The Donner Party in Springfield

I have been to many endpoints of the members of the Donner Party: Alder Creek, Donner Lake, the Pioneer Monument, Johnson’s Ranch, Oak Hill Cemetery, and San Juan Bautista. And I have sketched them all. But I had never visited their starting point; until now.

The Pioneer Memorial is near the site of the Breen cabin, one of the Donner Party members. The monument lies near the eastern shore of Donner Lake.

Some of the key members of the party, the Donners and the Reeds, were wealthy residents of Springfield.

It is from the square near the Old State Capitol that about 90 members of a group of immigrants set out for California on April 15, 1846. The ill-fated group has gone down in history as the Donner Party.

The plaque commemorating the start of a very tragic journey.

I sketched from back the Old State Capitol, which is currently closed for restoration. The Donner plaque is on a building on the left of the sketch which is a stairway that leads to underground parking.

On the square is the law office of Lincoln & Herndon. Much more about one of these law partners in other posts.

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