Lone Tree of the Oregon Trail
Posted on: October 21st, 2024 in Historical Marker Details |
Early Oregon Trail emigrants crested the south flank of Flagstaff Hill and, with the Blue Mountains looming to the west, saw a solitary tree in the valley below. Called l’arbre seul (the lone tree) by French-Canadian fur trappers, this large tree, possibly ponderosa pine or Douglas-fir, towered majestically above the floor of Baker Valley about three miles northwest of this marker.
For many years–perhaps centuries–the Lone Tree served as a landmark for Indians, trappers, missionaries, and Oregon Trail emigrants, until felled in 1843 by what explorer John Fremont called, “some inconsiderate emigrant axe.”
Location: 1.5 miles west of Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on north side of OR 86
Learn More: Visit Oregon Encyclopedia