Where did the Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage begin in 1975?

The Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage began in Blaine, Washington, in 1975.

The wagon train was a long-distance commemorative journey created to connect the nation’s modern anniversary with its westward travel history. It began on June 8, 1975, at Blaine, near the U.S.–Canada border, and traveled across the country toward Pennsylvania.

The pilgrimage concluded at Valley Forge on July 4, 1976. Participants followed historic routes associated with American migration and transportation, including portions of the Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, Mormon Trail, Natchez Trace, and Wilderness Road. The project used covered wagons and period-inspired travel to create a moving historical exhibition.

Valley Forge is sometimes given as the starting point because it was the destination and the site of major concluding ceremonies. Wilmington, Delaware, was instead the launch point of the American Freedom Train. Keeping those two Bicentennial projects separate prevents a common mix-up.