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 Researched by Natalie S. |
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The Basic Information
The Oregon Trail was a route leading from Independence, Missouri to Fort Vancouver, Washington. This trail was 2,000 miles long and started in 1840 and ended in 1860. The Oregon Trail took from about 6 months to a year to travel.
Mormon Pioneers
The Mormon Pioneers were a religious community led by Brigham Young. They fled from religious persecution in Illinois. Their destiny was to reach Salt Lake City, Utah. Their travel was much like the travel of the people on the Oregon Trail. The Mormon Trail went side-by-side with the Oregon Trail and crossed at one point. They arrived at Salt Lake City, Utah on July 24, 1847.
Wagon Trains
Each year there were many different wagon trains on the Oregon Trail, so not everyone was traveling at the same time. There were about 200 families per wagon train with 1,000 men, women and children all together. Everyone was important on the Oregon Trail. Most men died and most, women survived. In 1841, the first wagon train carried 24 people to the Oregon Territory. Almost 1,000 people made it through in 1843. By 1860, a quarter of a million settlers had followed the trail to Oregon or gone south to California. Some wagon trains included more than 2,000 cattle and up to 10,000 sheep. Each wagon train elected a leader called a captain, or a wagon master. All wagon trains were guided by a scout.
Wagons and the Wagon Parts
The pioneers on the Oregon Trail traveled by wagon. The wagon consisted of many parts. There was the bed, which was made out of a wooden box four feet wide and ten to twelve feet long. The wheels of a wagon needed daily lubricating. That’s where the grease bucket came in. There was the cover, which had a double thickness of cotton canvas, similar material was stretched over the hickory bows, and sometimes, the cover would have pockets sewn on the inside. The jockey box was used to store miscellaneous items like tools. There were also the hitch rope or chain, the tongue, and springless under-carriage. The oxen were also a very important part of the transportation. For each wagon, four to eight oxen were needed. If an ox wandered off or died, they were replaced with other animals on hand such as mules, horses, and dairy cattle.
Challenges
Along the trail, there were many challenges. Backbreaking climbs up steep riverbanks were tough on the pioneers. Thirst and starvation were a big part of the experience, too. There were diseases that couldn’t be cured back then, such as measles, fevers, and cholera. Many diseases resulted in death. When someone died, they were usually buried. On average, one person died every 17.5 miles. Diseases and firearms were usually the main cause of death.
Some other challenges were mountains, cliffs, Indians (sometimes Indians were helpful), thieves (they were the worst enemies), river rapids, crushing storms, blizzards, and prairie heat. Animals were another big challenge. The animals that caused the most trouble were mountain lions, grizzly bears, buffalo, insects, and snakes.
Meals
The pioneers had a breakfast, a lunch, and a dinner. Most meals included bacon, beans, occasionally bread, and animal meat from hunting. Their table was the ground, their table cloth was an India-rubber cloth. Their dishes were tin basins and cups that were washed in ditches and streams.
The Typical Day For Travelers on The Oregon Trail
4:00 a.m.- A guard shoots a rifle or blows a bugle to wake the people up. The women build fires and make breakfast. The men load the wagon and make necessary repairs. The children milk the cows and help with breakfast. Then everyone settles down to breakfast together.
7:00 a.m.- The wagons start moving.
12:00 noon- Everyone stops for a quick lunch of dried meat and leftover breakfast. After everyone is done, they start walking again.
6:00 p.m.- Wagon trains stop for the night. The people bring the wagons into a circle (so that thieves wouldn’t steal the animals and the animals wouldn’t wander off). The people build fires, cook dinner, do any sewing that needs to be done, set up their tents and lay down blankets in the wagon to sleep on. They also wash clothes. They eat their dinner and everyone but the guards go to bed early.
Advice Along the Trail
Along the trail, the people got lots of good advice. They got a lot of their advice from their scout that led their wagon train. They got advice from their relatives and friends. They got advice about what to pack, where and when to rest, and where and when to settle.
Prices Now and Then
Back then, to travel the trail, it would have cost somewhere between $500 and $1000. That may not seem like very much now, but back then, it was a lot! In today’s money, it would be more than ten times as much.
Court
If an argument occurred along the trail, the people would pull over to the side and hold “court” to decide the consequences.
Loneliness?
Why did they choose to go, in spite the dangers? Well, they chose to go so that they could have more freedom. It was a tough choice for a lot of them because they had to sacrifice a lot of their things. They could only take so much of each thing and had to leave some things behind as they went. When they hunted, even when they needed the food, they could only take back so much to their wagon.
The pioneers on the trail were never lonely. The trail was covered with wagon trains, army units, missionaries, hunting parties, traders, and sightseeing tours. To avoid the crowd, wagons often camped early in the day.
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I interviewed Montgomery (he prefers Monty) Brent Walker on January 4, 2005 at the Selah Library. He gave me a lot of helpful information! Monty is a geographer and historian, and teaches both history and geography at Yakima Valley Community College. He has been involved with the Oregon Trail for eight or nine years, because he discusses it in class. Monty became interested in the Oregon Trail because he has a general interest in history and also enjoys comparing the Oregon Trail to the other migration route experiences. To become a history professor at YVCC, Monty needed a Bachelor’s degree (which took him about 6 1/2 years). He also needed a Masters degree (which took him about 3 more years). So it took him about 9 1/2 years of college. Also, it took reading, reading, and more reading. So, all in all, it took him about 9 1/2 years of college and LOTS of reading. From Monty, I learned that the Oregon Trail is just a collection of westward trails (including the Mormon Trail). Together, the many trails were often called the Oregon Trail. Everyone on the Oregon Trail was important to each other’s survival. Most men died. Most if not all, women survived. The reason everyone was important was because there was never-ending work to be done. Monty explained that Indians weren’t always mean to the pioneers. The Indians were sometimes very helpful to the people on the Oregon Trail. They sometimes helped the people find food or other supplies. Monty pointed out that in 35 years, we will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Oregon Trail. Some careers related to the Oregon Trail are: working for the Oregon state or federal government, working at a museum, working at a library with a large selection of history books, working as a state park tour guide, and as an author. |
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Fisher, James J. “Following the Oregon Trail.” The Kansas City Star. Fisher, Leonard Everett. The Oregon Trail. New York: Holiday House Inc., 1990 Isaacs, Sally Senzell. The Oregon Trail. Chicago, Illinois Heinmann Library, 2004 “Oregon Trail,” Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Duluxe 2001. “Route West, The” December 9, 2004. <http://www.isu.edu/%7Etrinmich/routewest.html> Walker, Montgomery. Personal interview. January 4, 2005. |
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