Existing comment:
7. Circling the Wagons:
One of the most significant landmarks for travelers on both the Mormon and Oregon Trails was Chimney Rock, near the western border of present-day Nebraska. This scene shows the circling of the wagons at the end of the day. Wagon trains were able to cover from eight to fifteen miles per day. After several weeks of calculating mileage by counting the revolutions of a cloth tied to a wagon wheel, members of Brigham Young's first company developed a mechanical odometer to measure mileage. |