The winter of 1825 was especially harsh along the east bank of the Missouri River. This was certainly no place for traveling musicians to be raising children, but on the eve of John Quincy Adam’s presidency, Camden Dechert was born. An observant child, she quickly picked up the habits of her kin, entertaining travelers with her fiddle.

The Oregon Trail was a tough life but Camden made the most of it, learning the valuable skill of map-making at the age of 14. She quickly gained recognition, earning the highfalutin’ honor as the trail's top map-maker. Later in life, after settling into the Willamette Valley, her skills led her to the discovery of the Willamette stone. This stone held keys that were pivotal to deciphering the scripts and hieroglyphs of the ancient Egyptians. Unfortunately, the honor and excitement of her life as a map maker came with the danger of uncharted lands. This would eventually get the best of Camden as she was struck down by a Spitting Thicktail Black Scorpion while trying to illustrate its beauty.