The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party Setting & Symbolism

The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party Objects/Places

Springfield, Illinois

Springfield was where the Donner Party embarked from in April 1846. The Donner and Reed families were prominent members of the Springfield community.

The Pioneer Palace Car

This ultra-luxurious and spacious wagon was owned by the wealthy Reed family. It had beds and a built-in stove, among other amenities. The Reeds were forced to give up the car after a dearth of oxen forced the Donner Party to abandon wagons.

The Emigrants' Guide to Oregon and California

This guidebook was written by Lansford Warren Hastings as a means to lure settlers to California (as opposed to Oregon). Hastings advocated a shortcut on the route he had never taken, and otherwise spoke as if he was an experienced frontiersman. James Reed relied on Hastings' advice, with tragic consequences.

Hastings Cutoff

This route, advocated by Lansford Warren Hastings, was a southern shortcut around the Great Salt Lake in modern-day Utah. It featured treacherous terrain, including the Great Salt Lake Desert and the Wasatch Mountains. By...
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