1834 Wyeth “Oregon Trail” Route

Contributed by Steve F. Russell

During the 1830s, Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth (1802–1856) played a significant role in the development of what would become known as the Oregon Trail. In Independence, Missouri, he joined forces with William Sublette, and they traveled to the 1832 Pierre’s Hole Rendezvous via the Platte River, South Pass, and the upper Green River. Guided by Milton Sublette, he continued to the Snake River. Wyeth then took a route to present Boise, Idaho, over the Blue Mountains, and down the Columbia to Fort Vancouver. His efforts during this decade included founding Fort Hall and Fort William. Wyeth’s journey contributed to the eventual influx of American settlers and the development of Oregon Country.—KKT, ed.