Traveling the Oregon Trail Backwards: Wyoming Prairie and Devil's Gate

At first I didn’t recognize the creatures that sped away from my car’s approach while retracing the Oregon Trail. My traveling companions were a female relative we'll call Julie, her two sons, and my young daughter.

Catch up on this epic road trip adventure:

• October covered the Whitman Mission and Union, Oregon. Read it.
• November took us to Baker City, the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Three Island Crossing in Idaho, and Saratoga’s Hotel Wolfe. Read it.

This post is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

Traveling the Oregon Trail Backwards

Wyoming Prairie and Devil's Gate 

Another deer that was not a deer leaped a fence and sped away from my car’s approach. What on earth were these strange creatures? I’d seen them for miles on end while crossing the prairie. Their tan bodies with cream underbellies would remind me of deer if their horns branched. They also ran faster than any deer I’d ever seen, reminding me of gazelles.

I frowned in puzzlement until a childhood song ran through my mind. Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, and the deer and the antelope play, where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.

Image by Thomas Quine [CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

"I bet they're antelope!"

Julie had been staring after a heard of the fleeing creatures, jumped at my sudden outburst. "Oh, of course!" She shook her head. "I guess you can tell we're not from around here."

"You think?" I smiled, ridiculously happy to know that the creatures I'd sung about as a child still run wild in America. I'd seen wild bison, known as "buffalo" to pioneers, in Yellowstone National Park and on other road trips, but had somehow missed seeing antelope.

Now that I have you humming "Home on the Range," here's a video that shows amazing glimpses of pioneer families and the homes they lived in.

Devil's Gate

The "Devil's Gate" by Alfred Jacob Miller ca. 1858-60, a watercolor on paper,
commissioned by William T. Walters, 1858-1860; Image courtesy of the Walters Art Museum

Cut by the Sweetwater River on its way through the Rattlesnake Mountains, Devil's gate was visible from the highway for miles. Wanting to spend as long as possible at Independence Rock, we decided to skip hiking for a closer view of Devil's Gate. If you want to know the whole truth, the heat was more than we could tolerate, and the possibility of surprising a rattlesnake clenched the deal. Sometimes you have to pick your battles.

The romanticized painting of Devil's Gate by Alfred Jacob Miller in the image above makes me want to go back and navigate the trail. If I do, it will be in milder weather.

While driving through waving grasslands with the sun beating down, I wondered how travelers on the Oregon Trail survived the heat, sometimes with unreliable sources of water. They had to be hardy souls.

Captain John Charles Fremont (1813-1890), with Kit Carson as his guide, led a company of half-starved men past Devil's Gate in 1844. They were headed westward, searching for the fabled Buenaventura River, believed to flow from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Fremont described Devil's Gate with these words: "The length of the passage is about 300 yards, and the width 35 yards. The walls of rock are verticle [sic], and about 400 feet in height; and the stream in the gate is almost entirely choked up by masses which have fallen from above."

View of Devil's Gate on the Sweetwater by Samuel J. Mills, ca. 1858; Library of Congress

Rockfall made the narrow gorge impassable for wagon trains but Devil's Gate intrigued emigrants and most took the opportunity to investigate it. They camped at its base, watched bighorn sheep scale the Sweetwater Rocks, climbed themselves, and carved their initials in the granite. Emigrant inscriptions are still visible in the stone today. 

Some died here. More than 20 pioneer graves are thought to exist in the area, but only the gave of Frederick Fulkerson has been positively identified. Frederick died after swimming across the Platte River in order to guide frightened livestock across. Chilled and exhausted, he never recovered from the ordeal. Frederick was just eighteen at the time of his death. His is one of the oldest known emigrant graves in the nation.

View of Devil's Gate from Independence Rock; image courtesy of wyomingtalesandtrails.com.

Are you wondering, as I did, how Devil's Gate came by its ominous name? Different stories exist. The Shoshone and Arapaho told the story for centuries of a giant tusked monster that roamed here until Indian warriors killed it by shooting arrows from the passes and ravines. Enraged, the beast carved a hold in the mountain with its tusks and escaped. Could this legend have sprung from the tribal memory of a mastodon that once ranged here, carried forward through time?

