Book summary
Zusammenfassung von Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846
- 8 Min. Lesezeit
- 7 key ideas
- Hörfassung demnächst
A farmer from Indiana climbs through snow on Mount Hood to find a wagon road into Oregon.
3 months free · unlimited eBooks, audiobooks and summaries, and print and large print at cost
Nothing to pay today · Wir senden Ihnen vor der Zahlung eine E-Mail. · Online mit zwei Klicks kündigen
3 Monate kostenlos
Erhalten Sie die vollständige Zusammenfassung von Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846 kostenlos
- 200.000+ Klassiker als E-Books, Hörbücher und 15-Minuten-Zusammenfassungen sowie gedruckte Bücher und Großdruckausgaben zu Druckkosten
- Bis zu 5 Lesende in Ihrem Haushalt mit einem Tarif
Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846 in short
Joel Palmer goes to Oregon in 1845 to judge the land for himself, and his book is the honest report of that test. The trip begins with doubt and homesickness, climbs the Rockies, and follows the Snake River, the Blue Mountains, and the Columbia. It continues with a road cut by hand across the shoulder of Mount Hood.
What Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846 is about
Picture a man leaving his family in Indiana to travel by wagon toward a country he has never seen, to judge whether it could become his home. That is Joel Palmer on the morning of April 16, 1845. He drives an ordinary wagon pulled by two horses, with a companion named Spencer Buckley, because the young men who promised to come along all back out.
Palmer's Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains is the day-by-day record of that trip, from the Oregon Trail to a winter in the Willamette Valley and the ride home in 1846. Palmer wrote it so that later emigrants would know the route, the river crossings, the prices, and the dangers. You get a working farmer's eye, and that is its strength.
Für wen es gedacht ist. Readers who love firsthand travel writing, the American West, and practical history will enjoy Palmer's attention to river crossings, wagon repairs, soil, and weather. It suits those who like following a real journey mile by mile.
The 7 key ideas
Key idea 1 · free to read
Palmer sets out to see Oregon himself
Joel Palmer hears that Oregon Territory offers great chances to settlers, but he will not trust rumor. He decides to judge the land with his own eyes before he moves his family. On April 16, 1845, he leaves home with Spencer Buckley. He admits that parting from his family weighs on him far more than he had imagined.
The first days bring small troubles that teach the rhythm of the road. One horse goes lame and is traded for another so wild that the two men must watch it constantly. By April 24 they reach the Mississippi opposite St. Louis, where they buy trinkets, tobacco, powder, and lead for trade.
Palmer writes each entry like a surveyor. He gives the miles covered, the crops grown, and whether the timber and water could support a settlement. In Missouri he praises the fine orchards and rolling prairie. This habit of judging land as a future farmer runs through the whole book.
At Independence the travelers stock up and camp near four Oregon wagons. On May 8 a herd of wild horses gallops past in the dark, and the camp's own horses and mules break loose and follow. Palmer jokes that everyone agrees to let the mules enjoy the greater freedom they have so nobly won. A farmer's eye and a dry humor shape every page.
- 2Zum Lesen kostenlos beginnen
Wagon companies must learn to govern themselves
Beyond Independence the emigrants are in Indian country, and the first real problem is not distance but order.
- 3Zum Lesen kostenlos beginnen
Life along the Platte is work, danger, and music
In early June the road reaches the Platte River, a wide, shallow stream with sandy banks and almost no trees.
- 4Zum Lesen kostenlos beginnen
At Fort Laramie a shared meal keeps the peace
On June 24 the wagons reach Fort Laramie, about six hundred and thirty miles from Independence.
- 5Zum Lesen kostenlos beginnen
Snake River and Blue Mountains test the wagons
At Fort Hall, emigrants are pressed to take the California road.
- 6Zum Lesen kostenlos beginnen
The wagon road ends where the Columbia begins
On September 21 Palmer's company reaches the Columbia River, half a mile or more wide and clear over a pebbly bed.
- 7Zum Lesen kostenlos beginnen
Palmer cuts a road and finds a valley
Rather than wait for a boat, Palmer and about fifteen families decide to cross the Cascade Mountains by land with their wagons.
Read all 7 key ideas now
3 months free, then 0,14 USD a day: unlimited eBooks, audiobooks and summaries, and print and large print at cost.
- Nothing to pay today
- Wir senden Ihnen vor der Zahlung eine E-Mail.
- Online mit zwei Klicks kündigen
The whole book is coming to your plan
The full text of Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846 opens soon. Keep this summary as a file today.
Paperback, hardcover and large print, printed for you at cost, are on their way. Email me when it is printed
Fragen zu Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846
What is Palmer's Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains about?
It records Joel Palmer's 1845 trip from Indiana to Oregon, his months studying the Willamette Valley, and his ride home in 1846. It also gives advice for later emigrants, including routes, distances, supplies, and prices.
Is Palmer's Journal a true story and when was it written?
Yes, it is a firsthand account by a real traveler. Palmer made the trip in 1845 and 1846 and wrote the journal soon afterward, adding letters, tables, word lists, and Oregon's laws to help future settlers.
Who are Meek, Barlow, and Dr. Whitman in the journal?
Meek is the mountain man hired as pilot and later blamed for a failed shortcut. Barlow leads a party that helps cut a road over the Cascades. Dr. Whitman is a missionary who aids travelers near the Blue Mountains.
Is Palmer's Journal easy to read?
Palmer writes in short daily entries with plain words, lively scenes, and touches of humor. Each stop gives a clear picture of the road, so you can follow his route one day at a time.
What is the main message of Palmer's Journal?
Palmer argues that Oregon is worth the trip, and that careful planning, small companies, steady teamwork, and honest information make the crossing possible. He wants emigrants to judge the land and the route by firsthand facts.
Cite this edition
Palmer, Joel. Palmer's Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/palmers-journal-of-travels-over-the-rocky-mountains-1845-1846.
Palmer, J. (2026). Palmer's journal of travels over the Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/palmers-journal-of-travels-over-the-rocky-mountains-1845-1846 (Original work published 1847)
Palmer, Joel. Palmer's Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/palmers-journal-of-travels-over-the-rocky-mountains-1845-1846.
@book{palmer2026palmers,
author = {Palmer, Joel},
title = {Palmer's Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/palmers-journal-of-travels-over-the-rocky-mountains-1845-1846},
note = {First published 1847}
}
Crime and Punishment
Wuthering Heights
Pride and Prejudice
The Iliad
Romeo and Juliet
The Picture of Dorian Gray3 Monate kostenlos
Erhalten Sie die vollständige Zusammenfassung von Palmer's Tagebuch der Reisen über die Rocky Mountains, 1845–1846 kostenlos
- 200.000+ Klassiker als E-Books, Hörbücher und 15-Minuten-Zusammenfassungen sowie gedruckte Bücher und Großdruckausgaben zu Druckkosten
- Bis zu 5 Lesende in Ihrem Haushalt mit einem Tarif
