In spring of 1846, Joseph Aram was leaving Illinois for California.

By October 1846, Aram reached the Bear River, and met Colonel Fremont at Fort Sutter and was led to the Santa Clara Mission by some of Fremont's men.

All pictures and much of the text for the Orchard School History pages were borrowed from the book, Orchard School: A Narrative History, written by Richard Keller.