Other Facts & Histories

Pioneer Transportation

How Did Pioneers Travel? - From 1840-1869 all land travel was on foot, by horse-drawn wagon or on horseback. Before the Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, most emigrants traveled the Oregon/California Trails; after its completion, most rode by train. By the late 1870's, those Oregon-bound generally rode the train to Ogden, Utah, where they purchased wagons, supplies and teams of horses, mules or oxen. Following the Salt Lake Cutoff (or Kelton Road) through Almo, the City of Rocks & Oakley, they traveled east of Burley to the Oregon Trail junction. After a bridge was built across Raft River in the 1870s, the Kelton Road passed through Bridge, Conant, Albion, enroute to the Oregon Trail. Some sailed from eastern ports, around South America’s Cape Horn and on to California.

Building Roads: An Enormous Task - Roads were often dug into hillsides, allowing wagons to pass. Passengers often walked along steep, precarious roads after getting out of their coaches; riding in the coach was too dangerous.

Dugways & Hillside Roads - Many dugways were dug along area mountainsides. One passed over Connor Summit, following creeks from the Albion Valley, through what is now Skaggs Ranch east of Declo, where it joined the Oregon Trail. Another, built in the 1870's  ran from Albion to the View area.

Freighters Brought Necessities to Settlers - Freighters hauled needed commodities to settlements, often filling wagons with ore from local mines on their return trips.  On long trips, commercial freighters used large Conestoga wagons for their heavy loads. Local freighters often used smaller wagons for shorter trips.

Pioneer Trails & Roads - Early 1810 to 1869

California Trail - The California Trail divided from the Oregon Trail at Parting of the Ways campsite, in eastern Cassia County. Following the Raft River through the Malta, Elba, and Almo areas, it crossed Granite Pass, along Goose Creek, then on to Nevada and California. 

Hudspeth's Cutoff - In 1849 Benoni M. Hudspeth & John Myers forged The Hudspeth Cutoff, shortening the journey by 20-25 miles. The Cutoff began west of Soda Springs, then rejoined the older California Trail at Connor Creek, near the City of Rocks.

Salt Lake Alternate (Kelton Road) - Originally forged in 1847 by members of the Mormon Battalion, as they returned from California during the Mexican-American War. After resupplying in Ogden, many California-bound emigrants traveled through the Raft River Valley. 

The Kelton Road- Established first as a stagecoach route, for years it was the main shipping & emigrant trail from Kelton, Utah to Boise, Idaho.  The Kelton Road followed The Salt Lake Alternate through the City of Rocks and along Goose Creek to the Snake River near Burley, where it joined the Oregon Trail.  Ore was hauled from mines in Wood River & Boise to Kelton, Utah, then sent to smelters to be refined.

Overland Trail Route- Ben Halliday’s Overland Trail route ran along the Oregon Trail. Heavily subsidized by the U. S. government to deliver mail, the industry was privately owned. Through the years, routes varied, though stage stations were usually about 20-30 miles apart, and horses changed every 6- 10 miles. Drivers typically drove their assigned route, slept the night; then returned back and forth over their familiar route in a different coach.  In 1864, Halliday’s coaches traveled The Kelton Road through Raft River Valley, Oakley, then on to Boise.

Stagecoach Robberies & Ambushes

Robbers Roost - High on the hills east of Albion, bandits gathered to ambush and plunder wagons & stagecoaches traveling below.

Treasure Rocks Stagecoach Robbery- In 1878, a stagecoach loaded with gold bullion was robbed on the Kelton Road enroute to Boise and the gold allegedly buried at Treasure Rock in City of Rocks. 

Railroads - 1869 to Early 1900s

Oregon Short Line Railroad - The most direct link between Oregon and the Midwest. By 1884 the Mini-Cassia’s track was fully laid. Trains ran from Oregon to Boise; through Shoshone, and Minidoka Counties; on to Granger, Wyoming.

Proposed Oregon Shortline Railroad Spur - Planned to run through Raft River Valley to the Great Salt Lake, but was never completed, due to legal disputes with the existing irrigation company. 

Indians & Indian Attacks - At Least 10 in the Area

Almo Massacre - A very controversial account; some say it never occurred because of its sensational details and lack of physical evidence. However, details from many oral & family accounts taken from early settlers’ descendants are consistent, and there is some evidence the attack indeed took place. In 1936, the first written account of the event, ‘The Massacre of Almo Creek,’ appeared in Charles S. Walgamott’s book "Six Decades Back.” Myth or Historical Fact? You Decide

Baby Grave - An infant, said to have been carried in a blanket after surviving the Almo Massacre later died, and is reportedly buried near Clear Creek.

Bathtub Rock Attack Story - A unique account of an emigrant wagon train's encounter after Indians attacked. Settlers scaled City of Rocks’ BathTub Rock to defend themselves. But when an Indian discovered one of the emigrants had earlier paid him a five-dollar gold piece for berries, far more than the berries’ value, the attack was called off, believing "that honest man didn't deserve to die." 

Bear River Massacre (north of Preston, Idaho) - Col. Patrick E. Connor's brigade annihilated up to 300 Northwest Shoshones, casualties vary according to source.

