What was it like for child on the Oregon Trail?
What was it like for child on the Oregon Trail? They worked hard, but they also found ways to have fun. Chores for children on the trail often included fetching water, cooking, washing dishes, and helping to look after the younger children. There was little firewood available on the Plains.
How did people go to the bathroom on wagon trains?
Travelers used grass or leaves or just plain dirt. Bark was also a paper substitute. It wasn't pretty, but no worse than many other realities pioneers faced on the emigrant trail.
How much did it cost a family to go on the Oregon Trail?
Financing the Trip In the mid-1840s, settlers who traveled the Oregon Trail spent roughly $800 to $1200 to be properly outfitted. (Although there are many factors to consider, the cost of supplies would equate to roughly $32,000 in 2014 dollars).
How long did it typically take a family to cross the Oregon Trail?
Between 1840 and 1860, from 300,000 to 400,000 travelers used the 2,000-mile overland route to reach Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, Utah, and California destinations. The journey took up to six months, with wagons making between ten and twenty miles per day of travel.