Powerful Rockey: The Blue Mountains and the Oregon Trail

By John W. Evans

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0962677213
• ISBN13: 9780962677212
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Pika Pr
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.

Customer Reviews

THE POWER OF THE PIONEER SPIRIT

I'm not just giving this book a high rating because it was written by my late father, Jack Evans, but also because it is a fascinating eyewitness account of Oregon Trail history in northeastern Oregon, as related through actual pioneer diaries. We take a lot of things for granted in present-day America, but after reading this book I learned to have a greater appreciation for the way things were during pioneer days. Those who emigrated to the Pacific Northwest via the Oregon Trail faced unimaginable hardships that included dysentery, attacks by Native Americans, animal attacks and horrible weather. The pioneers' descriptions of the countless grave markers along the route are a reminder of the courage and toughness of those who survived the trip, and the tragedies that befell those who didn't live to see Oregon's Willamette Valley. Having lived in northeast Oregon most of my life, Dad's book added new levels of understanding to my view of this region. When I look at the steep hill above Ladd Canyon at the south edge of our valley, it is hard not to imagine covered wagons making their perilous descent. When I look above town and above Table Mountain, I can see the route the wagons had to travel to get to the top of the ridge, and I wonder how they possibly could have made it, given the roughness of the terrain. The book also features maps on which Dad outlined the route of the Oregon Trail. If you like to get out and walk and if you are good with USGS maps, you might be able to follow the Oregon Trail yourself, through Oregon's Malheur, Baker, Union and Umatilla Counties. My father's writings help connect the pioneer diary excerpts in a near-seamless manner, creating an amazing story or courage. Please take time to read this book. Whether or not you are familiar with Oregon Trail history, "Powerful Rockey" will provide you with a sense of wonder and a greater understanding of the American pioneer spirit!