• bible sitting next to a teapot

    Whitman Mission

    National Historic Site Washington

Whitman Mission - Appearance

Painting of Whitman Mission as imagined by William Henry Jackson based on written descriptions.
Painting of the Whitman Mission as it may have looked in the 1840s. Painted by William Henry Jackson in 1930. It is part of the collection at the Oregon Trail Museum at Scotts Bluff National Monument.
Courtesy of William Henry Jackson Collection
 
Appearance of the Mission House in the Light of Historical Evidence
From 1948 Archeological Report by Thomas R. Garth.
 

Description of Whitman Mission by Thomas J. Farnham
Thomas Farnham visited the mission in September of 1839.

 

Waiilatpu in 1841
Description by Dr. Whitman

 
Mission Period Artifacts
From 1948 Archeological Report by Thomas R. Garth.
 
View of mission grounds from hilltop. Lawn, trees, and millpond can be seen.
Mission grounds today as seen from the top of the hill.
NPS photo
  • 1948 Archeological Report 1948 Archeological Report

    Report on second year of archeological work at Whitman Mission led by archeologist Thomas Garth. Read More

  • Artist William Henry Jackson Artist William Henry Jackson

    Learn more about the artist and his paintings (links to Scotts Bluff National Monument).

Did You Know?

picture of Great Basin Wild Rye Grass

Great Basin Wild Rye Grass is part of the natural landscape at Whitman Mission. The name Waiilatpu, meaning place of rye grass, was used by the people to name the mission site.