tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post3733966760867854995..comments2023-11-27T21:41:30.009-08:00Comments on The Daily Postcard: Ezra Meeker and the Oregon TrailChristine H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09786732494496282743noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-2821921799274894312010-08-22T19:45:45.361-07:002010-08-22T19:45:45.361-07:00Now I want to find an Ezra Meeker postcard too!Now I want to find an Ezra Meeker postcard too!Postcardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16399915833682943432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-14422362085863450262010-08-22T12:36:37.471-07:002010-08-22T12:36:37.471-07:00I agree w/ Christine and Anon. above. There may b...I agree w/ Christine and Anon. above. There may be a trade-off between memorializing events while they're still fresh in the memories of some of the participants (such as Ezra), and waiting for a larger, and, I think more robust picture to present itself. (Viz., we've yet to see a history of the Vietnam War written by an American or Vietnamese using Vietnamese government sources.)<br /><br />Again, I agree w/ Christine and Anon., and now, four generations after the last participants have passed on, may be a good time to stengthen our collective memory of that Oregon trek. Jack/YoungstownAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-87727629888960740222010-08-22T12:05:42.591-07:002010-08-22T12:05:42.591-07:00A Practical Eccentric ! A Heady Combination .An In...A Practical Eccentric ! A Heady Combination .An Interesting Fellow ,For Sure.tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03746435400444226665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-34343330518733146102010-08-22T11:55:00.861-07:002010-08-22T11:55:00.861-07:00There is no doubt folks endured some major hardshi...There is no doubt folks endured some major hardships on their way to a better life in the Oregon Territory, and while they may have wanted to forget the trip, it is precisely the reason something like the Oregon Trail needs to be preserved for folks that didn't make the trip. It is easy to forget the sacrifices that were made by others as the generations pass, so saving historical sites that have negative associations- Civil War battlefields, Auschwitz, etc- is important to remind us to be thankful for the good things we have in our lives, and in some instances to act as a deterrent from repeating the tragedies of the past. (hopefully...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-90199145121246706162010-08-22T10:36:06.397-07:002010-08-22T10:36:06.397-07:00Thanks, Jack. I think the hardship and suffering o...Thanks, Jack. I think the hardship and suffering of the people, the tenacity really, is the reason to keep the memory of the trail alive.Christine H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09786732494496282743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-53724887181393648492010-08-22T06:18:23.662-07:002010-08-22T06:18:23.662-07:00Sorry, that's my post immediately above. Jack...Sorry, that's my post immediately above. Jack/YoungstownAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-33236365391515013462010-08-22T06:16:53.430-07:002010-08-22T06:16:53.430-07:00I agree w/ Alan that Ezra had an acute sense of hi...I agree w/ Alan that Ezra had an acute sense of history. I'm no historian, but wouldn't the settlement of the Americas count as one of the great deliberate migrations of all time? Still, I wouldn't have blamed anyone who'd made the trek w/ Ezra for wanting to forget. Imagine this: "Honey, remember that month we lost the kids to the trots, got shot at, and prit'near starved to death if it hadn't been for the wild berries and leaves we et?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-76887926803639097122010-08-22T02:15:18.969-07:002010-08-22T02:15:18.969-07:00Fascinating Christine, I could have read more and ...Fascinating Christine, I could have read more and more and more. It is remarkable that at such an early time Ezra M had such a sense of history and a history that would soon be forgotten. The way you use postcards to tell stories is unparalleled. As I say, fascinating.Alan Burnetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01015127443616786425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-64699703369499940082010-08-22T01:42:46.640-07:002010-08-22T01:42:46.640-07:00What a wonderful photo and story, I enjoyed readin...What a wonderful photo and story, I enjoyed reading your post.Marilyn & Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851884880790561276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-66551410645761017072010-08-21T18:39:04.693-07:002010-08-21T18:39:04.693-07:00Such intrepid folks, to set out for a new life in ...Such intrepid folks, to set out for a new life in a new place and to endure such a dangerous and grueling journey! The Oregon Trail certainly deserves to be remembered!Vicki Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114677510459055768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-73553646609794794012010-08-21T15:54:14.677-07:002010-08-21T15:54:14.677-07:00This was a very interesting post. I don't thi...This was a very interesting post. I don't think I'd ever heard of Ezra Meeker before. I think it was admirable of him to want to preserve the history of the Oregon Trail and to go to such an extent to do so. From appearances and your story, he seems like an interesting man, and perhaps a character.