Misplaced Pages

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37-438: It was common practice to use existing Indian trails to develop military roads, and only make necessary improvements for the movement of artillery or supply trains. Brevet Major Lugenbeel followed the long-established Indian trail, then Hudson Bay Company brigade trail from the U.S. Fort Walla Walla area to Hudson Bay Company Fort Colvile , but had to leave the trail at current Orin-Rice Road, two miles south of Colville , where

74-707: A 74 km wilderness route from Hope to Tulameen with ten backcountry campsites, and the Tikwalus Heritage Trail, a 10 km trail near Alexandra Bridge that formed part of the 1848 brigade route and also is a traditional route for the Nlakaʼpamux (Thompson) people. Tshimakain Mission 47°54′47″N 117°47′53″W  /  47.91306°N 117.79806°W  / 47.91306; -117.79806 The Tshimakain Mission started in September 1838, with

111-656: A location for their mission. Three years prior, Rev. Samuel Parker wrote that the Tshimakain area, right along the trail, would be a good location for a mission. Additionally, Chief Factor Archibald McDonald reportedly recommended Tshimakain, at the site of current Ford, Washington , as a good location for their mission. The pastors returned to the Whitman Mission , and in March 1839, they brought their wives, Mary Richardson Walker and Myra Eells to what became Tshimakain Mission . On

148-705: Is the site of Camp Washington, where on October 29, 1853, Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens met both his eastern and western divisions of the Northern Pacific Railroad Exploration and Survey exploring routes from the Rockies to the coast of the Washington territory for railway development. Wagons on the military road descended into Curby Canyon to initially ford the Spokane River and later to cross on LaPray Bridge into Stevens County . The ferry

185-841: The Lyons Ferry Bridge , where the Palouse River flows south into the Snake River , and crosses Columbia County in its northwest corner. The road then crosses the Snake River at the Josso High Bridge on SR 261 and passes by Lyons Ferry Park in Franklin County . Continuing on SR 261 and turning north at Nunamaker Road, the route eventually reconnects with SR 261, where it becomes SR 260 , and proceeds towards Washtucna , Adams County . Two miles north of Washtucna,

222-754: The Canadian Cascades, over the east wall of the Fraser Canyon just above Spuzzum onto the Thompson Plateau , then to Fort Kamloops. A great deal of money was spent on the route, which was steep and narrow and carved into the mountainside, rising from Kequaloose , which lies opposite Spuzzum on the east bank of the Fraser near today's Alexandra Bridge , and was only used a few times by fur brigades because of its difficulty for pack animals . Most shipments by this route were disastrous. It had fallen into disuse by

259-473: The Eells and Walker families to Oregon City on June 22, 1848. In July 1874, Eells came back to the area, the only one of the four missionaries to do so. The following Sunday, Eells conducted two services for the natives and two more for the white settlers at Chewelah. Eells consulted with John A. Simms, Indian agent for the area and located at Chewelah. In 1892, a church was erected at Chewelah, although Eells

296-632: The Express used river travel via the Peace River to the Prairies and Rupert's Land. Another route used by the Express was the direct to Rupert's Land York Factory Express via the Columbia River to Boat Encampment on that river's Big Bend (beneath today's Kinbasket Lake reservoir) and then via Howse Pass or Athabaska Pass . The route from Fort Kamloops to Fort Alexandria later featured prominently in

333-691: The Fraser River and the exploration of alternate routes via British territory for the company fur brigades from the seacoast to the Interior was undertaken. Considered among the new routes were what later became known as the Lakes Route and passes in the southern Canadian Cascades later used by the Dewdney Trail and the Crowsnest Highway , but the most viable route was decided to be a difficult crossing of

370-627: The Mullan Road. His journal recorded the route from Coeur d'Alene to the fort along the road built by the U.S. Northwest Boundary Commission above the Spokane River and then along the Fort Walla Walla–Fort Colville Military Road. The original Spokane County , and then after merger with Stevens County Board of County Commissioners often referenced the military road particularly regarding repair of bridges and maintenance of

407-702: The Oregon County with a Hudson Bay Company fur trader caravan to the Rendezvous. They arrived at Waiilatpu and the Whitman Mission on August 29, 1838. For the next nine years under the auspices of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions , the Tshimakain missionaries lived with the Spokane people . On September 16, 1838, Eells conducted the first Protestant service in Stevens County at Chewelah . In

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444-649: The Palouse River and arriving at the Spokane River , where the Pacific Fur Company had a fur trading post called Fort Spokane, across from the North West Company 's Spokan House. A decade later in 1825, under Hudson Bay Company Governor George Simpson 's orders, construction of Fort Colvile began and in April 1826, Spokan House was abandoned. In May 1835, Reverend Samuel Parker described in detail his travel up