Chief Pocatello -  While living in The Raft River Valley, Pocatello, the Shoshone Indians’ leader, decided his people must fight to protect their way of life. He led attacks against the settlers, then finally surrendered, after which the tribe relocated to the Fort Hall reservation.

Connor Creek Massacre-In 1864, Indians had reportedly been stealing cattle and supplies from emigrant wagon trains.  Acting under orders from Col. Patrick Connor, Captain Samuel P. Smith, initiated a retaliatory attack on the Indians. Most of his troops hid in a wide draw, south of the current Connor Creek Junction, setting up an ambush. Other troops enticed the men from several Indian lodges camping nearby to follow them into the ambush, where they were nearly wiped out. Stories vary; one account said survivors escaped over a pass in the Jim Sage Mountains; another claimed that a young Indian boy was the sole survivor, and later lived in Elba. 

Indian Tribes - Collectively known as “The Snakes,” Bannocks, Paiutes & Northwest Shoshone were the area's dominant tribes. The Snake River is named after “The Snakes.”

Shepherd Wright - Indians attacked a small wagon train coming from Snowville; the dead were buried in a Sublett Valley mass-grave.

Washakie - Chief of the Northwest Band of Shoshone Indians, had friendly relations with Mormons and other settlers. A settlement south of Malad, Idaho was named Washakie in his honor, though he never lived there.

Mountain Men & Trailblazers

Mountain Men - Mountain men came from Russia, Germany, France, England, Ireland and all around the world seeking fortunes.  This diverse group of entrepreneurs seeked riches by trapping animals and selling their pelts. Beaver pelts, used to make men’s top hats, brought top dollar, until fashions changed and the market crashed.  Many trappers were surprisingly well educated; several kept detailed journey records.

Ashley, William - Ran a 1822 newspaper ad, asking for "100 men to ascend the river Missouri. Milton Sublette, Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, Tom "Broken Hand" Fitzpatrick & others responded.

Astor, John Jacob - Astor's 1811 overland party was the first to cross the country after Lewis & Clark. 

Bidwell, John - Led the Bartleson-Bidwell Party, one of the first to travel The California Trail.

Bonneville, Captain B.L.E. - Ancient Lake Bonneville is named after this famous American West explorer; who probably traveled through Minidoka County in 1833.

Bridger, Jim - Perhaps the most widely known mountain man; told Brigham Young the Salt Lake Valley was not suitable for habitation.

Fremont, John C. "The Pathfinder" - A renowned explorer, military leader & politician, his 1843 report of the area was less-than-glowing.

Fitzgerald, Thomas “Broken Hand”- A prominent figure in California Trail history. After his musket misfired and he lost two fingers, Indians called him "Broken-Hand, Chief of all the Mountain Men.”

Ogden, Peter Skene - In 1828-29, this noted fur trader explored the Great Salt Lake & Weber River; Ogden, Utah is named in his honor. 

Provost, Etienne - Canadian fur-trapper, called "Man of the Mountains." Surviving an 1824 Indian attack, Provost built posts on Utah Lake and Great Salt Lake. Provo, Utah was named after him.

Ross, Alexander - Ross wrote several notable books on the West. He helped found Astoria, on the Columbia River in 1811, and his 1824 party camped at City of Rocks.

Sublette Brothers - Five mountain men brothers: William, Milton, Solomon, Pinckney & Andrew, all trapped and traveled the area. Idaho’s Sublett Mountains and Reservoir and Sublette county, Wyoming are named after this adventurous family. 

The Mormon Battalion - On their march home from California after the Mexican War, the battalion traveled through Granite Pass, Emigrant Pass & South Raft River Valley, crossing Raft River three times. The Salt Lake Alternate followed their trail. 

Walker, Joseph Remington - Walker guided the early Bartleson-Bidwell Party.

Work, John - Work, Ogden’s successor in the Snake River Brigade of 1830-31, led the party through present-day Idahome, Almo, Lynn & Granite Pass, leaving precise directions in his journal.

Miscellaneous Topics

Cemeteries - Cassia county has over forty-two cemeteries. Most settlements had their own cemetery; in fact, Albion has five:  1) Masonic Cemetery includes a monument to soldiers killed in the Spanish-American War; 2) Mormon Pioneer Cemetery, located in the valley’s south end; 3) Pioneer Cemetery, contains about 10 graves enclosed and marked as an Eagle Scout Project; 4)  City Cemetery; 5) Chinese Burial Ground. The Oakley area also has five: 1) Oakley; 2) Basin; 3) Little Basin; 4) Island; and 5) Marion.

Schools - Nearly every new settlement had its own rural, country school; but teachers’ qualifications, curriculum, and students' attendance rules varied widely. 

Bootleggers & Stills - Isolated, rural communities were ideal for bootleggers to privately produce their home brew. Some claimed many communities’ main commerce area was out back of shanties.

Jackass Express - Owned by Woodard and Chorpenning, this precursor to the Pony Express, used mules instead of horses. It was the first attempt to bring mail from California. After Woodard’s party died in Granite Pass, the route was abandoned.