On this episode of Our American Stories, when Nancy Kelsey left Missouri with her husband in 1841, she had no map, no guide, and no reason to believe she’d ever see home again. She was young, pregnant, and part of the first wagon train attempting to cross into California. The trail stretched endlessly, marked by hunger, broken wagons, and the quiet fear of being lost for good. Still, Nancy kept going. When she finally reached the Sacramento Valley, barefoot and exhausted, she became the first American woman to complete the journey. Nancy and her family would later play a crucial role in Californian and American history, becoming the first wave of a great tide that would transform a nation. Our regular contributor, Roger McGrath, shares the story.

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