Dec. 1, 2025

Chimney Cricket: Oregon Trail Part One

Chimney Cricket: Oregon Trail Part One
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A 2,000-mile promise of “free land” sounds irresistible—until you’re walking beside a creaking wagon at two miles per hour, guarding flour from river water and praying cholera spares your camp. We’re pulling the curtain back on the real Oregon Trail: why ordinary families sold everything for 640 acres, how they trained stubborn oxen, and what a good day looked like when success meant dry firewood, a safe ford, and hardtack that didn’t break a tooth.

We map the true route from Independence and St. Joseph through the Platte River corridor, past Chimney Rock and Fort Laramie, over South Pass, down the Snake, and into the Blue Mountains before the final gamble: raft the Columbia or grind over the Barlow Road around Mount Hood. Along the way, we unpack the daily routine—pre-dawn wakeups, “nooning” for the teams, buffalo chips for fuel, constant repairs—and the invisible killers that made the trail America’s longest graveyard. Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and scurvy took far more lives than the dime-novel dangers, while accidental gunshots, wagon wheel tragedies, and treacherous fords turned small mistakes into permanent losses.

We also challenge the myth of constant conflict with Native peoples. Many encounters were peaceful, practical, and life-saving: trade for food and gear, guidance to safe crossings, and local knowledge that kept families moving. Yet the migration’s sheer scale disrupted grazing lands and carried diseases that devastated Native communities, adding a heavy moral shadow to the westward dream. By the time travelers reached Oregon City, they still faced winter and the work of building homes from nothing—but rain-soaked soil felt like a hard-won answer to hope.

Hit play to experience the Oregon Trail beyond the game over screen, and stick around for our next chapter on the Sager family’s journey. If this story grabbed you, follow the show, share it with a friend who loved the game, and leave a review to help more history buffs find us.

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00:00 - Cold Open And Beer Shoutouts

02:00 - Two-Parter Reveal And Topic Setup

05:25 - Oregon Fever And Promises Of Free Land

10:40 - Gearing Up: Wagons, Oxen, And Supplies

18:30 - Route Landmarks From Missouri To Wyoming

27:45 - Idaho Hardships And The Blue Mountains

33:20 - Final Obstacles: Columbia Or Barlow Road

37:30 - Daily Life On The Trail

45:20 - Break And Tone Shift To Disease

47:30 - Invisible Killers: Cholera And Dysentery

53:40 - Accidents: Guns, Wagons, And Rivers

01:01:00 - Weather, Stampedes, And Ferries

01:06:30 - Native Peoples: Trade, Treaties, And Reality

01:13:20 - Wrap-Up And Tease Of The Sager Family

01:16:30 - Closing Credits And Calls To Action

WEBVTT

00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:17.440
Well, hello there.

00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:18.719
Hello.

00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:22.960
Well, I do declare this is the history per food.

00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:24.079
Oh my god.

00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:26.480
Clutch my pearls, I am Bradley.

00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:27.679
How are you?

00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:28.879
I am just fine.

00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:30.000
I am Kate.

00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:31.519
Can we stop talking like that?

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No, I think this is brilliant.

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I think this is just terrible.

00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.479
I think this is a niche we have found.

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Oh my darling.

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This is such a great die.

00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:48.479
Well, I I have never had such a wonderful time before like this.

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Alright.

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I want to I mean unalive myself, whatever.

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Um I am not drunk enough for this.

00:00:57.439 --> 00:00:58.079
I am Kate.

00:00:58.240 --> 00:00:59.039
And I am Bradley.

00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:00.560
And this is History Buffoons.

00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:05.920
Welcome again with a little less Southern, terrible Southern accents.

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We apologize to anyone in the South.

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Falsely representation.

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We are not what you would call good actors.

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Because we don't speak for yourself.

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No, I've seen you.

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I am speaking for myself, but for you.

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Mui terrible.

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If I could do say so myself.

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Alright.

00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:32.239
So.

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How you doing?

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I am okay.

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Oh, just okay.

00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.719
Well, a year ago today, yeah.

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The day we're recording this, my father passed away.

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So it's kind of nice to be a little preoccupied with doing some stuff like this.

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So thank you for that.

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Uh, and I'm gonna drink some beer in honor of my father.

00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:56.319
Also, shout out to Larry from Sierra Nevada.

00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:02.079
Uh, we are both gonna have Sierra Nevada today, which we'll get into just now.

00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:09.120
My I have pretty sure I've had this on the podcast last year, and I'm so excited to have it again this year.

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Because it's seasonal.

00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:14.000
This is my favorite beer, Sierra Celebration.

00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:16.639
It's an IPA, it's a fresh hop IPA.

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It's so fucking good.

00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:24.479
And when I was looking for beers for the podcast, I'm like, oh my god, it's out.

00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:27.759
And they had it in bottles, so I was even more excited.

00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:29.599
I like it in bottles so much better, personally.

00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:31.280
Yeah, it's fine in cans, obviously.

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I mean cheaper, but yeah.

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Uh actually, no.

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But most most, but not this one.

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Not not this brand.

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Oh basically.

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At least I don't remember it being anyway.

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It doesn't matter.

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I would pay for a buck more for a 12-pack of this over cans.

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Anyways, um, so shout out to Larry.

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I sent him this saying, hey, my first one of the year.

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Cheers.

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And uh he uh responded back.

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He's always been a good guy.

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I've known him for a long time.

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Been to California with him, and I've been to North Carolina with him.

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And he works for Sierra Nevada, he works for Sierra Nevada, he's the rep in this general territory that we live in and we we reside in.

00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:07.360
But hi Larry.

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Hi Larry.

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Uh so what we got, what I got you, because I uh this is new, I believe.

00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:19.439
Um I got you the pills, Sierra Nevada Pills craft lager.

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Uh they come in cute little eight-ounce cans, so it actually comes in an eight-pack instead of a six-pack.

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Um there's a little scene at the very top.

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Isn't that cute?

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It's super cute.

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It says family owned, up operated, and argued over.

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Yep.

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No, I know.

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I've I've had many a Sierra Nevada and I have seen that a lot, but I love it.

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It's so great.

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This is great.

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Okay, I'm open right there.

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I have a bottle opener because you have a can.

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There we go.

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It's a cute little can.

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It's like that's a baby can.

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It's like um the the Red Bull gives you wings.

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Red Bull.

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It's like Red Bull cans.

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Oh my god.

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So good.

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That's a pilsner.

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I mean, that tracks.

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It's good.

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I like it.

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Is it good?

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Yeah, it is super good.

00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:15.439
So since we got you an eight-pack, um, I am gonna focus on celebration on this episode.

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I might get a little loopy.

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6.8.

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Um, I'd like to apologize in advance.

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Uh, but I do want to try one of those after the podcast because again, you're more of a lager person than I am.

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I do like some.

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I mean, I've been drinking banquet for a while.

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Uh, but it's Sara Nevada.

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I gotta try it.

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Just delicious.

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Delicious.

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So, all right, let's get into it.

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What do we got today?

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We have a two-parter.

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This is a two-parter?

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The hell you say clutch my pearls.

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Clutch my pearls.

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This cannot be happening right now.

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Oh my land.

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Oh my land.

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It is a two-parter.

00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:59.360
Um I didn't know that.

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Yes.

00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:01.439
Um surprise.

00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:08.720
You and I are only going over the the first half, and next week we're gonna do the second half, just like our followers.

00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:09.680
Holy shit.

00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:11.600
That's what a two-parter means?

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Absolutely does.

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God damn it.

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Can you imagine?

00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:17.920
No, I learned something new every fucking time I'm on this podcast.

00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:18.959
This is crazy.

00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:24.800
So, the first part, we are gonna talk about the Oregon Trail.

00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:26.160
Oh shit.

00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:27.040
Yes.

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You died of dysentery.

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We are going to talk about a generalized Oregon Trail experience.

00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:38.160
That's a Donner, that's a Donner part.

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That's a different trail.

00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:39.839
Nope.

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That is the same trail.

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Oh, it is.

00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:42.720
It was the Oregon Trail, right?

00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:43.040
Yeah.

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Yep.

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Uh, they just took like a northern pass.

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Gotcha.

00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:50.000
I actually mentioned them, but we're not talking about them specifically.

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Okay.

00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:53.839
So today it's gonna be like a general Oregon Trail experience.

00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:56.000
Do we get to talk about the game?

00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:59.199
I I didn't I didn't go into the game.

00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:01.600
The game that was a classic.

00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:03.519
Okay, I'll add that into my next part.

00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:05.439
But it's no, it's a great game.

00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:07.839
They can turn it into a card game too.

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Did you know that?

00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:09.199
No, really?

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It's a card game now.

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I didn't know that.

00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:12.000
Yeah.

00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.720
So the next episode.

00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:17.120
Did you have something else you'd like to say?

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I'm just gonna go on about the game for a minute.

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Go ahead.

00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:20.480
I loved the game.

00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:24.800
I grew up on that fucking game with the old green screen shitty computers from the 80s.

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And all pixelated and yeah, with the ox carrying the fucking carpet.

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You have died of dysentery.

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Yes.

00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:31.839
Oh, so great.

00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:37.120
It was because it was basically, you know, you made decisions and you were either fought.

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Basically.

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Yeah, that's a great way to put it.

00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:42.879
But I loved that game when I was a kid.

00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:44.480
And I died of dysentery ultra.

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A lot.

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Yeah.

00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.160
I will look into that for our next one.

00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:49.680
I have an itch on my back.

00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:52.399
All right, Baloo of Jungle Book.

00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:54.079
Baloo of Jungle Book.

00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:54.800
You always did that.

00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:55.279
Oh yeah.

00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:56.240
Against the tree.

00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:56.639
Anyway.

00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:58.560
Did you ever watch Tailspin?

