I had 4 sets of great-grandparents who came on the trail. One grandmother was so sure she'd die on the trail, she had their wagon carry her coffin made of "hard wood." She made it to Oregon. Another great grandpa ended up with another family joining his wagon after a storm destroyed their wagon. When he got to the WillametteValley, he had one dollar to his name. I'm grateful for them. They paved a way for me and my family.
I grew up in a small town in western Nebraska and the Oregon trail tracked right through our small High School we learned as children. As a child I fantasized about this fact and felt it was a metaphor or omen to seek my future by learning and studying as hard as I could and I would be rewarded by following a path to a life I wanted. I'm a Geezer now, retired physician, interventional cardiologist and amazed and content on where this path took me. Ruts from The Trail are still visible outside town and in the Ash Hollow area. My family came to Nebraska on the Trail and homesteaded in the Sandhills satisfied this land was as good as any so "let's stop here." I understand their hardships to a degree and inherited the immigrant mentality and toughness that was passed down to future generations by these courageous, adventuresome folks. The culture of those homesteaders hadn't changed much I realize in retrospect as I experienced it as a child in the early 1950's and I'm now in my 70's.
I saw those ruts just outside Grand Island and again in the Sandhills! I was amazed at how they still existed, must be so many travelled, it it was truly packed down into rock form.
This may be one of my favorite comments. And we can even add a layer: "Watching a piece of history, filmed with a piece of history, recorded onto a piece of history (VHS), on a piece of history."
I moved to Oregon after living 66 years in Los Angeles in 2020. My people were from Colorado by the way of West Virginia and New Mexico that migrated during the great depression looking for the opportunities Los Angeles offered. Mistakenly I thought Oregon would be an extension of CA. It wasn't long before I got here that I discovered that Oregonians, true Oregonians, here generations since they came through the South Pass to the Willamette Valley where I presently live, these descendants of pioneers were a different breed truly, I swear you can see their lineage oozing from every cell in their bodies. And when I inquire, sure enough. It is so interesting.
Well, still no reason to thumb it down, but there are other nations in the world! So I'd make the appeal merely from historical significance in general, I'm English and found it fascinating.
I watched this after seeing the Paramount show "1883" about what life on the Oregon Trail was like. This old documentary doesn't get into a lot of drama. I like how it's based on the pioneers' actual diaries.
Just have to laugh at the comment, ‘Until then, no Americans had been there.’ I just drove through beautiful Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana and then watched the beautiful film, ‘Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee’…my perspective has changed…of course, the First Americans had already been there😊
Grandma Gatewood from Ohio walked the Oregon trail at the age of 60something after she at the age of 67 was the first woman to walk the AT alone in 1955, walking the AT and the Oregon trail are on my bucket list
Jacquelyne Johnson that’s crazy to hear since I’m 60! Just woke up full of aches and pains doing nothing at all ...how long did it take your grandma yo walk the trail?
Diving to Portland, on I-84, along the Columbus Gorge, you can't but help but notice the wagon ruts alongside your travels! Those ruts are still there to be seen, today!
I live in Southern Illinois in a county that borders the Mississippi. Here, in the Shawnee National Forest one can observe very old, deep - wagon wheel ruts that persist today.
@@edwardjackson1418 , yes. I was hiking in woodland area here about 30 ago for the first discovery, then I started looking, from higher areas, figuring out how a wagon could of got on in this rolling hill, & bluff terrain..(imagining wagons seeking water, or the Mississippi etc., ) and we located more over the years, one trail of deep ruts being about a quarter mile from my home.
I've driven through the Willamette Valley and because of the climate and quality of soil those people must've felt like they'd just walked through hell to get to heaven. Such a beautiful area. The original Fort Walla Walla, because of modern dams, is now under water. I own 6 acres 7 miles up the Snake River from the convergence of the Snake and Columbua rivers, part of Lewis and Clark's route.
This documentary is straight up fire 🔥 very informative and relaxing to watch. No crazy background music or editing like you get with modern documentaries. Thank you for uploading
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Growing up in eastern oregon near Echo and walla walla I was able to visit the Whitman mission and several other rut sites. The history is wonderful. Thank you for posting this video from my childhood. I'm a 30+ year old man... this video is crucial to our history.
