The pioneers chose not to travel on this May 3rd in 1847. Here near the Platte and beside today's Interstate 80 they had good grass and could rest their livestock.

The blacksmiths set up forgest to repair wagons and shoe horses. Some men went hunting. Another group upstream to scout the road ahead.

Indians had been burning the prairie and the pioneers wanted to know if there'd be enough grass ahead for their animals. They returned to camp after spotting a party of three to four hundred Pawnees.

That night they readied the cannon, now on display in a Salt Lake museum, and fired it twice to let the indians know they were awake.