481-525: The Spokane Primer, a Salish language primer. This was the first book written in Washington. The winter of 1846-47 was the most severe in the memory of the oldest Indians. It triggered the loss of many domestic animals for Indians and missionaries. On November 29, 1847, Cayuse Indians massacred the members of the Whitman Mission in Walla Walla . Cushing Eells and Elkanah Walker were supposed to be at

518-553: The U.S. Northwest Boundary Commission, made improvements on the wagon road from Fort Colville to the Spokane River to allow survey teams to travel to the international border along the 49th parallel between the Selkirk Mountains and the Rocky Mountains . On September 28, 1860, First lieutenant August Kautz , 4th Infantry , arrived at Fort Colville with 150 recruits from Fort Benton, Montana via Lake Coeur d'Alene along

555-578: The Washington Territory. In 1858, Joseph S. Harris with the U.S. Northwest Boundary Commission described the road between Walla Walla and Colville as an excellent wagon road. In 1859, Captain John Mullan came to Fort Colville to ascertain improvement to the Fort Walla Walla–Fort Colville Military Road in preparation for building the Mullan Road . In spring 1860, R. V. Peabody, Quartermaster of

592-643: The Whitman Mission during the time of the massacre, but Elkanah Walker took ill, and Cushing Eells did not want to leave the families without support. As members of the Oregon Volunteers chased the Indians, it brought them closer to the Tshimakain Mission. One of the Indians involved in the massacre had family at Fool's Prairie, now Chewelah, to the north of the Tshimakain Mission. The Chief Factor John Lee Lewes of Hudson Bay Company Fort Colvile offered to house

629-501: The arrival of Congregationalist missionaries Cushing and Myra Fairbanks Eells and Elkanah and Mary Richardson Walker to the area along Chamokane Creek at the community of Ford, Washington . Fort Colvile Chief Factor Archibald McDonald recommended the area to Eells and Walker on their first visit to the area. On April 23, 1838 after traveling to Independence, Missouri , the Eells, Walkers, William Henry and Mary Augusta Gray, Asa B. and Sarah Smith, and Andrew Rodgers, departed for

666-550: The currents were rapid, so they took the land route twenty-eight miles northeast through basalt formations and then forty miles through fine light loam with brooks, ponds, grass, and trees to Spokan House. He also traveled the northern section of the road in June and then again in August 1811. Soon after in 1812 or 1813, a fur trader competitor, Pacific Fur Company 's Alexander Ross described travelling from Walla Walla to Colville crossing at

703-976: The established trail to avoid Hudson Bay Company lands. As this portion of the road no longer exists and resumes on Aladdin Road, where the military road passed east of the original site of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the Calvary cemetery. Hudson%27s Bay Brigade Trail The Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail , sometimes referred to simply as the Brigade Trail , refers to one of two routes used by Hudson's Bay Company fur traders to transport furs, goods and supplies between coastal and Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver and those in New Caledonia and also in Rupert's Land . Importantly

740-456: The fall of 1839, the missionaries started a school for the local Indians with 30 students rising to 80 over the winter. On January 11, 1840, Eells house burned. Local Indians responded quickly to assist. When the Fort Colvile leader Archibald McDonald heard about the fire, he dispatched four men to make the house habitable. In 1842, Elkanah Walker , with support from Cushing Eells, printed

777-691: The middle section of the road in 1811. In June 1811, after traveling down the Columbia River from the Kettle Falls area to Astoria in a canoe , he returned in August 1811 up the Columbia and Snake River to where the Palouse River joins the Snake River. This was an established camping place for the Nez Perce people , and later Lyons Ferry, and the Snake River Bridge. River levels were still very high and

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814-640: The migration to the Cariboo goldfields and was known to miners using it as the Brigade Trail. The southern part of the trail, between Forts Vancouver and Kamloops, was at this time known as the Okanagan Trail . In anticipation of the division of the Columbia District/ Oregon Country , the company established a new fort just north of the future boundary at Fort Langley on the lower reaches of

851-643: The missionaries up at the fort for their safety. At first they delayed going to the fort as the Spokane People wanted them there and would provide support. As the chase of the Cayuse Indians involved in the massacre stretched out, they finally sought the safety of the fort. Colonel Henry A. G. Lee , Oregon Volunteers called for volunteers to bring the Tshimakain missionaries to the Willamette Valley and safety. Major Joseph Magone with 60 volunteers escorted

888-677: The road becomes State Route 125 (SR 125), and passes the Washington State Penitentiary . Dry land farming starts at the penitentiary walls and continues for much of the route, which crosses the Touchet River , turns east towards Prescott on SR 124 , and follows Smith Springs Road before turning north. Because private property impedes drivers from following the military road into current Columbia County , drivers stay in Walla Walla County until just before crossing

