Name of Plaque Emigrant Trail Terminus
Location of Plaque, Highway / Road No., City and County Mono Way & Greenley Rd., Sonora, Tuolumne County
Explain the Design of the Plaque and Base Black granite plaque mounted on rock base with wagon wheels.
Date of Dedication February 18, 1996
Name of Dedicating Humbug NGH Doug Hinkley, E Clampus Vitus – Matuca Chapter 1849
Exact Wording of Plaque
Emigrant Trail Terminus
SONORA WAS THE GOAL OF MANY EMIGRANTS TRAVELING THE VARIOUS OVERLAND AND SEA
ROUTES. THE 1852 CLARK – SKIDMORE PARTY OF EMIGRANTS FROM ELIZABETHTOWN, OHIO
AND LAWRENCEBURG, INDIANA TRUGGLED TO FORGE A WAGON TRAIL UP THE WALKER RIVER
AND THE 10,000 FT. PASS EAST OF SONORA. IN 1853, MORE THAN 2,000 EMIGRANTS WITH
20,000 CATTLE FOLLOWED, CREATING A NEW EMIGRANT ROAD TO SONORA. DIFFICULT FOR
WAGON TRAVEL, THE WALKER RIVER AND SONORA WAGON ROUTE WAS SOON ABANDONED. THE
EMIGRANT WILDERNESS AREA IN THE HIGH COUNTRY HAS BEEN NAMED TO HONOR THESE
PIONEERS. FOLLOWING MAJOR CHANGES, THE TRAIL BECAME AN IMPORTANT PASSENGER AND
SUPPLY ROUTE BETWEEN THE BODIE GOLD REGIONS AND SONORA.
DEDICATED BY THE OREGON – CALIF. TRAILS ASS. AND
THE E CLAMPUS VITUS MATUCA CHAPTER 1849 M
FEBRUARY 18, 1996