In the early 1840s a group of some 300 pioneers set off from St. Joseph, Missouri, headed for Oregon's Willamette Valley. The group included William Shaw, who was well liked and conscientious. It also included the reckless Henry Sager, a dreamer and rogue whose carelessness led to tragedy. In the summer of 2006, author Twain Braden retraced the route of these pioneers, driving in ruts possibly created by their wagons and finding messages carved in trees. Juxtaposing the story of the Independent Colony's arduous journey west with his own modern-day trip, Braden presents a moving and illuminating account of how America became what it is today.
