Women's Voices from the Oregon Trail

by Susan G Butruille

WOMEN'S VOICES FROM THE OREGON TRAIL narrates the lives and evokes the voices of the women who traveled the 2,000 mile trail to Oregon 150 years ago. The book artfully blends women's diaries, songs, history, poetry, recipes, and quilts. Susan Butruille first takes us to the Midwestern farms where most of the women came from, then on their brave and outlandish trek, and finally to the strange and bountiful land where a new home was supposed to be.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

251 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Janice (JG) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting compendium of segments from the letters and diaries of women who traveled the Oregon Trail throughout the years 1847 - 1880s, including recipes ("receipts"), diary entries, and songs and lyrics. As others have mentioned, the first half of the book describes the preparations involved in gathering the necessary goods and materials for a 4+ month journey over 2000 miles, as well as the building and packing of the wagon trains, and the journey itself, which was made 175 years ago. The author traveled the historic trail herself by car to experience the geography and weather, and to discover and "document the markers, signposts, landmarks, and historical sites that still show the lasting impact of the brave women who uprooted their lives to heed the call of Oregon Fever."

The last half of the book contains an excellent listing and descriptions of these landmarks across the Trail states, including several photos. This is an excellent introduction to the types of lives lived by pioneer women and emigrants along the Trail, in their own voices as well as in the observations and commentary by a contemporary woman well-versed in the stories and experiences of these adventurous women. It is shocking to me that 21st Century American women still live under the influence of the 19th Century "Cult of True Womanhood." There is also an excellent and welcome Index.

I learned a lot of information that was new to me because there has been so little research about the settling of America by the women of America, and this was long overdue. I am now slightly obsessed with these emigrant pioneer women and their stories and have gathered together a much deeper exploration of their words and experiences in the eleven volume series of Covered Wagon Women: Diaries and Letters from the Western Trails by Kenneth L. Holmes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Women's voices from the Oregon Trail: The times that tried women's souls, and a guide to women's history along the Oregon Trail (Paperback)
by Susan G Butruille

Contains Appendix & Bibliography