town of McCloud, California, and the nearby McCloud River, please see historical note below.
The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command (Department) of the United States Army from 1853 to 1858. It replaced the Pacific Division, and was itself replaced by the Department of California and the Department of Oregon.
The Emigrant Trail in Wyoming, which is the path followed by Western pioneers using the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails, spans 400 miles (640 km) through the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail entered from Nebraska on the eastern border of the state near the present day town of Torrington and exited on the western border near the towns of Cokeville and Afton. An estimated 350,000 to 400,000 settlers traveled on the trail through Wyoming between 1841 and 1868. All three trails follow the same path through most of the state. The Mormon Trail splits at Fort Bridger and enters Utah, while the Oregon and California Trails continue to Idaho.
The Great Platte River Road was a major overland travel corridor approximately following the course of the Platte River in present-day Nebraska and Wyoming that was shared by several popular emigrant trails during the 19th century, including the Trapper's Trail, the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, the California Trail, the Pony Express route, and the military road connecting Fort Leavenworth and Fort Laramie. The road, which extended nearly 370 miles (600 km) from the Second Fort Kearny to Fort Laramie, was utilized primarily from 1841 to 1866. In modern times it is often regarded as a sort of superhighway of its era, and has been referred to as "the grand corridor of America's westward expansion".
North 30th Street is a two-way street that runs south–north in the North Omaha area of Omaha, Nebraska. With the street beginning at Dodge Street, historically significant sections include those from Dodge to Lake Street, from Fort Street to Laurel Avenue, and from Weber to Bondesson Streets.
Preston, also known as Preston Bend, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located on the Red River in Grayson County, Texas, United States. It grew in the 19th century at the intersection of several military and trade roads and was an important crossing on the Shawnee cattle trail. Preston lost prominence after the MK&T railroad bypassed the town to the east, leading to a decline in traveler and cattle drive traffic. Much of its former town site is submerged beneath the waters of Lake Texoma. Its population was 2,096 as of the 2010 census.
The District of California was a Union Army command department formed during the American Civil War. The district was part of the Department of the Pacific, the commander of the department also being District commander. The district was created as a separate command on July 1, 1864, after Irvin McDowell took command of the Department of the Pacific, relieving General Wright, who then remained as District of California commander. The District comprised the state of California and the areas of the Rogue River and Umpqua River in Southern Oregon. Its headquarters were in San Francisco, co-located with those of the Department of the Pacific. On March 14, 1865, the District of Oregon was extended to include the entire state of Oregon, removing the Rogue River and Umpqua River areas from the District.
The historic 2,170-mile (3,490 km) Oregon Trail connected various towns along the Missouri River to Oregon's Willamette Valley. It was used during the 19th century by Great Plains pioneers who were seeking fertile land in the West and North.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Oregon also raised the 1st Oregon Cavalry that was activated in 1862 and served until June 1865. During the Civil War, emigrants to the newfound gold fields in Idaho and Oregon continued to clash with the Paiute, Shoshone and Bannock tribes of Oregon, Idaho and Nevada until relations degenerated into the bloody 1864 - 1868 Snake War. The 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed in 1864 and its last company was mustered out of service in July 1867. Both units were used to guard travel routes and Indian reservations, escort emigrant wagon trains, and protect settlers from Indian raiders. Several infantry detachments also accompanied survey parties and built roads in central and southern Oregon.
Camp Cady was a U.S. Army Camp, on the Mojave Road near the Mojave River in the Mojave Desert, located about 20 miles east of modern-day Barstow, California in San Bernardino County, at an elevation of 1690 feet. Camp Cady was named after Major Albemarle Cady, 6th Infantry Regiment, who was a friend of Carleton and commander at Fort Yuma in 1860.
Fort Crook was a U. S. Army post, first established as Camp Hollenbush in 1857, in Shasta County, California, northeast of Fall River Mills, California.
Bass Hill is a historical site in Redding, California in Shasta County. Bass Hill site is a California Historical Landmark No. 148 listed on January 11, 1935. On the top of Bass Hill the California and Oregon Stagecoach crossed the Pacific Highway and then dropped to the Pit River. The road, Old California-Oregon Road, on Bass Hill was popular bandit holdup spot. A historical Marker is on Bass Hill to Willianson Lyncoya Smith, division stage agent of the California and Oregon Stage Company and other drivers. Smith was pioneer stagecoach driver on the Bass Hill road. The Oregon Stage Line owned the California-Oregon Stagecoach Company for some years. The California and Oregon Coast Overland Mail, operated the California-Oregon Stagecoach Company Line. The California-Oregon Stagecoach Company had daily stage service with both mail and passengers. The California-Oregon Stagecoach Company also operated in the winter months with sleighs over Scott Mountains. California-Oregon Stagecoach Company had a line from Portland and Sacramento by 1860. In 1870, the California-Oregon Stagecoach Company changed its route, the new line ran from Shasta-Yreka Road through French Gulch to the Sacramento River Canyon route and bypassed Shasta. The California-Oregon Stagecoach Company ran operated until rail service replaced its routes in 1887.
Fort Reading is a historical site in Anderson, California in Shasta County. Fort Reading site is a California Historical Landmark No. 379 listed on March 31, 1933. Founded on January 3, 1944, on west side of Cow Creek, Fort Reading was built to protect the settlers, California Gold Rush miners and travelers in the area. Fort Reading was founded by United States Army by Second Lieutenant E. N. Davis, Co. E, 2nd Infantry. Davis was sent to build the fort by Lieutenant Colonel George M. Wright. At the time the large fort was the first fort in Northern California. The fort was built in a 10 acres of land that had been cleared for good visibility. Fort Reading was named after Pierson Barton Reading. Most the larger base of troops were removed on April 1, 1856. The second draw down of troops was on June 13, 1867. The Fort Reading was completely abandoned on April 6, 1870. The Cow Creek would flood some years, flooding the fort sometimes. No trace of Fort Reading remains.
Old California Oregon Road is a historical site in Anderson, California in Shasta County. Old California Oregon Road site is a California Historical Landmark No. 58 listed on December 6, 1932. The Old California Oregon Road was the main road used by pioneer travelers between the Trinity River and the northern gold mines of California and Oregon. The main part of the Old California Oregon Road ran from Portland to Sacramento.
Pioneer Baby's Grave is a historical site in Redding, California in Shasta County. Pioneer Baby's Grave is a California Historical Landmark No. 377 listed on July 28, 1942. George and Helena Cohn Brownstein lived in Red Bluff. There infant son, 8-month-old, Charles Brownstein died on December 14, 1864. As there was Jewish cemetery in Red Bluff, George and Helena traveled 40 miles in two-days by covered wagon to a Jewish cemetery founded in 1857 by the Shasta Hebrew Congregation, Shasta Hebrew Benevolent Society. Charles was interred in Shasta Hebrew Congregation's Jewish cemetery, the first one found in the region. When California State Route 299 was built in 1923, the plans route the highway as to not disturb the grave. The Jewish cemetery was neglected for some years, till in 1976 when the Redding Jewish Community Center was founded. The site is now cared for by the Jewish Community Center.
Reading Adobe is a historical site in Cottonwood, California in Shasta County. Pioneer Baby's Grave is a California Historical Landmark No. 10 listed on June 1, 1932. Reading Adobe is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Shasta County, California, listed July 14, 1971 as #71000194.