Just thinking of how people's diaries have preserved the history of the trail and other places that we can read. Just imagine if it was on a DVD or vhs or even a thumb drive. It would all be lost.
Thankfully we still have museum and libraries but its still amazing what's turning up in peoples lofts to this day and uploaded to the internet for ever for us all to share and download etc. I always wonder when I see disasters like fires and earthquakes how much history may have been lost in that one event of say an house burnt to the ground, yet also some cause the finding of a long last historical treasure too. But I agree maybe the internet does have some good uses, but I swear it's turning society's brains to mush with the other 70% of nonsense it provides lol
My 2nd Great Grandfather was on the trail with his family in 1845. They decided to travel on Meek’s Cutoff going S of Mt Hood. The group were stranded there, more people died than at The Donner Party. (Earlier too) My 2nd Great Grandmother died there. She’s in an unmarked grave near The Dalles. The family went on to Portland, the year it was founded. My Great Grandfather was 5 at the time. My 2nd GG was a blacksmith and farrier. He opened a shop at 1st & Morrison. He received a square mile land grant in S Portland and his name is still well known in Portland and beyond. He was a 5th generation New Yorker, the family came to New Amsterdam in the 1600’s. Now there have been 8 generations that have lived in Oregon. Most are still in Portland and the area. Being a blacksmith I imagine he was very busy with the wagons on the trail.
oxe are strong beyond most peoples comprehension, i've seen a big bull total a pickup truck scratching it's self, it looked like it got broadsided by a tank. my old grand daddy said that they break wagon tongues and tackle and plows, he also said that people got injured, maimed and kilt from plowing with them, (plowing with one). He said that oxe have to be trained to not pull to hard and that not pulling hard pisses them off
Thank you for this program....I used every year as a VHS/DVD as a source for our O.T. simulation. I really missed not having it for the students to see landmarks, hear journal quotes and discussions of the experiences on the trail. Thanks for making it available again.
Something I found out was why the people trudged on to Oregon City rather than settle in Grande Round Valley or the number of sweet water areas. The answer was that the place you could register your land claim was there in Oregon City!
First welfare generation who’s government gave European white Americans free LAND and boots so they could pick themselves up by their bootstraps while at the same time denying blacks the right to the same free pair of boots and ironically telling them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps …and when they did just that despite their Evil demonic ways their envy and jealousy took over and they burned down all black towns and murdered Inited States citizens who DARED to thrive inspite of their demonic oppressors
Amen. History was 1 of the classes I did well in. So I became a history buff as a kid. I talked to my Grandparents about the 1930’s depression. I learned what made them who they were. They are gone now. But do you think my kids have any idea what it would be like to eat cornbread and beans every night for 2 or 3 years. Fresh greens in the summer when they grow next to the creek. Meat once a year when the man who’s land you sharecropped shared a old sow. My kids have no idea what it is like to be poor. Hell I don’t know. But I could live it through my grandparents. And I saw how my grandfathers didn’t throw a card board box in the trash. I mean today’s 30’s generation. Hell - they don’t have a clue. A CLUE!!!
@@charliefoster3221 I like the story of the French sending over brides to the new country of Canada. That's how my g. G.g. g. Grandmother ended up in Canada.
This is very well produced. Admittedly, I learned a few things I had not already known. When it comes toward the end and they talked about the Barlow Trail, I remembered the day trip I took through Vancouver Parks and Recreation, circa 1990, that followed part of that section of the route. We could still see the rope "burns" on the trees used to lower the wagons down the hillside - Amazing! To think that lowering wagons by rope, as we knew vehicles were whizzing by below us on I-84, was very humbling. These people were so very dedicated. Pioneer spirit is an under-rated term! When the video came to Fort Vancouver (around 57:00), I felt an intense sense of pride in our community. The images of other forts, etc., along the trail are historical photos while those of Fort Vancouver are of the reconstructed walls and buildings, all reconstruction done on original foundations. This reconstruction took place while our sons were growing up. We made regular trips to the Fort so we got to see much of the construction happening. The buildings were built as they were originally and my sons witnessed "old-time" tools used. It was truly a fascinating time. Walking through there brings up our own family memories though certainly not as impressive of those who first passed through Fort Vancouver.
