The Oregon Trail-
What did they bring for their journey?

Packing for the trip to Oregon required careful planning.  If a settler brought too much, his wagon would be too heavy for the oxen to pull across the steep mountain passes.  If he brought too little, he might run out of supplies along the way.  The Simmons-Bush party had to bring everything they would need for the next few years. 

Settlers loaded their belongings into covered wagons like this one.
Oregon Historical Society, OrHi88643

Not only did they need to bring food and camping supplies for the trip on the Oregon Trail, but also supplies for their new lives once they got to Oregon.  There would be no stores where they could buy things.  Everything they brought needed to fit into covered wagons, which were only about four feet wide and ten feet long – not very big! 

The first decision a pioneer family had to make was how to transport their belongings while on the Trail.  Most settlers brought their goods in covered wagons.  These wagons had to be strong enough to carry thousands of pounds of food and supplies, but also light enough to be pulled by oxen, horses, or mules.  Some pioneers simply fixed up their old farm wagons, while others bought wagons designed specifically for overland travel.  Wagons wheels had iron tires, which protected the wheels from sharp rocks.  All wagons had a waterproof canvas or oilcloth covering to keep out rain and dust.  Covered wagons could be as simple or elaborate as a settler desired, although most of the fancier wagons proved to be too heavy or wide to travel across the mountains, and had to be abandoned. 

The next decision a pioneer had to make was how to pull his wagon across the Trail.  Horses were fast, but were not very strong.  Most pioneers found it best to use a team of four or six oxen to pull their wagons.  Oxen were slow movers, but they were incredibly strong and patient.  They were cheaper than horses, and could survive on a poor diet.

Emigrants also needed to bring tools for fixing broken wagons.  It was important to bring hammers, saws, nails, and spare tires.  They also brought guns for hunting and to protect themselves against wild animals, horse thieves, and criminals.  In the Oregon-Trail days the West was a “no-man’s land” and civilized behavior was often forgotten.  Emigrants would also need to bring supplies for their new homes in Oregon Country – plows, seeds, shovels, and other equipment needed for establishing farms.  Parents would need schoolbooks to teach their children, for there would be no schools in Oregon for quite some time.

A pioneer also had to bring enough food to last the entire four-to-six month journey.  Pioneers brought hundreds of pounds of dried food that would not spoil – flour, dried fruit, bacon, coffee, sugar, tea, rice, and beans.  They  also brought a little whiskey, although most swore it was for “medicinal purposes only.”  Every wagon needed a water barrel strapped to the side – the Trail passed through deserts where drinking water might not be seen for fifty miles or more.  A store of water would get them through these dry spots.  Emigrants also brought their farm animals from home.  Milk cows walked alongside the other animals, and some covered wagons were equipped with built-in chicken coops.  Fresh milk, butter, and eggs must have tasted good to weary pioneers sick of living on dry biscuits and bacon.