00:06:58.879 --> 00:06:59.279
Yes.

00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:00.079
I love that show.

00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:00.959
Okay.

00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:06.879
So the second part next week, it's gonna be us about a specific family.

00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:08.639
On the Oregon Trail.

00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:10.560
On the Oregon Trail.

00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:11.600
Oregon Trail.

00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:12.480
I'm from Wisconsin.

00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:13.279
What are you doing?

00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.120
I'm trying to scratch my back.

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Thank you, Sarah Nevada, for your help.

00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:21.920
Okay.

00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.079
See, this is how much I like Sierra Nevada.

00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:25.360
Even my bottle opener.

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Thank you, Larry, is Sierra Nevada.

00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:31.040
So I have a keychain.

00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:34.879
Not picking that up.

00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:36.319
Sierra Nevada.

00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:38.319
Torpedo.

00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:39.279
Tubes.

00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:41.279
Had to do it.

00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:41.920
Okay.

00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:44.079
Oregon fever.

00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:45.360
Oregon fever, yeah.

00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:46.319
Oregon fever.

00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:47.360
Oregon fever.

00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:49.040
Why do you call it Oregon?

00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:49.839
I grew up.

00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:51.600
You weird Wisconsinite.

00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:52.639
I'm sorry.

00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.439
We're not all from the fields of corn.

00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:56.560
Jesus.

00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:58.399
Nor do we talk like that.

00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:02.560
Well, that's what you did when I first met you, and you finally acclimated to Wisconsin.

00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:03.680
Stop it.

00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:05.839
I don't know.

00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.399
I've I've just it's so shorts.

00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:09.600
Um it's two-parter.

00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:10.480
We got time.

00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:15.839
Uh so uh for a while I worked for a local furniture company.

00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.839
Shout out to Al and his mom, because his mom basically got me the job.

00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:32.799
Um we were called Steinhoffels, and for a while I ran uh well, I moved around, like I only ran one individually, but I ran a couple different mattress stores for them when they used to have them.

00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:34.080
They don't anymore.

00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:43.120
But um, I was out at our Janesville location, that's where I was currently working at the time, and this lady comes in, and I had to wait for people to come in.

00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.120
It's not high traffic, whatever.

00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:49.279
You just sit there, get fat, and play on the computer and answer stupid service calls.

00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:59.919
Um, so this lady comes in, she was in visiting family or whatever it was, and she needed a couple mattresses for some, I don't even remember, kids or whatever, it doesn't matter.

00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:04.240
Um, but I needed her license to do like the processing, the payment, and so on, or whatever.

00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:05.759
I'm like, oh, you're from Oregon.

00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:07.039
No, it's Oregon.

00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.440
I'm like, I'm from Wisconsin, it's Oregon.

00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:11.440
Don't fucking argue with me.

00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:15.200
I don't correct you for talking stupid, like saying Oregon.

00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:17.200
I don't know.

00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:19.519
I'm just I'm from Wisconsin.

00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:20.799
This is how I talk.

00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:22.960
No one needs to correct me.

00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:29.759
I mean, seriously, should I start correcting everybody who says something wrong in my opinion?

00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:33.600
No, it's your opinion, it's my truth.

00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:35.759
I fucking hate when people say that.

00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:36.559
Keep drinking.

00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:37.360
I'm trying.

00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:37.759
Okay.

00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:39.919
Don't make me tell stories.

00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:43.279
I'm trying to keep going, but oh my goodness.

00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:43.840
Okay.

00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:45.360
Orgon.

00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:46.720
Fever.

00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:50.639
So, yes, people were coming down with organ fever.

00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:52.559
Symptoms included.

00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:53.679
Are you ready for this?

00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:55.840
Oh my god, waiting with bated breath.

00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:57.120
Selling your house.

00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:58.320
Big symptom.

00:09:58.559 --> 00:09:59.440
That's a fever.

00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:00.879
Buying an ox.

00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:04.639
Oh, you mean so like they would sell their shit so they could go?

00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.080
Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.

00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:07.679
They would buy an ox.

00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:15.919
They they believed that land out west was basically heaven with better soil.

00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:19.759
Well, it was uncharted territory at the time.

00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:21.120
For the most part, yes.

00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:22.960
I mean, for the most part, obviously, yes.

00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:36.879
But I mean, it was basically the great expansion expansion, you know, like with the whole gold rush and moving out and so on, more space, trying to claim their giant plot of land or whatever it might have been.

00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:38.879
So, yeah, I mean, it makes sense.

00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:41.519
Like, hey man, we got better opportunity out there.

00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:46.639
Let's sell what we got here and go make even more out there, is more or less what it was.

00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:53.679
So, propagandists and government folks hyped Oregon like it was the Garden of Eden, right?

00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:58.399
Bragged about its perfect disease-free climate.

00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:00.559
That seems like a bold claim.

00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:12.639
These promoters offered free land, and that is very irresistible for people who are trying to make it.

00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:15.360
How could they just offer it up free?

00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.080
Like, I mean, were they allowed to do that?

00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.759
Okay, so they these people own, was it the government?

00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:22.799
I would assume so.

00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:24.000
I mean, that would make sense.

00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.639
Like, hey, we need people further west.

00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:28.879
We'll give you a plot of land for free.

00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:31.759
Yeah, go inhabit it and start farming and shit.

00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.600
We're not talking just a plot of land.

00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:35.519
No, like huge farms, right?

00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:36.000
Yes.

00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:40.480
Um, 600 and 640 acres.

00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:41.600
Holy shit.

00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:43.200
That's a lot of me.

00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:44.080
Yeah.

00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:45.840
My last name's Acres.

00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:59.519
So they were getting this for free compared to paying, excuse me, excuse me, around$200 for 160 acres in the east.

00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:00.240
Oh, wow.

00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:01.679
That's significant.

00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:02.399
Exactly.

00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:04.480
Especially the amount of money back then.

00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:05.279
I'm sorry.

00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:07.039
Did you say the year we're talking about?

00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:07.840
Not yet.

00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:08.399
Okay.

00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:12.720
We are um kind of in the 1840s.

00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:13.200
Okay.

00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:14.720
That's sound that's what I was thought.

00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.279
I thought it was mid-1800s, but yeah, that makes sense.

00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:21.600
And like I said, this is kind of a generic time frame at this moment.

00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:22.240
Yes.

00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:23.039
Overview.

00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:23.759
Exactly.

00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.320
Look at me go and so shit.

00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:36.320
Emigrants, those moving from the United States to the Oregon territory?

00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:36.879
Yes.

00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:37.360
Yeah.

00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:40.000
They were called emigrants with an E.

00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.679
Do you know what the difference between an immigrant and an emigrant is?

00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:49.360
Emigrant is moving out of your country.

00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:51.039
Yes.

00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:51.600
Correct.

00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:54.879
Immigrant is moving into a new country.

00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:56.399
Look at us go.

00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:57.039
I know.

00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:57.919
Math.

00:12:58.639 --> 00:12:59.600
Am I right?

00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:02.720
I always just say math.

00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:04.240
So I like math.

00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:08.559
Emigrants typically gathered at um the Missouri River.

00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:12.000
It was kind of their jumping off point or their starting point.

00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:13.519
Why can't I correct you there?

00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:14.799
I say Missouri.

00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:15.759
Do you really?

00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:16.399
No.

00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:24.559
So they would start in Independence Missouri or St.

00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:25.919
Joseph, Missouri.

00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:26.240
Okay.

00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:29.039
And they would kind of gather in early spring.

00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:29.519
Okay.

00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:33.840
And then they would depart in mid-April or early May.

00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:35.919
So they get most of the summer travel?

00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:36.399
Yes.

00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:36.720
Okay.

00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:41.360
Too early meant no grass on the prairies for the oxen.

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.080
Sure.

00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:42.879
That makes sense.

00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:43.919
Too late.

00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:47.200
It risked deadly snow in the mountains.

00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:47.919
Correct.

00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:48.480
Yeah.

00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:51.440
So did they have to cross the Rockies when they did this?

00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:51.919
Yes.

00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:52.480
Okay.

00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:58.399
So travelers would say, quote, leave in May and you'll pray.

00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:00.879
Leave in June and you're doomed.

00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:02.639
I'm going to start saying that.

00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:08.159
So families often sold farms, possessions to fund their journey.

00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:14.480
It required about$500 to$1,000 to properly outfit a wagon.

00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.600
So you get the wagon, the ox, all your supplies.

00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:18.080
Yes.

00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:24.000
All the lanterns, ropes, food, everything, whatever the fuck you would need was about$500 to$1,000.

00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:24.639
Yes.

00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:25.039
Wow.

00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:27.600
And it was an approximately 2,000 mile trip.

00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:28.159
Damn.

00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:35.120
That is an equivalent to between$18 and$40,000 today.

00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:36.240
Holy shit.

00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:36.799
Yes.

00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.960
I mean, that's moving costs.

00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:39.679
Yep.

00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:42.080
Do you pay to relocate?

00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:46.080
So immigrants had to purchase everything they needed up front.

00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:47.600
Of course, you know why?

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:49.519
Because then they get more money.

00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:53.759
Plus tools, supplies to start their new home in Oregon.

00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:54.399
Right.

00:14:54.639 --> 00:15:01.919
So they were promised this swath of land in paradise.

00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:05.840
In paradise where there's no disease, except for dysentery.

00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:07.039
They don't know that yet.

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:08.080
Stay tuned.

00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:11.759
Um but obviously they didn't have a house.

00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:15.919
There's it's not like they're moving into a house, so they would have to build a house when they get there, right?

00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:16.879
Okay.

00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:17.600
Mm-hmm.

00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:20.399
I mean, that makes sense because why would there fucking be a house?

00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:23.360
It's not like, oh hey, honey, that a new house went on the market.

