What Was the Oregon Trail? History and Legacy

In 1800s America, Manifest Destiny dominated all thoughts of Western expansion. This belief was that Americans had the right to move west, so inevitably, that would happen. Thus, pioneers carved out the Oregon Trail, the first of many but the most important transit routes. Sheer numbers made the Trail important. Between 1840 and 1870, historians estimate 300,000+ emigrants used the Trail, more than other named trails. The mortality rate hovered around 10%, so traveling involved some risk.

Trappers, traders, missionaries, and settlers became the first to use the Oregon Trail in the early 19th century. Profit, especially for the European fur trade, drew Americans West after the 1803 Lewis and Clark Expedition. These groups traveled by horse, as the Trail did not develop much until travel by wagon train became common in the 1840s. Changing fashions ended the fur trade, but the Trail’s path had been created. The Oregon Trail’s kickoff point started in Independence, Missouri, though some migrants began in St. Joseph, Missouri. Wherever the journey started, Oregon, especially the Willamette Valley, was their destination. The settlers saw the land between, like the Great Plains or the Rocky Mountains, as something to be crossed. The idea for farming or mining would come much later.

Getting Ready: Wagons and Baggage

What and how much to take became hopeful emigrants’ biggest decision. The journey would take about five months, covering fifteen to twenty miles daily. Travelers needed to pack supplies and equipment for the entire journey – few settlements existed until the 1850s. In preparation, most families sold off everything to finance their journey.

This meant getting started. Because of a wagon train’s leisurely pace, distance, terrain, and weather, emigrants needed to begin at a good time of year. The trek was done in stages, as the wagon train had to clear specific points. Failing to do so meant being trapped in winter snow or having no grass to feed livestock. The terrible fate of the Donner Party was a well-known outcome of not being wary of the Trail’s dangers.

Death, Disease, and the Native Tribes

Pioneers on the Trail feared Native attacks, weather, accidents, and even snake bites. Accounts by travelers describe accidental gunshots, being run over by wagons, drownings, and death by scurvy. The biggest killer along the Trail was disease, particularly cholera. Such diseases spread quickly because of bad sanitary conditions and close interactions. Such death was painful and short. Survivors buried the victims quickly in poor or unmarked graves due to time pressures. With a ten percent mortality rate, thousands died en route, meaning an average would be ten to fifteen deaths per mile.

The pioneers may encounter formidable Native tribes like the Sioux, Arapahoe, and others, but this rarely led to conflict. Most wanted to trade food for supplies, but both sides stayed wary. Later, the Native tribes became angry with the pioneers who often wasted resources, like needlessly shooting buffalo or dirtying rivers. By the 1850s, conflicts were more common.

Terrain Obstacles

In the 2000-plus miles of the Oregon Trail, travelers crossed prairies, deserts, rivers, and mountains. The wagon train may need to find a crossable river ford or pull wagons up a pass. Settler diaries write of dumping precious items to lighten the load. Pioneers coming later found thousands of discarded items flung by desperate families hoping to keep moving.

The Oregon Trail’s heyday went from the 1840s until after the Civil War. The golden spike that joined the two final rails of the 1869’s first transcontinental railroad spelled the end. Now, traveling west only took days but was more expensive. The Trail was mainly used for cattle drives and occasional wagon trains. No historian would deny the Oregon Trail’s pivotal role in America’s Old West saga. Thousands traveled looking for something better, risking their lives to do so. By 1860, California’s American population stood at 380,000.