History 1840 - 1867

1844 - STEPHENS/TOWNSEND/MURPHY PARTY 

People who have visited the Emigrant Gap View Exit off I-80 have read the historic marker that details how the pioneers lowered their wagons down from the ridge of Emigrant Gap to Bear Valley.  There are those who say you can still see the scars of the ropes on the trees and  the large cut out on the hillside from the wagons being lowered. 

The first wagon train to cross the Sierras was the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party of 1844. They took a turn off the Oregon Trail along the Snake River by following the Raft River to the City of Rocks in Idaho.  Then they went over the Big Basin continental divide to reach the area that is now Wells, Nevada.

They followed the Humboldt River then through the 40 mile desert. They traveled along the Truckee River to Donner Lake crossed the Sierra crest through Donner Pass.  They had to partially disassemble their wagons and haul the pieces up to the summit.   Once on top, the remaining wagons were reassembled. From there they proceeded down the Sierra through Emigrant Gap. 

They were caught by early winter snows and abandoned their wagons near Emigrant Gap (most likely in Yuba Bottoms between Yuba Gap and Emigrant Gap on the Yuba River).  From there they hiked out of the mountains and were rescued by a party from Sutter's Fort on 24 February 1845.

Unlike the Donner Party,  this wagon train did not see a loss of life or the tragedies that the Donner Party suffered at Donner Lake. 

Our school teacher in Emigrant Gap (since retired) is a descendant of one of the members of this party.  

1845 - JOHN C FREMONT EXPEDITION 

Early in our Emigrant Gap area history (and before the town), it is believed that non-wagon travelers followed the ridge from Emigrant Gap and ventured into the American River Canyon (Rio de los Americanos) for a faster route to Sutter's Fort. In fact, it is likely that John C. Fremont traveled through Emigrant Gap in his December 1845 Expedition.

It is believed his party of 15 followed a Native American Trail, camped in Six Mile Valley near what is now Lake Valley Reservoir, caught sight of Bear Valley and the Emigrant Wagon Trail from on high near the site of the old Nyack Lodge, then rather than turning north, followed the south side of the ridge (probably close to what is now I-80) through stands of pines until they reached Canyon Creek (near Gold Run) and finally descended into the American River Canyon.

I recently found some additional historical information about the Gap area.  The reference was from a 49er (John C Markle) who traveled by land to California and called out a few of Fremont's topographical landmarks. The first - the members of the expedition set up camps which allowed them to explore the areas of the sierra (creating maps, noting wildlife and vegetation).  While at one of these camps (just below us at Lowell Ridge), they stripped a large cedar of its branches and raised a flag.  The flag could not be a US flag since the land that was being surveyed actually belonged to Spain.  So Fremont's wife crafted a special flag for him to use.  Below are the two examples of flags that Fremont used in his California expeditions.  The second - beyond the flagpole, Fremont wrote about a huge tree that a person could use for shelter.  That tree was somewhere between Emigrant Gap and Colfax/Grass Valley and unfortunately was burned to the ground when some "shelterers" lit a fire inside and burn the core of the tree. 

Here is the text reference from John Markle to the flagpole.  

Here are a few URLS that provide information about Fremont's expedition:

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper/HNS/Domwest/mcauley.html

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AAZ9580.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext;q1=John+C.+Fremont

http://collections.theautry.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=M231780;type=101

file:///Users/Carol/Downloads/Diary-of-John-Markle-1849-Letter-to-the-Donner-Trail-Marking-Expedition-from-Wendell-Robie-1940-1.pdf

https://www.octa-journals.org/merrill-mattes-collection/the-travels-of-a-gold-digger-enroute-to-california-john-a-markle

https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/projects/catalog/expeditions-of-john-charles-fremont

http://collections.theautry.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=M231780;type=101

John C Fremont Website:
 http://www.longcamp.com/calif_routes_45-46/1845_pass_route.html

Donner Summit Historical Society, December 2011:       http://donnersummithistoricalsociety.org/PDFs/newsletters/news11/june11.pdf

Geographical Memior Upon Upper California:
http://www.archive.org/details/cihm_16686

Memiors of My Life (by John C Fremont):

http://www.archive.org/stream/cihm_14127/cihm_14127_djvu.txt

1846 - DONNER PARTY CONNECTION

In 1846, members of the ill-fated Donner Party were camped near what is now known as Donner Lake.  They were running low on provisions and had made the decision to send out a rescue party called "Forlorn Hope" believing that it's members would reach help in the Sacramento foothills and get relief.

The rescue party started out on hand crafted snowshoes on Dec 16, 1846.and consisted of the following individuals: Mr. Graves, Patrick Dolen, Jay Fosdick, C.F. Stanton, Antonio, a Mexican, Lemuel Murphy, Lewis and Salvadore, Indians, Wm. H. Eddy, Wm. Foster, Mrs. McCutchem, Mrs. Fosdick, Miss Mary Graves, Mrs. Foster and Mr. Pike.  
They followed a route over the summit that would have taken them into Emigrant Gap area, starting at Hampshire Rocks, continuing through Six Mile Valley.  From the west end of Six Mile Valley, they traveled to a small valley below a low spot on a ridge (most likely Emigrant Gap).

The Emigrant Gap ridge separates the American River drainage (on the south-east) from the Bear River drainage (on the north-west).  Heading north, a short climb would have brought them to the Bear Valley descent (the most common way for wagon trains to travel through the Sierra and quicker access to help).  

Unfortunately, the rescue team turned south near Six Mile Valley and headed through the American River Canyon (now a wild and scenic river area).  They probably camped near Onion Valley then traveled on to Humbug Bar and Euchre Bar where they could see the Sacramento valley and salvation. This would have been an almost impossible feat for people on foot to accomplish, let alone snowshoes. It is believed that the starving group camped near what is not the North Fork Campground.  They huddled under one wool blanket, trying to keep warm.  One of their group got such bad hypothermia, that he ran off into the forest and froze to death there. 

