#622 - Harry Wade Exit Route
Posted by: 
chaosmanor
N 35° 37.989 W 116° 17.455
11S E 564203 N 3943492
This marker notes the approximate spot where Harry Wade and his family found the Spanish Trail after leaving a larger party in Death Valley, in 1849.
Waymark Code: WMC86R
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/07/2011
Views: 17
This particular marker is interesting more in what it *doesn't* say than in what it does, and the story told here is amazing enough.
The Wade family was part of the Bennett-Arcan party that was guided by William Lewis Manly through Death Valley late in 1849. The memoirs of Manly (available for free at Project Gutenberg: www.gutenberg.org) are fascinating reading, but he makes no mention of the Wades in them. Piecing together the story takes some time and patience, especially as there were several "ill-fated" caravans that trekked through Death Valley in 1849.
The well-graded dirt road that runs west from the marker follows the approximate route that the Wades took out of Death Valley; it joins the paved N-S road through Death Valley National Park near Shoreline Butte.
Two interesting bits of information: first, while the marker was dedicated on the date cited, below, it was registered by the COHP on 9 October, 1957; second, in 1994, Death Valley National Monument became a National Park, and was increased in size by about a third. The new southern boundary runs along the north side of the dirt road.
Marker Number: 622.00
Marker Name: Harry Wade Exit Route
County: San Bernardino
Has Official CA Plaque: yes
Marker Dedication Date: 11/08/1957
Location:
On the west side of Calif. State Highway 127, 30 miles north of Baker, at milepost 29.8, near the Dumont Dunes OHV area, and at the southeast corner of Death Valley NP.
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Feel free to post a picture of you at the landmark site, but a photo is not required to log a visit.