Scientists once thought Native Americans weren't around at the time of the mastodons. However, the Manis Mastodon in Washington state changed their thinking when acheologists discovered a spear tip embedded in the rib bones. 

Continuing the Journey

Seven miles to the east rose Independence Rock, a cherished landmark on the Oregon Trail. Exploring it stands as one of the most memorable events on the trip. Read all about connecting with history at Independence Rock.

About Janalyn Voigt

My father instilled a love of literature in me at an early age by reading chapters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Robinson Crusoe and other classics. When I grew older, and he stopped reading bedtime stories, I put myself to sleep with tales I 'wrote' in my head. My sixth-grade teacher noticed my interest in storytelling and influenced me to become a writer.

I'm what is known as a multi-genre author, but I like to think of myself as a storyteller. 

The same elements appear in all my novels in proportions dictated by their genre: romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy.

Epic Fantasy: DawnSinger and Wayfarer are the first two novels in the epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven. The final books in the series, Sojourner and DawnKing, are under contract with my publisher.

Historical Fiction: Hills of Nevermore, first installment in Montana Gold, set during Montana's gold rush in the days of vigilante justice, will release in 2017.

Romantic Suspense/Mystery: Deceptive Tide (Islands of Intrigue-San Juans) will release in 2017. This title is romantic suspense, but I am also moving into writing mystery novels written in the classic style of Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt.

Sign up at http://janalynvoigt.com to be notified when these titles release and for book extras and reader bonuses.

Traveling the Oregon Trail Backwards, Part 2

Spending the night in historical buildings is not without its adventures, as I learned when I retraced the Oregon Trail backwards in an epic road trip. I covered the part of the trip from Washington state to Union, Oregon in last month’s post. This month we’ll continue into Wyoming. My traveling companions were a female relative, her two sons and my younger daughter. 

This post is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

We needed to reach Saratoga, Wyoming, before bed time to check into the Hotel Wolf. The hotel opened on New Years Eve, 1893 with a masquerade gala. One hundred and twenty years later, this bonafide Wild West hotel still welcomes guests.

Baker City, Oregon

We stopped for breakfast in Baker City Oregon, a city platted in 1865. We found a corner coffee shop for a quick breakfast just down the street from the Grand Geiser Hotel, a stunning piece of historical architecture that stands as a monument to the opulence of the gold mining era in America. We had a lot on the day's agenda but couldn’t resist a glance inside. Rich paneling gleamed in the lobby, and the stained-glass skylight drew the eye upward.

Geiser Grand Hotel, Baker City, Oregon, ca. 1889
Image by Ambercarben (Own work); CC BY-SA 4.0  via Wikimedia Commons

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

After giving the Geiser Grand its due, we moved on to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon, where displays like the one pictured below bring the Oregon Trail to life. 

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Display, Baker City, Oregon.

Image by Bureau of Land Management CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

At the Oregon Trail Interpretive Cener I walked on the Oregon Trail for the first time, putting my feet in ruts made long ago. After sitting in the car for so long, the children had to be reined in, but they too expressed their awe at walking in the footsteps of history. As I navigated sagebrush, endured searing heat, and watched for rattlesnakes, the hardships endured by the brave souls who journeyed westward in a bygone era came suddenly to life. A lighter trail ran alongside the deeper ruts, puzzling me until I realized that those traveling with the wagon trains would not want to stumble along in the ruts breathing dust but would have traveled at a safe distance alongside. The realization brought a lump to my throat. How many mothers watched their young ones from this trail, ready to call them back if they ventured close to danger? More than one toddler died on the Oregon Trail when crushed beneath wagon wheels or trampled by oxen. Riding wasn’t much safer. A child could fall from a wagon and be crushed instantly.

Oregon Trail Ruts

Oregon Trail ruts in Baker County, Oregon. Image by Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives [Attribution] via Wikimedia Commons

Three Island Crossing

We’d spent more time than planned at the interpretive center, so we satisfied ourselves with what we could see from the car window of Three Island Crossing, one of the most notorious river fords on the Oregon Trail. Despite the name, only two of the three islands at this location were used to cross the Snake River. Gazing at the sparkling blue waters flowing in the river channels, I could only admire the fortitude of anyone who would attempt to cross them. 

Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Hart Spalding were the first European-American women to cross the Rocky Mountains alongside their husbands, missionaries Marcus Whitmam and Henry Spalding. In a letter dated August 13th 1836, Narcissa described her experience at Three Island Crossing: "We have come fifteen miles and have had the worst route in all the journey for the cart. We might have had a better one but for being misled by some of the company who started out before the leaders. It was two o'clock before we came into camp. 

They were preparing to cross Snake River. The river is divided by two islands into three branches, and is fordable. The packs are placed upon the tops of the highest horses and in this way we crossed without wetting. Two of the tallest horses were selected to carry Mrs. Spalding and myself over. Mr. McLeod gave me his and rode mine. The last branch we rode as much as half a mile in crossing and against the current too, which made it hard for the horses, the water being up to their sides. Husband had considerable difficulty in 1852 crossing the cart. Both cart and mules were turned upside down in the river and entangled in the harness. The mules would have been drowned but for a desperate struggle to get them ashore. Then after putting two of the strongest horses before the cart, and two men swimming behind to steady it, they succeeded in getting it across. 

I once thought that crossing streams would be the most dreaded part of the journey. I can now cross the most difficult stream without the least fear. There is one manner of crossing which husband has tried but I have not, neither do I wish to. Take an elk skin and stretch it over you, spreading yourself out as much as possible, then let the Indian women carefully put you on the water and with a cord in the mouth they will swim and draw you over." 

Three Island Crossing 

Image by BLMIdaho CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Hotel Wolf, Saratoga 

Hotel Wolf, Saratoga

Hotel Wolf, Saratoga Wyoming - Image used by kind permission of the Hotel Wolf.

We reached the town of Saratoga late that night and did our best to be quiet on the way to our room in the Hotel Wolf. White curtains billowed at a window left open in the hallway, and the night wind tasted of sagebrush. As I crossed the threshold into the suite we'd reserved, I had the strangest sensation of stepping into the past. No television, mini-frig, or other modern amenities greeted us. The bathroom was small with vintage fixtures, while the beds dwarfed us. I had to step onto a footstool to climb into the magnificent carved wooden bed. It felt like returning to the simplicity of childhood. After the long drive, I fell into a profound sleep. Did I dream of oxen stumping along a trail, of a mother calling her child away from harm, of wagons overturning in a river channel? I will never know. 

Next month, the journey continues with a different kind of hotel adventure and my impressions of Fort Laramie. Check back on the 8th of December for the next installment.

About the Author

My father instilled a love of literature in me at an early age by reading chapters from "The Wizard of Oz," "Robinson Crusoe" and other classics. When I grew older, and he stopped reading bedtime stories, I put myself to sleep with tales I "wrote" in my head. My sixth-grade teacher noticed my storytelling ability and influenced me to become a writer.

I'm what is known as a multi-genre author, but I like to think of myself as a storyteller. The same elements appear in all my novels in proportions dictated by their genre: romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy.

Epic Fantasy: DawnSinger and Wayfarer are the first two novels in the epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven. The final books in the series, Sojourner and DawnKing, are under contract with my publisher.

Historical Fiction: Hills of Nevermore, first installment in Montana Gold, set during Montana's gold rush in the days of vigilante justice, will release in 2017.

Romantic Suspense/Mystery: Deceptive Tide (Islands of Intrigue-San Juans) will release in November 2016. This title is romantic suspense, but I am also moving into writing mystery novels written in the classic style of Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt.

Sign up at http://janalynvoigt.com to be notified when these titles release and for book extras and reader bonuses.

Traveling the Oregon Trail Backwards, Part 1

My mother reads magazines backwards, something I discovered with relief. At least now I know where I got it from. I seem to approach everything backwards, and traveling the Oregon was no exception. A few years ago I set off from Washington state to a family reunion in Missouri, following the route of the Oregon Trail backwards, sparking an idea for an Oregon Trail series which finally came to fruition with Hills of Nevermore (Montana Gold 1) set to release next spring. My historical romance series is set in Montana during its gold rush, and each of the heroines travels part of the Oregon Trail.

