The Whitman Mission is a national historic site where the 1847 Whitman Massacre took place. The Whitman's were a small group of Protestant missionaries that in 1846 traveled into Oregon County. Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Spalding were of the first white women to complete this journey. Differences in culture led to significant tensions between the Cayuse and the Whitman's. The following year a measles epidemic outbreak took place and the Cayuse blamed Dr. Whitman for the deaths among their people. Dr. and Mrs. Whitman were killed and some sixty others were taken hostage. The deaths of the Whitman's caused horror among the country and prompted the Congress to make Oregon a U.S. Territory. The Whitman Mission commemorates the lives of the missionaries and brings the history back to life.
The Whitman Mission National Historic Site is located seven miles west of Walla Walla, Washington off Route 12. The grounds at the Whitman Mission include areas where the Whitman's buildings once stood, and some of the foundations of the structures are still preserved under the grass. Visitors can view the Great Grave, where the Whitman's and eleven other people were killed and buried by the Cayuse tribe. There is a trail leading up to a hill to the Memorial Shaft that was erected in 1897 in memory of the Whitman's. Visitors can also walk along a portion of the Oregon Trail, where a reproduced Oregon Trail wagon sits along the route.
Ranger programs are also available. School classes and field trip options include an introductory talk with a ranger that lasts approximately 15 minutes. The talk includes a short introduction to the Whitman Mission saga, the National Park Service, and the rules and safety guidelines. There are also three demonstrations available. The Cayuse Cultural Demonstration, the Oregon Trail Cultural Demonstration, and the Pioneer Cultural Demonstration. The Cayuse Cultural Demonstration lasts about 20 minutes and the ranger discusses the Cayuse culture during the time of the Whitman's arrival in the area. A comparison to the culture of today is also discussed. The Oregon Trail Cultural Demonstration runs approximately 20 minutes and is where the ranger discusses what it was like as an emigrant to Oregon, the duration of the journey, and the amenities, or lack their of, that were taken. The Pioneer Cultural Demonstration lasts 20 minutes and is also known as the Spinning Demonstration. A ranger talks about the self-sufficiency of the emigrants including a demonstration of the spinning wheel. Visitors can also watch a short 10 minute slide show entitled `The Whitman Saga.' The film is available in English and in Spanish.
The on-site museum contains exhibits of the 19th century culture with original artifacts from the Cayuse, Whitman's, and emigrants. The grounds and museum tours are self-guided and on-site activities are available including activity sheets for students to focus on learning while going through the tour and visiting the site.
Summers in the Walla Walla region are sunny, dry, and very hot. Summer temperatures stabilize in the 90s on average and rainfall is scarce during this time. Winters can be extremely cloudy, foggy, and cold. During the winter month's temperatures run about 40 degrees for high and 20 degrees for low temperatures.