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12136584654825212359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-74074191811474408912010-08-21T11:33:26.337-07:002010-08-21T11:33:26.337-07:00Ooops! Meri's address is Meri @ Playing Along....Ooops! Meri's address is Meri @ Playing Along.North County Film Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13683794164957833415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-60311760758698651882010-08-21T11:30:59.186-07:002010-08-21T11:30:59.186-07:00This is the second post today that has mentioned P...This is the second post today that has mentioned Payallup. The other was about Meri's grandmother.(Meri's Musings)<br />Is that a woman driving the wagon? I wonder what her story is.<br />A great postcard and a very interesting post!North County Film Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13683794164957833415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-53306308394947093872010-08-21T10:42:56.291-07:002010-08-21T10:42:56.291-07:00I learn so much from your posts! What a great stor...I learn so much from your posts! What a great story!Aimee Darshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17808228065018937275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-56644417095871573082010-08-21T10:28:43.760-07:002010-08-21T10:28:43.760-07:00Great post, and I want you to continue with great ...Great post, and I want you to continue with great posts.<br />There IS such thing as "Better than Ezra" postcard story. [Just a cultural reference to a music band].<br />:)<br />When you have time, read some of my tweets, or I can select some for you - for cool word jokes and anagrams.<br />:)Dorincardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09919474118944557430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-68702145445862514122010-08-21T09:33:18.957-07:002010-08-21T09:33:18.957-07:00It must have been quite a sight seeing him driving...It must have been quite a sight seeing him driving through New York.<br />Judypapel1https://www.blogger.com/profile/17857244375483965314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-80179928108655843792010-08-21T08:49:48.852-07:002010-08-21T08:49:48.852-07:00Makes me wonder, though, Christine, about how many...Makes me wonder, though, Christine, about how many families were grateful to forget the miseries of their journey on the Oregon Trail. You're right, too, a house like that in Youngstown around 1900 would have been owned only by the wealthiest iron- and steelmaking families. Jack/YoungstownAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-63611922015127216962010-08-21T08:19:17.423-07:002010-08-21T08:19:17.423-07:00That is an amazing postcard. We have the Morman T...That is an amazing postcard. We have the Morman Trail going through our home front in southern Iowa and those trails were so fascinating. I can't think of which one that it was that took out of the Kansas City area. Maybe it was another branch coming in from the south. Great post!!L. D. https://www.blogger.com/profile/02270923121962761209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-83534375957156164232010-08-21T08:16:43.111-07:002010-08-21T08:16:43.111-07:00The most 'typical' aspect of the house was...The most 'typical' aspect of the house was that it was indeed 'banished' by the skyscrapers that the card text mentions (or perhaps a 7-11 or surface parking lot...), as were almost all of the mansions near the central business district.<br /><br />The big old houses in the Nob Hill neighborhood (or Alphabet District) fared much better, and many still remain, making for some interesting sight seeing. It almost didn't end that way though: As with many inner city neighborhoods, at one point it had fallen into disrepair and was populated by a high number of vagrants, the poor, and of course, artists, with many of the big houses cut up into numerous apartments. The city, jumping aboard the urban renewal bandwagon of the era, considered demolishing the entire neighborhood and starting fresh. <br /><br />Fortunately, the potential of the neighborhood infrastructure was recognized by some individuals who started opening shops, restaurants, etc, and renovating the old buildings, and it eventually became the trendiest area in town.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-62446448370098052662010-08-21T07:37:16.216-07:002010-08-21T07:37:16.216-07:00I love that house too - and the way they describe ...I love that house too - and the way they describe it as typical. <br />Another thing I loved about his cart was that he had a sign on it telling people it was against the law to write on it or deface it, but everyone did anyway. The canvas and the cart itself are covered with old graffiti from places where he stopped along the trail, mostly people's names locations, and dates.Christine H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09786732494496282743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323012003780250968.post-65380500089464094702010-08-21T06:44:37.850-07:002010-08-21T06:44:37.850-07:00What a fascinating man and remarkable story: thank...What a fascinating man and remarkable story: thanks Christine!<br /><br />(off topic: I LOVE that house in the background! Reminds me a bit of the Munster's...)Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17093220429913265429noreply@blogger.com