Nome Cult Trail facts for kids
The Nome Cult Trail is a historic path in northern California. It runs through the Mendocino National Forest, along Round Valley Road, and across Rocky Ridge and the Sacramento Valley. This trail is also known as the Konkow Trail of Tears.
On August 28, 1863, all Konkow people were told to gather at the Bidwell Ranch in Chico. They were to be moved to the Round Valley Reservation near Covelo in Mendocino County. Native Americans who stayed behind were in great danger.
About 435 Konkow people were gathered. They were forced to march west from the Sacramento Valley through the Coastal Range. In total, 461 Native Americans began this difficult journey. Only 277 of them finished the trek. They finally reached Round Valley on September 18, 1863.
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History of the Nome Cult Trail
This trail was first used in the mid-1800s. It was a path for forcing Native American tribes to move. They were sent to places like the Nome Lackee Indian Reservation near Paskenta, California. The Nomlaki people were moved there in 1854. This was done to control them and to protect them from new settlers.
Why the March Happened
On July 5, 1863, a sad event involving two children of Sam and Mary Lewis occurred. Their sister escaped and told settlers what happened. People thought the suspects might be from Bidwell's ranch. Even though John Bidwell said the Konkow people were innocent, 461 of them were rounded up.
On September 4, 1863, they were forced to march over 100 miles (160 km). The journey went from Chico, California to the Round Valley Indian Reservation. About 23 US cavalry soldiers, led by Captain Augustus Starr, guarded them.
The Difficult Journey Begins
The group started at Camp Bidwell. They walked ten miles and camped at Colby's Ferry on the Sacramento River. Here, they found food and water. The soldiers rode horses. People who could not walk were carried in wagons, along with supplies.
Hardship on the Trail
On September 5, the group crossed the Sacramento River by ferry. They walked another ten miles to Stoney Creek. The water there was too salty to drink. The soldiers made the tired group walk five more miles. They finally rested at Kirkpatrick Ranch. That hot night, nine Native Americans died from being so tired and thirsty.
The mourners had little time to grieve. The soldiers forced them to march another twelve miles to James Ranch. More people died that night from not having enough food and from sickness.
Waiting for Supplies
On September 8, the Native Americans were forced to walk six miles to Lacock Ranch. This was on Thomas Creek. The wagons that carried elders, children, and sick people were sent back to Chico. The group waited for four days by Thomas Creek. They were waiting for a mule pack train from Round Valley to bring supplies.
Leaving the Sick Behind
On the fifth day, Captain Starr made the group walk three miles to Mountain Home camp. They stayed there from September 12 to 14. When the mule pack train arrived on September 14, the group started moving again. Most people walked. Those who were sick but could travel rode mules. One wagon carried the children.
They left behind 150 Konkow people at Mountain Home. These people were too sick from hunger and the hard journey. They only had enough food for a month. The tired group then walked seven miles high into the Coast Range to Cedar Springs. The next day, they hiked another six miles into the mountains, camping at Log Springs.
The Final Miles to Round Valley
On September 16, their only wagon was left behind at Log Springs. The group kept going on foot. Many struggled during the ten-mile climb into the mountains to Log Cabin, now called "Government Camp."
The Konkow people then had to climb the last three miles. They reached heights over 6,000 ft (1,800 m). They spent their last night at the meeting point of the South and Middle Forks of the Eel River. Then, they began their final descent into Round Valley.
When news of the people left at Mountain House reached Fort Wright, Captain Douglas sent Superintendent James Short. He was sent to bring food to those dying on the trail. He also brought wagons to take them back to the fort. After 13 days, Short could save only "a portion of them." He described the terrible scene:
"... about 150 sick Indians were scattered along the trail for 50 miles ... dying at the rate of 2 or 3 a day. They had nothing to eat ..."
Just over half of the original 461 people survived the march. Besides the 150 left behind at Mountain House, 32 others died along the way. Two people escaped. The remaining 277 Konkow people arrived at the reservation on September 18. They were left there by the soldiers with too few supplies for the winter.
Dorothy Hill, a writer, noted that "Indian versions of the cruel hardships that their ancestors encountered on the drive to Round Valley are more explicit than the government accounts". Tribal members and their families share stories of the soldiers' harsh treatment.
Understanding the Past
Professor Jesse Dizard, an expert from CSU Chico, explains the bigger picture:
"The Concow Trail of Tears was not a single event. Tensions between white settlers and Native American communities had been growing for years. The Gold Rush of 1849 brought many people to California. Most of them were young men who did not respect the Native American way of life. They also did not respect Native Americans' claims to their traditional lands."
He added that the idea of human rights often did not apply to Native Americans. They were forced from their lands. Their children were sometimes taken. They were forced into a type of slavery. Many were simply killed. If Native Americans fought back, they often faced quick and violent punishment.
Current Status of the Trail
A small 4-mile (6.4 km) part of the trail still exists today. It is called the Nome Cult Mountain House Trail. It is part of the many hiking trails in the Mendocino National Forest.
