History of The City of Westmoreland.

The waterways and valleys in and around Westmoreland were occupied and used by Native Americans for millennia. In the decades just prior to the acquisition of the territory by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 - the area surrounding Westmoreland was virtually unknown to Americans and was the particular province of the Konza Indian Tribe.

Oregon-California Trail:
Virtually the entire townsite of Westmoreland and much of the immediate surrounding area was part of the Scott Springs campsite on the Oregon - California Trail. This famous site was used for almost 30 years between the 1840's and 1870's by hundreds of thousands of emigrants. These emigrants were bound for Salt Lake, the California Gold Fields or the Willamette Valley in Oregon Territory.

Probably the first American traveler through this area was William L. Sublette, who pioneered this route of the trail during the winter of 1826-27. Sublette was an early fur trapper, trader and entrepreneur who traveled through the area on his way back from the fur trapping areas of the Rocky Mountains.

1829 - Sublette passed this way again with a pack train on his way to the Rockies.

1830 - Sublette took the first wagons along this route to the Rocky Mountains.

1840's to 1870 - the trail was very heavily used by hundreds of thousands of emigrants to points west.

1850's - 60's - Emigrants began to settle land in the Westmoreland area.

1871 - The town of Westmoreland was platted and the town came into being.

Today Westmoreland is a pleasant town of almost 700 people, which appreciates and commemorates its past while continuing to grow into the future.