1836 Whitman Route Auto Tour

Chuck and Suzanne Hornbuckle led a great two-day tour of Marcus Whitman's1836 route across the Blue Mountains. The June 10th and 11th tour followed as closely as possible Whitman's horse route from LaGrande to Pendleton. One of the major goals for this trip is to see if the curious structure built by Chuck Hornbuckle in 1998 still exists. (See 1998 Whitman Route trek). Part of it was used for firewood but the most important part, the throne, remained.

After crossing the Blue Mountains one-hundred sixty-four years ago,Whitman and Spaulding went on to establish missions near Wallula and Lapwai.This part of their trek presented some of the most rugged, and scenic, terrain of their journey. Narcissa noted the steep, rocky trail, and later that day, the spectacular sunset as the Columbia Plateau came into view.

The tour group consisted of (l to r front to rear) Chuck Fisk, Wayne Burck, Mary Burck,
Tom Laidlaw, Anne Bentley, Judith Bentley, Tuck Forsythe, Suzanne Hornbuckle, Chuck Hornbuckle.

This is Five Point Creek, site of the Whitman campsite the night of Aug. 28, 1836. In later years it was the site of logging operations and there remains a litter of one gallon juice cans on the ground.

The former logging road has been closed here so we had to travel about 35 miles to get about 1 mile from this point and the continuation of the route.

Ode to a Privy
 (to the tune of "Take me Out to the Ball Game)

So-o,

Give three cheers for old Chu-uck
he's brought us out of the muck...
For it's first class lu-ux-u-ry
at the new privy!

By Mary Jacq Burck,
Nov. 7, 2000

Northwest Chapter Oregon-California Trails Association