The usual average rate of travel with such wagons on the Oregon Trail was about
2 miles (3.2 km) per hour
, and the average distance covered each day was about 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km). This was an easy pace for both the pioneers and their animals.
How long would a wagon journey take?
The classic overland trip from the Midwest to Oregon and California was lengthy and very difficult. It was approximately a 2,000 mile trip. In good weather, a wagon train would complete the journey in
five months
. However, heavy rains were known to make the typical trip last around six months.
How long did it take for a wagon train to travel the Oregon Trail?
The length of the wagon trail from the Missouri River to Willamette Valley was about 2,000 miles (3,200 km). It normally took
four to six months
to traverse the length of the Oregon Trail with wagons pulled by oxen.
How long did it take to get from Texas to Oregon by wagon?
Then too, the pioneers were eager to reach their destination, and the sea journey often took up to full year versus
four to six months
by wagon. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman who made the trip in 1836 were the first emigrants to go to Oregon overland in a covered wagon.
How far could pioneers travel in one day?
Average distance covered in a day was usually
fifteen miles
, but on a good day twenty could be traveled.
How much did it cost to join a wagon train?
The overland journey from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon or California meant a six-month trip across 2,000 miles of hard country. It was costly—
as much as $1,000 for a family of four
. That fee included a wagon at about $100.
Why didn’t most pioneers ride in their wagons?
People didn’t ride in the wagons often, because
they didn’t want to wear out their animals
. Instead they walked alongside them, getting just as dusty as the animals. The long journey was hard on both people and animals. It was even hard on the wagons, which usually had to be repaired several times during the trip.
How long did wagon trains take to cross the country?
The wagon train would travel at around two miles an hour. This enabled the emigrants to average ten miles a day. With good weather the 2,000 mile journey from Missouri to California and Oregon would take
about five months
. However, heavy rains would increase this by several weeks.
How many miles per day would a wagon train have to travel to make it to Oregon by October?
These vehicles typically included a wooden bed about four feet wide and ten feet long. When pulled by teams of oxen or mules, they could creak their way toward Oregon Country at a pace of around
15 to 20 miles a day
.
How many miles a day did wagon trains average?
How many miles would a typical wagon train travel per day? Wagons traveled
between 10 and 20 miles
per day, depending on weather, terrain, and other factors. Some wagon trains did not travel on Sunday while others did.
How long did it take a wagon train to go from Missouri to California?
It was most heavily used in the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s. The length of the wagon trail from the Missouri River to Sacramento, California was about 1,950 miles (3,138 km). It normally took
four to six months
to traverse the length of the California Trail with covered wagons pulled by oxen.
Did people walk with wagon trains?
In addition,
most people walked
, both because it allowed their wagons to carry more weight and because riding in the wagons—which had no suspension—they would have endured constant jolting and lurching on the rough trails and roads.
What was the main item that pioneers brought with them in their covered wagons?
The pioneers would take with them as many supplies as possible. They took
cornmeal, bacon, eggs, potatoes, rice, beans, yeast, dried fruit, crackers, dried meat, and a large barrel of water
that was tied to the side of the wagon. If the pioneers could take a cow, they would.
How many wagons were usually in a wagon train?
Wagon Trains were composed of
up to 200 wagons, though more common were trains of 30 or less wagons
. Wagon Trains had large numbers of livestock accompany them. Upwards of 2,000 cattle and 10,000 sheep joined the pioneers in their westward trek.
Which state would not have been on the Oregon Trail?
The Oregon Trail was much more than a pathway to the state of Oregon; it was the only practical path to the entire western United States. The places we now know as
Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah
would probably not be a part of the United States today were it not for the Oregon Trail.
What type of animal pulled the wagons?
The emigrants used
horses, oxen and mules
to pull their wagons. The most popular animal with emigrants was the ox. It was cheaper, stronger and easier to work than horses or mules.
Were there still wagon trains in 1883?
Travel by wagon train occurred primarily between the 1840s–1880s
, diminishing after completion of the first transcontinental railroad. Some remnants of wagon ruts along the well-travelled trails are still visible today.
Did pioneers sleep in covered wagons?
Some pioneers did sleep in their wagons
. Some did camp on the ground—either in the open or sheltered under the wagon. But many used canvas tents. Despite the romantic depictions of the covered wagon in movies and on television, it would not have been very comfortable to travel in or sleep in the wagon.
When was the last covered wagon used?
1 Expert Answer. That’s a good question! Horses and wagons were common until the
1920s-1940s
, when they were replaced by the automobile.
How many pioneers died traveling west?
Up to 50,000 people
, or one-tenth of the emigrants who attempted the crossing continent, died during the trip, most from infectious disease such as cholera, spread by poor sanitation: with thousands traveling along or near the same watercourses each summer, downstream travelers were susceptible to ingesting upstream …
What did they eat on wagon trains?
Those who operated freight wagon trains subsisted on
coffee, bread, salt pork and beans or cornmeal
. Delicacies included oysters, which were packed in tins in the early years and later shipped fresh, and alcoholic beverages such as French Champagne and claret.
How long did Robert Fuller play on wagon train?
lasted
seven years
, from 1972-79, which meant that Fuller had a solid 20 years of regular TV work.
How big was a covered wagon?
The wagons were surprisingly small, measuring only
about four feet wide and eight or nine feet long
. That means the entire wagon was narrower than a full-size bed and only a little bit longer. All of the family’s belongings had to be packed into the wagon, leaving no room for beds.
What did the pioneers eat for breakfast?
Beans, cornmeal mush, Johnnycakes or pancakes, and coffee
were the usual breakfast. Fresh milk was available from the dairy cows that some families brought along, and pioneers took advantage go the rough rides of the wagon to churn their butter.
What did the pioneers eat for dessert?
As for desserts — they were simple, but many and varied. There were
apple dump- lings, rice and bread puddings, soft molasses cookies, sugar jumbles, and mincemeat, pumpkin, dried apple, or custard pies
. On special occasions we might have lemon pie. It was not necessary to skimp on eggs or milk.
Where did pioneers sleep?
Some pioneers did sleep
in their wagons
. Some did camp on the ground—either in the open or sheltered under the wagon. But many used canvas tents. Despite the romantic depictions of the covered wagon in movies and on television, it would not have been very comfortable to travel in or sleep in the wagon.