00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:24.240
We should be located.

00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:24.960
Right.

00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:30.960
So they packed their goods into a single wagon about 11 feet long and four feet wide.

00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:35.120
I'm gonna readjust my microphone because I feel like it's getting kind of high.

00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:37.120
It is why is it raising up?

00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:37.919
That's so weird.

00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:40.240
I don't maybe I'm lowering myself.

00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.120
I was joking.

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:42.159
Okay, great.

00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:45.600
So these wagons were bulging at the seams.

00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.799
Um, despite Well, because they had to be packed, right?

00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:59.279
And despite the advice to pack light, many underestimated the journey and overloaded their wagons with furniture and stoves and keepsakes.

00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.879
See, that's where they went wrong.

00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:01.279
Yes.

00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:13.840
Yeah, that that was a bad move because you needed to focus on the essentials, food, um, clothing, clothing, obviously, medical care if you could afford it and/or have it.

00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:17.759
I mean, I'm not sure if band-aids were around back then, but you know, just whatever stuff like that.

00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:18.080
Right.

00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.600
Maybe some snake oil.

00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:21.120
No, I'm just kidding.

00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:26.720
So the classic cover covered wagon was the vehicle of choice for this time.

00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:27.440
Yep, yep.

00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.000
Um I can picture it in my head right now.

00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.279
Yeah, exactly.

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:36.240
Um, it needed to be capable of carrying about 2,000 pounds.

00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:37.200
Sure, yeah.

00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:38.000
Makes sense.

00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:41.440
And was it always just one ox per away?

00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:42.960
No, no, multiple.

00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.440
Yes.

00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:43.919
Okay.

00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:51.279
Um, so a typical wagon was a simple wooden box on wheels with no suspension aside from the driver's seat.

00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:51.759
Okay.

00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:59.440
So everyone walked alongside the wagons to one, avoid the weight, the added weight, correct.

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:04.319
And two, to avoid how jarring it would be inside the wagon.

00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.480
Yeah, I can't imagine that was a smooth ride.

00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:06.880
Yes.

00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:09.519
Suspension wasn't much of a luxury back then.

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:09.920
No.

00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:10.799
So, okay.

00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:16.319
So emigrants overwhelmingly chose oxen to pull the wagons.

00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:16.799
Sure.

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.319
So they were slow.

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.519
They were slow.

00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.640
Two miles per hour on a good day.

00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:27.839
Oh dear, and two thousand yards, two thousand miles they had to go.

00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:32.160
Two miles, so they had to go a thousand hours.

00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:33.359
Ugh.

00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:36.079
That's awful.

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:36.960
Gross.

00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:37.519
Yeah.

00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:38.240
Terrible.

00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:44.799
But oxen were cheaper than mules, they were less temperamental than horses, and they could live off of prairie glass grass.

00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:45.920
Glass.

00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:47.200
That'd be weird.

00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:48.480
That would be strange.

00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:55.440
Um typical teams were four to six oxen per wagon.

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:57.119
I guess I didn't realize it was that many.

00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:58.160
There's so many.

00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:00.319
Yeah, I mean, fuck.

00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:06.319
But maybe maybe the number also depended on how many family members were part of a wagon.

00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:07.599
I suppose, yeah.

00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:08.079
Yeah.

00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:09.920
And also what they could afford, maybe.

00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.279
What they could afford, yeah, exactly.

00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:11.839
Honestly.

00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:18.079
So emigrants often spent a few weeks camped near the Missouri River breaking their oxen in.

00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:29.279
Um, basically training these usually like really docile creatures, yeah, yet stubborn, yeah, um, to wear yokes and respond to commands.

00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.519
The yokes on them.

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.880
The yokes on them.

00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:33.519
Have you seen them?

00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.799
I got I got them up face.

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:47.680
Some of the newbie travelers set out with untrained oxen and learned the really hard way that ox oxen prefer to stand still or come back the way they came.

00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:50.240
Fuck this, man.

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.279
I'm going back there.

00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.440
I mean, I don't blame them.

00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:55.119
They're pretty simple creatures.

00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:56.240
So yeah.

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.359
I I get it.

00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:59.119
But that's another plus.

00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.240
They are simple.

00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:03.759
And and that's part of the reason why they chose them.

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:12.079
So with no stores, once you left civilization, planning your pantry was a matter matter of life and death.

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.440
Lots of flour.

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.240
Yes.

00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:14.799
Yeah.

00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.680
Guidebooks, because there were some at this time.

00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.640
Oh, there were.

00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:25.680
There were some earlier travelers that would write books and send them back, and people would buy them and read them and take their advice.

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.920
When did Lewis and Clark go west?

00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.839
Was that earlier 1800s?

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.160
Right?

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.319
Crap, I don't know.

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:36.240
Because I feel like they would have already been out there prior to this.

00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:38.880
We're roughly talking about the 1840s.

00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:41.200
I feel like they were earlier 1800s.

00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.279
I am drawing a blank though on the years.

00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:45.440
So I'm curious to see what you come up with here.

00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:50.079
But I thought it was like 20 to 30 years prior to that.

00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:52.400
Give or take.

00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:59.039
So they the their expedition was around um 1804 through 1806.

00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:00.400
I was thinking 1802.

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.599
Damn, you were close.

00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:02.480
Great job.

00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:03.119
Awesome.

00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:03.519
Cool.

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:03.920
Okay.

00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:08.640
Okay, so pioneers had these guidebook from earlier settlers.

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:08.880
Okay.

00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:09.759
Right, right, right.

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:18.000
And these guidebooks recommended per adult roughly 150 pounds of sh uh flour.

00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:18.720
Yep.

00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:21.759
Pardon me.

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.000
20 pounds of cornmeal.

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:24.559
Okay.

00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.359
50 pounds of bacon.

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:31.359
Seems like a little light on the, they should have gone a little heavier on the bacon.

00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:40.880
40 pounds of sugar, 10 pounds of coffee, 15 pounds of dried fruit, and five pounds of salt.

00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.440
How did they dry the fruit back then?

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:49.680
Well, they had little dehydrators that they would plug into the outlets.

00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:53.519
You know, at their local 7-Eleven.

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.440
What the fuck?

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:56.960
That was not part of my research.

00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:57.599
Oh, okay.

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.480
I was just curious.

00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:05.759
Okay, so a family of four might start out with over a thousand pounds of food.

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:11.519
Remember, the wagons tried not to exceed 2,000 pounds.

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:13.440
I mean, you're already halfway there.

00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:14.880
With just food.

00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:16.240
Which is an essential.

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.920
Not even full food.

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:19.039
Ingredients.

00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:21.839
Yeah, you still had to make the food.

00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.359
You still have to make it.

00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:29.119
Um, but I mean, obviously, that is a crucial fucking thing to bring with you because I don't know.

00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.400
People gotta eat.

00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:33.440
Oh, by the way, I'm gonna shout out my my my mom.

00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:34.000
Hey, mom.

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:35.519
And her mother.

00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:37.039
Um, my grandma.

00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:38.319
I say grandma.

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:38.880
Yep.

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:47.279
Um, I am making Bradley and his wife Sarah, um, my grandmother's sloppy joe recipe tonight.

00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.400
I'm kind of nervous because it's non-traditional.

00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.119
Correct.

00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:54.319
It's not made with any barbecue sauce, which is weird.

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.599
It's very strange.

00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:59.519
Um, it's made with chicken gumbo soup, and it is amazing.

00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:06.160
So my mom makes her sloppy joe's bainly with ketchup as well, not barbecue sauce.

00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:08.880
So I don't remember how she does it.

00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:09.839
So this will be interesting.

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:11.759
Yeah, I'm excited to share it with you.

00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:13.200
A little nervous.

00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:15.359
I understand, but we got you a lot of chips.

00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:16.160
Excuse me.

00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:17.359
Let me finish.

00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:19.680
I'm a little nervous about the yellow mustard.

00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.559
I am not a fan of the yellow.

00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.880
Oh, you won't be able to see you won't be able to taste it.

00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:23.440
Oh.

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.319
No, you won't.

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:24.960
It's not.

00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:26.319
I better not.

00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:32.960
It's it's literally just for like the tanginess, but no, you won't taste the mustard.

00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:40.559
I've I've I've figured as much, but in my brain, the way my brain works, that's what's making me nervous.

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.279
Okay.

00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:43.440
So, anyways, I look forward to trying it out.

00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:46.160
And uh and Sarah doesn't know yet.

00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:46.559
Nope.

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.839
It will be a surprise.

00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:52.400
Okay, so these wagons were also crammed with camping gear.

00:22:52.480 --> 00:23:10.880
We've got tents, we've got bedding, we've got buckets, we've got cooking utensils, we've got iron pots and a Dutch oven, maybe some tin plates, we've got tools like axes and shovels and rope and spare wagon parts, not to mention personal items like earbuds and Bibles.

00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:12.319
Earbuds?

00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.039
I'm kidding.

00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:14.480
Musical instruments.

00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:16.079
Did they little recorders?

00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:20.319
There is a little freaking bug flying around here, and I just really want to murder it.

00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:21.920
God damn.

00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:23.920
Did they have sleeping bags back then?

00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:24.400
No.

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.279
I didn't think so.

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:29.279
What was like the uh just blanket?

00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:32.319
I mean, what they roll up in a blanket kind of thing?

00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:33.920
Yeah, like a little piggy in a blanket?

00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:34.559
Pretty much.

00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:35.039
Yeah.

00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:35.759
I like those.

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:39.039
Do you ever have those with the hot dogs and roll up and croissants?

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.240
I'm sure I have.

00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:42.000
Wow, way to dismiss it.

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.000
But yeah, I I couldn't tell you.

00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:45.359
I don't have that kind of memory.

00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:46.480
I forgot who I was talking about.

