Printed on back: Note the two parallel trails in this view and how they come together on the ascending ground; these Trails were four feet deep on the lower levels and near seven on the upper stretch.
A montage of photos from Ezra Meeker's two wagon crossings of the Old Oregon Trail between 1906-1912. We see two different views of the ox team and covered wagon, two commemorative markers placed on the trail, and a portrait of a bearded, bespectacled Meeker.
Printed on front: Ezra Meeker Enroute, On the Plains, 1st Boulder Marked, Summit of Rocky Mts.
Ezra Meeker, a Washington State pioneer, undertook two re-crossing of the Old Oregon Trail between 1906-1912 to raise commemorative markers for its original pioneers. This photo was taken on the eve of his departure for the first trip. Camp 1, as he called it, was on the lawn of his own house. The Meeker Mansion was a 17- room structure built in 1890. Meeker was correct in predicting that the building would last long into the future. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and serves as a museum in the city of Puyallup.
Printed on front: Ezra Meeker's Homestead, Puyallup, Wash. Camp No. 1, Old Oregon Trail Monument Expedition January 29th, 1906.
Printed on back: Standing upon a solid stone foundation, built of six varieties of native wood, furniture finished inside, heavily sanded in oil outside, barring accidents, this residence will remain for centuries.
Printed on back: This view was taken a few moments prior to the commencement of service dedicating the childrens monument shown elsewhere in this collection. More than 5000 people attended.
Jim, a Scotch collie, accompanied Ezra Meeker on at least the first of his two rigorous wagon re-crossings of the Old Oregon Trail between 1906-1912. These trips were undertaken to raise commemorative markers along the way.
Printed on back: This faithful dog has been with the expedition from the start. Jim has had more adventures than any other dog living; run over by a trolley car, then again by a heavily loaded truck where the other dog was killed that he was fighting and he nearly so; then hooked over the fence by an irrate cow and again by Dave thrown over a sage brush; then again kicked into the air by a vicious horse and then again tackled by a wolf and finally lost in New York City for three days. Yet ever ready to stand guard over the wagon, never willing to ride while the team is in motion; Jim is indeed a great dog.
Printed on back: Once so vast in number but now extinct on the Plains this illustration will revive the memories of Pioneers of what was so often seen and quite too often dreaded in the wild stampedes led by just such fellows as here illustrated.
Printed on back: This beautiful group of elk typifies scenes of early days, but this was before the advent of the camera. Like the view, however, now at rare intervals gladden the heart of the hunters, not only in the Rockies yet also the Olympic, even above the clouds.
Ezra Meeker walks slightly ahead of his ox team, who are straining to pull the covered wagon up a jagged, rocky path. This photo was taken during Meeker's second re-crossing of the Old Oregon Trail, which he undertook to raise commemorative markers for its original pioneers.
Printed on front: A difficult Drive, Snake River, Idaho, 1910.
Ezra Meeker, clad in long coat and skull cap, oversees and assists the smithies in shoeing his oxen, Twist and Dave. Meeker is preparing the ox team to drive a covered wagon across the Old Oregon Trail on the first of his two monument- marking expeditions.
Printed on front: Shoeing the Oxen, Seattle, 1906.
Printed on back: With light cattle on the plains in pioneer days, shoeing was not so imperative; but with a heavy team (nearly a ton each) of 1906 the case was different and caused much anxiety and care. Once, on the summit of the Rocky Mountains and above the clouds we had to throw the Dave Ox to get a shoe on him; two shoes to each foot; nailed into the hoof, same as with the horses; shod 17 times during the whole trip.
Ezra Meeker, Washington pioneer and original traveler of the Oregon Trail in 1852, is shown here with his wagon, trusty dog Jim, and a crowd of onlookers as he travels down a street in Indiana. Meeker re-crossed the Old Oregon Trail twice by ox-team and wagon between 1906-1911, raising commemorative markers along the way. This photo was taken during his second journey.
Printed on front: On the Street, Terre Haute, Ind. 1910.
Printed on back: This remarkable nice view, one of many hundreds taken, shows the fine details of the wagon better than usual, even to the linch pin, if the reader will look closely; the famous hub (front wheel) that did service across the Plains 58 years ago is here seen set "sound as a dollar."
Five photos of markers erected by the Meeker Oregon Trail Monument Expedition, ranging from a simple engraved boulder to large stone pillars. Meeker stands by the monument in Boise, Idaho, which is almost twice his height.
Printed on front: Oregon Trail Monuments Boise, Idaho First Boulder Marked Pocatello, Idaho Summit Monument, Rocky Mts. Baker City, Ore.
