About the Trail
The Oregon Trail was a long trail that started at Independence, Missouri and ended in Oregon city on the Willamette River, approximately 2,000 miles away. Most travelers took 4-6 months to travel across the trail. The trail mostly followed the Platte River. Also, whenever a wagon train would depart, someone would yell out "Wagons Ho." However, the trail wasn't actually made perfectly, there were many slight variations. There were about 7 forts along the Oregon Trail, most were formed by mountain men. The Oregon Trail was a very long and treacherous trail.
There were seven forts along the Oregon Trail. The names of the forts were Fort Kearny, Fort Laramie, Fort Caspar, Fort Bridger, Fort Hall, Fort Boise, and Fort Vancouver. The most famous of all the forts is Fort Laramie. This fort was 650 miles, one-thirds of the way to Willamette, from Independence. Here many people would give up, turn around, and go home, but instead most kept going. This fort was used to send letters home, repair wagons and epuipment, and replenish provisions for more of the trail. Fort Kearny was the first military post built to protect the emigrants. The fort was so crudely built that snakes could slither through the holes in the walls. All the forts along the Oregon Trail came in great use to the travelers.
There were seven forts along the Oregon Trail. The names of the forts were Fort Kearny, Fort Laramie, Fort Caspar, Fort Bridger, Fort Hall, Fort Boise, and Fort Vancouver. The most famous of all the forts is Fort Laramie. This fort was 650 miles, one-thirds of the way to Willamette, from Independence. Here many people would give up, turn around, and go home, but instead most kept going. This fort was used to send letters home, repair wagons and epuipment, and replenish provisions for more of the trail. Fort Kearny was the first military post built to protect the emigrants. The fort was so crudely built that snakes could slither through the holes in the walls. All the forts along the Oregon Trail came in great use to the travelers.
Emigration to Oregon
Year1840
1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 TOTAL | Emigrants13
24 125 875 1,475 2,500 1,200 4,000 1,300 450 6,000 3,600 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,00 1,000 1,500 1,500 2,000 51,662 |
From The Oregon Trail Yesterday and Today by William E. Hill