Walking in His Footsteps

     Recently Jayme and I spent a little time in Park City, Utah and while there we drove over the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway into Wyoming.  The Scenic Byway ends in Evanston and is about 30 miles from Fort Bridger.  
     Prior to becoming a fort this was the site of Jim Bridger's Trading Post.   Before 1853, the transcontinental trails (including the Oregon and California Trails) passed by this post.  
     In 1849, my father-in-law's great-grandfather, James T. Lorton, traveled from Missouri to California along the California and Lassen Trail.  So most likely he would have passed by and spent time at Jim Bridger's Trading Post.  While at the location of the re-creation of the Trading Post we were able to walk along the path of these trails.   
     

A re-creation of Jim Bridger's Trading Post

It gave me chills to walk along the California Trail.

This wagon is standing along the original trail in front of the Trading Post.

     It is unfortunate but while traveling to California in 1849, William Lorton and Elizabeth Williams Lorton, James' parents both passed away.  We are not sure of the exact location of their death or burial.  But in 1849, James Lorton arrived in California as a fourteen year-old orphan.  

Lassen Trail Blog Entry