An even sadder note, Mr Reed (who had been kicked out the the main Donner Group earlier in their expedition) had reached the safety of Sutter's Fort before the wagon train stopped at Donner Lake, and became worried when the train did not arrive when he expected.  He pleaded with John C Fremont to form a rescue party to go to Yuba Flats (where the Murphy Townsend wagon train had gotten stuck) to find the Donner train.  He even promised to serve in Fremont's military militia for two years as payment for his assistance.  About the time the Forlorn Hope party was traveling through Emigrant Gap, the Sutter Fort rescue group had traveled from Sutter's Fort to Yuba Bottoms (down the bluff from Emigrant Gap).  Mr Reed could see the snow-capped Emigrant Gap area above but could not reach the area because the the snow.  It is possible both rescue groups were within a few miles of each other at this time and yet, did not connect.. Eventually the Sutter Fort rescue group reached the Donner party, with food and help - but not until after about 1/2 of the Donner party had lost their lives. 

1860 - THE BIG FOUR AND WILSON RANCH

Early maps of the Judah Survey for the Transcontinental Railroad show that there was a ranch and stagecoach stop located in Emigrant Gap.  The owner, Andrew Wilson built his ranch house close to the headwaters of what is now known as Fulda Creek (near the current site of the Sierra Woods Hotel).  Wilson's ranch, Wilson's ravine and Wilson's creek were called out on several early maps of the area.  

Wilson's Ranch would have been a stagecoach stop for the Truckee Trail (which was established in 1844 by the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party).  The Truckee Trail went from Donner Lake, over the summit and down the steep granite cliffs to Emigrant Gap. Wagon Trains then lowered their wagons by rope into Bear Valley before continuing to Sutter's Fort. By 1849, Kit Carson Trail was created which was an easier route for wagon trains. 

Reference to this ranch stopped abruptly as plans for the DFDLWR (Dutch Flat to Donner Lake Wagon Road) were drawn.  There is mention that Strong and Judah took possession of Wilson's abandoned cabin shortly after 8am on October 28, 1860 after fleeing their camp at Donner Pass during a snowstorm.
We have to wonder if the ranch was indeed abandoned or if the Big Four bought out or pushed out the original owner. No matter which case, the Wagon Road was completed and by 1865, the California Stage Company began running stages to Virginia City.  

Wilson Ranch was a regular stop along the route. And Wilson ran a Post Office in the area until 1868. In 1868, the town was renamed Emigrant Gap.
Early Survey Maps Dutch Flat to Donner Lake Wagon Road (DFDLWR):

www.cprr.org/Museum/Maps/DutchFlatRd_1866.htmlwww./cprr.org/Museum/Maps/California_Survey_Maps/_ca_survey_maps_05.html

www.genealogytrails.com/cal/placer/obit/obit1883.html

There is mention of an Andrew Wilson in the Auburn Obituaries, 1883.  However there is no way to know if the is the same Wilson that owned the ranch in Emigrant Gap.

A man named Andrew Wilson, an invalid and a newcomer to Auburn, died rather suddenly at the residence of Mr. W. A. Jackson on Sunday evening. He had some from San Francisco only a few weeks ago for his health, but he was in the last stages of consumption. On Saturday he felt unusually well and went out for a walk to the depot, but at the crown of the hill in front of the Catholic Church, he was taken with a coughing spell which led to a series of hemorrhages which so weakened him that he fell to the ground and had to be carried back to his lodgings. He received all necessary attention, but his case was beyond mortal help. He is spoken of as a perfect gentleman, both in dress and manners. He was unmarried and had no relatives on this coast. [Placer Argus, Auburn, Thursday, 4-26-1883. Submitted by KKM]

In 1864, the big 4 had a report and survey done at Emigrant Gap and beyond in part to determine where the new railroad line should be started.  Here is a link to the report of the Chief Engineer of the CPRR that talks about Emigrant Gap (page 38):

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=5kEKAAAAIAAJ&pg=GBS.RA1-PA4&printsec=frontcover

1866 –  FROM STAGECOACH STOP TO RAILROAD TOWN

The Transcontinental Railroad brought as many as 2800 people to Emigrant Gap area.  The small stagecoach town became a larger railroad town by July 1866 with completion of the Sacramento to Emigrant Gap Rail Line.  The line included Tunnel 1 at Grizzly Hill and Tunnel 2 - 1 mile east of Emigrant Gap (completed Sept 1).  

Tunnels 1 and 2, known as Grizzly Hill Tunnel and Emigrant Gap Tunnel respectively, were located well west of Cisco. Crews completed both by September 1866. Tunnel 1, completed during the summer, was one mile west of Blue Canyon and 77 miles east of Sacramento. As-built it was Its 498 feet long, 232 feet of which were timber lined. Tunnel 2, just east of Emigrant Gap and 84 miles from Sacramento, was completed in September 1866, and was 271 feet long and completely lined in timber.  Here are early photos of Tunnel 1 - Grizzly Hill from the west and east. 




By 1866, the town included the following:

• China Camp for the Chinese laborers who worked to build Tunnel 1 and 2.  

• Sawmill, owned and operated by Samuel Putnam and his brother. (Samuel Putnam later became proprietor of the Putnam House in Auburn and passed away February 19, 1882).

The sawmill workers often used the flumes to ride from the higher elevations (like Emigrant Gaps Monumental Sawmill) to town (Dutch Flat).  Here is a graphic of how the flumes were used for these rides and a photo of the Monumental Sawmill at Emigrant Gap.  

Old Man Mountain from the train

West from Tunnel 2