Learn what Pioneers took on their Oregon Trail journey (2024)

FAQs

Learn what Pioneers took on their Oregon Trail journey? ›

A pioneer's typical outfit wasn't terribly expensive; usually one or two small, sturdy farm wagons, six to 10 head of oxen, a milk cow or two. Plus all the necessary food, clothing and utensils needed for survival.

Certain accessories and tools for making emergency repairs to a wagon were necessary to bring along. These included rope, brake chains, a wagon jack, extra axles and tongues, wheel parts, axes, saws, hammers, knives, and a sturdy shovel.

The Oregon Trail was a roughly 2,000-mile route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, that was used by hundreds of thousands of American pioneers in the mid-1800s to emigrate west. The trail was arduous and snaked through Missouri and present-day Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and finally into Oregon.

Several fur trading posts were passed by Oregon Trail emigrants near where trails led to the various rendezvous points. Fort John was an American Fur Company post on the Oregon Trail near Scotts Bluff. It replaced an earlier Robidoux Trading Post. Two competing fur trading posts were Fort Bernard and Fort Platte.

From Independence, Missouri, the trail folowed the Little Blue, Platte, Sweetwater, Snake, and Columbia Rivers through Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon. Emigrants typically traveled 12 to 15 miles per day and it took 4 to 6 months to travel the 2,000 miles.

Death on the Trail

Death was an ever-present companion. It is estimated that as many as 1 in 10 emigrants died on the trail—between 20,000 and 30,000 people. The majority of deaths occurred because of diseases caused by poor sanitation. Cholera and typhoid fever were the biggest killers on the trail.

Without refrigeration or the means for keeping fresh foods cold, travelers had to rely on salted meats, pickled vegetables, dried fruit, bread and coffee. But within these categories there was much variation and choice. amount to pack was essential.

Cholera was the main scourge of the trail. It could attack a perfectly healthy person after breakfast and he would be in his grave by noon. However, many would linger in misery for weeks in the bouncy wagons.

Rough roads and wagons without springs made for a very bumpy ride, and wagons were filled with supplies which left little room for passengers. Generally, travelers only rode in wagons when too ill or tired to walk, and slept most nights in tents or bedrolls outside the wagon.

African Americans were among the pioneers who crossed the trail to Oregon, some coming willingly as free men and women but others forced to travel as the property of slaveholders. Those who reached Oregon between the 1840s and 1860s probably numbered in the hundreds.

What did the pioneers drink? ›

Not only were buffalo, deer, and wild turkey there for the taking, pioneers also gathered greens such as purslane, dandelion, and pigweed—as well as wild fruits, berries, and nuts. They replaced sugar with wild honey or maple syrup, and when they had no tea, they made drinks out of sage, sassafras, and mint.

The real enemies of the pioneers were cholera, poor sanitation and, surprisingly, accidental gunshots. The first emigrants to go to Oregon in a covered wagon were Marcus and Narcissa Whitman who made the trip in 1836.

The most common animals were farm animals such as cows, goats, and chickens. Many families brought a dairy cow with them for milk. Many also brought chickens for eggs. Travelers also brought draft animals like horses, mules, and oxen.

They dug holes in the ground for toilets. Many emigrants probably didn't wash their hands afterward. Rain washed the contents of the holes into the streams or rivers.

Pioneers typically went to sleep at dusk since, without light, not much could be accomplished. Candles and lanterns were expensive and not to be wasted.

If the unthinkable happened and the coffee supply ran out, the pioneers would resort to sipping corn or pea brew. In addition to coffee or tea, breakfast included something warm, such as cornmeal mush, cornmeal cakes (“Johnny Cakes”) or a bowl of rice. There was usually fresh baked bread or biscuits.

Tools/weapons were a necessity on the trail, and included: Each man or teenage boy brought with him either a hunting rifle or a shotgun. Sometimes pistols were brought, but usually by wealthier travelers. Every adult family member had a hunting knife.

Emigrants feared death from a variety of causes along the trail: lack of food or water; Indian attacks; accidents, or rattlesnake bites were a few. However, the number one killer, by a wide margin, was disease. The most dangerous diseases were those spread by poor sanitary conditions and personal contact.

Covered wagons were most widely used to transport the possessions and necessities of pioneer families as they travelled westward. Examples of common items which were transported in a covered wagon include food, supplies to maintain the wagon, cooking supplies, bedding, clothing, and keepsakes.

The Oregon Trail was a wagon route stretching 2,170 miles. The total journey took up to six months using modified wagons pulled by mules or oxen. The terrain was incredibly bumpy, so many pioneers often walked on foot.