Season 3 Episode 02 Ellsworth, McArthur, and Bunker Handcart Companies

Description

In our last episode of History of the Saints we explained the handcart plan and why it became the prescribed mode of travel for many Latter-day Saints going to Utah in 1856. Now we continue the story. As before the Saints would not be the only ones on the Oregon trail that year. About a thousand people crossed the trail to Oregon territory while another 8000 would travel to California. Among the 3700 Latter-day Saints crossing the trail in 1856, about 1900 of those came by handcart. And as before, those companies of Saints crossing the plains that season began their journey in Liverpool.