00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:46.960
I'm paused.

00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:47.359
Yeah.

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:48.319
Apologize.

00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:58.079
So space was so tight that even like the the a modest item had to justify its weight.

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.599
I mean, that makes sense.

00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:09.119
When you got a pretty much a capacity of 2,000 pounds, yeah, typically on a family of four, like you said, there were bigger families than four.

00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:16.160
Mostly walking, but but no, but I'm just talking about the food could be anywhere up to a thousand pounds already.

00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:21.519
So half your fucking weight for this wagon, even with four to six oxen, is taken up.

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.880
Say wagon again.

00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:23.839
Wagon.

00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.039
Why is that funny?

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:31.759
Because you said the A, like I would say the A, not like a Wisconsinite.

00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:33.039
A wagon.

00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:34.000
Wagon?

00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:34.720
Yeah.

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:36.079
I say wagon.

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:38.559
I hear a lot of Wisconsinites say wagon.

00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:39.680
I say wagon.

00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:40.319
You do.

00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:42.640
That's why I asked you to repeat it, but then you said wagon.

00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:44.880
I'm gonna take my wagon to Oregon.

00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:52.319
Another popular item that they carried were water barrels on the sides of the wagon.

00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:52.799
Sure.

00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:54.319
I mean, you need water.

00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:55.119
Makes sense.

00:24:55.359 --> 00:25:01.200
Some folks even tied a milk cow to the behind the wagon for fresh milk.

00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:02.400
Tow along, yeah.

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:08.960
And somehow had um chickens in little coops that they would bring for fresh eggs.

00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:11.519
They should have tied those around the cow.

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.680
That might be a fun ride for them.

00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:15.039
Hanging on each side, you know?

00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:15.680
Yeah, for sure.

00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:16.000
Sure.

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:18.799
They probably pecked the shit out of the sides of the cow.

00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:22.720
So many of these emigrants arm themselves with these guidebooks, right?

00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:23.279
Yeah.

00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:26.480
Um, some useful, some very misleading.

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.000
See, that's the problem.

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:35.119
So even back then, you know, look at how many like false news and all that whatever shit you want to call it today.

00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:36.640
They had that back then too.

00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:37.039
Yeah.

00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:41.200
Because these people wrote sensational things, and people fucking believe.

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:44.000
And that's a great way of putting it.

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:45.839
Very sensational things.

00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:46.480
Yes.

00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:49.359
So there was one infamous example.

00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:49.920
Okay.

00:25:50.400 --> 00:26:00.559
Um, it was from a man named Lansford Hastings, and he wrote the book Emigant's Gr Guide to Oregon Oregon in California in 1845.

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.119
Okay.

00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:07.920
He recommended a shortcut south of the Great Salt Lake in 1846.

00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:12.720
The Donner Party followed this advice.

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.759
Oh dear.

00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:15.839
Into a literal dead end.

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:16.559
Yep.

00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:21.920
Hastings, the writer, had never actually traveled his shortcut before.

00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:23.359
See, what a dick.

00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:24.000
Yeah.

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:26.559
And it turned out to be impassable.

00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:37.519
So the Donner Party, if the followers do not know, um, they were snowbound in Sierra Nevada, um, with many of their party perishing.

00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.640
And then people eating.

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:43.200
And to survive, they had to resort to some cannibalism.

00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:43.920
Correct.

00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:48.559
So huge warning on these little shh shortcuts.

00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.759
Yeah, maybe not, you know, do that.

00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:52.559
Yeah.

00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:56.480
So emigrants quickly learned that there is safety in numbers.

00:26:56.559 --> 00:27:00.960
So families b banded together to form wagon trains.

00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:03.680
So it's like, hey, we know the Smiths real good.

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:05.680
Hey, Smiths, you want to go to Oregon?

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.240
Exactly.

00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:06.720
Exactly.

00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:08.160
See, I said it right.

00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:16.640
These groups also consisted of relatives, neighbors, and folks from the same town.

00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:19.279
You know, just we don't really know you, but you're from Mark.

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:21.599
Okay, we're we're in close proximity.

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.000
Yeah.

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.880
Let's do this.

00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:26.319
So most wagon trains elected a captain.

00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:26.720
Oh.

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:33.920
Um, occasionally by vote, but um, they in essence drafted rules for the journey.

00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:38.400
So I mean, it makes sense because you gotta follow some rules to make it there safer.

00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:39.839
It was important.

00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:47.039
It was common to agree on a daily travel schedule, quiet hours at night, and how to handle disputes.

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.240
All that shit, yeah.

00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:49.839
Yeah, so yeah, no, it makes sense.

00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:52.880
Many of them actually wrote constitutions as well.

00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:54.079
Wow, I didn't know that.

00:27:54.319 --> 00:28:05.119
One company, uh travel train, um, forbade profanity and firearm misuse, obviously misuse, but but if but if it's used right, continue.

00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:09.359
Another laid out rotation for standing guard at night.

00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:18.480
Nearly all had rules about camping, where to graze the animals, and restrictions on gambling and drinking to keep order.

00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:19.279
Oh, wow.

00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:29.279
And penalties could be um imposed for breaking rules, and provisions were also made to care for six member sick members or handle the property of anyone who had died.

00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:30.160
Oh, okay.

00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:36.160
So each wagon train was like a little miniature traveling community, yeah.

00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:37.839
Democracy on wheels.

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.400
Yeah.

00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:40.000
Um and hooves.

00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:43.039
And even with these rules, frictions did arise.

00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:51.039
But overall, these like little improvised governments helped strangers like cooperate in this weird, uncertain time.

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:54.319
And get through it to good old Oregon.

00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:55.279
Yeah, okay.

00:28:55.599 --> 00:29:04.880
So the trail stretched approximately 2,000 miles from the Missouri River to Oregon's Willamette Valley, which is right on the um coast.

00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:11.119
So you say the Missouri River, like which point of the Missouri River?

00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:13.759
Many of them jump off at St.

00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:15.119
Joseph, Missouri.

00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:15.759
That's right.

00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:16.400
You did mention that.

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:17.359
Okay, that's right.

00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:17.839
That's right.

00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:25.039
So wagon trains typically covered about 15 to 20 miles a day, taking about four to six months to complete the whole journey.

00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:25.759
It's wild.

00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:26.640
It's a long time.

00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:27.599
No kidding.

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:31.599
And the route spanned prairies, deserts, mountain ranges.

00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.000
Yep.

00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:40.400
Um, and but each little section of the trail, there was a little landmark that they would look forward to seeing.

00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:43.359
Because that meant they were just that much closer.

00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:45.039
So I'll tell you a couple.

00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:45.599
Okay.

00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:49.680
So we'll start with the Missouri, the Missouri River, the jumping off point.

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.160
Yeah.

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:53.680
Um, it began at towns like um Independence and St.

00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:54.240
Joe.

00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:55.039
Yeah.

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:59.920
And they waited there till spring, crossing the Missouri View.

00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:04.319
A ferry and officially leaving the frontier.

00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:09.680
So would they like gather all their stuff, get there like we're a couple months early.

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:16.880
Let's wait until so they get so they get there, then they gather all their provisions while they're there.

00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:19.039
That's when they're training their oxen.

00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:20.559
Oh, I gotcha.

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:21.920
Okay, that makes sense.

00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:24.400
They're packing for for six months.

00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:26.880
That can take a lot of additional time.

00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.000
Especially back then.

00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:28.799
That makes sense.

00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:30.160
And then they're getting everything ready.

00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:35.759
They need to acquire all the flour and training their oxen, like you said, so on and so forth.

00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:40.160
And then when spring showed up, they would go, okay, I gotcha.

00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:40.960
I gotcha.

00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:42.400
Makes sense.

00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:48.160
So um a common starting date was around April 20th through May 1st.

00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:50.160
Oh, Hitler's birthday.

00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:51.119
Which was what?

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:51.680
May 1st?

00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:53.039
April 20th.

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.240
Oh, 420.

00:30:54.319 --> 00:30:54.799
I knew that.

00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:55.359
Yep.

00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:55.920
Okay.

00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:59.599
So then we have the Kansas and Platte River Valley.

00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:00.160
Okay.

00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:05.200
So for the first few hundred miles, wagon trains followed river valleys.

00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:05.680
Yeah.

00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:09.039
Um, the Kansas River and then the Platte River.

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:09.519
Okay.

00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:13.519
And that is in Kansas, and the Platte River is in Nebraska.

00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:14.480
Oh, it is.

00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.440
Oh, I knew that.

00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:15.759
Yeah.

00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:16.400
Yeah, I knew that.

00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:21.279
The Platte River Valley was famously flat, very broad.

00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:22.480
Well, it's Nebraska.

00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.839
And very monotonous.

00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:24.400
Yeah.

00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:27.440
You've you've lived you've been from Nebraska before.

00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:28.319
I have.

00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:37.759
One stretch was nicknamed the Long Green Tunnel because tall grasses bordered the trail for miles.

00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:38.799
Okay, sure.

00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:40.559
But the train was easy.

00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:47.839
Um, but emigrants contended with swampy areas, um, swarms of gnats and mosquitoes because of how wet it is.

00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:48.400
Yeah, yeah.

00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:52.400
And the stink of buffalo droppings because we're in the plains.

00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.359
There's buffalo everywhere.

00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:55.920
And at this point, there still is buffalo.

00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:59.519
So was there an actual trail?

00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:00.319
Yes.

00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:00.960
There was.

00:32:01.119 --> 00:32:01.359
Okay.

00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:06.400
And this is from previous explorers, if you will.

00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:06.960
Yes.

00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:07.440
Okay.

00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:11.440
They they encountered Chimney Rock.

00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:13.039
Chimney Rock.

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:14.960
It is in western Nebraska.

00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:15.680
Yeah.

