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636 photos
This gallery samples the Oregon and California Trails east to west through contemporary scenes.

The trails began around Independence MO, but there were other departure points. The Santa Fe Trail overlapped for a short distance into eastern KS.

The Pony Express used part of the trails in 1860-61 and landscape shots of contemporary Re-Rides are included. The Lincoln Highway later incorporated trail segments.

Adults and older children generally walked alongside wagons, easing the burden on animals and avoiding the brutal ride. The full trip was 4-5 million steps!

The Mormon Trail is pictured from Nauvoo IL, in a separate section at the end. It paralleled and sometimes joined the Oregon and California Trails.

Related images are in the Vanishing America, Pony Express, Twin Streaks of Rust, St. Joseph MO and Lincoln Highway galleries. Mormon images from UT are in the Lincoln Highway UTAH gallery.

This gallery is being developed and OR photographs are pending. These images are only offered here. The copyright watermark does not appear.

Categories & Keywords
Category:Transportation
Subcategory:
Subcategory Detail:
Keywords:American West, California Trail, Manifest Destiny, Oregon Trail, Pioneer Days, Pioneer Trail, Wagon Trail, Western Migration

COVERED WAGON & YUCCA (Gering NE)MISLEADING MARKER-FRONT (Independence MO)MISLEADING MARKER-FRONT DETAIL (Independence MO)MISLEADING MARKER-BACK (Independence MO)WAYNE CITY OVERLOOK (nr Independence MO)HAPPY TRAILS (nr Independence MO)JIM BRIDGER GRAVESTONE #1 (Independence MO)JIM BRIDGER GRAVESTONE #2 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #1 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #2 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #3 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #4 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #5 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #6 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #8 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #9 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #10 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #11 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #12 (Independence MO)INDEPENDENCE #13 (Independence MO)