@@barbaradarnell7376 No, I meant and mean I-84! I think I know the name of the freeway between Portland, Oregon, and Biggs Junction. FYI, I've driven it multiple times from its construction even before its completion post-1963. I-84 is the ONLY freeway in Oregon along the Columbia River and stays with the Columbia River until reaching Pendleton. So you don't misunderstand, the signs along it say "I-84." U.S. 26 is the road that is known locally as the Sunset Highway and is NOT considered a freeway and is, in fact often a two-lane highway. After going through Portland, it heads towards Mt. Hood and is, in fact, used by skiers headed to the slopes. U.S. 26 has its own significance but it does not belong to my story about the day trip along part of the Oregon Trail. It's best to not "correct" someone who is very aware of what is being relayed.
Fantastic documentary... very well done!!! I think that the people of today's generation would not be able to even accomplish a fraction of what the immigrants did. Those people were definitely very strong in body, mind and soul.
I know something of what it's like to walk that much. When I first retired, to keep in shape, I walked 5 miles every day, 2 hours, 2500+ steps. Multiply that times 3 and you have an emigrant's day. They didn't do 15 miles a day in the mountains, some days they were lucky to make 3.
You walked 5 miles with 2500 paces???? You must have EXTREMELY LONG legs. For most people one mile is about 2000 paces. If your stride is 3 feet long, then 1760 paces to a mile!
The grass is greener on the other side, it's so true in all of us I think, it's that sense of change, even now as an old man I still think that way, I think it's just in our nature, especially in those days when there was so much land just waiting to be taken. It's the spirit that moves us. 🇺🇸🙏
I've been told that walking beside a covered wagon was preferable to riding in one! And while I grew up wearing some form of footwear all the time, I have plenty of friends who ran barefooted everywhere - even on gravel! So while we may consider that a considerable hardship, for one accustomed to going barefoot, I wonder if doing so on the Oregon Trail really was.
You're definitely correct that it was not ideal to ride in the wagon for a lot of travelers. It was very rickety and uncomfortable. However, that doesn't mean walking the entire 2,000 miles was a simple walk in the park either. Especially towards the end of it when their shoes/boots were wearing down when it was either very hot or very cold with little foot protection and people were wearing down from not having enough calories and a balanced diet to sustain them for the 6 month long walk. Not to mention very little rest. There were many cases of people who couldn't keep up that were left behind. One of the most well known ones being a man in the Donner Party named Hardkoop. He had been riding in the wagon, though was thrown out of it to ease the animal load as they were getting too weary. He was told he either had to walk or die. He ended up going to the river with feet so swollen they had split open and likely died there as they left him and he was never heard from again. There were also many issues with people who had sickness forced to walk who were in no shape to walk who would just collapse from exhaustion.
I grew up poor and was always barefooted outside playing and riding my bike. I'm going to be 39 and not poor now but my kids prefer to be barefooted on the spring and summer and wear sandles or flip flops when we go out to the store or when they go to their omas for the weekend. They have always been this way and they are 15, 11 and almost 9 two girls and my boy.
Iam from India. I heard about oregon trail. It was interesting journy of eastern american to western side of America. It was not normal journy it was a expedition. I surely belive western side of America until this time not properly expedict. Geographicaly that place is natural wealth un discoverd gold mines
I was wondering if there was a movie about the orgon trail a couldn’t watch the REAL movie but this is basically the same thing Tysm for making these kind of videos there SO INTERESTING TO WATCH!!!! Keep up the amazing work you probably have work VERY hard on these kind of things and we really appreciate your hard work Ty!!!!!
Blessed to grow up in Idaho on the snake river before moving to Oregon after high school, been here ever since. What amazes me, is that we were founded and established by some of the hardest people to ever live and we have become one of the weakest, whackiest states in the whole country, sad.
Weak people are everywhere. I saw it in IL with the recent downpour and flooded basements here. People wanted their insurance companies to come clean it up for them and talked about suing their insurance companies. My basement flooded too but I can't relate to that mindset. We always just cleaned it up and became careful of what we stored down there and how. Massive destruction I understand but for most us it was just a nuisance.
