These excerpts describe Fort Hall in 1842, when Lansford Hastings led a group of emigrants through to Oregon:

"There are several very extensive valleys in the vicinity of Fort Hall, upon the river, as well as extensive plains, which produce a great sufficiency of vegetation and timber, but the surrounding country, more remote from the fort, is extremely hilly, mountainous, and sterile, generally producing neither timber, nor vegetation.

"These small settlements, called forts, are mere trading posts, established for the purpose of carrying on trade, with the various tribes of Indians, and are now, all possessed and occupied by the Hudson's Bay Company, for that purpose.

"The most important of these posts, found in the Eastern section, is Fort Hall, which is situated on the Lewis' or Saptin river, about sixty miles, west by north, from the soda springs, and near latitude 42° 30' north. It was constructed by captain Wythe, of Boston, in the year 1832, for the purpose of prosecuting trade, with the various tribes of Indians, found in that region. It is now owned by the Hudson's Bay Company, who purchased it of captain Wythe, and who is now carrying on a very extensive business at that place, in the fur trade.

"Mr. Grant, who is in charge, at this place, and of whom I have before spoken, has at his command, and under his control, about sixty Canadians and half-breeds, who serve the company as trappers, herdsmen and domestic servants. Large numbers of horses and cattle are reared at this fort, which are protected from the incursions of the Indians, by an enclosure of high walls, constructed in a manner similar to those of the fort. This enclosure, is called a "caral," and is designed not only for the protection of the horses at night, at which time they are regularly driven in, but also upon the approach of hostile and thievish Indians" (Hastings: 1932).

Emigrant Road near Mexican border, in Idaho!

When travel on the Oregon Trail began, our boundary with Spanish territory was what is now southern Idaho. See the boundary marked on the 1843 map. Also note the "Old Emigrant Road" and "New Emigrant Road" south of Fort Hall on the 1876 Rand McNally map.

By the early 1840's, large caravans of emigrants were passing through Shoshone territory. John C. Fremont, explorer and topographical engineer wrote from the Bear River Valley in August 1843:

"The edge of the wood, for several miles along the river, was dotted with the white covers of emigrant wagons, collected in groups at different camps..."

And later that evening:

"...portion of the river along which passes the emigrant road...at night encamped with a family of emigrants — two men, women, and several children — who appeared to be bringing up the rear of the great caravan.

"...latitude 42° 03' 47", and longitude 111°10' 53". This encampment was therefore within the territorial limit of the United States; our travelling, from the time we entered the valley of the Green river, ...having been to the south of the 42nd degree of north latitude, and consequently on Mexican territory; and this is the route all the emigrants now travel to Oregon" (Fremont 1845:133).

Mormon Missionaries in the Lemhi Valley

"Fort Lemhi was founded in 1855 by twenty-seven Mormon missionaries, as a mission to the Bannock and Shoshone Indians of the Oregon Territory.

"The missionaries were prohibited from trading arms and ammunition with the Indians, but were encouraged to live with, feed, and clothe them and to learn their language.

"Shoo-woo-koo, the Big Rogue, the Bannock Chief, had welcomed the mission. He gave the missionaries land for farming and fishing and hunting privileges. They were not, however, to catch fish, kill game, or cut timber, if it was to be taken from the valley. Some of the settlers engaged in gold mining in the fall of 1855, and in 1857 eight wagon loads of dried salmon were exported to Salt Lake City.

"Tensions between the Indians and missionaries increased. As a result of a war between the Nez Perce Indians on one side, and the Bannock and Shoshone Indians on the other, in which the missionaries tried to serve as peacemakers, tensions between the Indians and the missionaries came to a head.

"On February 25, 1858 Bannock and Shoshone Indians raided Ft. Lemhi, driving off their livestock, and the missionaries were forced to abandoned the fort and return to Utah" (Carter: 1963).