The Oregon-California Trails Association (a non-profit, 501 (C) (3) association) is the nation’s largest and most influential organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of overland emigrant trails and the emigrant experience. Beginning in 1812 over 500,000 emigrants traveled the trails to reach a brighter future. Discover more about this amazing trek at Trail Facts
**NOTICE**
OCTA Headquarters at 524 South Osage Street, Independence, Missouri, has reopened as of May 15, 2020. Staff is maintaining social distancing by limiting hours in the office and by not being in the office with co-workers at the same time. Please call (816-252-2276) from 9 am to 5 pm Central, Monday through Friday if you need to reach HQ staff. Thank you all so much for loving our historic trails and continuing to support our mission, through good times and bad.
The Oregon-California Trails Association is the pre-eminent guardian and promoter of the inspirational story of the 19th century westward migration, which is unique in world history.
Our mission is to protect the Historic Emigrant Trails legacy by promoting research, education, preservation activities and public awareness of the trails, and to work with others to promote these causes.
Six broad goals describe how OCTA will achieve its mission. These address trail preservation, education/interpretation, partnerships, organizational effectiveness, and membership. Each goal is supported by objectives and implemental actions.
Goal 1. Preserve the historic emigrant trails
Goal 2. Present the stories of the emigrant experience in a manner that is inclusive of other perspectives
Goal 3. Be an effective historic trails organization through appropriate partnerships
Goal 4. Improve organizational effectiveness and sustainability
Goal 5. Keep OCTA’s membership energized and informed
Goal 6. Promote membership growth
Join OCTA and save the trails. A legacy is at risk. The trails trodden by a half a million pioneers gold rushers, adventurers – people in pursuit of a better life in the West are in constant threat from development. Discover the many benefits of joining OCTA!
Pioneers wrote of their travels to Oregon, California, Utah, Montana, and other western locations in diaries, letters, remembrances, and newspaper articles.
Donate to the Save the Trail cause. The Oregon-California Trails Association is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your donation will help fund important trail preservation work.
As part of its mission to promote education about the westward emigrant trails, OCTA invests energy and resources to produce a wide-ranging set of quality publications.
OCTA is the guardian and promoter of the exciting story of the 19th century westward American migration. Paper Trail is the website created by OCTA based on a searchable index of these remarkable journeys, with names, places and a survey of the text. The database also contains the names of libraries where documents are archived.
Our bookstore is the best one-stop source for unique books, maps, videos, gifts and other materials related to the American West and the frontier.
