Barbara Watson, Skyline High School, Idaho Falls, ID
OREGON TRAIL DIARY
Appropriate for grades 5-11.
OVERVIEW: As America expanded across the continent, her
settlement of the west by the pioneers was one of the major
accomplishments of the 19th century. As westerners, my students
especially need to appreciate the hardships their ancestors
endured as they traveled across the plains to reach their various
destinations. This diary simulation provides dual opportunities
for students to write their own historical fiction as well as to
gain a deeper understanding of the various landmarks and trails of
the Oregon Trail.
The students come into come into class the day they begin their
western unit, and the day's destination is already on the board;
they begin writing as soon as the tardy bell rings. This activity
continues throughout the entire western unit so that students may
add details from their studies to their own diaries for added
realism.
Throughout this unit, the bulletin board should contain a U.S. map
with all the various western trails marked on it. Each day a
small picture of a Conestoga wagon can be moved to that day's
destination along the Oregon Trail. Then around the map, pictures
of the different landmarks on the Oregon Trail as well as any
other pictures of pioneers moving could be displayed. This all
helps the students get a feel for the time and place that they are
writing about.
ACTIVITIES: Announce to the students that they are about to move
west and will be keeping a diary about their adventures. They
must do the following before the next class day:
a) Create a new identity for themselves. This would include
an old-fashioned name, age, occupation, spouse, and family
(minimum of two children and possibly grandparents, cousins,
uncles or aunts living with them). Having a spouse is required
because most adults were married then.
b) Find or make some kind of book to write in and some type
of ink to write with. One idea is to "age" paper by wadding it
up, dipping it in tea or coffee, and once dry, binding it in some
manner.
TOPICS FOR THE PAPER:
DECISION TO MOVE. Husband decides to move to Oregon (with or
without the wife's advice). Wife obeys and pregnancy or
illness is no excuse not to go or to postpone the trip.
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI. Meet at the southeast corner of
Courthouse Square and wait until enough wagons show up to
form a wagon train. Tell what you brought with you
(supplies, heirlooms, animals) as well as what the town looks
and feels like.
FIRST NIGHT--CROSSED BLUE RIVER. Describe your first day of
travel by wagon plus crossing a river. Camp near the flour
mills run by river power, and buy flour from either Blue Mill
or Fitzhugh Mill. Someone on your wagon train is bitten by a
rattle snake and dies hours later.
CROSSED KANSAS RIVER. Used the Pappan Ferry run by two
brothers who used two canoes with poles to carry the wagons
over. They coiled a rope around a tree to lower the boat
into the water. The river was 200 yards wide, rapid and deep
current. Animals swam, and it cost $4/wagon, .25/mule,
.10/man. One of your children falls off the wagon and is
swept away by the current and drowns.
FORT KEARNY. Mail letters and buy supplies.
ASH HOLLOW. This is the first steep grade you've
encountered, and it was so scary that people did not even
talk for the last 2 miles. You lost several hours holding
the wagons back with ropes (to keep them from racing down the
canyon), so you decide to camp in the grove of ash trees at
the bottom of the canyon.
COURTHOUSE ROCK. You passed a huge rock that looked like a
castle or jail. It was all alone on the prairie and you've
been watching it for days. The ground has changed from lush
green to browns and tans. In fact, it is so dry that your
lips and nose are cracked and parched, but this evening
relief came with a thunderstorm which lit up the sky with all
the lightning. Your animals became frightened, and you have
to calm them down.
CHIMNEY ROCK. You passed a tall rock formation out in the
middle of the plains. It is hot and you're bothered by the
boils on the back of your unwashed neck.
SCOTT'S BLUFF. On the south bank of the Platte River, you
pass a high cliff. There is no wood and you're forced the
use buffalo chips to make your fire (it does give a
distinctive taste to the food).
FORT LARAMIE. This Mexican-style fort made of adobe seemed
to be out in the middle of nowhere. There is water on two
sides. You buy supplies.
INDEPENDENCE ROCK. It's the Fourth of July and you spend the
next couple of days celebrating around this huge granite rock
that is 3-4 acres in size and looks like a giant whale. You
celebrate independence with patriotic singing, picnic
lunches, and carving your name on the rock.
SWEETWATER RIVER CROSSING. You camp near the river because
it is a lush area with good water and grass for the animals.
Indians attack this evening, and while your wagon train
fought them off, several friends died.
SOUTH PASS. Today you crossed the Continental Divide,
although it was so gradual a climb that you were unaware at
the time. This pass is only 3/4 of a mile in parts, but it
marks the beginning of the Oregon Territory.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS. You passed this natural phenomenon but
did not want to camp there. It is an opening in rock where
hot mineral water shoots out and emits a noise like a high
pressure steamboat whistle (though not very loud). The water
is hot, pungent, and had a disagreeable metallic taste to it.
One of your children burned his/her tongue trying to drink
it.
SODA SPRINGS. You've decided to camp here in a cedar grove
where there are round openings several feet in diameter. One
hole contains a natural soda water and you baked several
batched of bread with the water you don't have the use yeast.
The other hole contains water that is like beer. Several men
drank too much of it and got giddy.
FORT HALL. Although this isn't the nicest fort you've
stopped at, it does sell fresh vegetables, which you've not
had since the trip began. You buy supplies, but they're
expensive: sugar - .50/pint; coffee - .50/pint; flour -
.25/pint; rice - .33/pint.
FORT BOISE. You've been traveling along the Snake River
plain and you finally see a lot of trees in this valley where
you decide the camp for the night.
VALLEY OF GRANDE RONDE. You're almost there and now you're
in a beautifully lush valley with berries everywhere. You
spend several days picking fruit and resting.
BARLOW ROAD. You decide to use the toll road rather than
raft down the Columbia River. Even the road, though, is
dangerous as it plunges down cliffs, so you have to slow your
wagon by wrapping rope around trees to gently guide it down
the steep incline. You can see Mount Hood in the distance,
and some decide to stay here.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY. You've reached your destination and it's
as beautiful as you'd heard.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED: Any history book about the Oregon
Trail.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: The overall goal is to get the students to
write creatively and gain empathy with the early pioneers.
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org