The Madonna of the Oregon Trail Traditional Cache
KPIC: The city committee that was maintaining this no longer has anyone to maintain this so we need to archive it.
The Madonna of the Oregon Trail
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Size: 
(small)
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You know the name of Sacajawea, but what about Madame Marie Dorion? In her time her name was one of the few women's names known nationally. This Native American woman could be called the original first citizen of the area. Her contributions to the region, state, and nation are immeasurable. She is one of the 158 prominent people in Oregon history whose names line the halls of the state House of Representatives and the Senate.
Madame Marie Dorion was the only woman of the Astroia Overland Expedition of 1811-1812. The party was charged with the task of setting up a fur trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River. The 21 year old Iowa Indian woman was the wife of expedition member Pierre Dorion. With her 2 and 4 year old boys in tow she left Montreal and walked over the Continental Divide . Marie was the first woman to travel the route that would become the Oregon Trail earning her the name of The Madonna of the Oregon Trail. Along the way she gave birth to the first known child of Caucassian blood born in the Oregon territory. The boy was born near North Powder, Oregon but only lived 8 days.
Marie Dorion was a survivor. During January of 1814 she was with her husband on a trapping expedition to the Snake River. The trappers came under attack by Bannock Indians and only one made it back to camp. Marie tried to save his life, but he died. She gathered up what little she could along with her two boys, crossed the Snake River, and fled into the Blue Mountains. This area is known to have some of the harshest winters in the state. There she killed her horses to use their hides for a shelter. She and her children survived 50 days alone in the mountains until they emerged in the spring and sought safety with some friendly Walla Walla Indians.
Marie had three husbands the last being Jean Baptiste Toupin. They had three children. Her husband owned 2 farms on the shores of Lake Labish where they spent time. Keizer Station borders on the area that was Lake Labish. Her family gave aid to children orphaned by disease or killed by natives. She became known as Madame Marie Dorion. She was born in St. Louis in the Missouri territory in 1786. She died in 1850 at St. Louis, Marion County, Oregon and was buried at the old log church in St. Louis which is nearby Keizer. That church burned down in the late 1800's and now her gravesite is unknown. Marie was reputed to be kind and devout. It is believed some sort of special dispensation was made to allow her burial at the Roman Catholic church.
An historical marker to commemorate her experiences is on state route 237 north of Baker City. There are tributes to her in other places across the Northwest including an old bridge in Walla Walla, Washington. In July 2010 a new PLAQUE about Madame Dorion has just been dedicated nearby at the park just south of this cache off Keizer Stadium Blvd.
PLEASE do not screw the lid down tightly otherwise it is tough to get open. Thanks.
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