Trek West Tribune
A publication of
the Nebraska Mormon Trails Association
June, 1996...Volume 1, Issue
2
Mormon Trek Greatest of All
They traveled by the
thousands in creaking wagons, by horseback, and on foot. Many made the 1297
mile
westward trek on foot with a great number of them pulling500 pounds of
provisions and
belongings in rickshaw-like handcarts. They builtbridges. They braved
unforgiving
weather. They buried their dead along the way. They were the Mormons and in
1847,
they began the greatest organized massmigration of a single group in
America's history.
Follow the second leg of this journeyfrom Winter Quarters in Omaha, Nebraska
to a
place of refuge and religious freedom,Salt Lake City, Utah.
Nauvoo, once a
thriving town of 11,000 built on an Illinois swamp, was no longersafe for the
Mormons.
Fleeing the massive burning of over 200 homes, tarring andfeathering, and
remembering
the assassination of their founder and president, JosephSmith, members of
The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints set off with BrighamYoung, their new
leader. The
Salt Lake Valley sat waiting two years and nearly half acontinent away.
Nebraska
sprawled out before the Mormons, challenging them to beginthe final leg of
their
pilgrimage. When they departed from Winter Quarters in Nebraska in the
spring of 1847,
they left behind a thriving settlement. They also left more than600 of their
friends and
relatives in the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery, victims of the brutalwinter of
1846-1847.
On they went, however, staying to the north side of the Platte River. The
north
sideoffered safe passage from the scourge and persecution of pioneers
traveling
theOregon Trail. With the beginning of the Gold Rush in 1848, the Mormons
wereforced to the south side of the river by the on-rush of tens of
thousands of
goldseekers heading to California. They competed for already scarce wood,
water,
andgrass that the Mormons also needed for their people and livestock. At Fort
Kearney,the south Mormon Trail joined with the Oregon Trail. Mormons shared
this
path withthousands of others into Wyoming beforeturning toward the Salt Lake
Valley.
Following the Gold Rush, the Mormons againreturned to the northern trail in
1855, many
using a new form of transportation -handcarts. And so they all traveled, be
it north or
south of the Platte River, in handcartor wagon, with each step, each mile,
each day
getting them closer to the Salt LakeValley, freedom, and finally, rest.
Actual wagon
wheel ruts, evidence of this great journey, are still scattered on the north
and south sides
of the Platte River across the great plains of Nebraska. Visit the many
sights and
milestones along the Mormon Trail.
Upcoming NMTA Meetings
Announced
The next NMTA meeting will be Monday, June 24, 9-11am MDT &
10-12 CDT. Videosites will be: Scottsbluff, Panhandle Ed. Ctr, 4502 Ave
I, High
Plains Rm; NorthPlatte, McKinley Ed Ctr, 301 W. F St., Rm 1, Kearney, Kearney
Public
Library, 2020 1stAve, Media Ctr Rm, 2nd Fl; Lincoln, Exec. Bldg, 521 S. 14
St, 1st Fl; &
Omaha, StateOffice Bldg, 1313 Farnam on the Mall, 3rd Fl.
The July meeting
will be Monday, July 25, 2-4pm MDT & 3-5pm CDT, at the samevideo sites.
NMTA Minutes & Minutiae
--By Ronnie O'Brien, NMTA Secretary
The NMTA met in May, via video conference, with sites in Lincoln, Kearney,
NorthPlatte, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Approximately 25 were in attendance.
PresidentBrian Hill presided, and introductions were made. Secretary Ronnie
O'Brien
read theminutes of the last meeting, with the only point needing amendment
being that
CarlJones is from Lincoln, rather than Genoa. Leonard Gregory, treasurer,
was not
presentat the meeting, but had previously suggested finding someone else to be
treasurerbecause of the limited time he had to devote to the NMTA. New
candidates will
beconsidered at the next meeting in June.
Amy Holmquist reporting for the
BrochureCommittee
stated that all photos are in for the statewide brochure. The
layout waschanged to accommodate the text. The state has received a small
grant from
theNational Park Service to fund the creative costs of the 50,000 brochures
being
printed.Projected date for brochure completion is July 1, 1996.
The
Marketing Committee
reported that it would not be until the end of June that they
would find out if the NMTAwill receive a grant for advertising in western
newspapers.
The ads would likely run inMarch of 1997 in the Pocatello, Idaho, Salt Lake
City, Utah,
and Mesa, Arizona papers. Nancy Johnson of Merrick County showed its new
brochure
for 1996-97, whichconcentrates on the trail. New ruts have been discovered
in Merrick
County.
