HISTORY This Week

The Donner Party Turns Deadly


Listen Later

August 4, 1846. A few months into their journey from Illinois to California, a group of pioneers encounters trouble. They’ve just found a note from their guide. It essentially says, “That shortcut I told you to take through the Wasatch Mountains – don’t.” The setback disastrously delays their trip. Weeks later, when they reach the Sierra Nevada, it’s dangerously late in the season. Soon, a winter storm traps them in the mountains. What did they have to do to survive? And what’s the truth behind the legendary Donner Party?


Special thanks to our guest: Daniel James Brown, author of The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

HISTORY This WeekBy The HISTORY® Channel | Back Pocket Studios

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

3,932 ratings


More shows like HISTORY This Week

View all
Useless Information Podcast by Airwave Media Podcast Network

Useless Information Podcast

1,786 Listeners

Stuff You Should Know by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Should Know

77,426 Listeners

Stuff You Missed in History Class by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Missed in History Class

23,630 Listeners

Ben Franklin's World by Liz Covart

Ben Franklin's World

1,548 Listeners

This American President by This American President

This American President

704 Listeners

History Unplugged Podcast by History Unplugged

History Unplugged Podcast

3,989 Listeners

History That Doesn't Suck by Prof. Greg Jackson

History That Doesn't Suck

5,547 Listeners

American History Tellers by Wondery

American History Tellers

18,961 Listeners

American Scandal by Wondery

American Scandal

18,817 Listeners

This Day in History by The HISTORY Channel

This Day in History

224 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

15,801 Listeners

Letters of Love in WW2 by Sky HISTORY

Letters of Love in WW2

117 Listeners

Not What You Thought You Knew by HISTORY

Not What You Thought You Knew

208 Listeners

The Food That Built America by The HISTORY® Channel

The Food That Built America

706 Listeners

Key Battles of American History by Key Battles of American History

Key Battles of American History

881 Listeners

History Daily by Airship | Noiser | Wondery

History Daily

1,968 Listeners

American History Hit by History Hit

American History Hit

1,309 Listeners