Road Trip #2 - Martin's Cove, Independence Rock, and Mount Rushmore

Today has been quite the day. We accomplished a heck of a lot more and saw lots more prairie than I can handle for awhile. Good ole' Wyoming! We woke up early this morning to get a good start and drove to Martin's Cove. This is where the Mormon Handcart disaster of 1856 resulted. That year, five companies of Mormon handcart emigrants journeyed from Iowa City to Salt Lake City. The first three companies made the journey without incident. The last two companies, traveling late in the season, were not so fortunate.

Many factors-bad weather, lack of food, illness and exhaustion, and the decision to leave too late in the year-brought about the fate of the Martin Company.

The significance of Martin's Cove is that it was used as a campsite by the Martin Handcart Company after their rescue and after their arrival at Devil's Gate. The exact number of deaths in Martin's Cove is impossible to determine; only a few names have been identified with reasonable certainty.

What an incredible place to be and to stand where nearly 1/2 million people once passed through on their journey west as part of the Oregon-California-Mormon Trail.

Here are some of my favorite pictures:



Then we made our way to Independence Rock. It wasn't too far away. Yet, another place that was incredible to stand upon. As people passed this landmark, they left their names, initials, and dates on the rock. Often they would write their names so that the parties behind them would know that they had made it that far.

We hiked to the top of the hill (nice day to wear flip flops), and the entire rock was FULL of names, some more recent than others. It was pretty interesting and fun to look for familiar names. Nope didn't see any.



Then we journeyed on. We didn't think that we would make it until dark, but "lo and behold" we made it in PLENTY of time and saw all of Mount Rushmore with time to spare. What an amazing place! It is so well preserved and taken care of.

It was like going to history class again but a lot more interactive. We learned about each of the four presidents on the mountain and their contribution to the nation and the liberty that we take for granted today. I was so impressed with the final lighting ceremony where they showed an impressive and inspriring video. Then everyone sang the national anthem and had all th veterans come up and introduce themselves. It literally brought a tear to my eye. A wonderful place to visit.



What a day! Oh yea. And after we got done with the program, we rushed to the car to get a head start out...and the battery was dead in our car! AAAAHHHH! That's the worst. We left the lights on. Thanks to random California people who helped us jumpstart our car!