Printed on back: This group illustrates the character of Monuments erected on the Oregon Trail during the drive of summer 1906; Native Granite; 27 in all; numerous boulders marked; erected by citizens; school children or Ladies' Aid Societies at the instance of Ezra Meeker.
Ezra Meeker, Washington pioneer and original traveler of the Oregon Trail in 1852, is shown here re-crossing the trail in 1910 to raise commemorative monuments along the way. Meeker's wagon is far off on the plain, while Meeker himself travels ahead on foot. The Snake River is just visible at left.
Printed on front: A sage plain, Snake River, Idaho. 1910.
Printed on back: To the readers left is shown a glimpse of Snake River; to the right irrigation works preparatory to carrying the water around a difficult point. This apparently barren waste will yield marvelous crops when the water reaches the land.
Ezra Meeker stands beside his wagon, with driver William Mardon, oxen Twist and Dave, and a few curious bystanders. An ornate Portland mansion rises behind them. The banner on Meeker's wagon indicates that this photo was taken on the first of his two wagon re-crossings of the Oregon Trail between 1906-1912. The banner exclaims that he "left Puyallup near Tacoma Jan. 29th 1906", and is headed for Washington D.C. It also advertises the series of post cards he offers for sale.
Printed on front: A typical Residence Portland, Oregon.
Printed on back: This residence stands where dense forests stood in the then village of Portland, within a few hundred feet of where Ezra Meeker landed in 1852; now surrounded by stately residences and in close proximity to "Sky Scrapers" destined soon to banish it to more quiet regions.
A map showing the "Line of Original Emigration to the Pacific Northwest commonly known as the Old Oregon Trail." This card was part of a series sold by Washington State pioneer Ezra Meeker between 1906-1912. During this period, Meeker, one of the first emigrants to cross the trail in 1852, re-crossed it again twice by ox team and wagon, raising monuments along the way to commemorate the Trail's original pioneers.
Printed on front: The Old Oregon Trail. The famous Trail, shown on the map, the natural gateway to the Pacific, may be said to date back to the discovery of the South pass of the Rocky Mountains in 1822 by Etienne Provost, although sections of it had been traversed by hardy adventurers in the early part of the seventeenth century. After the buffaloes came the Indians, followed in turn by trappers and traders, and these by the the intrepid missionariies who pointed the way for that mightiest migration of the world's history, the home builders of the Pacific Northwest, to the Oregon country. History does not record so great a movement for so great a distance as this, over a 2,000 mile stretch of an unknown country from the Missouri River to the Pacific coast. The Mormons in 1846 and the gold seekers of Californina in '49 followed the Oregon Trail for more than a thousand miles to the big bend of the Bear River and contended for possession of the single trail then existing, with the still passing throng to Oregon, until in later years parallel tracks were worn deep for long distances as the multitudes jostled each other in their weary westward journey. The Oregon Trail is without its parallel of picturesque sceneries, its tragedies and legends of heroism, that some day will lend a theme for an imperishable epic to go down into history for all ages, as has already been the physical marks along the way to point the spots where the multitudes passed and suffered and died.
Card bearing image of Ezra Meeker surrounded by his faithful dog Jim, wagon driver H. Mardon, oxen Dandy and Dave, and his original covered wagon. Washington pioneer Ezra Meeker came to the Pacific Northwest by wagon via the Oregon Trail in 1852. He made two trail re-crossings from 1906-1908 and 1910-1912 to raise markers along the way, commemorating the Oregon Trail's original emigrants. He sold a series of post cards to help fund the trips and raise the monuments.
Printed on front: Oregon Trail Monument Expedition 1906-1911.
Printed on back: Fifth anniversary Souvenir Card of the Oregon Trail Monument Expedition; left Puyallup Washington on January 29, 1906; erected 27 monuments, inscribed seventeen boulders, and otherwisemarked the Trail on the way; arrived at Missouri River crossing, Oct. 9th; thence drove to Washington City; arrived Nov. 29, 1907; interviewed President Roosevelt; procured introduction of bill in Congress appropriating $50,000 to complete the work; expedition returned home 1908; second trip made 1910; trail located, platted, cost of monumenting estimated; now enroute to Washington City; will there report findings to Congress; estimated number of monuments 700; cost $85,000 ; is forerunner of greater monument to be known as Pioneer Way 2,200 miles along the Oregon Trail; distance driven 8500 miles. Ages: Ezra Meeker 80 years; Mardon 36; Jim 7; Dave 10; Dandy 10; Wagon (in part) 60. Reader, write your Congressman to favor this work; advocate it in the home; the church; lecture halls; streets; its a great work to thus record history, honor the memories of the Winners of the farther west and build up patriotism in the breasts of countless generations to follow. Dayton, Ohio. Jan. 29th, 1911.
Fairly common view of downtown Tacoma for the time period, with pedestrians bustling about, and a streetcar and automobiles featured. The Equitable Building, built in 1891 as the Merchants National Bank, and renamed in 1897 is to the left--and the building to the right was demolished in 1920 to make way for the Rust Building.
Printed on front: Eleventh Street, Tacoma, Washington.
Broad view of northern downtown Tacoma, with Old City Hall and the Northern Pacific Headquarters to the right, the railyards to the left, and Mount Rainier in the distance.
