Oregon Bound

It required a minimum of about $500 to outfit for the trip. Food and other provisions needed to sustain a family on the Oregon Trail for six months took up most of the room in their wagon; though the overlander's wagons were structurally capable of carring as much as two tons when in good repair.

You wanted a light wagon of the very best materials and workmanship, extra irons. The beds should be water tight ... cover of good drilling, doubled. Tent of the same (single) of the Military or wall style. Tent poles ironed. Tools: Ax, Hatchet, 1/2, 3/4, 1, and 1 1/2 inch augurs, Inch chisel, Drawing knife, handsaw, and a few wrought nails ... you will want a spade and a long one inch rope, say one hundred feet.

Typically a wagon started out from Missouri loaded down with flour, sugar, bacon, coffee beans, lard, spices, dried fruit, beans, rice, and even a keg of pickles, a popular choice for warding off the dangers of malnutrition. Cast iron pots and pans, a kettle or two, a Dutch oven added even more weight to the wagon. For larger families, even more food would be needed as it was recommended to carry 150 lbs. of Flour, 20 lbs. of corn meal, 50 lbs. of bacon, 40 lbs. of sugar, 10 lbs. of coffee, 15 lbs. of dried fruit, 5 lbs. of salt, half a pound of baking soda, 2 lbs. of tea, 5 lbs. of rice, and 15 lbs. of beans, per adult. That is why, those who could afford it, brought two or more wagons, one for the food and one for everything else.

Along the trail, in the wooded areas, it was possible for the emigrants to hunt for fresh meat, a welcome addition to their meals. After crossing the plains, the provisions would be starting to dwindle.

Even with the uncertainty of what lies ahead, the emigrants continued on. From sun up to sun down the wagon train would continue on. At night, over the glow of the campfires, the emigrants would gather around and talk about the long journey, yet to come.

On the trail, emigrants encounted additional expenses. Once beyond the frontier, prices at the trading posts along the Oregon Trail were typically at least twice those back East and could be much higher. Many emigrants wore out several pairs of shoes on the road to Oregon, forcing them to buy Indian moccasins and tanned buffalo hides. Crossing bridges were still another expense, but the prices for bridges and ferries were generally negotiable, but there were additional charges per head of livestock.

By the time emigrants arrived in Oregon, they needed to re-supply. The costs of goods were about 5 to 15% higher. Dried fruit that cost $0.06 per pound, in Missouri, in Oregon cost $0.12 per pound. Sugar cost $0.04 per pound, in Missouri, in Oregon cost $0.10-$0.16 per pound.

Travel Time Line

The Stagecoach made it's first apprearance on the Oregon Trail in 1859, and with the threat of Civil War, more than 15,000 people escaped by moving west. The need for current news became most important and The Pony Express began, making stops on the Oregon Trail every 15 miles, from St Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.

Despite the Sioux uprisings, 45,000 emigrants traveled the trail, between 1864 and 1866. Some bound for Montana, and some California and the rest headed for Oregon. The end of the overland trails era began in 1866, with the formation of the Union Pacific Railroad, and by 1869, an emigrant could travel from Omaha to the Pacific Ocean, in California, in less than two weeks, that is, if they could afford it.

The railroad slowly made it way through Oregon. In December of 1869, the Oregon Railway completed the first 20 miles of rail line, in Portland, heading south. By September 27, 1870, the line reached Salem, and by December of that year, the line reached Albany. It was not until October 15, 1871, that the line officially opened all the way to Eugene City. The railroad reached Ashland in May of 1884, but financial troubles stopped construction. It would not be until May of 1887 that the Southern Pacific Railroad would take over control, and by December of 1887 the line was completed, it reached the California border, where it connected with the Southern Pacific Line south. Now Oregon had its first direct rail link to the rest of the country. The Oregon & California Railroad built south to Sacramento, and despite its name, the Oregon Short Line made a connection to the Union Pacific main line in Granger, Wyoming. Making it possible for an emigrant from the Midwest or the East Coast to board a train in Omaha and travel in relative comfort and safety all the way to the Willamette Valley. (Keep in mind that it is during this time period, 1869 - 1880, that the majority of our ancestors came to Oregon. Most still came by Wagon Train, directly to Oregon, while some went south, to California, then went by Steam Ship, up the Pacific Coast line, to Oregon.)

However, wagon trains could still be seen on the Oregon Trail through the 1880's. The last wagon train widely known to have braved the Oregon Trail was driven by Ezra Meeker in 1906, but families that couldn't afford to buy train tickets, were known to be seen as late as 1912 making the trip to Oregon.