Book excerpt: This unique story of the Southern Emigrant Trail through Riverside County, based almost entirely on historic records, identifies the location of the trail and tells the stories of those who traveled along the route or lived in the area during the mid-1800s. Surveyors' field notes, newspaper articles, diaries and journals, military records, censuses, and many other records provide the reader the opportunity to "experience" this exciting era in Southern California history. Detailed maps with the route and other information are included along with many historic and current photographs.