Heritage Gateways

Daniel George (Dan) Whitaker Journals

June 17, 1997

Location: Independence Rock - 314 miles left, Wyoming - [Sweetwater River]. (In low water the river is easily forded.) It has a peculiar shape and magnitude. There are many names of visitors painted in various places. on the southeast corner. 698 3/4 miles from Winter Quarters.

Summary: Tar, rattlesnakes, horse hurt.

Journal entry: Dear people of the world
today we travled 28 miles to Indepence rock. I rode in the wagon for the first half of the day and then I walked after lunch.

We are on blacktop and it is so hot that it is sticking to our shoes and on the wheels of the wagons. We are traveling by some original ruts.

There are lots of people on the trail today my brother has spent most of the day reading a book in the wagon. I forgot to tell you but yesterday a horse had a accident and it got a pole in its chest it was gross and there was lots of blood.

Oh yeah i forgot to tell you too that we had two rattlesnakes in camp but the ranger had to kill them.

I walk with amy Cindy Wendy Sarah Naomi and some others I have made some good friends on this trail.

We do not come to a town for a week it will be hard to not have a town near by.

Well this is Dan signing off from Indepence Rock Wyoming.