Comments for Travels Across the Plains

Comment on September 18, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:38:40 +0000

I would like to thank and acknowledge Jim Tompkins, who was enormously helpful in lending his expertise about the Barlow Road and the Goltra diary to locate her campsites during the last leg of her journey.

Comment on August 16, 1853 by Caroline Clemmons

Caroline Clemmons — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:21:33 +0000

I’m happy to have found this blog. Thanks so much for sharing your family’s info.

Comment on August 6, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:14:11 +0000

Here Goltra and company departed from the main trail to take what's now called the North Alternate Oregon Trail. Opened the previous year, the NAOT offered better grass and water than the main trail, the grass on which had been overeaten by the stock of earlier emigrants. Jerry Eichorst of the Idaho Chapter Oregon-California Trails Association is one of the foremost experts on the NAOT. He has been enormously helpful, sharing his knowledge of the locations of Goltra's campsites for most of August 1853. I am grateful for his generosity.

Comment on June 23, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:19:15 +0000

I’m sure that the “deep muddy stream” is what is now called Muddy Creek.

Comment on June 18, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:26:54 +0000

My guess is that “Bitterwood creek” is Cottonwood Creek.

Comment on June 11, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:43:21 +0000

I believe she was in Roubadeau Pass. Despite the shot man, this is one of the more upbeat of her entries.

Comment on June 2, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:25:15 +0000

It’s unclear to me exactly where they crossed the Platte. By far the most common place to ford the South Platte in 1853 was the “Lower California” crossing west of present day Brule, Nebraska. Given that they didn’t reach Ash Hollow for three more days and reported traveling approximately 20 miles per day, it appears they crossed the South Platte further east than that. My best guess is that they may have crossed at Fremont’s Ford about five miles west of present day North Platte.

Comment on May 10, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:32:32 +0000

The mission she mentions is the St. Marys Mission, established five years earlier by Jesuit missionaries in what is now the town of St. Marys.

Comment on May 7, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Sun, 08 May 2011 00:08:57 +0000

The Goltras originally tried to cross the Kansas River using the Papin’s Ferry near what is now Topeka. When they encountered a problem there they headed west to use an alternate, competing commercial ferry, the Union Ferry, near present day Willard.

Comment on May 3, 1853 by Rob Nelson

Rob Nelson — Tue, 03 May 2011 21:45:12 +0000

I believe the second creek they crossed was the Wakarusa River. I’m uncertain what the first creek was.