Saving the Oregon Trail: Ezra Meeker's Last Grand Quest

Ezra Meeker lived ninety-eight highly productive years. At times endearing and captivating, he could also be exasperating and irrational. Once he committed to a cause, he was an unabashed promoter. Meeker devoted his final three decades to commemorating the Oregon Trail. A part of his story no one has previously told, this volume begins in 1901 and completes an epic biography. One of Washington Territory's earliest pioneers, Meeker first came west on the overland trail in 1852. He became a Puyallup community builder, agricultural tycoon, and world traveler before hop lice and the Panic of 1893 devoured his fortune. He dallied in mining and joined the Klondike gold rush, spending four years as a Yukon store proprietor. At age 75 he trekked east over the Oregon Trail with oxen and a covered wagon, setting markers along the way, and became a national celebrity. He visited New York, Washington, DC, and the White House, and managed to convince regular citizens, the rich and famous, governors, legislators, and even three U.S. presidents to support his trail preservation schemes. Never one to shy away from adventure, his other exploits included publishing books, lecture tours, additional Oregon Trail expeditions (one in a bi-plane), attending the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, experimenting with motion pictures, founding societies, cruising in what may have been the first motorized RV, performing in a Wild West show, and roaming the country selling commemorative coins. In the end, Meeker's extraordinary efforts were crucial to saving the trail.

About the Author :
An independent historian and former social studies teacher, Dennis Larsen has written for historical journals and is author/co-author of four other books. He speaks frequently on the Oregon Trail, Northwest pioneers, and of course, Ezra Meeker.

Review :
"Saving the Oregon Trail offers rock-solid research and the answers to long-held questions, and proves a tremendously enjoyable read." --Pacific Northwest Quarterly "An extraordinary work of exhaustive and meticulous research bringing Meeker out of obscurity and to the attention of a whole new generation." --MBR Bookwatch "Ezra Meeker was inspirational, charismatic, and beloved but also arrogant, aggravating, cantankerous, and obnoxious. Dennis Larsen's biography sings his praises, exposes his flaws, and shows why without Meeker, America might have forgotten the Oregon Trail's epic story." --Will Bagley, Independent Historian "In short, crisp chapters, Larsen masterfully weaves together his statements-of-fact into a compelling portrait of the elder Ezra Meeker." --The Bulletin, Genealogical Forum of Oregon, Inc. "Larsen humanizes and contextualizes Meeker and does this eccentric legend justice." --The Bulletin, Genealogical Forum of Oregon, Inc.