Prior thoughts, found on this echo from Chris Gilliland 
to Zaynab Richmond on 09-12-96  05:43:
 DR> Donner State Memorial Park. The girls were as fascinated with the
 DR> Donner story and the park as they'd been at the Dam and Lassen.
 
 ZR> Have you ever seen the documentary that PBS has shown about the Donner
 ZR> party?  It is a real tear-jerker... and very informative... it really
 ZR> gave me much  more insight into the trauma these families endured..
 CG> So, what is it about these families?  I don't think we heard about it
 CG> on THIS end of the states!
The Donner expedition is an infamous part of California history that
we all have to learn about here.  A group of immigrants back around
1850 or so tried to go over the Sierras rather late in the season and
ended up getting stuck in the snow.  It turned out to be a terrible
tragedy.  Men, women and children had to stay in makeshift cabins near
what is now Donner Lake.  As the winter wore on and food ran out and
help didn't arrive, they eventually ended up eating the bodies of those
who died.  The cannibalism is what makes it such an unforgettable 
event.  Only one family refused to partake of the cannibalism and as
I recall, it was also the only family that didn't lose any members
at all.  I have no idea what they ate to stay alive.  It seemed everyone
was on the verge of starving to death.  Anyhow, that's how Donner Lake 
and Donner Pass got their names.
Zaynab
... Listen to the whistle of the evening train.
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