925-472: The road. The historic road and modern driving route begins on Myra Street at Fort Walla Walla , now part of Fort Walla Walla Park. Along Poplar Street, the route passes the Fort Walla Walla Park, heading north on Avery Street, east onto West Rose Street, turning north onto North 13th Avenue and passing through an industrial area for a quarter-mile and under US Route 12 after North 13th Avenue, where

962-504: The route crossed northeast to Fool's Prairie, now called Chewelah , crossing the Colville River near Indian Ridge. Leaving Chewelah to the north, the road passed the St. Francis Regis Mission, a Catholic mission from 1845 to 1869. The military road mostly followed current U.S. Route 395 , passing near Addy . About two miles south of what is now Colville, the military road turned northeast from

999-479: The route then turns onto Waukon Road, followed by another turn to Hallett Road. The road passes through western Spokane County , parallel to SR 231, along several county roads. A monument erected by the Eastern Washington Historical Society to the "Explorers Fur Traders Missionaries Soldiers and Pioneers who made an Indian Trail The Colville Walla Walla Road" is on U.S. Route 2 . Nearby

1036-552: The route turns onto Benge-Washtucna Road and continues for 14 miles to Benge . The town has a historical marker for the Mullan Road and the Stone Corral, as well as a trailhead for the Columbia Plateau Trail . On the east side of Sprague Lake upon entering Lincoln County , Danekas Road then turns into Max Harder Road. At Sprague , the road turns north onto SR 23 , which continues onto SR 231 . After nine miles,

1073-576: The route was that used by the annual " Hudson's Bay Express ", a shipment of the company books and profits to company headquarters. The older of the two routes, and the most used, was from Fort Vancouver via the Columbia and Okanagan Rivers to Fort Shuswap (aka Fort Kamloops , today's City of Kamloops , then via the Bonaparte and Cariboo Plateaus to the Fraser River at Fort Alexandria ). From there

1110-608: The southernmost land claims of the Hudson Bay Company fort began. Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens and the U.S. Army were ordered by the United States Department of State to honor land ownership claims by the Hudson Bay Company. Lugenbeel's command arrived from Fort Walla Walla on June 20, 1859; Pinkney Lugenbeel was later credited with improving and building up the Military Road. The start point

1147-704: The time of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . Portions of the Fraser Canyon route along the Canadian Cascades are maintained as hiking trails by the Fraser Valley Regional District , including the first main ascent from Kequaloose. The Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning is a volunteer organization that builds and maintains trails along the original Brigade routes including the HBC (1849) Heritage Trail,

Fort Walla Walla–Fort Colville Military Road - Misplaced Pages Continue

1184-484: The trail from Hudson Bay Company's Fort Walla Walla, as called Fort Nez Percés , to Fort Colvile. He was tasked by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to search out locations for Protestant missions. Following in September 1838, Reverend Cushing Eells and Reverend Elkanah Walker , American Protestant missionaries, took the trail from the Whitman Mission to Hudson Bay Company Fort Colvile to choose

1221-595: The trail in the summer of 1847. He visited Palouse Falls July 14 and 15, 1847 and drew the first drawing of the falls. His trip is detailed in "Wanderings of an artist among the Indians of North America : from Canada to Vancouver's Island and Oregon through the Hudson's Bay Company's territory and back again" In 1853, Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens mentioned the Walla Walla Colville trail in this report to U.S. Congress regarding viable railroad routes in

1258-614: The trail north, they took a side trip to the Palouse Falls . In June 1841, the party of Lieutenant Robert E. Johnson, United States Navy , of the United States Exploring Expedition took several routes through current Eastern Washington. He described the Walla Walla Colville fur trade route taken by Horatio Hale , as the most direct route from north to south in Eastern Washington. In 1847, Paul Kane traveled

1295-486: Was Fort Walla Walla , a U.S. Army post established in 1858 with both infantry and cavalry . It closed September 28, 1910. The end point was Fort Colville , a U.S. Army post located three miles north of current Colville, Washington. Fort Colville closed in 1882. The road became the Fort Walla Walla –Fort Colville Military Road. Various Indian tribes used the trail to travel to Kettle Falls for salmon and for trade between people. David Thompson , fur trader , traveled

1332-414: Was living west of the Cascade Mountains, he came and offered prayer in the new church some 54-years to the day after he first camped on the site. He gifted a bell for this church. He bought it in New York and paid for it a few days before his death. During their time with the Spokane People teaching their faith, they never had a convert to their faith. But, in the spring of 1873, Spokane Garry invited

1369-480: Was submerged under Long Lake in 1915. SR 231 goes west of Long Lake Dam, and reconnects with the military road near the town of Ford. The highway passes the historic Tshimakain Mission and travels through Springdale, Washington , where the military road moved to the west side of the Colville River Valley on Long Prairie Road. The 1859 route of Archibald Campbell and the U.S. Northwest Boundary Commission and field notes from Lieutenant August Kautz indicated that

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