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Making America's Best Idea Even Better
Whitman Mission National Historic Sitesheep
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Whitman Mission National Historic Site
Life at Whitman Mission
 
close-up of a sheep

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Help from Hawaii
The American Board's new missions in the Oregon Country received help from the older, more established sister missions in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). This assistance came in the form of sheep, helpers, and a printing press.

 
Catherine Sager's Account of Mission Life
 
Five modern squash

NPS

Agriculture at the mission was critical to the Whitmans' survival. Asa Smith described work being done in 1838.
book cover showing Marcus and Narcissa Whitman looking into the distance
Read more about the Whitmans
Clifford Drury wrote a very detailed and extensively documented 2-volume book about the Whitmans.
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Brass compass which belonged to Dr. Whitman  

Did You Know?
In the fall of 1842 Dr. Whitman decided to travel from Waiilatpu to Boston. He wanted to convince the board members to keep his mission station open. Dr. Whitman was in such a hurry when he left that he forgot his compass.

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Last Updated: November 02, 2008 at 16:25 EST