Gaining a Perspective of the Overland Trail

Dr. Cary Mock has always thought that to gain a full appreciation of doing interesting historical climatological research, one should make visits to appropriate historical markers and sites. This enables the historical climatologst to understand how the people in the past dealt with everyday life, including potentially dealing with climate and the environment. In the case of Dr. Mock's long-term interest on the Overland Trail in the mid 19th century (especially 1849), he has gone to sites along the Trails, particularly in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Below is a sample of some pictures to gain an idea of the Overland Trail experience, as well as some signs of the Overland Trail legacy left from the past.

The Overland Trail (left), and emigrant numbers by year (right), From Mock and Lawson (2001)

Wagon at Fort Kearney, NE (left), and the Platte River near Kearney, NE (right)

View of western Nebraska from Ash Hollow (left), and Chimney Rock, NE (right)

Fort Laramie, WY, including a shot of the modern weather instruments at the same site

The Overland Trail near Fort Laramie (left), and Deep Rut Hill, WY (right)

South Pass area in Wyoming

Old Oregon Trail Rd in southwestern WT (left), and a sign in Farson, WY (right)

Border, WY which today tends to be a frost pocket (left), and nearby Thomas Fork sign near the WY/ID border (right)

Soda Spring, ID area (left) where emigrants passed through, and Fort Hall in Pocatello, ID (right)

A few interesting things inside Fort Hall, ID

Raft River Valley (left) and near Strevell (right) in southeastern Idaho

The City of Rocks area in southern Idaho, commonly noted by emigrants

The Dalles area in the Columbia River, Oregon where Oregon Trail emigrants passed by until they reached Oregon City (right)

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