Oregon Trail

This morning we went to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on Flagstaff Hill just outside of Baker City, Oregon.

There were not many artifacts inside, not like a museum but it was really educational. We watched about an hour movie that was like a History Channel documentary about why families were motivated to risk so much to come 2000 plus miles to try to make a new home in the Oregon Country. Like now the economy was bad, jobs were scarce, businesses were failing and many wanted a new start. The idea of Manifest Destiny was being publicized, and the government was pushing to have Americans occupy the land so that they could claim it for the United States before the British could. Many who started out on the trail were not equipped with the knowledge or skills to complete it. The greatest threat was from cholera caused by lack of sanitation and good water. We learned that he Native Americans were more often helpful than harmful and the wagons were circled at night to control the livestock and give shelter from the weather rather than to form a fort against the "savages".

After viewing what was in the interpretive center we drove down the hill a ways to the actual old wagon ruts of the original Oregon Trail.



Oregon Trail Heading West toward the Blue Mountains



 I remember my Dad talking about a time when he and my Grandfather were going hunting and driving across Idaho. He told about stopping at a place where the Oregon Trail wagon ruts were still visible and walking in those ruts. I thought that was so cool and wished that someday I could do that too.

Well today I did. Thanks Dad for all of the stories you used to tell  and the love of history that you helped to give to me.
                                                               Oregon Trail Heading East