This past week the Sons of the Pioneers returned to a familiar area we've performed around for many years: Southern Nebraska along the historic Oregon Trail. Two years ago we did performances around there, and it sure was wonderful to make a return visit. This time, we had a sold-out concert in the historic community of Kearney, Nebraska.
In 1842, a group of nearly 100 settlers came through this region, headed for the northwest in a wagon train. Led by Elijah White, they departed out of Independence, Missouri, arriving two thousand miles later in the Oregon territory. The entire trip lasted roughly five months, as the group traveled fifteen to twenty miles a day. It was a difficult journey.
Excited to learn more, just outside of Kearney on I-80, we stopped by the historic Archway exhibit, a wonderful museum dedicated to this rich history. At 310 feet in length, the museum is positioned over the top of the east and west lanes of I-80. We were greeted by Mr. Ken, dressed in period clothing as a prospector. he gave us a short tour of the facility and allowed us to spend about an hour doing photo shoots around their displays. This is definitely a must see.
On down the road we checked out the Fort Kearny historical site, which was established in 1848 as an outpost by the U.S. Army. The Fort and community were named for General Stephen Watts Kearny. When the town was established, they decided to add the 'e' to Kearny because of post office officials who frequently misspelled the name. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have done a wonderful job in preserving this site.
Our concert took place at the historic Merryman Performing Arts Center, located at a 99- year-old school site which remains active today for school activities and concerts. A real Cowboy town, it was great to see many cattle ranchers and their families at our performance.
While onstage during our concert, I mentioned to the audience the historical significance of the area and how honored we were to experience it. Over the years, the Sons of the Pioneers have performed and recorded quite a number of "trail" songs, so we did several during our two-hour performance.
For a video shoot, we worked up a portion of "The Oregon Trail" song that the Sons of the Pioneers featured on their RCA "Trail Dust" album in April 1963. Written by one of our favorite writers, Billy Hill, the lyrics right here tell it all. This is what he wrote in four verses.
"Wagon train a-windin' 'cross the prairie
Rollin' onward through the storm and gale
Towards the land of dreams trudge the old ox teams - down the Oregon trail.
Through the night the Lord is in the saddle
Riding herd beneath the moon so pale
Watching o'er each stray till the break of day-
down the Oregon trail.
There'll be apples on each branch in Oregon
There'll be valleys filled with golden grain
There'll be cattle on each ranch in Oregon
For there'll be plenty if sun and rain.
Hurry up old Pioneer keep movin'
Your faithful little band must never fail.
Cross the great divide side by side we'll ride
Down the Oregon trail."
I think what impressed us the most was the things that were left behind during the original 1842 journey. If a wagon broke down and was beyond repair, they left it behind. This would even include personal belongings, from kitchen items to furniture. There were several exhibits at the Archway depicting the difficult times of the journey. It was really eye-opening.
As time went by, improvements to the area came. The completion of the railroad along the Oregon Trail in the 1870s made things much easier and safer. Today the I-80 auto route is an excellent way to experience a look back at this time in our nation's history. We look forward to every opportunity to remember and honor these individuals and their journey.
The Archway is located at 3060 E. 1st St. in Kearney, Nebraska. You can't miss it as you drive under the 1,500-ton structure along I-80. They are open seven days a week. Visit their website: archway.org
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