[or-roots] Travel in 1878

[Kith-n-Kin]

No reason to think they didn't come by wagon -- some of mine did as late as 1887-88.  Some came by train
in 1893, also from Nebraska.

Train travel to Oregon probably wouldn't have taken place until after 1883 -- but perhaps a party could
have used rail and trail both before that.

Here's a little history on the subject from http://pdxhistory.com.tripod.com/pdxtrains/pdxtrains.html:

"Early settlers claimed the land that became Portland in 1843 and by 1849 the town had grown enough to
have a Post Office. New settlers sailed from California up the coast to the Columbia River and then down
the Willamette River for a short way to get to Portland, or they braved the elements and traveled overland
by wagon train.

Railroad History in Oregon began when Ben Holliday started building the Oregon & California Railroad in
1869. He made it to McMinnville in 1872 and ran out of money. Henry Villard, who represented German
bondholders took control of the line. It took 8 years for construction to resume. On May 4, 1884 Villard
got as far as Ashland before the line was sold to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Service from Portland to
California finally opened in 1887.

Rail service from Portland to the east opened in 1883 when the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company,
which went east of Portland along the Columbia River, and connected with the Northern Pacific Railroad at
Wallula Junction, which is south of Tri-Cities, Washington. 

A second transcontinental railroad opened in 1884 when the OR&N connected with the Oregon Short Line and
the Union Pacific at Huntington, Oregon. 

Railroads grew in popularity and eventually they became the preferred method of travel, in the days before
airplanes and busses. Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, Great Northern and Southern Pacific all served
Portland with passenger and freight service."

Regards,

Pat (in Tucson)
Nosco vestri atavi est ingredior intellego vestri ego
(To become acquainted with your ancestors is to begin to comprehend your self)
 

-----Original Message-----
From: or-roots-admin at sosinet.sos.state.or.us [mailto:or-roots-admin at sosinet.sos.state.or.us] On Behalf Of
Suz_ES
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 22:16
To: OREGON-L at rootsweb. com
Cc: or-Roots at Sosinet. Sos. State. or. Us
Subject: [or-roots] Travel in 1878


I have a question about travel to Oregon in 1878.  How many different ways did people come to Oregon?  I
am tracking an ancestor that was in Nebraska in 1870 (1870 Fed Census) and was married in Oregon in 1876
or 78.  I don't think he came out on a wagon train, but maybe via railroad?  I just need to know what to
persue first.

Thanks

Suzanne in Newberg
suz_es at verizon.net
Clark/Sims/Henry/Lambert/Forrest (Yamhill Cty) Averill/Robison/Orr/Kingery (Benton, Coos, Linn Cty)

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