American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail

The Overland Trail in popular mythology is a triumphant tale of easterners crossing the Plains in caravans of covered wagons. However, 6,600 migrants perished along the way, buried where they fell, often on Indigenous land. By the 1850s, cholera epidemics, ordinary diseases, and violence had turned the Trail into an American burial ground, imbuing migrant deaths with symbolic power. U.S. officials and citizens leveraged Trail graves to claim Native ground, while Indigenous peoples pointed to their own sacred burial grounds to dispute these claims and maintain their land. American Burial Ground offers a sweeping and long overdue reinterpretation of this historic touchstone, revealing that westward migration was a harrowing journey weighed down by the demands of caring for the sick and dying and that graves ultimately undergirded Native dispossession.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2023
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

In the realm of popular mythology, the Overland Trail often portrays a triumphant narrative, where brave easterners embark on a perilous journey across the vast Plains in caravans of covered wagons. However, the reality was far less rosy, as not everyone managed to reach the destinations of Oregon and California. Tragically, a staggering number of 6,600 migrants met their demise along the way, their remains left where they fell, frequently on Indigenous lands. As historian Sarah Keyes reveals, these graves ultimately played a pivotal role in shaping the expansion of the United States. By the 1850s, cholera epidemics, ordinary diseases, and violence had transformed the Overland Trail into a sacred American burial ground, imbuing the deaths of migrants with profound symbolic significance. In the following decades, U.S. officials and citizens capitalized on Trail graves to assert their claims over Native land. At the same time, Indigenous peoples pointed to their own revered burial grounds as evidence to dispute these assertions and protect their ancestral lands. These efforts built upon the anti-removal campaigns of the 1820s and 30s, which established a connection between death and territorial claims that laid the foundation for the significance of the Overland Trail.

In offering a fresh perspective on this historic landmark, American Burial Ground places death at the center of its narrative. This reinterpretation reveals that westward migration was a grueling expedition fraught with challenges, particularly in terms of providing care for the sick and dying. From a tale of triumph, the Overland Trail evolves into a story of struggle, characterized not only by the actions of white expansion but also by the resilience and determination of Indigenous peoples. Furthermore, the migration to the Pacific emerges as a trail of graves, serving as a haunting reminder of the consequences of settler colonialism and the ongoing dispossession of Native communities.

The Overland Trail holds a profound significance in American history, serving as a testament to the resilience and determination of those who ventured into the unknown. However, it is essential to recognize that this journey was not without its dark chapters, marked by the loss of countless lives and the ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples to preserve their ancestral lands. By examining the Trail through the lens of death and territorial claims, American Burial Ground provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of this complex and multifaceted period of American history.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781512824513