Henry Wade Exit Route facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harry Wade Exit Route |
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Harry Wade Exit Marker
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| Location | Baker, California |
| Built | 1849 |
| Designated | October 9, 1957 |
| Reference no. | 622 |
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The Harry Wade Exit Route is a special path in California that was found by a brave man named Harry Wade in 1849. He was traveling with his family and a large group of pioneers heading west during the California Gold Rush. They accidentally got stuck in a very dangerous place called Death Valley. Harry Wade found a way out, saving his family and many others. Today, the path he made is known as the Harry Wade Road.
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The Journey to Death Valley
In 1849, Harry Wade, his wife, and their children were part of a large group called the Bennett-Arcan party. This group was traveling west from Illinois in a caravan of about 100 wagons. They were hoping to reach the California Gold Rush quickly.
Their guide, Jefferson Hunt, led them to take a shortcut off the Old Spanish Trail. This shortcut was not well-planned. It led the entire group down into a harsh desert area known as Death Valley.
Surviving Death Valley
Death Valley is famous for its extreme heat and dry conditions. While the group was trapped there, some people sadly did not survive. This is how the valley got its name.
Harry Wade, however, managed to find a way out for his family. The trail he discovered is now called the Harry Wade Road. It is still a dirt road today. After leaving Death Valley, Wade found the Old Spanish Trail again. He then traveled to Southern California through the Cajon Pass. Many others in the party also made it out of Death Valley, even though they faced great hardship.
A Historic Landmark
The Harry Wade Exit Route was recognized as a California Historical Landmark (No. 622) on October 9, 1957. A special marker was placed about 30 miles north of Baker, California. This marker shows where Harry Wade's family escaped from Death Valley. It is located at the southern end of Death Valley National Park.
Who Was Harry Wade?
Harry Wade was born on March 16, 1800, in Rochester, England. He married Mary Reynolds Leach, who was born on June 17, 1813, in London, England.
In 1836, Harry Wade moved to the United States. He settled in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. After surviving their incredible journey to California, Harry and Mary moved to Northern California. They ran an inn called The American House in Alviso, California.
Harry Wade passed away on October 13, 1883, in Alviso. Mary died a few years later on May 3, 1889, also in Alviso.
The Death Valley '49ers
Harry Wade was part of a famous group known as the Death Valley '49ers. These were pioneers from the Eastern United States. They went on a very long and difficult journey in the late 1840s. Their goal was to find gold in the Sutter's Fort area of the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada mountains in California.
Their route from Utah took them through the Great Basin Desert in Nevada. It also led them through Death Valley and the Mojave Desert in Southern California. They faced many challenges as they tried to reach the Gold Country.
The Marker at the Site
The marker for the Harry Wade Exit Route is located about 30 miles north of Baker, California. It tells the story of Harry Wade's bravery.
The words on the marker read:
NO. 622 HARRY WADE EXIT ROUTE – After getting to Death Valley with the ill-fated 1849 caravan, Harry Wade found this exit route for his ox-drawn wagon and thereby saved his life and the lives of his wife and children. At this point the Wade party came upon the known Spanish Trail to Cajón Pass.
Images for kids
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Telescope and Wildrose Peaks from Emigrant Canyon Road
