Heart of the Trail: Stories of Covered Wagon Women - Paperback

by Mary Barmeyer O'Brien (Author)

Updated and expanded for its twentieth anniversary--the beloved book that tells the stories of the women who traveled West.

In Heart of the Trail Mary Barmeyer O'Brien beautifully captures the triumphs and tribulations of women who crossed the American frontier by wagon during the great Western migration of the mid nineteenth century. While their stories are widely different, each of these remarkable women was inspiring, courageous, and resourceful. From the successes of mountaineer Julia Anna Archibald to the grueling trials of Mary Powers, these stories reflect the adventure and hardship experienced by the thousands of women who took to the trails. The legacy of their letters and diaries, most written on the trail, is a fascinating addition to understanding the history of the West.

Mary Barmeyer O'Brien's books on the pioneer experience include The Promise of the West; Jeannette Rankin: Bright Star in the Big Sky; Outlasting the Trail: The Story of a Woman's Journey West; May: The Hard-Rock Life of Pioneer May Arkwright Hutton; and Across Death Valley. She lives in Polson, Montana.

Back Jacket

In Heart of the Trail Mary Barmeyer O'Brien beautifully captures the triumphs and tribulations of eight women who crossed the American frontier by wagon. While their stories are widely different, each of these remarkable women was inspiring, courageous, and resourceful. The legacy of their letters and diaries, most written on the trail, is a fascinating addition to understanding the history of the West. From the early 1840s to the late 1860s, thousands of men, women, and children made their way across the American West, following sometimes treacherous and terrifying trails to reach their dreams. Women emigrants frequently made the long trip out of a sense of duty to their husbands and families. Mary Rockwood Powers faced the difficulties of the Oregon Trail with a maniac husband she barely recognized, he was so changed by the rigors of the trail. For others, the trip west was a less perilous one, made by choice. Ellen Gordon Fletcher rode in high style on her honeymoon trip to Montana--resting in a comfortable armchair for much of her wagon journey. While pioneer men frequently recorded their experiences in journals and diaries as they crossed the frontier, their observations usually focused on the weather, the terrain, and the day-to-day tasks they accomplished. Women diarists described the people they met on the trail, their efforts to care for fellow travelers who were sick or injured, and their feelings about leaving home and facing unfamiliar territory. By sharing their stories, Mary O'Brien records an essential part of the western experience.

Author Biography

Mary Barmeyer O'Brien was born and raised in Missoula, Montana, and received a B.A. in Sociology from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. She is the author of eight previous books about women's history and pioneers on the overland trails, including The Promise of the West: Young Pioneers on the Overland Trails, Jeannette Rankin: Bright Star in the Big Sky, Across Death Valley: The Pioneer Life of Juliet Wells Brier; Outlasting the Trail: The Story of A Woman's Journey West; and May: The Hard-Rock Life of Pioneer May Arkwright Hutton (all by TwoDot/Globe Pequot). Mary writes from her home in Polson, Montana, and enjoys hiking, camping, and reading. She and her husband, Dan, have three grown children.