Heartland Utopias Book

We just don't know how good we have it today! I can't even image traveling across country to California in a wagon, with all my worldly possessions and leaving loved ones behind. But that is what thousands of pioneers did to build our cities and towns. This is the story of one tragic crossing in 1846. The Donner party consisted of 87 people and was getting a late start in the season. They were duped by trail leader who claimed he knew a way that would take 350 miles off the trip and save them many days travel. He had already gone ahead of them, and they were to follow his trail. They didn't know the trials that they were in for. Instead of a well worn wagon path, they had to chop trees and build their own road. It was physically tiring for the men on the trip, but that isn't the worst of it. They soon came to the dessert, which they were prepared for, but instead of the 40 miles they expected, it was more like 80. Everyone was becoming weak from thirst and tempers were flaring. All these things caused them to lose valuable time and by the time they came to the mountain pass it was too late. It had already started snowing and they were forced to make camp until spring. This is their incredible story of struggling to survive while starving to death. This book tells of the heroic efforts for the rescue parties and the brave men who risked their own lives to help this unfortunate party.

I knew a little about this incident in history, but I always heard more emphasis placed on the fact that the subjects were reduced to cannibalism. This is really only a very small part of the whole story however, and I don't think that they should be blamed for it. None of us knows what it is like to starve to death and watch our babies die in our arms because we couldn't feed them. That there were survivors at all, and that they seemed to go on and live normal lives, is a testament to the incredible strength and spirit of our ancestors.