Wagon Ride
Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Sublette County Historical Society
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Fair goers experience wagon rides on the Lander Trail
by Sublette County Historical Society
July 28, 2019
This weekend thousands of people attended the Sublette County Fair (July 24-27, 2019). 160 years ago, thousands of emigrants were at the same place on the Lander Trail. The trail crosses through the middle of what is now the Ag Center building. And, a short section just to the west is rarely used anymore. The Sublette County Historical Society and Sublette BOCES took the opportunity to give Fair visitors a tour and covered wagon rides along the old trail.
The Lander cutoff of the Oregon / California Trail was built in 1858 and used extensively until the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. The new section of trail providing a short cut from South Pass to Fort Hall was the first federally funded, engineered and built road west of the Missouri. In 1859, the first year, 13,000 emigrants crossed the trail. Given that most crossed in July, an average of 300 emigrants and 100 wagons crossed what is now the fairgrounds each day.
An 1859 registry of 9000 emigrants who traveled the Lander Trail indicates there were an average of 3 emigrants per wagon, and 5 livestock (cattle, horses, mules, and sheep) per person. 70% were headed to California and 30% were headed to Oregon. After gold was found in Idaho in 1860 and Montana in 1862, those were also common destinations. As Albert Bierstadt stated "hundreds of families from what we call the West, are all bound still further West", most emigrants were coming from Midwest states: Illinois 19%, Iowa 14%, Missouri 14%, Wisconsin 13%, and Ohio 9%.
The Lander Trail tours are sponsored by the Sublette County Historical Society and Sublette BOCES as a summer series. Kay Malkowski and her horses Bonnie and Sally donated the wagon rides. The wagon was loaned by the Dexter and Carole Smith family. Thanks to Kaidi Rainy, Dawn Ballou, Ken Marincic, and Jay Fear for their help. Thanks to Sublette County Fair Board for including the tours as part of the Fair. The final summer tour will be at the Lander Trail-New Fork River Crossing Historical Park on September 14. Visit SubletteBOCES.com for details.
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