This article is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt

Beginning my own journey in the spring seemed fitting. Emigrants set out as early as they could in that season to give themselves enough time to complete their travels before winter set in. I traveled with a female family member and our squabbling children in the backseat of the car. We stayed in historic hotels along the way, many of them from the Oregon Trail era. (Note: In order to share the places I saw with you, I have to rely on the photographs of others.Unfortunately, my camera was having issues at the time and the images from the trip that my traveling companion took have since been lost. However, the memories from the trip remain vivid and will remain with me a lifetime.)

The Oregon Trail is vast with many landmarks to visit, so all I can do is give you the highlights of what I saw and suggest you explore it yourself. Traveling the Oregon Trail should be done as soon as possible. Sadly, some stretches of the trail have been plowed under and those remaining aren’t being marked and preserved as the national treasures they are. Time marches on, each year erasing a little more of what remains. Don't delay.

Whitman Mission

Marcus Whitman (1802-1847)

Narcissa Whitman (1808-1847)

More than a little excited at the prospect of our journey, we drove through lofty mountain passes into eastern Washington and turned south to drive through waving wheat fields on our way to Oregon. With a pressing itinerary and a late start, we had to miss stopping at the Whitman Mission, settled by the Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, among the first missionaries who ventured westward in 1836. Unfortunately, after a measles epidemic killed many of the Cayuse children, the Whitmans died in a tragic massacre at their mission.

I was disappointed to miss the mission, but I list it here so you won't. After reading some of Narcissa’s letters, I felt a little like I knew her and wanted to pay my respects to this brave woman and her husband at their grave. I told myself I would return one day, but I never have. Writing this reminds me that I should.

Grande Ronde Valley

Grande Ronde River Valley: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

The first night’s stop was a town located in the southeastern corner of the beautiful and wild Grande Ronde valley, part of the Columbia River Plateau. Union dates from near the end of the Oregon Trail era. Native Americans summered in the Grande Ronde Valley until settlers moved in. In the beginning, the population of the Grande Ronde Valley totaled 35 white settlers and one half-Native American, with the first cabins erected in 1862. The town was platted on November 11, 1864. With the War Between the States, raging Union’s name places the town squarely on the side of the North.

Union, Oregon

Union Hotel, Union Oregon: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

The Union Hotel dates from a later period, but had good prices and vintage appeal. We booked Aline’s suite, a charming family suite with the largest walk-in shower I have ever seen (I kid you not). I would experience the Oregon Trail in many ways on this trip, and staying in this hotel served as a good starting point by easing us backward in time.

Read the next post in this series. 

About Janalyn Voigt

My father instilled a love of literature in me at an early age by reading chapters from "The Wizard of Oz," "Robinson Crusoe" and other classics. When I grew older, and he stopped reading bedtime stories, I put myself to sleep with tales I "wrote" in my head. My sixth-grade teacher noticed my storytelling ability and influenced me to become a writer.

I'm what is known as a multi-genre author, but I like to think of myself as a storyteller. The same elements appear in all my novels in proportions dictated by their genre: romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy.

Epic Fantasy: DawnSinger and Wayfarer are the first two novels in the epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven. The final books in the series, Sojourner and DawnKing, are under contract with my publisher.

Historical Fiction: Hills of Nevermore, first installment in Montana Gold, set during Montana's gold rush in the days of vigilante justice, will release in 2017.

Romantic Suspense/Mystery: Deceptive Tide (Islands of Intrigue-San Juans) will release in November 2016. This title is romantic suspense, but I am also moving into writing mystery novels written in the classic style of Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt.

Sign up at http://janalynvoigt.com to be notified when these titles release, for book extras, and reader bonuses.

Pease Porridge (Hot or Cold) Recipe

This article is brought to you by Janalyn Irene Voigt.

Pease Porridge Hot and Cold

Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold,

Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old.

Some like it hot, some like it cold,

Some like it in the pot, nine days old.

In the pioneer kitchen, a large pot suspended over an open fire usually contained some sort of soup, and a savory porridge made of peas became a favorite. The soup would be consumed hot for the evening meal, and the leftovers cold at breakfast.

