What was it like to ride in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail?

What was it like to ride in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail?

Life on the Oregon Trail: Not Your Average Camping Trip Traveling west in a covered wagon was truly one bold, daring and extraordinary journey for the pioneers of the 1800s. Most covered wagon families could travel about 10-15 miles a day; carrying all that weight, it must have been agonizingly slow at times.

How did people sleep in covered wagons?

In old Western movies, families are often depicted as sleeping in their wagons, and single men as pillowed on their saddles around a campfire. Some did camp on the ground—either in the open or sheltered under the wagon. But many used canvas tents.

How far could a covered wagon go in a day?

The covered wagon made 8 to 20 miles per day depending upon weather, roadway conditions and the health of the travelers. It could take up to six months or longer to reach their destination.

Where did people sleep in covered wagons?

All of the family’s belongings had to be packed into the wagon, leaving no room for beds. While traveling, the families either camped under the open stars or slept on the ground beneath the wagon.

How many horses does it take to pull a wagon?

Teams of 10 to 12 horses or mules or six yoked oxen typically were used to pull one of these wagons, with mules and oxen generally preferred. Ideally, several more animals would be kept in reserve to replace those that became lame or worn-out along the route.

What were two main causes of death along the trail?

Emigrants feared death from a variety of causes along the trail: lack of food or water; Indian attacks; accidents or rattlesnake bites were a few. But the number one killer, by a wide margin, was disease. The most dangerous diseases were those spread by poor sanitary conditions and personal contact.

How common were Indian attacks on wagon trains?

In fact, sustained attacks by Indians on wagon trains were rare and encounters between Indians and emigrants were, more often, peaceful and mutually advantageous. In comparison, he estimates that more than 425 Indians were killed by emigrants during the same period.

What was the purpose of the covered wagon?

Heavily relied upon along such travel routes as the Great Wagon Road and the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, covered wagons carried settlers seeking land, gold, and new futures ever further west. With its ubiquitous exposure in 20th century media, the covered wagon grew to become an icon of the American West.

Where can you find a replica of a covered wagon?

A covered wagon replica at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon The covered wagon was long the dominant form of transport in pre-industrial America. With roots in the heavy Conestoga wagon developed for the rough, undeveloped roads and paths of the colonial East, the covered wagon spread west with American migration.

What was the average speed of a covered wagon?

Because it was just for food, a Chuck wagon was much smaller and typically only used for travel with large groups of people. Traveling in a covered wagon would have been a difficult task in most cases. The average speed was about two miles an hour, so traveling in a wagon would have made for a slow trip.

How tall was the covered wagon on the Oregon Trail?

Standing 7-8 feet tall and 10-15 feet long, the covered wagons of yesteryear were symbols of freedom. They were the vehicle that would carry the pioneers across the rugged terrain on their way to the building of America; and they had to be as tough as the pioneers who drove them.