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OCTA > Membership – Gateway Chapter (Individual) (Join/Renew)

Membership – Gateway Chapter (Individual) (Join/Renew)

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Membership – Gateway Chapter (Family) (Join/Renew)
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Oregon-California Trails Association

10 hours ago

Join us on August 14 at the National Frontier Trails Museum for a day celebrating the history of the State of Missouri and the unique role Independence has played. 10 am to 4 pm – National Frontier Trails Museum open for self-guided tours including the newly restored Pioneer Cabin and a special George Caleb Bingham exhibit.11 am and 1:30 PM – Enjoy a 30-minute show from the Puppetry Arts Institute “Missouri Birthday Bash” – A Bicentennial Revue11:30 am to 12 pm – Listen to the Oregon Trail Suite12 pm to 1:30 pm – Oregon, California and Santa Fe Trail experts will share the unique role Missouri and Independence played in westward expansion.2 pm to 2:15 pm – Presentation of newly created song for the City of Independence2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – Free Ice Cream Social Also enjoy free tours of the historic Chicago-Alton Depot, Vaile Mansion, and Bingham-Waggoner Estate. Donations will be accepted. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

13 hours ago

OHS's museum collection contains over 200 quilts, highlighting many aspects of the region’s history. The collection includes some quilts that were carried or made on the Oregon Trail, Oregon State Fair prize-winners, and quilts passed down for generations from Oregon pioneers. These textiles provide a glimpse of women’s work and culture over the last 200 years. During a recent project to improve our quilt records, this quilt, dating from around 1840, was photographed and reconnected with its story. It was made by Margaret Hamilton Greer, who moved to the U.S. from Ireland in 1831 and then married James Greer, also from Ireland, in 1832. The Greer family came across the Oregon Trail in 1852 (bringing this quilt with them). They settled on a donation land claim in Kings Valley, Benton County. Some of the fabrics she used to make the quilt were from her son George Hamilton Greer's baby dresses, who was born in 1836. In 1864, George married Cornelia Jane Spencer, daughter of Reverend John Spencer, whose family also crossed the plains in 1852. OHS also has objects in the museum collection relating to the Spencer family, including a concertina that was brought across the Oregon Trail and is currently on display in Experience Oregon. Image: Quilt, c. 1840, made by Margaret Hamilton Greer. OHS Museum, 3013. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

13 hours ago

On July 20, 1862, Oregon Trail diarist Elizur Shaw, reaching the top of Prospect Hill, notes, “We could scarcely repress a shout at our first view of the mountains..”"Prospect Hill" written by WyoHistory.org shares more..."A short way west of Willow Spring, Oregon Trail travelers heading for Utah, Oregon or California came to a steep hill, where the road rose 400 feet in elevation in the space of a mile. “[A] pretty hard drag,” California-bound W.S. McBride called it in 1850. He was right; many emigrants had to double-team their oxen to make the grade. But at the top, he and all other travelers then and now were rewarded with a sweeping view of new country. Diarists remarked often on the sight, and on how it lifted their spirits." Read more about Prospect Hill at the following link: https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/prospect-hillPhoto: Looking northeast down Prospect Hill along the route back to the North Platte. The Oregon-California Trails Association white marker marks swales left by wagon traffic. Richard Collier, Wyoming SHPO. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

13 hours ago

"Scenery beautiful. The bluffs resemble temples, castles, forts, etc. As if nature tired of waiting the advances of civilization had erected her own temples, etc." -Oregon emigrant Mary Walker in 1848We agree with Mary Walker. We think the scenery in the Scotts Bluff area is beautiful! #TrailTuesday #FindYourPark #midwestnps Image- Clouds can add considerable drama to the scenery of Scotts Bluff National Monument. NPS image. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

13 hours ago

This day in Trail history – A composite journey along the California Trail – July 27, 1850. The author of this diary is Anonymous ("Fayette County Boys") - it is available in OCTA's Merrill J. Mattes Collection.This day in Trail history – A composite journey along the California Trail – July 27, 1850"This morning we got the boys together and laid before them all the information I had in relation to the two routes, and told them they might say which way they would go. After some discussion they took a vote which resulted in the cut-off or hastings route. At this our Doctor left us and went the other way. Ogle and I went to work to recruit our provisions. We found that we wanted one thousand pounds of flour and it was worth 25 cents a pound. We had however, a few pounds of bacon to sell which helped us out. The first lot I got, I paid seventy-six dollars for three hundred and four pounds, in the hard dust which is our currency here, and to see the way it is handled, it don't seem to be much account. I could not help thinking of our merchants at home standing behind their counters wating for a customer to buy more or pay for what he had already got, while here it is just the reverse. There is more money here than any thing else; you can sell most anything at your own price. Dried apples are a ready sale at from sixty to ninety cents a pound. I sold some at that price. We got what we wanted regardless of the price and we were ready to start. The boys scattered themselves through town to board, in order to get vegetables, milk, butter, &c. for which they paid fifty cents per meal and sometimes, no butter at that. It is Saturday evening and we have all concluded to rest for a few days before we start; We also are in good health now – no sickness in the city." – Anonymous ("Fayette County Boys"). This diary is part of the OCTA collection and can be downloaded at https://octa-journals.org/merrill-mattes-collection/fayette-county-boys-en-route-to-california-1849/. An early view of Salt Lake City from the north, taken from Howard Stansbury’s Great Salt Lake of Utah (1852) was downloaded from the Utah Historical Quarterly at https://issuu.com/utah10/docs/uhq_volume84_2016_number3/s/10121916. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

