Jumping Off: Crossing the Missouri River at Kanesville, Iowa, 1847-1851

Since moving to Seattle, I’ve been researching some of the early pioneers who settled in this area. The first settlers to establish a permanent presence in what is now Seattle were the Denny Party, who arrived in 1851. They left Illinois in April and reached Portland in late August of that year.

One thing I’ve noticed in reading about their journey is how much the Oregon Trail had changed since 1847, the year my fictional wagon train made its trek. For instance, crossing the Missouri River had become significantly easier in just four years.

The Missouri River was one of the most dangerous obstacles on the western journey, because of its strong currents, fluctuating water levels, and hidden snags. Ferries offered a safer and more efficient alternative to fording, though ferries came at a cost in both time and money. Between 1847 and 1851, several ferry operations supported the growing westward migration, making the river more navigable for emigrants.

In my story, the fictional pioneers avoid crossing the Missouri altogether by traveling south of it until reaching Kansas. There, they cross the much smaller Kansas River near what is now Topeka, using a ferry operated by Joseph Papin that began service in 1842. (For descriptions of this ferry crossing, see Lead Me Home and Forever Mine.)

By contrast, the Denny Party crossed the Missouri River at Kanesville, Iowa—a temporary Mormon settlement which later became Council Bluffs. The Kanesville ferry began operating around 1847 to serve Mormon emigrants heading west, though it was also available to other travelers.

Between 1847 and 1851, the Kanesville ferry grew increasingly important due to the rising number of emigrants. In 1849, the California Gold Rush dramatically increased migration, prompting the ferry to expand its services to handle the surge. That year alone, an estimated 10,000 travelers used the crossing. After the initial rush subsided and many Mormons had moved to Utah, traffic on the ferry eased by 1851, though it continued to operate.

By 1853, Kanesville had become the town of Council Bluffs, which continued to grow as a transportation hub for westward expansion. Council Bluffs—and Omaha, just across the river—would later serve as the eastern terminus of the first Transcontinental Railroad.

From 1866 to 1872, the Union Pacific operated a ferry across the Missouri River until a railroad bridge was completed, rendering the ferry obsolete.

What eras of history fascinate you? (For me, it is the years of Western migration in the United States.)