00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:24.079
It is a rock spire that emigrants said looked like a ch church steeple rising from the prairie.

00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:25.279
Oh, how cute is that?

00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:27.119
This is one of their milestones.

00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:27.519
Sure.

00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:29.759
It's like, hey, look at what look at folks.

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:30.799
And kids.

00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:36.720
Chimney Rock signaled that Fort Laramie in Wyoming was not far off.

00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:38.160
Can you say chimney again?

00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:39.119
Chimney?

00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:39.759
Okay.

00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:40.960
What?

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:41.839
Chiminy?

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.640
Chiminy?

00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:44.400
Sounds like Chimney.

00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.680
It sounds like Jiminy.

00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.559
Like Jiminy Cricket.

00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:49.200
I did say Chiminy, but yeah, chimney rock.

00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:50.720
Chimney Cricket.

00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:55.359
So Chimney Cricket.

00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:05.359
That's so great.

00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:06.960
Chimney Cricket.

00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:17.359
So people are gonna listen to us and be like, I think they've gone mad.

00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:23.119
Jiminy Cricket.

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:25.279
Alright, so two questions here.

00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:26.160
Yeah.

00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:28.880
My mom is from Michigan.

00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:30.480
She's called a Michigander.

00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:32.160
I'm from Wisconsin.

00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:33.359
We're called Wisconsinites.

00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.559
What are Nebraska people called?

00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:35.599
Nebraskan.

00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:36.880
That's literally it?

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:37.440
Okay.

00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:40.160
So you being a Nebraskan in your family.

00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:40.640
Yeah.

00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:43.839
Have you been to Chimney Rock?

00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:45.759
Oh my.

00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:51.119
Um that you can recall?

00:33:51.519 --> 00:34:00.640
I want to say the answer is yes, because seeing pictures of Chimney Rock, I I have a little bit of a recollection.

00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:01.839
That seems familiar.

00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:05.519
But I don't know if it's because I was there or I've just seen an image before.

00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:06.319
Fair enough.

00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:06.960
I get that.

00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:09.679
Just curious, being, you know, obviously from there.

00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.079
Yeah.

00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:17.440
Um Chimney Rock is north of I-80, which is the the interstate, the only interstate.

00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:19.760
Trust me, I've been out there a lot going out to Colorado.

00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:22.159
Yeah, so it's it's um north of that.

00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:24.320
Um not not too far off.

00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:26.000
Not too far off.

00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:29.760
But and and this is towards the the west end of Nebraska.

00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:30.239
Okay.

00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:31.119
So yes.

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:37.519
Because like, because you get I-80 goes into Wyoming, and then it's I-707.

00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:38.800
Oh, I don't know.

00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:40.480
That goes into towards Colorado.

00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:41.440
Six?

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:42.960
Doesn't matter.

00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:43.840
That might be right.

00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:44.960
We're not going to Colorado.

00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:46.719
I want to go to Colorado.

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:49.440
So Chimney Rock.

00:34:49.760 --> 00:34:50.719
Hold please.

00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:51.599
Shout out.

00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:52.960
Sarah's from Wyoming.

00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:53.920
Oh, is she?

00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:54.239
Yeah.

00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:56.320
She lived there like the first six years of her life.

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.519
Do you know what town?

00:34:57.760 --> 00:34:58.800
Uh Gillette.

00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:00.079
Don't know.

00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.760
I didn't ask if you did.

00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:10.000
So about a third of the way through their trip, about 500 miles in, they can they reach Fort Laramie in Wyoming.

00:35:10.239 --> 00:35:10.480
Okay.

00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:10.800
Okay.

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:13.840
And that's pretty much I know I've heard of Fort Laramie.

00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:16.880
That's pretty much on the east, the east coast of Wyoming.

00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:17.519
Yes.

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.000
Yeah.

00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:20.320
So that's like their second landmark.

00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:26.079
So Chimony Cricket is the first one, and then Fort Laramie was the second one.

00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:26.320
Okay.

00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:32.159
Now Fort Laramie was um, it used to be a fur trading post.

00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:33.039
Sure.

00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:36.880
Um, but now was a major resupply point.

00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:42.000
So emigrants could buy supplies at gouged prices.

00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:43.599
Well, why wouldn't they gouge them?

00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:43.920
Yeah.

00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:47.199
It's like, hey, there's nothing for literally miles.

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:49.760
Um you want some flour?

00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:51.039
You're gonna pay our prices.

00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:51.360
Yeah.

00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:53.199
And they're like, oh, okay.

00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:55.840
So they could also send letters home.

00:35:56.079 --> 00:36:02.960
They could, um, there were they could hear news from other travelers about what they might have at head.

00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:05.599
Hey man, I ran into a fucking bear.

00:36:05.920 --> 00:36:06.159
Exactly.

00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:07.519
Steer clear of that.

00:36:07.679 --> 00:36:07.920
Right.

00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:12.000
So um was I just fuck, was I just gonna ask?

00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:14.559
Did they have the Pony Express at this time?

00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:16.079
Is that how they got the letters?

00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:16.960
So okay.

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:18.000
Yeah, I think so.

00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:24.480
I mean, that would make sense, but I don't know, I don't remember when that was established and so on.

00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:26.719
But I mean, I would think at this point they do.

00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:32.400
Um so the Pony Express was around 1860 to 1861.

00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:34.639
So we may be a little bit sooner.

00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:38.159
This may be a little bit early to Pony Express.

00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:39.440
But that's good to know.

00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:53.920
Um, so Fort Laramie also was called camp sacrifice because at this point they sacrifice people to the gods, many wagons were so overloaded, people started dumping their possessions to lighten the load.

00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:56.559
So it's kind of like a weird old goodwill.

00:36:56.960 --> 00:37:01.840
Yes, or uh uh an antique store, like hey, get your wares here.

00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:09.360
So you would see furniture and trunks and cook stoves because they finally realized pianos, people would bring pianos.

00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:11.599
What the fuck is wrong with people?

00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:14.880
Seriously, why the fuck would you bring a piano?

00:37:15.199 --> 00:37:18.960
They would also use Fort Laramie as a resting point.

00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:22.000
So would they like camp out there for like a week or two or something?

00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:24.559
Yeah, just to kind of rest up or whatever.

00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:28.559
Yeah, and they would allow their oxen to go grazing, stuff like that.

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:31.519
Do they have collars so they could tell the oxen apart?

00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:33.760
I think they had ear tags.

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:35.519
I mean, that's a common thing.

00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:37.440
They branded back then too, though.

00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:38.960
Yeah, I don't know about the ear tags.

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:40.400
That was just sarcasm.

00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:42.400
I'm being serious about the branding.

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:43.039
Okay.

00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.360
Okay, so.

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:47.039
Do you want to know what's really tragic?

00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:48.079
You're out of beer.

00:37:48.239 --> 00:37:49.440
No, my next one's so far.

00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:55.360
Look at your ingenuity.

00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:57.119
Look at me go.

00:37:57.360 --> 00:38:02.880
So, rolling into central Wyoming, emigrants aim to reach Independence Rock.

00:38:03.119 --> 00:38:08.000
It was a large granite outcrop by the Sweetwater River.

00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:08.960
I've heard that.

00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:12.159
They wanted to be there by Independence Day, July 4th.

00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:12.800
Oh, sure.

00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:15.039
And many did and celebrated.

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:18.880
They would fire guns in the air, which we all know don't do.

00:38:19.199 --> 00:38:21.280
They would sing patriotic songs.

00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:22.639
They would paint.

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:29.119
They would even paint or carve their names into this giant rock.

00:38:29.360 --> 00:38:29.840
Oh, okay.

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:34.239
Um, and the rock was given the nickname the Great Register of the Desert.

00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:35.119
That rock is still there.

00:38:35.199 --> 00:38:36.880
I don't know if the name was gonna ask.

00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:37.119
Okay.

00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:37.360
Yeah.

00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:38.719
I'm sure it's worn over to it.

00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:40.719
Historical marker, everything.

00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:41.199
Yeah.

00:38:41.599 --> 00:38:42.960
Historical document.

00:38:44.239 --> 00:38:48.480
So beyond that lays the South Pass.

00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:50.000
The South Pass, okay.

00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:55.280
It is the gentle continental divide crossing the Rocky Mountains.

00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:57.039
Why was it gentle?

00:38:58.000 --> 00:39:01.360
Um, I don't know.

00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:06.000
Gentle continental divide.

00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:16.559
So, unlike the steep, narrow passes farther north, yeah, the south pass offered a more broad, gradual ascent.

00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:19.039
So that one's gentle, okay.

00:39:19.360 --> 00:39:21.840
Well, you could have just said that and said, I mean, I don't know.

00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:25.679
Wagons could easily cross the Rockies here.

00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:26.239
Right.

00:39:26.400 --> 00:39:31.280
Um, a lot of times they wouldn't even know that they were at their highest point.

00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:32.079
Oh, I bet.

00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:35.840
Because the road was so gradual, it was so just yeah, even.

00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:36.239
Yeah.

00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:43.760
So, because I mean, so clearly this is in Wyoming, so they're north of Colorado, which I've driven through a lot.

00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:46.960
I've been to Wyoming, I haven't gone through the Rockies.

00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:52.960
I've driven up parallel to the Rockies into Wyoming, but I've never actually driven over the yeah.

00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:54.719
Over the Rockies in Wyoming.

00:39:54.960 --> 00:40:07.760
I'm not sure if Sarah has or not, but um yeah, I mean there are some uh pretty crazy passes, obviously, in Colorado, so I I'm just I I don't know Wyoming.

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:08.639
Yeah, I don't either.

00:40:09.199 --> 00:40:14.480
So I just I I wonder how hard and tumultuous this travel was.

00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:19.760
So okay, so after the South Pass, the trail split.

