TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 A SHORTCUT WEST 4 Chapter 2 THE PASS CLOSES 14 Chapter 3 SNOWBOUND 20 Chapter 4 THE DONNER LEGACY 28 GLOSSARY 38 SOURCE NOTES 38 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 39 FURTHER INFORMATION 39 INDEX 40
A SHORTCUT WEST 1 Between 1840 and 1860 about 250,000 men women and children moved across North America These emigrating pioneers abandoned crowded eastern states to settle territories in the West They loaded their families and belongings into wagons They set out on a journey that would take them about four months and cover more than 2,000 miles 3,200 kilometers They crossed plains mountains rivers and deserts By 1860 these settlers filled the vast lands of Oregon and California Emigrating pioneers often traveled in covered wagons 4
Sisters clockwise from top left Frances Georgia Ann Leanna and Elitha were four of the five daughters of George Donner They made the trek across country when they were ages four to thirteen In 1846 eighty-seven of those emigrants formed the Donner Party named for its leader’s last name The families of Jacob Donner George Donner and James Reed formed the core of this wagon train They had heard stories about the wonders California held Similar to many other emigrants they wanted to start new lives for themselves there These three families were fairly wealthy Emigrants who made the journey west needed to have money saved The long journey meant a family would not earn any income for months And there would be more expenses when they arrived and set up their homes The three families were from Springfield Illinois In mid-April they set out for Independence Missouri with nine overflowing wagons pulled by oxen They also brought cattle including dairy 5