Nance County will be publishing a new brochure which will include three
sections: thePawnee Indians, the Mormon Trail, and the Indian school.
Shauna
Valentine, reporting for Gwen Beck, said that sales are going fairly well
forthe Omaha
World Herald supplement that is scheduled to come out on June 23, 1996.
Ms.
Holmquist and Brian Hill stressed that each county needs to promote their
ownattractions
and events as much as possible, because the statewide brochure will
onlybriefly touch on
each area.
The
Promotion and Publicity Committee
reported that the
NMTA membership list isavailable by sending a fax request to 402-471-3026.
The new
logo was reviewed, anda smaller logo is being designed by Dr. Hill.
The
Trail
Identification and Marking Committee
reported that the grant received fromthe
National Park Service for 12 wayside markers in Nebraska will link Illinois to
westNebraska. Each community was encouraged to recommend sites, put ideas on
paper,and send them to Brian Hill, 1411 5th Ave., Kearney, NE., 68847. The
deadline
formarker site recommendations is June 24, 1996.
Carl Jones is studying a
1932-33 thesis about the trail and land surveys. The thesiscovers the road
from Fremont
to Fort Kearney. Carl would like each chapter toresearch the land surveys
within its
county, especially along the Platte River. Copies oforiginal surveys can be
obtained from
county surveyors offices. Each county needs todevelop a map of where the
trail is
located within the county, and then send thecompleted map to Carl Jones, 2240
S. 46 St.,
Lincoln, NE., 68506; phone402-488-7075.
The Department of Transportation will
hopefully have site and federal highwaymarkers installed by the end of the
1996 summer
season.
Val Rasmussen and Shauna Valentine of the
Education
Committee
provided updates on an 18-30 age group college course, and Mormon
Trail history in the gradeschool curriculum, respectively. Mrs. Valentine
reported that
the grade schools arevery excited about the new curriculum. Ronnie O'Brien
suggested
that the researchbeing done by students and experts be permanently
preserved. The
NMTA will be sponsoring an education booth at the Nebraska State Fair in the
Heritage
Village.
The
Special Events Committee
reported on many other events
that will celebrate thegreat pioneer spirit. The Mormon Trail Center in Omaha
has the
tentative date of April26, 1997, for dedication. The Mormon Battalion
mustering will be
on July 13; so thoseinterested in signing up either as a descendent, or in
open registration,
should callDeniece Beck (direct descendants) at 712-323-1952, or Joe Carlson
(open
registration)at 308-237-4447. Counties are encouraged to prepare an activity
for 1997
tourists.
Arnold Bateman, of Scottsbluff, reported that there will be a re-
enactment of the trailfor two days in 1997 to include living history
presentations from
Scottsbluff, Nebraskato Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Amy Holmquist reported that Joe
Vogel has agreed to be the coordinator for theIMTA Wagon Train (Mike Foley)
across
Nebraska in 1997. In August he will beginwork across the state of Nebraska
to finalize
the itinerary for Mr. Foley. Mr. Vogel wants to know which communities
are interested
in hosting the wagontrain in 1997. He needs the name of the contact person
for each
community, largecampground areas, and what food vendors are available. Thirty
to
thirty-five wagons,200 people, and 100 horses are expected each day. For
details, write
Joe Vogel, Rt. 2,Box 311, Red Cloud, NE., 68970. Mr. Foley has sent
several thousand
copies of hisnewsletter to Nebraska communities, of which three pages are
devoted to
NebraskaMormon Trail attractions. The NMTA knows about three wagon trains
and a
six-bustour planned in 1997. For wagon train details and for a list of
wagon train
contacts, call Theresa Kuzelka of the
NMTA Wagon Train Committee
at 308-
382-4400.
"This should be a wake-up call to Nebraska. This year 200,000 to
250,000 people willbe celebrating the sesquicentennial of the Mormon Trail in
Iowa, and
next year they willbe coming to Nebraska." (Mike Foley)
NMTA
OFFICERS:
Brian J, Hill
,
President, 1411 5th Avenue, Kearney, NE.
68847, 308-237-5603
Nancy Johnson
,
Vice-President, 1111 17th Avenue,
Central City, NE. 68826, 308-946-2867
Ronnie O'Brien
,
Secretary, 3333
Ramada Road, Grand Island, NE. 68801, 308-384-5150
Publisher of TWT:
Georgina A. Draur
Murdock Mormon Trail site Acquired
--By
Dick Good, Hall County Historical Society
The Hall County Historical Society
has acquired 2.4 acres of land containing rutsfrom the Mormon Trail. The
site, which
has never been plowed, has the last knownremaining visible ruts in this
region of the
state. The site is located on tablelandadjacent to the Wood River,
approximately one-
and-one- half mile south of Alda, andfour miles northeast of I-80 on Alda
Road.
