Wagon Wheel: Retracing My Pioneer Family's Roots

[Allof75]

Nice report. Thanks for sharing. My mom is the family tree person. On many of my road trips I've gone on, my mom tells me about places along the way where she or some ancestor has lived, so I go there too. She tells me we had ancestors on the Mayflower, but there is a straight line to one in the Revolutionary war.

Anyways, when I was at the Golden Spike in early 2006, there weren't the two trains there. Do you know if they added it or since you called it the "original" Golden Spike is it a different place than the Golden Spike National Park?

Thanks!

I believe they said that they had freshly restored one of the trains, so maybe you were there before they were finished? They're only replicas. I was in the Nat Park, but by original I meant that that's where the true golden spike was driven, and the photo taken, because they have replicas of the spike itself out and about at different railroad museums etc. The spike is now in the Smithsonian. Also fun fact- the official meeting was 3 days late because of a labor strike, due to one of the tycoons refusing to pay the workers... thought it was interesting.

 

[RockyMtnFamily]

Well done! I have wanted to do a trip along the Pioneer trail myself but have not gotten around to it yet. Someday, someday....

 

[86tuning]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Thanks!

I believe they said that they had freshly restored one of the trains, so maybe you were there before they were finished? They're only replicas. I was in the Nat Park, but by original I meant that that's where the true golden spike was driven, and the photo taken, because they have replicas of the spike itself out and about at different railroad museums etc. The spike is now in the Smithsonian. Also fun fact- the official meeting was 3 days late because of a labor strike, due to one of the tycoons refusing to pay the workers... thought it was interesting.

Another fact, the strike actually took place east along the Transcontinental at Piedmont, Wyoming where several hundred rail road workers blocked the track and refused to let the railroad boss trail pass until they were paid. They got their pay. Piedmont is another fantastic ghost town to visit if you find yourself in that neck of the woods and like railroad history. The entire Transcontinental Rail Road is a fantastic history and much of it can be driven in the dirt in the Utah region, a ton of ghost towns, cemeteries, and other historical hot spots along the track.



Great write-up and fun to see folks out exploring their family history!

Did you make it to the Daughters of Pioneers Museum in Heber? It has some great info on all of the original Heber valley settlers.

 

[Willman]

Thanks all! And Willman, what part? Some of those towns are so small we may be related. haha

Aren't we all???...J/K.

SLC area. They came across on one of those hand cart companies....We have a cool rocking chair that made that trip still in the family....

 

[Allof75]

Another fact, the strike actually took place east along the Transcontinental at Piedmont, Wyoming where several hundred rail road workers blocked the track and refused to let the railroad boss trail pass until they were paid. They got their pay. Piedmont is another fantastic ghost town to visit if you find yourself in that neck of the woods and like railroad history. The entire Transcontinental Rail Road is a fantastic history and much of it can be driven in the dirt in the Utah region, a ton of ghost towns, cemeteries, and other historical hot spots along the track.



Great write-up and fun to see folks out exploring their family history!

Did you make it to the Daughters of Pioneers Museum in Heber? It has some great info on all of the original Heber valley settlers.

Great story! That's one thing I really want to return to- the transcontinental railroad sites, a great American story.

And yes, definitely did, I also checked out the one in SLC which has some extensive collections and actually a few family photographs. :sombrero:

Aren't we all???...J/K.

SLC area. They came across on one of those hand cart companies....We have a cool rocking chair that made that trip still in the family....

Hahaha well that's it, just call us cousins :elkgrin: It's really amazing to see where they all came through, absolutely brutal!

 

[SmoothLC]

You certainly covered a lot of ground!

Great story and nice pics.

Piedmont? I had to look that up.

Every time I've been to Golden Spike the last few years, it's always been on two wheels (roadie).

 

[Allof75]

You certainly covered a lot of ground!

Great story and nice pics.

Piedmont? I had to look that up.

Every time I've been to Golden Spike the last few years, it's always been on two wheels (roadie).

Thank you! It was rough sometimes, but very glad I did it. The Golden Spike is a great part of the classic West.

 

[fowldarr]

You have a great family history. I have had the pleasure of knowing (I assume) some of your family in Pocatello (has a lot more to offer than you think) and now in lander. Great people great history, and looks like a great trip.

 

[Allof75]

You have a great family history. I have had the pleasure of knowing (I assume) some of your family in Pocatello (has a lot more to offer than you think) and now in lander. Great people great history, and looks like a great trip.

Thank you! Definitely a beautiful town, I was only in for an hour or so though. And I would guess you might not, seeing as my last relative to live there moved in 1938 But it's a great area to visit nonetheless.

 

[1leglance]

Wow what a great write up, to know that you are traveling in the same area as so many other tourist but that it has so much MORE meaning for you.
Good job following your family history and bringing home to our rushed, media filled lives.

Thanks for taking us along on the adventure.

 

[Allof75]

Wow what a great write up, to know that you are traveling in the same area as so many other tourist but that it has so much MORE meaning for you.
Good job following your family history and bringing home to our rushed, media filled lives.

Thanks for taking us along on the adventure.

Thank you! It was definitely interesting to see my family's name emblazoned here and there. I forgot to mention, we actually ran into several more relatives in both Heber, and near the Tetons, where the former family home accompanying that barn is now an Inn. IIRC the Moulton Inn.