The
Overland Route to California
This map shows the overland route traveled by the 49'ers coming to California. Bringing supplies such as a cooking stove, cows, bacon, ham, rice, dried fruit, tools for mining, farming and repairing wagons, and lock chains to hold wagons back on steep hills, the migrants coming overland traveled about ten or fifteen miles on a good day. Many migrants came on the Oregon Trail that was created earlier. Cholera killed many travelers, and others had dysentery from dirty drinking water.
The key to the map is shown below:
A
The Humboldt Basin
The sandy 40-mile Humboldt Basin was very hot and deep enough so
that it could capture oxen.
B The
Continental Divide
This was the easiest passage through the Rockies. From this point
on, traveling would become more difficult for the migrants.
C
Independence Rock
Independence Rock is marked by the hundreds of pioneers who have
passed it.
D Fort
Laramie
Over 39,000 people have been recorded to pass through Fort
Laramie during the brief time that migrants were counted
here--the first six months of the Gold Rush.
E The Platte
River
In 1849 rain poured down here and made the overland journey
difficult.
F Chimney
Rock
This rock is 500 feet tall and is located 550 miles from
Independence, Missouri, where many people started on the trail.
G The
Jayhawkers
A group, named the Jayhawkers, separated from a larger group,
hoping to cut off 600 miles. Today we call it Death Valley.
