Free Emigrant Road - Westfir, Oregon - USA
Posted by: 
TheBeanTeam
N 43° 45.541 W 122° 31.960
10T E 537619 N 4845214
The Free Emigrant Road was primarily used in 1853-54 with 2500 pioneers passing by. Known also as The Elliot Cutoff for one of the first trains to attempt its passing it became famous as the route of the "Lost Wagon Train"
Waymark Code: WMJ7NX
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 10/07/2013
Views: 5
In 2004 the Northwest Youth Corp. partnered with the Oakridge Westfir Pioneer Museum to record the route of the historic road. The museum was given a grant by the Oregon Trail Historical Fund and the youth corp worked with a private surveyor in establishing the exact location of the road. The NYC also was to assist in erecting permanent monuments along the route. One of these monuments is found near Westfir, Oregon and is titled
The Free Emigrant Road . It reads as follows:
Free Emigrant Road
2,000 Pioneers
Passed by here
1853-1854
The most famous group of migrants to pass this location was known as "The Lost Wagon Train". According to the Lane County Historical Society The Lost Wagon Train was made up of 615 men, and 412 women. Totaling 1,027 persons who crossed the deserts and marshes of Eastern Oregon and the Cascade mountain range in 215 wagons They made the crossing with 3,970 cattle, 1,700 sheep, 222 horses, and 64 mules.
After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets, climbing over logs, wading down streams, their provisions gave out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything the could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and got on his horse to spread the news. There was not a moment's delay in the efforts of the settlers and to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief.
James Addison Bushnell, emigrant of 1852,
whose family followed Elliott across the Free Emigrant Road in 1853
From: End of the Oregon Trail