I am grateful that I live in modern times with plumbing and electricity and refrigeration of food and devices invented to view programs like this. I do not feel superior..just appreciative. I could not even imagine living over 75 years ago when many apartments and houses in the rural parts of this great country did not have electricity but had to heat with coal and wood and newspapers...but we were getting away from that..some older members of my mom's family spoke of having coal bins that kept bags of coal for the heaters..and sometimes kerosene was used..too. and of outhouses for bathrooms..too. I think indoor bathrooms became the norm for most homes in america..thank goodness for that.
It wasn’t factual. A lot of things in that movie were completely wrong. It should’ve been named 1860 for starters. Oxen were stronger & used. Better than horses for pulling the wagons. There was a smallpox vaccine by 1796. There was only one town in Germany where swimming was illegal. There is more it was amazing how only one German could speak English when they started out and wasn’t long before everybody was speaking proper English. Even those two (gypsy) boys.
Today, most of us are born with literally no right to be here, not 1 square foot of land we can call our own, or even have a right to stand on without renting it from someone else. And even if you can eventually afford a home lot, there are endless laws and codes you have to obey, and eternal taxes, which means you really don't own it. And the gov can come up with a reason to simply take it from you, if they really want to.
@@jameseverett4976 and, with the coming “great reset” we will “own nothing and be happy.” Sounds very American to me. We have given away our legacy via apathy.
As hardship as it was when you think of working 30 years to pay a mortgage for a home you barley get to enjoy being at the trail sounds like a 6month adventure worth trying. However it was much more then just walking 2000 miles it was having enough money for all the food then carrying it and hoping nothing bad made you lose it all or kill you.
Around 2008 I was looking at land in Alaska - you could buy it at $1000/acre outside Fairbanks. With Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend (they pay you annually "simply for living there") the state would effectively buy you over an acre a year!
The Barlow Road crosses my property between Eagle Creek/FosterFarm and Oregon City. Metal detecting turned up no artifacts aged to 1840-1880. However, I removed a lot of modern detritis, including some several marbles. There was not much left to fall off the pioneers wagons after 3000's miles of gouncing around, being disassembled and re-assembled, rafted, soaked wagon wheels, tarred hubs, replaced axles, etc. There is supposed to be a stone with "7" carved on it. Seven indicating miles to OC. I havent found it yet... ĺ
I really don’t know how these people made it. Severely malnourished of vitamins, minerals, protein, and everything else! I would have been the one whose family did not go. I’ll stay home, thanks!
I could not imagine the struggle of having to keep the basic necessities such as cleanliness and hygiene..I'm sure they found ways..and I'm sure with some of them that was not a high priority..as getting to the west was the point of all this traveling. They had much food and supplies. But many times they had to discard a lot of stuff in order to travel over deserts and mountain ranges because the animals pulling these wagon trains could only carry a certain amount after many miles.
And some of them had heard of gold and wanted to take part in the gold rush..and many of them just wanted a new start..with their families. Indeed a rugged existence.
The Gold rush of 1848 had folks arriving primarily by ship arriving in San Francisco. Ship travel took 6 months so some just sold everything, bought their best supplies and horse to match and off they went!
Thanks! This particular video gets the bulk of attention as far as the RU-vid algorithm goes, but there's quite a few super fascinating VHS tapes that I've found over the years, and this channel has been fun compiling!
@@DrRIPVHS I was thinking, if you wanted to monetize this channel more, you could possibly put affiliate links to VHS to digital converters in the description. Thanks for your efforts!
The Dalles are still very much a pit-stop for travelers. My family and I live in Washington state, and we stop at the Dalles every road trip going to Oregon, California... etc...
It’s kinda wild listening to the terminology used just a few decades ago. Things like “no American had ever seen” when there were millions of Americans living there for centuries.
This account seems to ignore the role of Dr. John McLoughlin, who went to Fort Vancouver in about 1824 on behalf of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He acquired land around Willamette Falls and by the 1830s was encouraging and assisting immigrants to the Willamette Valley. The site of the falls became Oregon City, the terminus of the Oregon Trail, in 1844. McLoughlin is known as The Father of Oregon. Edit: I see they finally mentioned McLoughlin nearly an hour into the story.
