Making history again on the Oregon Trail

Sunset, June, 1993 by Lora J. Finnegan

BOOKS, TRAVEL HELP

Books were a luxury on a wagon train, but they're a must for modern travelers. Consider carrying The Oregon Trail, a classic 1846 account by Francis Parkman, Jr. (Penguin Books, New York, 1985; $5.95), or The Plains Across, by John D. Unruh, Jr. (University of Illinois Press, Chicago, 1982; $14.95). We like a plain set of trail diaries published by the Webb Research Group (call 800/866-9721), and we admire On the Oregon Trail, a handsome photographic essay by Jonathan Nicholas and Ron Cronin (Graphic Arts Center Publishing, Portland, 1992; $45).

The Oregon Trail, an interactive software program by MECC (Minneapolis; $39.95 to $49.95; 800/685-6322), lets you learn about the trail and test your survival skills as you travel electronically. It's great fun for ages 10 and up.

For maps to Oregon Trail segments or details on events or wagon trains, write or call the following sources.

Wyoming Division of Tourism, I-25 at College Dr., Cheyenne 82002; (800) 225-5996.

Idaho Travel Council, 700 W. State St., Boise 83720; (800) 635-7820.

Oregon Tourism Division, 775 Summer St. N.E., Salem 97310; (800) 547-7842.

If you plan to follow the trail eastward across Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri, you can call these tourism offices for details on sites and events Nebraska, (800) 228-4307; Kansas, (800) 252-6727; and Missouri, (314) 751-4133. Or call (206) 553-5366 for a free National Park Service map of the entire route, a designated national historic trail.

TRACING YOUR PIONEER ROOTS, SAVING THE TRAIL

If you want to find out if your ancestors were among the trail emigrants, several sources can help.

At the Oregon Historical Society's Regional Research Library in the Oregon History Center in Portland, you can attempt to trace your roots to wagon train pioneers who settled in Oregon. The library has a new guide to its 270 trail diaries. Hours are noon to 4:45 Tuesdays through Saturdays (ages under 11 are not allowed in the library). The center's admission fee is $3 adults, $1 students. It's open 10 to 5 Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 Sundays.

The Oregon Trail Project of Idaho will issue Oregon Trail certificates to those with proof of ancestors who traveled the trail. To receive a certificate or for help tracing your roots, write to Idaho Genealogical Society, 4620 Overland Rd., Room 206, Boise 83705.

To help preserve the trail, join the Oregon-California Trails Association ($30 membership); write to Box 1019, Independence, Mo. 64051; or call (816) 252-2276.

SUNSET READERS SHARE THEIR OREGON TRAIL HERITAGE

Considering how grueling the journey was, it's surprising how many pioneers found the time and energy to keep diaries (at least 2,000, according to Richard Rieck). "The journey was such a rite of passage, a personal test, that hundreds who'd never kept a diary before did so on the trail and left history a fascinating record," notes Stephen Dow Beckham.

Sunset recently queried Northwest readers about their ancestors' Oregon Trail roots. We received more than 75 letters including--photographs of rare Oregon Trail artifacts, pioneer portraits, family genealogical studies, and copies of treasured trail diary entries. A few examples are shown at right.