His first trip to California featured an unexpected stop.
December of 1826 should have been a time of triumph for explorer/mountain man Jedediah Smith. He had blazed trails across the West, creating parts of what became the Oregon Trail. The 26-year-old had made his way to California, where he was warmly welcomed at the various Catholic missions. But at the time of Smith’s greatest glory, he found himself stuck.
In 1826
Already Signed Up? Log in here.
Read this article now for Free!
Ready for a third free article? Create a free account by entering your email address and a password below.
— OR —
Sign Up Now for $29.95 a year and have immediate access to all of True West content, including the complete True West Archives dating back to 1953!
