After trudging across two-thirds of the North American continent on the Oregon Trail, pioneers finally reached the Oregon Territory. Some decided to carry on to the Puget Sound on what was often called the worst road of the entire cross-country experience--the Cowlitz Trail. Karen Johnson explores the development of the Cowlitz Trail and the characters one would have met along the way. Johnson is a researcher, writer, and the curator of the Schmidt House, which is owned by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation.