14 hours ago

On this date in 1796, George Catlin, a famous painter of Native People and scenes from the Old West, was born. After studying art for many years, Catlin went West with William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark expedition). He traveled with Clark for two years, painting Iowa, Missouri, Otoe, Omaha, Sauk and Fox, and eastern Sioux Indigenous people. Catlin then focused on the Mississippi and Plains tribe members, and he spent substantial time in Wisconsin with the Ojibwa tribe. Catlin spent eight years visiting over 45 different tribes, where he participated in buffalo hunts and observed traditional ceremonies, games, dances, and rituals. He emerged with 520 oil portraits and paintings. He is known to have said: ". . .nothing short of the loss of my life shall prevent me from visiting [the Indigenous peoples’] country and becoming their historian." 📷: Ball Play: WHI ID# 23641Below is one of Catlin’s paintings detailing American Indians playing a game similar to lacrosse. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

1 day ago

Don’t forget to register early for the 39th Annual OCTA Convention. Up until July 31st, registration will come with a $20 discount. Visit our website or click this link for more information. https://octa-trails.regfox.com/2021-octa-convention-elko-nevada ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

1 day ago

This day in Trail history – A composite journey along the California Trail – July 26, 1849. Elisha B. Lewis' diary is available from OCTA's Merrill J. Mattes Collection.This day in Trail history – A composite journey along the California Trail – July 26, 1849"Left camp at ½ passed 6 oclock the country through which we have travieled to day has been quite rolling however no difficult hills to clime and a few places that required us to lock down our road lay to day from 2 to 3 Miles from the [Bear] river no water except in one place whare there is a spring south of the road at which we watered our cattle. 5 Miles from our morning camp. The road striks the river at the Soda and Steamboat Springs at which place our curiosity was highly gratified these springs are situated about 200 Miles from the South pass and about 50 Miles from fort Hall and within 20 rods of Bear river on its North side They are in a beautiful grove of cedar, and surrounded by rich valleys and plains, high rolling hills, and volcanic vales, and mountains. There waters are perfectly clere and very delicious to the taste when dipping the watter from the springs the effervescence is still going on in your cup untill you place it to your lips when if you can withstand its suffocating fumes you have a most delicious draught In the vicinity of these springs there are several other soda springs which however are much less important then those I have just discribed Nere them are several conical elevations about 5 or 6 feet in heigth in the top of which is an aperture of 6 inches in diameter from which the water gushes out. these look more like the work of art than that of Nature but they are realy natureal About 100 rods below is the Steemboat Spring as it is called which discharges water and gas in the same manner but in much greater quantities and with a report quite similar to that produced by the emition of steam from the escape pipe of a steamboat hence the name Steam boat Spring It is located on the river bank and flows from the top of a rock about 4 feet above the surface of the river The top of the rock is in form of a tunnel some 3 feet across the top forming a holle in the center 8 inch in diameter the water spouting at intervals 3 or 4 feet above its surface the water is warm and highly impregnated with soda we camped to night one Mile from Steamboat spring Travieled to day 14 Miles" – Elisha B. Lewis. Elisha's diary is part of the OCTA collection and can be downloaded at https://octa-journals.org/merrill-mattes-collection/…. The sketch of Steamboat Springs on Bear River is by James F. Wilkins in 1849 from his book An Artist on the Overland Trail and was downloaded at https://ruftydogblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/11/the-journey-5-does-your-panorama-include-an-elephant/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

3 days ago

Hand carts were used by many emigrants on the overland trails for their westward journeys. The Latter-Day Saints utilized the hand carts in their famous hand cart “companies,” although others used them as well. Hand carts were a cheaper alternative to covered wagons, but that didn’t make the journey any easier. The carts were typically made entirely of wood and the lack of metal parts made them prone to breaking. Many were even made of green wood, which made them break down even sooner. Their relatively lightweight nature also severely limited how many supplies could be carried. Can you imagine hauling this cart by hand 1,400 miles to reach the Great Salt Lake? Learn more about the Mormon Pioneer Trail: https://www.nps.gov/mopi/index.htm #NPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #PioneerDay #MormonPioneerNationalHistoricTrail #historictrailswest Image: NPS/I. LevineImage: A man in nineteenth century costume pulls a brown wooden handcart toward a sandstone bluff in the background. ... See MoreSee Less

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Oregon-California Trails Association

3 days ago

This day in Trail history – A composite journey along the California Trail – July 25, 1859. Thomas Cramer's diary can be found in OCTA's Merrill J. Mattes Collection.This day in Trail history – A composite journey along the California Trail – July 25, 1859"After delaying until noon to shoe some cattle, we traveled about twelve miles to Echo Canyon, which we reached through the prettiest little valley that one could desire to see. The point at which we are now encamped is one of singular beauty, being a deep angle, or rather two of them cutting each other at right angles, and enclosed by fresh green hills, which look like they had just left the mint, or as if they had just heard the fiat 'All is good'. Here we find the finest wild currants, which make us an excellent pie. We were overtaken by three Mormons traveling in a wagon from Fort Bridger to Salt Lake City. A very unlikely looking set of scoundrels, one of them a Mexican mongrel named George, who said he did not believe Mormon doctrine, but like Morman ways." – Thomas Cramer. Cramer's diary is part of the OCTA collection and can be downloaded at https://octa-journals.org/merrill-mattes-collection/…. The painting by William Henry Jackson was downloaded from https://ntir.oncell.com/en/8-a-1-echo-canyon-entrance-information-68169.html. ... See MoreSee Less

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Featured Products

Bruff's Wake: J. Goldsborough Bruff & the California Gold Rush, by H. L James $24.95
The Oregon Trail Revisited, by Gregory M. Franzwa $24.95
In Pursuit of a Dream (DVD) $20.00
Reading, Writing and Riding Along the Oregon-California Trails (An Educational Activity Book), by William E. Hill $8.95

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