The pioneers of the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails followed a 2000-mile path across the continent hoping to strike gold, find relief from religious oppression, or just build a better, more prosperous life.
Perils of the Trail
An estimated 20,000 people died along the trail. The emigration began around 1836, peaking in the 1850s, tensions continually rising with the native peoples. The Battle of Blue Water in 1855, located 3 miles north of Lewellen, was the first skirmish between the United States Army and the Lakota Nation.
Garden County Trail Sites
Rachel Pattison’s grave – located at Ash Hollow Cemetery on Hwy 26
John Hollman’s grave – marker located south of Oshkosh on Hwy 27
Mormon Trail – marker located on Garden County High School, West 4th Street, Oshkosh.
The Battle of Blue Water (the Harney Massacre) – marker located west of Lewellen on Hwy 26
The Search for a Better Life