Howdy, I suspect "forty-niner" is generic to many folks for anyone who went to California looking for gold in the nineteenth century:-) Sure a lot of people emigrated in 1849, but probably even more came later. As a follow up to Council Bluffs/Kanesville in 1850-1852, let's now, just for fund, jump ahead for one posting to 1860 - even though maybe it's a marginal goldRUSH era date - for ME the rush probably runs from 1849 to 1852(or so:-). Thanks to Barbara<[email protected]>, a past/present list/lists member, I have been reading the unpublished diary of Mrs. Mary C. FISH entitled "'Across the Plaines' in 1860," from a copy prepared by Col. R.D. FISH, one of Mrs. Fish's descendants. If Barbara reads this, I invite her comments/clarifications. I thought you folks might be interested in a description, as Mrs. Mary's wagon train passed Council Bluffs & Omaha, two overland emigrant jumping-off places - bearing in mind it's about 11 years after the initial goldrush. Also, I felt it time that I post a LADY diarist:-))) As best I can tell, Mrs.Mary and her wagon train, are traveling through Iowa in May, 1860, when we join her:: "Thursday May 17th(1860). We have traved 27 miles today over a very hilly country. The country is very sparsely timbered & the improvements are of the poorest description. The houses are built of logs & covered with sod and usually but a few acres enclosed with a miserable fence. ......[18th] We have traveled 15 miles today & have camped on Mosquito Creek two miles from Council Bluffs. The improvements along the road had been the same as yesterday, more wretched if posible. The land bordering the Missouri River in a variety of curiously shaped hills many of them rising together in conical shaped hills. They can hardly be styled mountains.... ....May 28th. We broke up our encampment this morning having remained in camp for the preceding ten days waiting for Mr. ALVORD to be able to travel[thrown from wagon-broke collar bone]. We passed Council Bluffs on our way to the ferry. It is not a very beautiful or picturesque place, being built in a hollow beween two hills. I did not see any very handsome buildings in the place. The town is three miles from the Missouri River & the business transacted in the place would not be very extensive if it were not for the emigration which passes enroute for California & Pikes Peak(?). " We crossed the Missouri about noon although the wind was blowing rather strongly at the time. The waters of the Missouri are perfectly turbid resembling a mud puddle more than running water. The river is constantly washing away its banks which renders the water anything but transparent. After crossing the river it commenced raining & the wind blew for a moment a perfect hurricane. When waiting for the storm to abate I saw several Indians, one of them offered Mr, CARTER a squaw in exchange for his pony[:-)]. Mr C____ not having any good conveyance for such property concluded not to make the investment much to the disappointment of the sable trader.We camped half a mile west of Omaha on a small creek. "Omaha is better situated as regards commercial purposes than Council Bluffs, being built on the banks of the Missouri, whereas the latter town is three miles from the river. The State House is built on a high elevation nearly hafl a mile west of Omaha & can be seen from the hills of Iowa. We were agreeably surprised by meeting Mr. BURROWS & his daughter Miss Carrie & also Mr. TENNY, all of Davenport.... "....Wednesday.May 30th. We left Omaha at noon today after having remained in camp at this place since Monday. The weather for the two preceding days has been very disagreeable, it having rained almost constantly. We received an addition to our company today of serval familes from Dubuque, Iowa...." NOTE: With your approval, we might look in on Mrs. Mary C. FISH later in her wagon trip - she has a pretty cute writing personality:-))) Let me see if I can find another emigrant gateway or two, Bob Norris in Dallas <Bnorris in Dallas>