Meek Cutoff

For the 2010 film, see Meek's Cutoff.

The Meek Cutoff was a covered wagon road that branched off the Oregon Trail in northeastern Oregon. First used in 1845, it left the trail at Vale, Oregon, followed the Malheur River, heading southwest into the Harney Basin. It then turned west towards Wagontire Mountain, and north to the south fork of the Crooked River where it split into two routes. Each path led to the Deschutes River. The two routes reunited north of where the Crooked River empties into the Deschutes and then continued to The Dalles, Oregon.

The road is named for frontiersman Stephen Meek, who was hired to lead the first wagon train along it. The journey was a particularly hard one, and many of the pioneers lost their lives.

A sketch of a covered wagon

History

In 1845 there were rumors circulating among the emigrants on the Oregon Trail that the Walla Walla and Cayuse Indians might possibly attack the settlers in the Blue Mountains of Oregon or along the Columbia River. Reports of threats came in conjunction with the murder of two Frenchmen in the area.^[1] Stephen Meek, the older brother of Joe Meek, was an experienced fur trapper and explorer who made his living as a wagon train guide. Meek was unemployed at the time but was considered to be someone who was familiar with eastern Oregon. When he offered the emigrants an alternate route to avoid the Blue Mountains many decided to follow him.^[2] Some 200 wagons and 1,000 people turned off the primary Oregon Trail at Vale and followed Meek into the Oregon desert where no wagons had traveled before.

Blazing a new trail

Meek led the wagon train southwest through the Malheur Mountains. They followed the Malheur River south at first but were soon forced up onto the bench. As they progressed the road became stonier. It was so hard on the oxen that several died each day.^[3] During this part of the journey there was one especially difficult ascent. In order to reach a ridge west of the North Fork of the Malheur River, the emigrants were forced to climb a steep, narrow ravine choked with boulders. One emigrant wrote about moving “ten thousand stones” in order to make a roadbed. A number of wagons were damaged during the 1,000 foot climb.^[4]

Meek continued southwest and led the wagon train into the Harney Basin to Wagontire Mountain, in a region known today as the Oregon High Desert. Wagontire Mountain received this name from later settlers because a wagon tire was found there. Here the emigrants camped by the Lost Hollow Spring. There was water but not an ample supply for the emigrants and all their livestock. As emigrants further back in the train continued to arrive, circumstances in the camp became desperate. Water quickly became scarce and many ran out of their staple supplies. In a weakened condition, the travellers became sick. Mountain Fever and other ailments began to overcome large numbers, especially the children and elders.^[5]

For weeks the emigrants had been finding out how unfamiliar Meek was with the area, especially as the wagons followed a serpentine route down into Harney Valley. However, there was always enough grass and water to get by. But now as the train became stalled by the Lost Hollow Spring tensions reached a boiling point. Scouts were sent out in all directions looking for water and they searched for long distances but all came back empty handed. The search continued for five days until Buck Creek was found, some 25 miles due north. The emigrants immediately left for Buck Creek but from this point on they were no longer following Stephen Meek.^[6]

During this period of the journey - while emigrants were driving their livestock throughout the night to water – the John Herren family reportedly found some gold nuggets, which led to the legend of the Lost Blue Bucket Mine. The name came from the story later circulated by some of the emigrants. The Herrens reported that if they had remained at their campsite they could have filled a blue bucket with gold nuggets. This place has never been found, but if it exists it is thought by some to be between Wagontire Mountain and the south fork of the Crooked River.^[7]

The train splits

When the train reached the springs at the south fork one group turned west while the other continued north. It is not known which direction Meek went as he was no longer leading the train. Those who turned north went along Steen’s Ridge where wagon ruts can still be seen today. Their goal was to follow the Crooked River west. The southern group continued west along the north side of Hampton Butte and then followed Bear Creek. Eventually they reached the Deschutes River where Bend, Oregon is today, and then followed the Deschutes north. This group suffered more for lack of supplies, so they sent a relief party ahead to the Dalles. The relief party thought it would be a two day journey, but it took them ten days. When they arrived at The Dalles they were in a starving condition, and some of the men needed help dismounting their horses.^[8]

While the relief party was gathering supplies, the wagon train struggled northward to Sherars Falls where the emigrants were forced to winch their wagons over the torrent of the Deschutes River. The wagons were taken completely apart to facilitate the dangerous crossing. The starving and exhausted emigrants finally reached The Dalles in October, having suffered 23 known deaths and probably many more.

Samuel Parker entered in his diary on August 24, 1845:

"Tuck what is called Meeks cutoff"

And later added:

"A bad cutoff for all that tuck it."

As they crossed the Malheur highlands Parker would make remarks about the sharp rocks they had to drive over:

August 30th - "Rock all day, pore grass, more swaring than you ever heard."

September 1st - "The worst road you ever seen, 5 wagons broak."

His diary also carried regular reports of deaths along the trail:

September 8 – “one child beried heare”

September 23 – “beried 4 persons heare”

September 26 – “heare we beried 6 persons”

September 29 – “beried 3 heare”

September 30 – “5 beried heare”

October 5 – “heare we beried missis Butts and 3 more”^[9]

It is estimated that another 25 died after reaching The Dalles.^[10] The deaths and other circumstances led some to seek Meek's life at various times along the way. Anger towards Meek led to the often used phrase “Meek deserted them in the desert.”^[11] There are conflicting stories of a lynching attempt. But Meek did stay with his emigrants throughout most of the journey.^[12]

The Meek Cutoff is one of sixteen historic trails recognized by the State of Oregon.^[13] The blazing of the Meek Cutoff led to later wagon roads and the settlement of the eastern and central regions of Oregon.^[14]

See also

• Elliott Cutoff

References

1. ^ Keith Clark and Lowell Tiller. Terrible Trail: The Meek Cutoff, 1845, (Bend, OR: Maverick Publications Inc., 1966), 14-19.
2. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. xvii-xx, 8-12.
3. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 25-28.
4. ^ Robert G. Boyd, Wandering Wagons: Meek’s Lost Emigrants of 1845 (Bend, OR: The High Desert Museum), p. 37.
5. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p.48.
6. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 54-55.
7. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 91-101.
8. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 62-89.
9. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 114; Samuel Parker, Diary, 1845 (Portland, OR: Mss 1508, Oregon Historical Society Research Library).
10. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 115-119.
11. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 138.
12. ^ Clark and Tiller. Terrible Trail, p. 138-143.
13. ^ ORS 358.057 http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/358.html
14. ^ "Oregon House Joint Memorial 6". 1995. http://www.leg.state.or.us/95reg/measures/hjm1.dir/hjm0006.en.html. Retrieved 2008-11-26. 

External links

• Meek Cutoff Article by the Oregon Historic Trails Fund
• The Autobiography of Stephen Hall Meek
• Oregon History Project: King Burial and a Letter
• In Quest of the Blue Bucket
• Oregon Historic Trails
• Oregon Pioneers

Coordinates: 43°58′44″N 117°15′31″W / 43.97886°N 117.25871°W / 43.97886; -117.25871