Historic Inscriptions on Western Emigrant Trails

“I left mine where every traveler would see it … I had friends behind and I wished them to know that I was still ahead.”—Richard Keen, in his diary

Overlanders inscribed their names and messages along the trail. Much of this graffiti—often intended as a beacon for friends and family—survives today near their campsites and pathways. Based on twenty five years of painstaking research across twelve states, Brown’s work includes names and locations, and when available, dates, diary entries, and biographical information.