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Back to New England

"We arrived home (in Edgartown) the first of June and I soon went to housekeeping." - Helen's memoirs

As the month of May, 1871 passed by, so did the landscapes of America through the windows of the train steaming its way east towards New England. At first, the Union Pacific Railroad was not directly connected to eastern US rail network. Instead, trains had to be ferried across the Missouri River. A year later, in 1872, the Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge was opened and finally connected East to West directly.

Written information about the rest of Laura's journey is limited, but what we do know is that she arrived home in Edgartown on the Island of Martha's Vineyard during the first week in June, 1871. Laura, Prescott and Helen had been gone from home over 946 days!

Before long, the children were reacquainting themselves with Edgartown while Helen resumed her duties as homemaker. In 1912 Helen recalled in her memoirs:

"This is the end of my sea voyage." - Helen's memoirs

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Martha's Vineyard Museum