Legends of the Old West

WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of cannibalism.

The Donner Party experiences the worst case scenario. They’re starving and living in crude shelters. A small group begins the trek over the mountains to find help, but it loses members along the way. The people who remain trapped near Truckee Lake become increasingly desperate. But early in the new year of 1847, rescue parties start to arrive at the camps near the lake. The rescuers can hardly believe the conditions of the camps and the people. And the survivors tell the story of the most infamous wagon train in American history.

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The Donner Party faces another punishing trip across a desert before it finally reaches the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the border between Nevada and California. The party has lost a ton of time, but the travelers still believe they can make it over the mountains and into central California before winter. They make it as far as Truckee Lake – now Donner Lake – before they become trapped by blizzards.

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The Donner-Reed caravan passes the halfway point of its journey to California, and now the real problems begin. After meeting legendary mountain man, Jim Bridger, the caravan chooses to take an unproven road across central Utah. They believe it is a shortcut which will save them hundreds of miles. It turns out to be a disaster, and the trip across the Great Salt Lake Desert leads to a heartbreaking decision.

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In 1846 in Springfield, Illinois, the Donner family teams up with the Reed family to form the core of a caravan that will travel to the rich farmland of California. The problem is, they’re already late. They soon discover that they’re among the very last travelers to begin the journey to the West, and the hardships begin almost immediately.

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A quick update episode about changes to the release schedule for Legends of the Old West in 2026. Next year will begin with an encore presentation of the story of the Donner Party, followed by a 3-episode miniseries about the Alaska gold rush and then the regular full-length series.

In addition to a slightly reduced schedule, Legends of the Old West and Infamous America will now have staggered release schedules. All episodes will continue to release on Wednesdays, but new episodes of each podcast will not be perfectly in sync with each other. 

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Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial.

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