The first major wave of westward migration on the Oregon Trail began on this day in 1843. Americans had started moving westward to the Oregon Territory in larger numbers a couple of years prior, but the first large wagon train took off May 22, 1843, from Missouri. It was carrying 1,000 people, including adults and children, in over 100 wagons. The paths they followed would become known as the Oregon Trail.
The Oregon Territory spanned what's now Idaho, Oregon, and Washington states. At the time, it was jointly occupied by United Kingdom and United States, but there was an especially strong presence of American fur trappers and missionaries as well as established Native American communities. The agricultural opportunities afforded by the territory's landscape became a point of fascination for many aspirational Americans and set off a historic movement of people to the Pacific coast.
The 2,000-mile path to the Oregon Territory was mostly flat and free of major obstacles. That didn't mean it was safe. Some settlers died on the way by drowning in river crossings, by falling off horses, or from disease. Most of the people in the caravan would make it to the territory, though. Its success would inspire thousands more to make the trip on an annual basis in the coming years. The route continued to be heavily used until a railway was constructed in 1884.
You can learn more about the Oregon Trail at History.com.
