S1 E10: The Survivors & Heroes Expedition: Stephen-Townsend-Murphy Party
Release Date: 09/12/2025
S1 E10: The Survivors & Heroes Expedition: Stephen-Townsend-Murphy Party
American West Live!
The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's 1844 expedition was the first successful wagon crossing of the Sierra Nevada. This achievement is attributed to the collective leadership of several key individuals with diverse skills and unwavering resilience in the face of significant challenges. This week we cover the Survivors & Heroes Expedition. For the past twelve months, six adventurers have been living and breathing 1844. Their preparation reads like a graduate-level history seminar crossed with extreme sports training. Beginning September 29th, these endurance athletes will attempt something...
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S1 E9: Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party - Impact on California, The West, and America
American West Live!
The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's 1844 expedition was the first successful wagon crossing of the Sierra Nevada. This achievement is attributed to the collective leadership of several key individuals with diverse skills and unwavering resilience in the face of significant challenges. In this episode we highlight six figures whose contributions in terms of decisiveness, communication, and grit were crucial to the party's triumph. In this episode, we explore the lasting legacy of the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party after their 1844 overland journey to California. While their pioneering trek...
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S1 E8: The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party and the California Revolt of 1844
American West Live!
The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's 1844 expedition was the first successful wagon crossing of the Sierra Nevada. This achievement is attributed to the collective leadership of several key individuals with diverse skills and unwavering resilience in the face of significant challenges. In this episode we highlight six figures whose contributions in terms of decisiveness, communication, and grit were crucial to the party's triumph. When the men of the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy party reached Sutter’s Fort in mid-December 1844 they thought their 2,000 mile journey from Missouri was almost over....
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S1 E7: Three Men, One Cabin, Buried in Snow
American West Live!
Welcome to episode 7! In late 1844, the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party was forced to make tough decisions when snow trapped them near Truckee Lake in the Sierra Nevada. With limited oxen and supplies, 17-year-old Moses Schallenberger, along with Allen Montgomery and Joseph Foster, stayed behind to guard abandoned wagons while the rest of the group continued on. Interested in learning more? Read the full story
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S1 E6: Freezing, Starved, & Alone: Life at Winter Encampment
American West Live!
In late 1844, the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party became the first to bring wagons over the Sierra Nevada. Exhausted, they established a winter encampment on the Yuba River. Facing snow, dwindling food, and separation, they endured starvation and hardship until a rescue in early 1845 brought them to safety. Interested in learning more? Read the full story
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S1 E5: Hanging by a Rope: The First Wagons Over the Summit
American West Live!
In November 1844, the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party became the first to haul wagons over the Sierra Nevada, overcoming snow, exhausted oxen, and a ten-foot granite wall using ropes and teamwork. Their success opened the California Trail, proving wagons could cross the mountains and paving the way for future westward migration. Interested in learning more? Read the whole story
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S1 E4: The Horseback Party of Six: Pioneers of Courage and Determination
American West Live!
In 1844, six pioneers from the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy wagon train became the first non-Indigenous people to cross the Sierra Nevada via the Truckee River corridor. Guided by Washoe people and driven by necessity, their journey shattered gender stereotypes and debunked myths of lone heroism. Their success opened a vital route for future emigrants and highlighted the crucial role of Indigenous knowledge and collaboration in westward expansion. Their legacy endures as a testament to courage and cooperation. Want to learn more? Read about the whole story
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S1 E3: Westward Wagons - A Rough Start
American West Live!
The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party, a group of ten families, left Iowa in 1844, becoming the first to bring wagons over the Sierra Nevada. Their journey was marked by conflicts, harsh weather, illness, and insect plagues. Strong leadership, unity, and experience helped them overcome adversity and open the West for future settlers. Want to learn more? Read about the whole story
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S1 E2: Pioneers of the California Trail
American West Live!
Welcome to Episode 2 of American West Live! The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's 1844 expedition was the first successful wagon crossing of the Sierra Nevada. This achievement is attributed to the collective leadership of several key individuals with diverse skills and unwavering resilience in the face of significant challenges. In this episode we highlight six figures whose contributions in terms of decisiveness, communication, and grit were crucial to the party's triumph. Interested in learning more? Read the whole story
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S1 E1: First Wagons to California
American West Live!
Welcome to the first episode of American West Live! In 1844 the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party left Council Bluffs, Iowa with 50 members and 11 wagons, with the goal of reaching Sacramento, California, 2,000 miles to the west and beginning a new life of freedom and prosperity. This seven-month journey, ending in triumph with all 50 members surviving, in fact 52 as two babies were born along the way, and becoming the first pioneers to get a wagon to California, was overshadowed in history by the ill-fated Donner Party of 1846 and the Gold Rush of 1849. We are taking a deep dive into this...
info_outlineThe Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's 1844 expedition was the first successful wagon crossing of the Sierra Nevada. This achievement is attributed to the collective leadership of several key individuals with diverse skills and unwavering resilience in the face of significant challenges.
This week we cover the Survivors & Heroes Expedition. For the past twelve months, six adventurers have been living and breathing 1844. Their preparation reads like a graduate-level history seminar crossed with extreme sports training. Beginning September 29th, these endurance athletes will attempt something that's never been done: a 135-mile horseback crossing of the Sierra Nevada following the exact route of the 1844 Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's "Horseback Party of Six". Yes, the same route that included two brave women, Elizabeth Townsend and Ellen Murphy, who chose to ride through winter wilderness rather than stay with the main wagon train. We hope you enjoy!