The Perilous Journey of the 1870 Pioneer Party
A survivor recounts the arduous trek through Snoqualmie Pass, a journey marked by the loss of a child and the forging of new lives in the wilderness.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
George P. Boyce, a farmer residing on the Snoqualmie river, told of his advent into Western Washington: 'Fourteen years ago, I, along with several of my neighbors, got the Northern Pacific railroad fever, and selling out, we started for Western Washington. We had seven wagons and seven good teams. We numbered 22, including men, women and children. We had heard of the Snoqualmie pass being the only practicable route through the Cascade mountains, and determined to cross that way, which we did with our seven wagons, not, however without considerable difficulty. It was in the fall of the year, and I wintered in Squak valley, with the late Wm. Pickering. While in the mountains one of my little boys was taken down with diphtheria, and died before we could do anything for him. His remains were brought to Seattle, and buried in the city cemetery.'
“We numbered 22, including men, women and children. We had heard of the Snoqualmie pass being the only practicable route through the Cascade mountains.”
Snoqualmie Pass remains the central artery for transit across the Cascades, but in 1870, it was a harrowing, months-long ordeal for immigrant families. The story highlights how pioneer mobility was often purchased with devastating personal loss, a stark contrast to today’s hour-long commute.
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