The California Road

After gold was discovered in California in 1848, Americans flocked to the west coast to make their fortunes. In 1849, Congress instructed Captain Randolph Marcy to find a suitable passage from Fort Smith to Santa Fe by traveling south of the Canadian River. Guided by Delaware scout Black Beaver, Marcy and the first wagon train reached their destination in June 1849. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the people on the journey, conditions encountered along the way, and some of the interesting geographical features the group discovered. Their guest is Art Peters, curator at the Hinton Historical Museum and author of three books about the California Road in Caddo County.