Route of Historic Applegate Trail - Jackson County, OR - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

This historical marker is part of a series of historical markers located all around Klamath and Jackson Counties and commissioned by both the Klamath County Historical Society and the Southern Oregon Historical Society.

This particular T-marker showcases the three main sources of travel through this area. The very historic Applegate Trail, the First Public Wagon Road (in Oregon?), and the Southern Oregon Wagon Road. These three routes were a major source of travel for settlers, men traveling to and from California during the California Gold Rush days and for commerce travel, i.e., men bringing food and supplies from one town/encampment to another.

The marker text reads:

ROUTE OF
HISTORIC APPLEGATE TRAIL 1846 - 1869
FIRST PUBLIC WAGON ROAD 1869 - 1874
SOUTHERN ORE. WAGON ROAD 1874 - 1919
Southern Oregon Historical Society 1976

Be sure to click the link provided below to learn much more about the history of the Applegate Trail. Also of note is the fact that nearby Emigrant Lake is named after the pioneers who first traveled through this area in search of homesteading the nearby Rogue Valley and Willamette Valley in north-central Oregon.

Road of Trail Name: Applegate Trail State: Oregon County: Jackson Historical Significance: The Applegate Trail is an alternate southern route of the Oregon Trail and was blazed from west to east, intersecting the California Trail at the Humboldt River. It is historically linked to the Oregon Trail in that it was developed as an alternative route into Oregon that avoided the obstacles of the Burnt River Canyon, the Blue Mountains, and the Columbia River. After its opening, Oregonians used part of the Applegate Trail to travel back and forth to California’s gold fields. As designated by Congress under the National Trails System Act, the Applegate Trail is a branch of the California National Historic Trail. Years in use: 1846-1919 How you discovered it: I spotted the bright yellow 'T' marker on the side of the road and knew it was a historical marker based off of many previous 'T' markers I've waymarked all over southern Oregon and northern California. Book on Wagon Road or Trial: http://emigranttrailswest.org/trail-guides-for-purchase/applegate-trail-guide/ http://www.amazon.com/The-Applegate-Trail-1846-Documentary/dp/1889082007 http://www.amazon.com/Over-Applegate-Trail-Oregon-1846/dp/0936738812/ref=pd_sim_b_3 Website Explination: http://www.oregonhistorictrailsfund.org/trails/california-applegate-national-historic-trail-1846-1883/ Why?: These three routes were a major source of travel for settlers, men traveling to and from California during the California Gold Rush days and for commerce travel, i.e., men bringing food and supplies from one town/encampment to another. During the Gold Rush years, the Applegate Trail was used also to reach mining towns in northern California by way of the Lassen Trail, Nobles Trail, and Yreka Trail. Directions: The waymark location is just off Hwy 66. My posted coordinates will place you at a dirt road turnoff on the right. There's plenty of room to park and get out and survey the scenery that these emigrants traveled through over 150 years ago.

Visit Instructions:
To post a log for this Waymark the poster must have a picture of either themselves, GPSr, or mascot. People in the picture with information about the waymark are preferred. If the waymarker can not be in the picture a picture of their GPSr or mascot will qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule.

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