Blazing a Wagon Trail to Oregon: A Weekly Chronicle of the Great Migration of 1843

by Lloyd W. Coffman

Blazing a Wagon Trail to Oregon is the story of a determined group of American pioneers who set out to move their families on wheeled vehicles from the settled frontier in Missouri to the far Pacific shore. Their incentive was simple enough. Times were tough in 1843, and they had heard of a lush new land existing in a place called Oregon, a land ready to be settled by hard-working farmers. Although a new life seemed to await them just over the horizon, none of them suspected how formidable that horizon really was. Diaries, letters home, and later reminiscences tell their story and document their emotional responses to their experiences. Beginning with the earliest assembly of wagons outside the frontier town of Independence, Missouri, the reader follows this grand adventure to its conclusion six months later in Oregon. By introducing the various participants through a weekly chronicle, the author enables readers to view these shared experiences from sometimes revealingly different angles of vision. In effect, readers themselves become vicarious members of the train.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

184 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1993

Reviews

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sat on my shelf for close to 20 years. It took me actually following the Oregon Trail to read about the OT again. I had assumed a weekly account would be dry and long-winded, but I was completely wrong! This was an excellent vignette of each week of the original 1,000 person "migration" that started it all, with witty and amusing commentary. Each week was 3-7 pages, so easily done in a quick stint before bed. And it was definitely a trip to read about the pioneers traveling the areas I was on. I can't believe their fortitude (related: the amusing chapter at the end "what kind of people were the pioneers" was exactly what you'd expect). If you're interested in the OT, this was definitely worth a read.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lives up to its title of giving a good account week by week as the first wave of emigrants left Independence Missouri and travel west to Oregon in 1843. Coffman quotes often from 4 different diaries written during this first wagon trail west. There are some short statements and some wonderful long descriptions of different places. The only thing lacking would be some sort of acknowledgement of present places so one could find them on a map of today. I would recommend this book as a starter book. I shall read an account of a later travel when the road was better established.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, well written with many quotes from diaries of the first emigrants to Oregon.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with the 1843 trek documented by the people going west. For readers in general, researchers and writers this book documents the "Great Migration," and some of the families involved.