Oregon Trail Day

Ben's homeschool group hopped on a bus for a field trip to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Sarah and I tagged along. We had been there before, but it has been several years. Unfortunately, we didn't get enough time to explore all of the indoor exhibits.

We did have fun working as a team to load a life-size wagon with life-size foam supplies. There was a lot of arguing about whether or not to take certain items, but in the end the kids made realistic choices. We worked on a museum scavenger hunt, but ran out of time before we could finish. Outside we were able to look at some of the many wagon rut trails covering the hills around the center. We were able to visit their mine and wagon encampment outside.

This was the point when the brave pioneers would choose which direction to cross the mountains in front of them. They had to choose whether to continue on to the now Portland area either on the rapids of the Columbia River or the Desert trails, or to turn north to the Whitman Mission and Fort Walla Walla. None of the choices were going to be easy. We contemplated their struggles as we loaded back into our relatively comfortable bus and headed home.