Food scraps might be added to the pot over the course of many days. Keeping the soup going like this meant that some of the ingredients could, indeed, be nine days old by the time they were eaten. Sausage or boiled bacon might be included in the soup or served on top. Pease porridge was often served with thick slices of buttered bread.

 

A nursery rhyme and popular singing game played by children featuring this staple of the pioneer kitchen carried into modern times.

Pease Porridge Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. split peas
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1/2 lb. cubed uncooked bacon
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 Tbs. mint, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• water to cover
• salt and pepper to taste

Note: You can add other vegetables and herbs for different flavors. Sage is another herb that goes well with peas.

Optional Toppings

• fried and crumbled bacon
• diced shallots
• diced green onions
• chopped mint, mint leaves, mint flowers

Steps

1. Soak the peas according to the package directions.
2. Drain the soaked peas.
3. In a large pot, cover the peas with fresh water.
4. Add the salt, pepper, carrots, bacon, and shallots.
5. Bring the pot to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 2½ hours, adding more water as needed.
7. Add the mint in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
8. Ladle the pease porridge into bowls and garnish with mint leaves and mint flowers, if desired.
9. Serve this soup with optional toppings and buttered bread or rolls
10. Enjoy!

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. This multi-faceted storyteller writes in the historical fiction, romantic mystery, and epic fantasy genres. Janalyn is a history enthusiast and romantic. These elements appear in everything she writes.

Beginning with DawnSinger, the epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven, carries readers into a land only imagined in dreams.

Hills of Nevermore, the first installment in Montana Gold, a historical romance series set during Montana's gold rush, releases in 2017.

Deceptive Tide (Islands of Intrigue: San Juans, book 3), the final installment in a romantic suspense series set in an island paradise off the coast of Washington state, releases August 1, 2016.

    Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and her books.   

Johnny Cakes Recipe

This post is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

One staple of the American frontier came to early settlers by way of Native Americans. Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth in 1620 lost most of the wheat they’ carried with them to spoilage. The Pawtuxet Indians prevented their starvation by teaching them how to grow and pound corn into meal from which they made cakes.

Pioneer Kitchen Image from an old catalog ca. 1873
by Internet Archive Book Images [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons

No one is exactly sure how johnny cakes came to be named. Several theories exist. Some believe that the name represents a slurring of “Shawnee cakes”  (another name for johnny cakes). Others say that the Indian term for “corn cake”, “janiken,” gave rise to the name. johnny cakes also were known as “journey cakes” for their portability. Other names for cornmeal flatbread include johnnycakes, ashcake, battercake, cornpone, corn cake, hoe cake, hoecake, mush bread, pone, jonakin, and jonikin.

Many variations exist, but the simplest johnny cakes recipe includes only cornmeal, boiling water, and salt. I use yellow cornmeal since I like the taste best, however a traditional johnny cakes recipe often call for white cornmeal. Keep the batter fairly thin. This ensures that your johnny cakes won’t be doughy in the middle. You only want them about 1/4-inch  thick. They can be baked in a greased pan or fried. Frying in bacon grease follows a long tradition, but butter works as well. Enjoy them drizzled with maple syrup.

Johnny Cake Recipe

Image by Douglas Perkins (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup milk
• Bacon grease or butter
• Maple Syrup

Instructions

1. Place cornmeal in a mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup with a spout for pouring.
2. Stir salt into cornmeal.
3. Add boiling water and mix.
4. Add 1/2 cup milk and mix just until blended.
5. Heat bacon grease or butter in a skillet or iron frying pan.
6. Pour batter into skillet to make a 4-inch cake.
7. Let cook until brown around the edges.
8. Loosen the cake with a spatula and flip.
9. Cake the other side until brown.
10. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers.

Look for her upcoming western historical fiction releases in the Montana Gold series.

This multi-faceted author also writes in the romantic mystery genre. Deceptive Tide (Islands of Intrigue: San Juans) releases this month.

Beginning with DawnSinger, Janalyn's epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven, carries readers into a land only imagined in dreams.

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and her writing at http://janalynvoigt.com.

Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, she loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors with her family.