Oregon Trail

in Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon

Between 1843 and 1870, at least 80,000 (and maybe even as many as 200,000) people traveled the Oregon Trail to make new homes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The trail officially began in Independence, Missouri and ended in Oregon City, Oregon -- but many emigrants began wherever it was convenient for them.

The travelers made the trip for various reasons. Some wanted to move westward as people before them had done, others wanted an opportunity to farm better, cheaper land, and still others wanted to settle Oregon so the United States could claim that land. (At the time, both England and the United States claimed what is today Washington and Oregon.) The trip would take 5 to 6 months and the people started in late April or early May.

 

The wagon was extremely important to the trip. It needed to be strong, basic, and lightweight. It would be pulled by mules or oxen. . . mules were more expensive, but traveled faster -- oxen were cheaper, but slow. Supplies for a family (wagon, animals, food, and the like) could cost from $500 to $1,000 -- that would be over $9,900 to over $19,800 today!

Emigrants faced many difficulties on the trail. The day's travel usually started at 4:00 am and ended at 6:00 pm. The travelers covered 15 to 20 miles daily, but weren't able to travel every day -- because of rain, illness, injury, or other reasons. Cholera, accidental gunshots, rattlesnake bites, and other things killed an average of 1 in every 17 adults and 1 in every 5 children. However, there were good times. In the evenings, people would sing, dance, and tell stories around the campfire.

 

In 2005, I traveled a portion of the Oregon Trail with a class for Hastings College. This web page, with a few places we visited, is to fulfill the requirements for that class and to inform my students.

 

Claire Frevert

July 2005