00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:20.239
Okay.

00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:23.199
Now we're talking about Fort Hall, Idaho.

00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:24.400
Fort Hall.

00:40:24.639 --> 00:40:26.639
Fort Hall in present-day Idaho.

00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:28.480
At the time, Idaho wasn't a thing.

00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:31.280
No, so not no potato potatoes yet.

00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:36.719
So those bound for California went veered south on the California trail.

00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:37.519
Makes sense, yeah.

00:40:37.840 --> 00:40:40.159
Oregon emigrants continue northwest.

00:40:40.719 --> 00:40:41.840
Okay, that makes sense.

00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:45.519
So Fort Hall in present-day Iowa, Idaho.

00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:53.840
It was another like formal trading post, and it was a welcome stop, but it offered far less supplies.

00:40:54.159 --> 00:41:02.480
So I do remember uh people who will not be named, but uh her sister had a shirt and it had the outline of Idaho.

00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:04.000
I said Idaho, no Utah.

00:41:04.880 --> 00:41:05.760
I've heard that joke.

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:07.840
So it's not a joke, it's a shirt.

00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:09.519
Such a great shirt, though.

00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:10.159
Anyways.

00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:18.559
So yeah, emigrants entering this this part of the trail faced kind of a tough haul along the Snake River.

00:41:18.719 --> 00:41:19.039
Okay.

00:41:19.199 --> 00:41:25.760
The stretch was hot, it was dry, and it was arduous, and they called it the Great American Desert.

00:41:26.239 --> 00:41:28.559
Okay, so all the way up in Idaho?

00:41:29.039 --> 00:41:31.360
That's I guess I never didn't realize that.

00:41:31.679 --> 00:41:46.239
So many journals along the trail recounted this portion of late summer as the most difficult with oppressive heat by day and like choking dust.

00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:50.719
Oh, I oh, and I bet it's really cold at night if it's desert.

00:41:51.360 --> 00:41:54.320
I didn't realize they had that that far north.

00:41:55.199 --> 00:42:00.480
I've never been to Idaho or pre or post-Idaho, whatever you want to call it.

00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:05.280
Um, I've never been in that re I've never been to the Pacific Northwest, which is kind of depressing.

00:42:05.440 --> 00:42:06.159
I really want to go.

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:06.639
Yeah.

00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:07.679
Just check it out.

00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:16.079
Um, not sure, don't really want to go to Portland with everything going on there, but um wouldn't mind going up to Washington state.

00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:22.000
Uh, but I've I didn't know that they had like desertish area up there.

00:42:22.159 --> 00:42:23.199
That's weird.

00:42:24.159 --> 00:42:26.159
Where do they grow the potatoes?

00:42:27.679 --> 00:42:38.239
So another landmark in Idaho was Fort Boise, and just one more like you know, box they can check, like, okay, here's the next landmark.

00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:41.199
So was Boise was a a place at this time?

00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:44.800
Oh it was a fort, like an army fort.

00:42:45.199 --> 00:42:48.400
And that that's the capital of Idaho, is it?

00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:49.440
I think so.

00:42:49.599 --> 00:42:50.400
I believe so.

00:42:50.639 --> 00:42:52.239
I am terrible at capitals.

00:42:52.320 --> 00:42:53.199
I know Madison.

00:42:53.599 --> 00:42:56.320
Did you know Madison is named after James Madison?

00:42:56.639 --> 00:42:57.280
James Madison?

00:42:57.519 --> 00:42:57.840
Yeah.

00:42:58.159 --> 00:43:00.239
I mean, I could have put two and two together.

00:43:00.559 --> 00:43:01.840
I never actually knew that.

00:43:01.920 --> 00:43:06.559
I literally just ever learned this a week ago, and I've lived in the state for 46 fucking years.

00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:08.320
Yeah, I think it was James Madison.

00:43:08.480 --> 00:43:16.480
And he the guy who like created Madison basically he did that to give it a little more clout that was named after a former president.

00:43:17.119 --> 00:43:17.840
Like, really?

00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:18.719
Is this true?

00:43:19.199 --> 00:43:20.800
I did not investigate.

00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:24.800
So now we're crossing into the Oregon territory.

00:43:24.960 --> 00:43:25.360
Yes.

00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:28.320
Pioneers encountered the Blue Mountains.

00:43:28.480 --> 00:43:33.840
It was a series of forested ranges that they had to climb and descend in September.

00:43:34.079 --> 00:43:34.400
Oh.

00:43:34.639 --> 00:43:38.960
So the Blues were physically one of the most challenging parts of the trek.

00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:39.440
Okay.

00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:43.039
It was steep, there were narrow trails all through like pine forest.

00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:43.679
Sure.

00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:49.280
Um, wagons had to be locked wheel by wheel with chains for descent.

00:43:49.840 --> 00:43:53.119
So so it'd slow it down, so it wouldn't just go fucking.

00:43:54.000 --> 00:43:57.360
And of course, oxen really strained on the ascent.

00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:01.440
But they were a little bit on the descent.

00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:02.559
Yeah, exactly.

00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:06.880
Um, but on the other side lay this the last leg of this journey.

00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:07.360
Okay.

00:44:07.519 --> 00:44:14.159
So and how many, I'm sorry if you said this, if I missed it, but how many miles are we at on this trek so far?

00:44:14.400 --> 00:44:15.119
I did not.

00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:15.519
Okay.

00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:17.760
Um, but this is towards the very end.

00:44:17.840 --> 00:44:19.199
They are now in Oregon.

00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:25.679
So they're probably at least 1,500 to 1700 miles kind of kind of range-ish.

00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:26.320
Okay.

00:44:26.639 --> 00:44:31.599
So many emigrants paused at another landmark called the Whitman Mission.

00:44:32.400 --> 00:44:33.039
Whitman mission.

00:44:33.119 --> 00:44:33.440
Mm-hmm.

00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:33.760
Okay.

00:44:33.920 --> 00:44:36.480
Near the base of the blues to rest.

00:44:36.960 --> 00:44:41.119
And this was prior to going up, or this was at the other side.

00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:42.239
This is the other side.

00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:42.719
Gotcha.

00:44:42.800 --> 00:44:42.960
Okay.

00:44:43.119 --> 00:44:44.639
This is towards the last part of the journey.

00:44:44.800 --> 00:44:46.159
No, I get I just I'm sorry.

00:44:46.239 --> 00:44:47.360
I just no, you're fine.

00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:49.039
Didn't know if you meant down the mountain.

00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:53.199
So Whitman mission will come up in our second part.

00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:54.000
Gotcha.

00:44:54.239 --> 00:44:54.559
Okay.

00:44:55.360 --> 00:44:59.519
So in the final stretch, emigrants had two choices.

00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:00.079
Okay.

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:03.199
Raft down the Columbia River.

00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:04.480
That sounds terrible.

00:45:04.719 --> 00:45:10.480
Or take the overland Barlow Road around Mount Hood.

00:45:10.719 --> 00:45:11.920
I've heard of Mount Hood, yeah.

00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:12.400
Have you?

00:45:12.559 --> 00:45:12.960
Oh yeah.

00:45:13.119 --> 00:45:13.360
Cool.

00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:14.079
Yeah.

00:45:14.320 --> 00:45:18.400
So the Columbia route was quicker, but more perilous.

00:45:18.639 --> 00:45:19.039
Sure.

00:45:19.280 --> 00:45:25.119
Pioneers would build log rafts to float wagons and livestock downstream.

00:45:25.360 --> 00:45:26.639
That sounds fucking horrible.

00:45:26.880 --> 00:45:27.920
Sounds awful.

00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:30.079
Because your shit falls apart.

00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:32.480
Your dying life falls apart.

00:45:32.800 --> 00:45:35.199
Many immigrant boats wrecked.

00:45:35.360 --> 00:45:35.760
Yep.

00:45:36.239 --> 00:45:38.239
Loss of life was high.

00:45:38.559 --> 00:45:39.519
Yeah, it was high.

00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:40.480
Very high.

00:45:41.440 --> 00:45:49.920
The Barlow Road, by contrast, allowed wagons to continue overland through the Cascade Mountains south of Mount Hood.

00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:50.320
Okay.

00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:53.039
But it was rugged and took a toll.

00:45:53.280 --> 00:45:53.760
Sure.

00:45:54.559 --> 00:46:02.800
Whether by the raft or road, this was pretty much the last obstacle that they would overcome by October.

00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:04.320
That they would have to face.

00:46:04.480 --> 00:46:04.639
Yes.

00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:05.039
Yeah.

00:46:05.199 --> 00:46:05.519
Okay.

00:46:06.239 --> 00:46:12.079
The official end of the Oregon Trail was Oregon City near present-day Portland.

00:46:12.320 --> 00:46:12.800
Oh, okay.

00:46:12.880 --> 00:46:14.960
Is Oregon City still a thing?

00:46:16.320 --> 00:46:17.519
I don't know.

00:46:18.880 --> 00:46:20.400
I didn't look that up.

00:46:20.719 --> 00:46:21.760
That's okay.

00:46:22.719 --> 00:46:23.360
I mean.

00:46:23.760 --> 00:46:25.039
Yes, it's the same.

00:46:25.119 --> 00:46:25.360
Yeah.

00:46:25.599 --> 00:46:26.159
It still is.

00:46:26.320 --> 00:46:26.800
It's still there.

00:46:27.039 --> 00:46:27.360
Okay.

00:46:27.519 --> 00:46:31.280
I I mean, that was literally almost 200 years ago.

00:46:31.519 --> 00:46:32.400
So things changed.

00:46:32.719 --> 00:46:34.880
It is like a suburb south of Portland.

00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:35.519
Okay.

00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:38.800
So was Portland a thing at this time?

00:46:39.360 --> 00:46:39.760
Is it?

