The title of the work and the name on the covered wagon reveal the destination of the pioneer family: Helena, Montana, which in the 1860s was home to gold and other mining camps. The settlers in this painting appear to be moving down the Mullen Road from Fort Benton to Helena. The Scratch Gravel Hills, four miles north of Helena, can be seen in the background; the hills received their name from the gravel cover which hid gold nuggets.  

Russell captures the weariness of travel, the hardships, and the isolation from friends and family back home that many pioneers faced in the hopes of striking it rich. While women’s experiences in the West varied, they were instrumental in helping to establish settlements and community life on the plains.