Nearly 75 years ago, in 1923, the society erected a trail marker at the site.
Nineteen
hundred and twenty three is nearly midpoint in time fromwhen the trail was
first used by
the Mormons in 1847, and the sesquicentennial to becelebrated in 1997.
The
Nebraska State Historical Society has declared the site eligible for the
NationalRegister
of Historic places.
The Hall County Historical Society is in the process of raising
$35,000 for theacquisition, enhancement, and preservation of the site. In
June, the
society will meetwith representatives of the National Park Service Long
Distance Trails
office from SaltLake City, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the
Nebraska
StateHistorical Society to develop a plan.
Tentative Date Set for Mormon
Trail Center Dedication
--By Elder Fletcher, Director of Mormon Trail
Center
The new 22,000 sq. ft. Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters
in Omaha,Nebraska is due to be completed in July or August, 1996, at which
time the
front partwill be occupied while the exhibit portion is completed. The
exhibit area will
not becompleted until April of 1997; however, plans are to have Iowa exhibits
ready
inDecember, 1996 to celebrate the Iowa sesquicentennial. Dedication is
scheduled
forApril 26, 1997.
Three Sesquicentennials Make No More Than 150
Years!
--By Gail Holmes, Historian
The Mormon Trail in Iowa, the
founding of Council Bluffs, and the Statehood of Iowaall are 150 years old
this year.
They will be celebrated in Council Bluffs July 3-14. Theprimary celebrations
will be
July 12 & 13 at the Iowa School for the Deaf at the GrandEncampment. The
rebuilt 1847
Kanesville Tabernacle will be dedicated in KanesvillePark, with President of
The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B.Hinckley, presiding.
Free
shuttle buses will carry the thousands of visitors expectedfrom designated
parking areas
to the Grand Encampment grounds, because there willbe no parking on site.
Among the many festivities will be four performances ofRefuge and Rest, an
historical
cantata about Indian-Mormon relations, the IMTAWagon Train, and the rolling
History
Wagons. Indian dancers, special children'sactivities, and the mustering of
500
descendants of the Mormon Battalion under thedirection of Steve Young,
great-great-
grandson of Brigham Young, and quarterback forthe San Francisco 49ers, will
also take
place. Country western singer, Michael MartinMurphy will be one of many
performing
on stage at the Grand Encampmentcelebrations.
For details about Grand
Encampment events, call the Council Bluffs Chamber ofCommerce at 712-325-1000.
You're Invited On A River Boat Cruise
On July 27, a 3-hr river
boat lunch cruise commemorating steamboat trips made byimmigrating European
LDS
will be boarding the Spirit of Brownville, at the BrownvilleRecreation Area,
Brownville,
NE., between 8:30 & 9:00am. To cruise the Mighty Mo, send a check made
out to the
NMTA for $20.00 per personto Nellie Green, LDS Institute, 1030 Q St.,
Lincoln, NE.
68506, by July 15, 1996. Forinformation call 402-438-4705.
Ideas for Local
Communities
Here is a sample of activities that communities might include in
their celebration ofthe sesquicentennial of the Mormon Trail:
Identify local
historical attractions, re-enact trail happenings, or celebrate with
otherspecial events, such
as wagon train welcomes, meals, or festivals.
Send the information you
want published in the next Trek West Tribune to RonnieO'Brien, Secretary of
the NMTA,
3333 Ramada Road, Grand Island, NE., 68801, orFAX to 308-384-6551, by August
15,
1996. The Trek West Tribune is Publishedquarterly.
TO
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE NEBRASKA MORMON TRAILS ASSOCIATION,
COMPLETE THIS FORM, AND RETURN TO:
Brian J. Hill
President
NMTA
1411 5th Avenue
Kearney, NE. 68847
(Check one or more
spaces below)
O Enclosed is $10 for individual or family NMTA
membership
O Enclosed is $20 for organizational NMTA membership.
O
I am willing to help develop a county chapter of the NMTA.
O I am willing to
serve on a NMTA standing committee.
Name:
__________________________
Organization:
_____________________
Address:
________________________
Phone:(______)
___________________
County: _________________________
If you have any
questions about membership, trail celebrations, or other matters related to
the NMTA
please contactKaren Hill at:
Phone: (308) 865-8727
Fax: (308) 865-
8669
E-mail:
hill@platte.unk.edu
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