00:46:40.079 --> 00:46:44.880
I think this whole area was just becoming like up and coming.

00:46:45.119 --> 00:46:51.679
Well, right, because you know, I mean they literally refer to it as how did it get the name the Oregon Territory?

00:46:53.920 --> 00:46:54.719
I'm sorry.

00:46:54.960 --> 00:46:57.280
That wasn't part of my research, Bradley.

00:46:58.719 --> 00:47:02.559
Alright, so we're coming up to something city.

00:47:02.719 --> 00:47:03.599
What city again?

00:47:03.840 --> 00:47:08.800
Um, Oregon City, Oregon City, which is um like a current suburb of Portland.

00:47:09.199 --> 00:47:10.079
Modern day Portland.

00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:10.800
Gotcha.

00:47:10.960 --> 00:47:14.719
So emigrants were travel worn, they were nearly broken.

00:47:14.880 --> 00:47:22.159
They finally saw this green, rain-soaked land of Oregon that they all had been dreaming of.

00:47:22.320 --> 00:47:24.800
Um they found no disease.

00:47:25.280 --> 00:47:40.800
The jersey, the journey's end was joys joyful but sobering because a lot of families lost a lot of people, lost a lot of people, they lost animals, they lost possessions.

00:47:41.199 --> 00:47:42.960
They were killed, they were robbed.

00:47:43.119 --> 00:47:43.440
Yeah.

00:47:43.679 --> 00:47:46.320
They they got dysentery up in here.

00:47:46.559 --> 00:47:52.079
And then with winter looming it right ahead, they still had to build their houses.

00:47:52.400 --> 00:47:52.880
That's the thing.

00:47:52.960 --> 00:47:55.440
They got there in sub this is October.

00:47:55.599 --> 00:47:55.920
September.

00:47:56.239 --> 00:47:56.800
September, October.

00:47:58.559 --> 00:47:59.440
Alright, cool.

00:47:59.599 --> 00:48:02.000
Hey man, let's take a breather.

00:48:02.159 --> 00:48:03.599
Uh no, dude, winter's coming.

00:48:03.679 --> 00:48:04.079
Yeah.

00:48:04.320 --> 00:48:05.679
Fucking stark this shit.

00:48:05.760 --> 00:48:06.400
Winter's coming.

00:48:06.559 --> 00:48:07.199
Winter's coming.

00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:09.840
Um, direwolves are coming down from the north.

00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:11.039
We gotta build this shit.

00:48:11.199 --> 00:48:12.239
White walkers are coming.

00:48:12.400 --> 00:48:14.480
We have we have to build this house.

00:48:14.639 --> 00:48:15.199
Yeah.

00:48:16.320 --> 00:48:18.480
Well, that was a juicy.

00:48:19.280 --> 00:48:20.400
Bang bang shrimp.

00:48:20.480 --> 00:48:21.280
Am I right?

00:48:21.840 --> 00:48:23.280
Holy balls.

00:48:24.000 --> 00:48:24.639
Wow.

00:48:25.199 --> 00:48:27.119
He had bang bang shrimp for lunch.

00:48:27.360 --> 00:48:29.440
It was fucking delicious.

00:48:29.840 --> 00:48:34.639
So still reaching Oregon was a huge accomplishment.

00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:35.440
Well, sure.

00:48:35.519 --> 00:48:38.639
I mean, look at the look at how far they had to go.

00:48:38.800 --> 00:48:42.480
Again, two m two miles per hour?

00:48:42.719 --> 00:48:43.199
Mm-hmm.

00:48:43.920 --> 00:48:45.760
That is awful.

00:48:46.079 --> 00:48:47.440
I can walk that fast.

00:48:47.760 --> 00:48:48.880
Which is what they did.

00:48:49.119 --> 00:48:49.920
They walked.

00:48:50.159 --> 00:48:50.480
Well.

00:48:50.960 --> 00:49:01.440
But they many of them said, quote, there is not a soul here, but has some peculiarity to remind us of the hard trip.

00:49:01.679 --> 00:49:05.360
A missing finger, a scar, a cough.

00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:08.079
But we are alive in Oregon.

00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:09.360
So, all right.

00:49:09.519 --> 00:49:12.400
They were promised 640 acres.

00:49:12.559 --> 00:49:13.199
Is that correct?

00:49:13.599 --> 00:49:14.719
Did I get the number correct?

00:49:16.079 --> 00:49:18.320
Did they have these like laid out?

00:49:18.639 --> 00:49:20.239
I don't know what the situation is.

00:49:20.400 --> 00:49:26.719
I don't know if they took all 640 acres because even women were offered some acres.

00:49:27.039 --> 00:49:28.400
Wow, that is progressive.

00:49:28.559 --> 00:49:28.960
I know.

00:49:29.119 --> 00:49:30.719
So well, I mean, it is Portland.

00:49:31.039 --> 00:49:31.440
Sorry.

00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:32.880
But I mean, what next?

00:49:32.960 --> 00:49:33.920
We're gonna let them vote.

00:49:34.159 --> 00:49:34.559
What?

00:49:34.719 --> 00:49:35.760
What the fuck?

00:49:36.079 --> 00:49:44.719
So I the re the reason for my question is um it's uh it's not like they have someone at the the border like welcome.

00:49:45.119 --> 00:49:47.760
This section right here 640 acres?

00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:48.719
Yeah, that is yours.

00:49:48.880 --> 00:49:49.920
Yeah, welcome.

00:49:50.239 --> 00:49:51.920
Yours is right here, you know.

00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:54.800
So it's like I wonder, I just wonder how they oh a new family?

00:49:55.039 --> 00:49:59.840
We have to walk over these 640 acres to get to your 640 acres.

00:50:00.079 --> 00:50:02.480
Excuse me, we're just gonna cut through here real quick.

00:50:02.800 --> 00:50:04.239
But you know, you know what I mean though?

00:50:04.480 --> 00:50:20.880
Because it's like, how do how did they um I don't know, determine was it like they started at the back, and the you know, you come here, you go here, and then they start moving forward as they fill it up, and they'd be like, I'm sorry, we're all full here.

00:50:21.440 --> 00:50:22.480
It's like what the fuck?

00:50:22.639 --> 00:50:24.000
Go to Portland, will you?

00:50:25.119 --> 00:50:27.519
I mean, fentanyl, am I right?

00:50:27.760 --> 00:50:28.320
Fentanyl.

00:50:29.119 --> 00:50:30.000
Okay, let's keep going.

00:50:30.159 --> 00:50:30.880
Go to Portland.

00:50:31.119 --> 00:50:37.920
So life on the the Oregon Trail was obviously very unpredictable, very tough, yes.

00:50:38.159 --> 00:50:43.920
Yes, but they tried to have a semblance of normalcy and a pattern.

00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:44.320
Okay.

00:50:44.559 --> 00:50:48.320
I used to work with a guy who used the word semblance so fucking much.

00:50:48.639 --> 00:50:48.880
Really?

00:50:49.039 --> 00:50:49.760
Yeah, it was weird.

00:50:49.920 --> 00:50:50.320
Anyways.

00:50:50.559 --> 00:50:55.519
So a typical day started before sunrise around 4 or 5 a.m.

00:50:55.920 --> 00:50:56.320
Damn.

00:50:56.559 --> 00:51:01.519
The camp was roused by a bugle, a rifle shot, or something through it.

00:51:03.039 --> 00:51:09.280
One diarist wrote, quote, We rise while their stars are sparkling.

00:51:09.599 --> 00:51:11.519
Well, yeah, you're getting up fucking early.

00:51:11.760 --> 00:51:16.400
Yeah, they need to get moving early to cover miles before the heat.

00:51:16.719 --> 00:51:17.199
Correct.

00:51:17.360 --> 00:51:17.599
Yes.

00:51:17.760 --> 00:51:19.599
Yeah, especially in that Idaho desert.

00:51:19.920 --> 00:51:23.280
So breakfast was usually quick and cold.

00:51:23.360 --> 00:51:23.679
Yeah.

00:51:23.920 --> 00:51:34.639
Yesterday's coffee hearttack, which is what the flour was used for, or potential leftovers unless the family woke up extra early to fry some bacon.

00:51:34.880 --> 00:51:38.719
Which a lot of times they probably didn't do because they were fucking deadass tired.

00:51:38.960 --> 00:51:43.840
So they had to get their sleep and be like, hey man, cold breakfast.

00:51:44.400 --> 00:51:47.039
So by 7 a.m., wagons were rolling.

00:51:47.280 --> 00:51:47.760
Wagons.

00:51:48.079 --> 00:51:53.599
They would trudge along for maybe five hours and then noon or nooning.

00:51:54.079 --> 00:51:54.719
Take a break.

00:51:54.960 --> 00:51:57.360
Basically taking a break around the noon hour.

00:51:57.679 --> 00:51:58.400
Sure, makes sense.

00:51:58.559 --> 00:52:08.000
So at this time they gave the animals water, a little rest, and folks ate a cold lunch, hard tech biscuits with bread and cheese, or perhaps what is hard tech?

00:52:09.039 --> 00:52:14.000
It's it's almost like really steel crackers.

00:52:14.239 --> 00:52:14.559
Really?

00:52:14.719 --> 00:52:16.880
Because I've heard that before.

00:52:17.119 --> 00:52:23.599
Uh the the most the thing that comes to me the most is I believe they say it at some point in sea biscuit.

00:52:23.760 --> 00:52:27.519
And I had never really understood what exactly what hard tech was.

00:52:27.840 --> 00:52:30.000
Yeah, it's basically just a hard biscuit.

00:52:30.159 --> 00:52:33.599
It's literally flour, water, water, maybe a little bit of salt.

00:52:33.840 --> 00:52:34.320
Gotcha.

