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Oregon Trail

§Five to six month journey n Most practical route to the West

§Traveled over half the continent n Traveled with families looking for farmland

§People used wagons or going to California in search of gold §About 2,170 miles n 1 in 10 died on the trail from disease, §Crossed present day states Missouri, Kansas, overwork, hunger, or accidents Nebraska, , Idaho, and Oregon. n 1869 trains took over

Oregon Trail

Jail and Courthouse Rocks.

Located near Bridgeport, Nebraska, these are two of many famous landmarks for the traveler on the Oregon trail. Tradition says that they were so named by emigrants who believed them to resemble public structures "back home".

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Chimney Rock Chimney Rock was the most described natural feature in migration pioneer diaries. All diaries of the early travelers show that it was visible for 40 miles and was used as an objective by the slow moving covered Ruts at Mitchell's Pass wagons. Remnants of the trail still visible at Mitchell's Pass in Nebraska

Register Cliff At Register Cliff, the Oregon/California bound travelers would stop briefly Pioneer Name on Register Cliff to carve their names on the soft sandstone cliffs above the North . Signatures and dates are still visible.

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Graves near Register Cliff There are several graves marked with fieldstones in a fenced in Oregon Trail wagon wheel ruts at Guernsey, Wyoming. area at Register Cliff.

Oregon trail from Flagstaff Hill Looking down at the Oregon Trail from Flagstaff Hill, the visible part of the Wheel ruts at Guernsey, Wyoming trail is to the left of the covered wagon. The covered wagon sits on a seven mile remnant of the trail.

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Conestoga Wagon

Mormon Trail Mormon Handcarts n Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled 1,300 miles from 1846-1857 n They wanted a new home and refuge

n Their goal was to find an isolated area where they could

permanently settle and practice their religion in peace n About 70,000 Mormons traveled the Exodus n This trail started in Illinois and ended at the Great Salt Lake in

Utah

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Mormon Trail They faced much hardship like walking hundreds of miles, violent weather, temperature extremes, bad water, poor forage, Mormon Trail sickness, and death. n This was a movement of an entire people,

an entire religion, and an entire culture

n Devotional practices were part of their daily routine on the trail.

n Knowing that others would follow, they improved the trail and built support facilities. Businesses, such as ferries, were established.

Santa Fe Trail Santa Fe Trail n Wagon caravans, usually leaving in n 780 miles that started from Independence, Mo., early summer, n Traveled Southwest to Santa Fe, N.Mex. made the 40- to 60- n People used wagons day trip over the trail and returned n Santa Fe welcomed trade after a 4- to 5-week stay in Santa Fe

n Goods were taken to Santa Fe each year

Traded steel products, glass, a variety of decorative items for buffalo robes.

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Rattlesnakes often posed a threat as many people died due to snakebite. Santa Fe Trail n Unlike the Oregon trail, there was a serious danger of Indian attacks n The Comanches and Apaches of southern high plains did not tolerate trespassers. n Lack of food and water made the trail very risky. n Weather conditions, like huge lightning storms, gave the travelers difficulty. If a storm blew up, there was often no place to take shelter and the livestock could get spooked.

Santa Fe Trail

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