Daily Life on the Oregon Trail

One of the benefits of researching the Oregon Trail is that there are numerous primary sources written by the travelers themselves. Many of the pioneers undertaking the dangerous trail west, primarily women, kept diaries or wrote long letters to family back east. A number of those diaries and letters were later published in newspapers, which helped fuel a westward-looking wanderlust in others.

While there have been romanticized views of what daily life was like for those making their way west, the truth is that conditions on the Oregon Trail, or any of the westward trails such as the Mormon Trail or the California Trail, were harsh.

Travelers Needed the Right Wagons While Crossing the Trail

Often, men drove the wagons while the women and children walked alongside. Contrary to popular belief, Conestoga wagons were not commonly used on the journey. Conestogas were too big and heavy for the rough journey across the continent. Prairie schooners were more compact and better built for such a difficult passage, but they were extremely bumpy inside, which is why many chose to walk.

Some, who were determined to make their way west but didn’t have a wagon, pulled a handcart as they walked. Most days the pioneers traveled 15 to 20 miles. Imagine having to walk 15 miles a day, nearly every day, for six months. No, I can’t imagine it, either. The pace was simply too much for some of the travelers.

The Trail Could Cause Mental Illness

One of the more popular stories from this time regards Elizabeth Markham, who stopped by Snake River and announced that she would go no further. At first, her husband continued the journey with their children but then he sent his son back to fetch Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth found her way to her family without her son, she announced that she had beaten him to death with a rock. Her husband found the son clinging to life, but while he was gone Elizabeth set fire to one of their wagons. While Elizabeth Markham’s story is one of the more famous stories of such breakdowns, it’s easy to imagine similar scenes occurring throughout the trail’s heyday.

Traveling the Oregon Trail Was Hard

No matter how well any family prepared before heading out, there were so many obstacles along the way that anything could happen, and few made the 2000-mile journey completely unscathed. At various points throughout the six-month journey, there were rushing rivers to cross such as the Missouri River, and while pioneers had several options for crossing, each was dangerous in its own way.

Around the 1850s, many of the rivers featured ferries that would carry wagons, animals, and people across, but the ferries cost money and some chose to wade across if the river was low or create their own flatboats with more or less success.

People or animals drowning was always a concern, as well as the loss of the wagon or the supplies inside if the wagon toppled. Some families caulked their wagons and floated them across, some more successfully than others.

Trouble With the Food Supply on the Oregon Trail

If the people made it across the rivers all right, there were still concerns with having enough food for the journey. If a family didn’t bring enough food, or if supplies spoiled, or if the men were unsuccessful hunting to supplement their meals, then people would go hungry.

Many died of starvation. There was always the threat of illness, and pioneers could die from smallpox, measles, and cholera. Other concerns were severe weather such as thunderstorms, lightning strikes, tornadoes, and hail.

Dangers Were Everywhere

People also had to beware of accidents. Accidents could come from exhaustion, loss of patience or temper, or pure negligence. Sometimes people, suffering in a similar manner as Elizabeth Markham, would shoot themselves or someone nearby. Sometimes guns went off accidentally and injured or killed people or animals. Nearly one in 10 pioneers did not survive the journey.

There Were Good Times on the Oregon Trail, Too

It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though, and the pioneers managed to keep their spirits up when they stopped to rest for the night with singing and music from those who brought instruments such as banjos, fiddles, flutes, or harmonicas along. Popular songs of the time were “Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me,” “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,” and “Turkey in the Straw.”

Children had homemade toys and they played games like bean bag toss and paddleball, both of which are still played today. At night, while the others slept, some women kept a journal, and many, including myself, are grateful they did.

The National Oregon/California Trail Center has a wonderful example of the daily routine travelers followed:

“4:00 am: A bugler blows a trumpet or a rifle is fired by the night guards to wake up the camp.

5:00 am: Cattle are rounded up after being allowed to graze during the night. 

5:30 am: Women and children are up and fixing breakfast of usually bacon, corn porridge or “Johnny Cakes” made of flour and water.

6:30 am: Women rinse plates and mugs and stow bedding, while the men haul down tents and load them in the wagons.

7:00 am: After every family has gathered their teams and hitched them to wagons, a trumpeter signals a “Wagons Ho,” to start the wagons down the trail. Average distance covered in a day was usually fifteen miles, but on a good day twenty could be traveled.

7:30 am: Men ride ahead on horses with shovels to clear out a path, if needed

“Nooning Time”: Animals and people stop to eat, drink and rest.

1:00 pm: Back on the trail.

5:00 pm: When a good campsite with ample water and grass is found, pioneers stop to set up camp for the evening. Wagons are formed into a corral.

6:00 pm: Families unpack and make supper.

7:00 pm: Mothers do chores, men smoke and talk, young people dance.

8:00 pm: Camp settles down for the night, guards go out on duty.

Midnight: Night guards are changed.”

It amazes me that these determined people were willing to sacrifice their health, sanity, and their very lives to make their way west where they were sure they would find a better life if only they were brave enough to try.

Sources

9 Things You May Not Know About the Oregon Trail

Life and Death on the Oregon Trail

National Oregon/California Trail Center

Who Were the Pioneers? A Look at Pioneer Life