“Wagons East” 1975-1976 - Whitman National Forest, La Grande, OR
Posted by: 
TheBeanTeam
N 45° 20.512 W 118° 14.079
11T E 403271 N 5021670
The Bicentennial Wagon camped at this location in July of 1975 near the beginning of their trek to Pennsylvania to celebrate the Nation's Bicentennial.
Waymark Code: WM81AE
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 01/08/2010
Views: 14
As the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution neared events of all kinds were arranged to commemorate the occasion. Train Pilgrimage was one of these events and perhaps the most far reaching. Wagons from each state would travel along the historic trails of the country, (The Bozeman Trail, Santa Fe Trail, Oregon Trail, Appalachian Trail, etc) then gather for a celebration on July 4th 1976 in Valley Forge Pennsylvania. Each state was given a wagon by the State of Pennsylvania which sponsored the project. Along the way, other wagons, and travelers joined the official state wagons for all or part of the journey. Scrolls provided by Encyclopedia Britannica were carried from town to town by each train where individuals could renew their dedication to the principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
The Salem Digital Archive has a
set of photographs from the train.
Photo Courtesy of:
Salem (Oregon) Public Library Historic Photograph Collections
From the Plaque in Hilgard Junction State Park:
“Wagons East” 1975-1976
Historic Site
The Bicentennial wagon train passed here July 1975 on their 3,000 mile trek to retrace the pioneer wagon trains that settled the West.
In Commemoration of the Nation’s 200th birthday, the Wagon train started at the U.S. Canadian Peace Arch, Blaine, Washington on June 9, 1975. Wagons from every state will join the train enroute for a final encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for a Bicentennial celebration July 4, 1976.
Forest Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Starting with only
two wagons in Blaine Washington the bicentennial spotlight began to shine over a year before the actual bicentennial. (Beaver County Times)
By June 12th 1975 the train was in
Arlington Washington with great expectations and high hopes. (The Arlington Times)
The
Oregon wagon joined the train featuring a prairie schooner replica pulled by horses owned by Ted & Laura Lkebe of Tigard and driven Earl Flick of Milwaukie. (Eugene Register Guard)
In Portland the train of three wagons
required a police escort through the streets according to an article from The Bulletin of Bend Oregon (this article has a wonderful accompanying photograph).
Early in the trip the train featured
a pioneer wedding. (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
However, the wagon train wasn't trouble free. The newlywed groom, an assistant wagon master,
died in Vale Oregon from a heart attack. A
wagon master quit in Boise Idaho, near Hagerman Idaho
a wagon was damaged in an accident and of course there was
bad weather.
By mid August the Northwest train had grown to
12 wagons and 60 Horses. The train members were anticipating a convergence of three separate trains in Wyoming adding to the train significantly. (Deseret News)
By Sept 25th the combined train of
twenty wagons was in Ft. Laramie, Wyoming where they
spent the winter before heading out to meet up with other trains in the spring. (Beaver County Times)
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