March 11, 1847 On this day in 1847, nine-year-old Martha Jane “Patty” Reed arrived at Sutter’s Fort (in present-day Midtown Sacramento) after spending almost 4 and a half months snowbound in the Sierra near Truckee Lake (now Donner Lake) with members of the Donner Party. The rest of her family were already recuperating at Sutter’s Fort since they were rescued by the First Relief Party about a week prior. After crossing the Great Salt Lake Desert, at the end of August 1846, Patty Reed was supposed to leave a small doll with much of her family’s belongings along the trail, as the Reeds had to consolidate supplies to one wagon. Disobeying her mother’s orders, Patty hid that small wooden doll in her apron pocket. It is on this day that “Dolly” was at Sutter’s Fort for the first time. Over her lifetime, Patty Reed collected historical materials pertaining to the Donner Party and early California history. In 1946, Patty Reed’s family donated her collection, including the doll, to Sutter...