Departure Point of The Donner Party - Springfield, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 39° 48.040 W 089° 38.919
16S E 273241 N 4408989
On April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the 2500 mile journey to California, in what would become one of the greatest tragedies in the history of westward migration, commemorated by this marker.
Waymark Code: WMJDXG
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2013
Views: 7
Inscription: "Lincoln Square marks the Departure Point of the Donner Party on April 15, 1846 for their ill-fated trip to California.
Placed by W A Bose Society Children of the American Revolution April 15, 1957."
Thirty three residents of Springfield were in the group totaling 87. The journey lasted a year and covered 2500 miles heading to California, during which the group encountered snowy weather, poor trails, Indian attacks and food shortages. They were doomed by misinformation on the trail they chose to follow. 41 died. Relief parties found evidence of cannibalism. See the Legends of America site (
visit link) for a great synopsis of the tale.