Miscellaneous
In 1846 an 8-year-old girl named Patty Reed headed west on the Oregon Trail, along with her family. Among Patty’s few toys was a tiny wooden doll. This doll is maybe 4 inches in height, and there is nothing particularly remarkable about her. Except for one thing: The wagon train that Dolly and Patty Reed were traveling in became known as the Donner Party. What keeps us going in the face of tragedy, what keeps us sane when our life has become one horror after another? In Patty’s case it was this tiny doll, wearing scraps of cloth from her grandmother, and carrying memories of home, family, and happier times. Read the Show Notes for This Episode