Historic Hood River
“…our long contemplated journey…”
Notes
“Morganne’s Monday” selection from the History Museum archives is this handwritten manuscript which tells the story of Polly Coon’s journey on the Oregon Trail. The first entry is dated March 29th, 1852:
Started from the town of Lima Rock Co, Wis, on our long contemplated journey to seek a home in the Pacific Coast in the Territory of Oregon. Came to Milton & staid 2 days with our friends there. When after bidding many a tearful adieu we started the 2d of April, plodding our way over frozen ground with a chilling cold wind. Passed through Janesville to the town of Plymouth where we struck our camp for the first time, & found that we had truly left all comfort…
Polly Coon and her husband T.L. Coon were parent of T.R. Coon. T.R. Coon and his wife Delia Coon were early residents of the Hood River Valley. Delia Coon, who we saw in this post, documented the pioneer families of the region in her book History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon.
I guess that’s a spoiler: they made it to the Pacific Coast.
I checked out the this page describes on modern maps. Today it takes between 34 and 38 minutes to drive from Lima to Milton, then on through Janesville to the site of their first camp.
Tags: 1850s, Coon, diary, manuscript, Morganne's Mondays, Oregon Trail, Wisconsin
jnails
“….found we had truly left all comfort.”
Truly an understatement of camping, and they did not have all the outside accrutremonts of our present day camping equiptment which tries to make it a little easier. Brave, brave people. How many of us could walk that 2000 miles?
jnails
Is the total diary available somewhere?
L. E.
I agree with what jnails said. I think we have no comprehension of the discomforts these people endured.
Arlen L sheldrake
another example…..good old days = NOT. we just got off a Lewis & Clark themed ACL Columbia River cruise. an amazing feat…..an amazing journey….amazing luck.
Morganne
Hey, jnails- there is a typed copy here in the archives of The Museum but Arthur and I are working on scanning and getting the digital copy ready. Stay tuned!
Cecelia Goodnight
What is date at end of journal and where are they at that point? Had never thought about how difficult it must have been to carry a bottle of ink over the Oregon Trail!