00:52:34.480 --> 00:52:35.920
Yeah, there's not much to it.

00:52:36.159 --> 00:52:38.159
Unless you're Kate and Nathan, a lot of salt.

00:52:38.400 --> 00:52:39.599
A lot of salt.

00:52:41.199 --> 00:52:44.400
So this the nooning hour.

00:52:44.559 --> 00:52:50.880
Yeah, one traveler wrote, quote, nooning is for the oxen's benefit, not ours.

00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:51.599
Sure.

00:52:51.920 --> 00:52:52.880
Give them a break, right?

00:52:53.119 --> 00:52:56.960
Because I mean, like you said, they've already been going for five plus hours at this time.

00:52:57.280 --> 00:53:01.119
So after an hour or two, the train would move on.

00:53:01.199 --> 00:53:01.360
Okay.

00:53:01.679 --> 00:53:03.679
Come late afternoon, four or five o'clock.

00:53:03.760 --> 00:53:06.400
They looked for a suitable camping spot.

00:53:06.719 --> 00:53:16.800
So ideally near water, grass, and fuel, which was wood or buffalo chips.

00:53:17.599 --> 00:53:18.239
Poop.

00:53:18.559 --> 00:53:19.199
Poop.

00:53:19.679 --> 00:53:20.079
Dung.

00:53:20.559 --> 00:53:21.119
Poop.

00:53:21.199 --> 00:53:21.840
There it is.

00:53:22.159 --> 00:53:22.480
Crap.

00:53:22.719 --> 00:53:23.119
Poop.

00:53:23.360 --> 00:53:24.320
Oh, crap.

00:53:24.559 --> 00:53:25.199
Shit.

00:53:26.639 --> 00:53:27.679
Excrement.

00:53:28.320 --> 00:53:29.199
Trying to come up with other words.

00:53:29.360 --> 00:53:30.159
Yeah, I got nothing else.

00:53:30.320 --> 00:53:30.719
Poop.

00:53:30.880 --> 00:53:31.280
Poop.

00:53:31.360 --> 00:53:31.920
It's poop.

00:53:32.159 --> 00:53:32.559
Poop.

00:53:32.639 --> 00:53:33.280
There it is.

00:53:33.519 --> 00:53:41.760
So they formed a wagon circle or a line in the night and unyoked the stock, letting them graze under their watch.

00:53:42.079 --> 00:53:44.559
I'm a big fan of unyoking.

00:53:45.599 --> 00:53:54.960
If you think pioneers would sit around the campfire singing and all smiles, no, they were busy.

00:53:55.280 --> 00:53:56.239
So busy.

00:53:56.800 --> 00:53:57.280
Yep.

00:53:57.440 --> 00:54:00.800
Um, chores began immediately after stopping.

00:54:01.039 --> 00:54:07.360
Well, they had to because I mean you literally have limited fucking time, especially when it's getting a little bit later in the year.

00:54:07.440 --> 00:54:08.400
You get a little bit less.

00:54:08.559 --> 00:54:16.639
I mean, September, October, you still get a decent amount of light, obviously, but you got limited fucking time to do shit.

00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:18.800
Men tended to the animals.

00:54:18.880 --> 00:54:22.239
They would unhitch the oxen, leading them to water and grass.

00:54:22.639 --> 00:54:25.039
Um, they would milk the cows if there were any.

00:54:25.199 --> 00:54:25.360
Right.

00:54:25.519 --> 00:54:30.639
They would set up guards to ensure the herd wouldn't stray overnight or even get stolen overnight.

00:54:30.719 --> 00:54:31.039
Yep.

00:54:31.199 --> 00:54:38.000
Um, women would set up camp, they would fetch water, they would gather whatever fuel could potentially be available.

00:54:38.079 --> 00:54:38.400
Yep.

00:54:38.559 --> 00:54:42.320
They would get these fires started, they would start cooking supper.

00:54:42.800 --> 00:54:46.719
So basically, just endless chores.

00:54:47.039 --> 00:54:47.199
Yeah.

00:54:47.599 --> 00:54:52.400
So on the treeless plains, firewood was obviously scarce.

00:54:52.559 --> 00:54:57.280
So this meant they would go hunting for dried buffalo dung.

00:54:57.599 --> 00:54:59.119
Well, it's a good fuel source.

00:54:59.280 --> 00:55:00.639
It is buffalo chips.

00:55:00.880 --> 00:55:05.440
So gathering chips was usually assigned to children.

00:55:05.760 --> 00:55:15.519
Um, one woman described, quote, various chip gatherers may be seen bag in hand, intent on getting enough to cook the evening meal.

00:55:15.760 --> 00:55:16.079
Right.

00:55:16.239 --> 00:55:21.519
A scene that would be amusing if it were not a dire necessity, which drives them to it.

00:55:21.760 --> 00:55:23.199
Yeah, no, I get that.

00:55:23.440 --> 00:55:36.239
Another pioneer noted with a uh little bit of humor, um, saying that many women who once wore gloves to tea parties were now picking up buffalo dung with bare hands.

00:55:36.800 --> 00:55:38.079
That's funny.

00:55:38.639 --> 00:55:46.880
So trail cooking was rustic, it was repetitive, it was just an awful experience to say the least.

00:55:47.039 --> 00:55:49.119
Um well, they had the bare minimum.

00:55:49.599 --> 00:55:54.400
They literally had to just like we're not gonna put out the fine train tonight, folks.

00:55:54.639 --> 00:55:55.039
Right.

00:55:55.599 --> 00:56:02.559
In the mornings, if time and fuel allowed, they might do like a quick hot breakfast with cornmeal, mush, or coffee.

00:56:02.800 --> 00:56:04.079
Mostly it was cold.

00:56:04.320 --> 00:56:04.639
Sure.

00:56:04.800 --> 00:56:15.199
Um, during the evening meal, women would mix up dough for bread or biscuits, um, fried bacon, salt pork, and boiled beans or rice.

00:56:15.440 --> 00:56:15.679
Yeah.

00:56:15.920 --> 00:56:17.920
Red beans and rice didn't miss her.

00:56:18.719 --> 00:56:19.280
What?

00:56:19.920 --> 00:56:20.960
Baby got back.

00:56:21.360 --> 00:56:24.719
Oh bacon grease was like liquid gold.

00:56:24.880 --> 00:56:27.760
It was used to fry cakes or gravy on bread.

00:56:28.000 --> 00:56:28.880
I love gravy.

00:56:29.119 --> 00:56:36.719
If the camp had fresh meat from bison or deer or antelope, if someone was a good shot, they treated that as a luxury.

00:56:36.960 --> 00:56:37.440
Yep.

00:56:37.840 --> 00:56:43.039
So emigrants did find wild game to be tough or game, gamey.

00:56:43.280 --> 00:56:56.800
Um, one group had the chance of tasting this long-wished buffalo, buffalo meat, but admitted, quote, we do not relish it, relish it as well as we had expected.

00:56:56.960 --> 00:56:58.880
Is very much like beef.

00:56:59.360 --> 00:57:03.199
Well, I mean, that's more or less what it was, basically.

00:57:03.679 --> 00:57:15.920
On special days, they might have some dried fruit pies, um, or they would like had this bread fried and bacon fat as a treat, basically.

00:57:16.239 --> 00:57:21.039
So if there's dried fruit pies, is there wet fruit pies?

00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:24.480
Yeah, that'd be like a cherry pie or a peach pie.

00:57:25.840 --> 00:57:26.559
Blueberry.

00:57:26.880 --> 00:57:27.840
Blueberry.

00:57:28.400 --> 00:57:29.119
Strawberry.

00:57:29.440 --> 00:57:30.000
Exactly.

00:57:30.239 --> 00:57:40.320
So um after supper, there were still tasks to be done, cleaning up the dishes.

00:57:40.719 --> 00:57:43.920
They had to clean up everything, they had to secure the camp.

00:57:44.159 --> 00:58:06.639
Because a lot of times, and I think you I think I believe you briefly mentioned this, like, especially because they were in these groups, these little communities, if you will, on wheels, they would like create a circle and they would camp in the middle, because that circle almost created a perimeter, yeah, which helped protect, secure them, but they also had people watching out.

00:58:06.880 --> 00:58:07.360
Yep.

00:58:07.599 --> 00:58:11.280
All right, you take watch from blah blah blah.

00:58:11.440 --> 00:58:12.000
So yeah.

00:58:12.400 --> 00:58:17.119
Um, at after supper, they would also kind of tend to any repairs that might be needed.

00:58:17.360 --> 00:58:17.599
Sure.

00:58:17.760 --> 00:58:24.800
Um, wagons constantly needed attention, whether it was a loose iron tire, a cracked wheel, a worn yoke.

00:58:25.039 --> 00:58:25.440
Yep.

00:58:25.679 --> 00:58:31.679
Men might spend twilight hours under the wagon, tightening bolts or greasing axles.

00:58:32.079 --> 00:58:34.800
Just keeping it up to up to running condition, yeah.

00:58:35.119 --> 00:58:39.280
Women um use the evening to mend clothes, do some washing.

00:58:39.920 --> 00:58:44.079
Um, children, if they had any energy, might play a little bit.

00:58:44.239 --> 00:58:44.559
Yeah.

00:58:44.880 --> 00:58:50.320
Um, but on many nights after such grueling conditions, pioneers simply collapsed.

00:58:50.559 --> 00:58:52.320
Well, because they're fucking exhausted.

00:58:52.400 --> 00:58:56.079
This this is even though it sounds like, oh, this is fun.

00:58:56.320 --> 00:58:59.280
No, this was fucking exhausting work.

00:58:59.599 --> 00:59:05.280
Because again, like you said, most people were walking next to their fucking wagon because they had so much shit in it.

00:59:05.519 --> 00:59:16.159
Even when they dropped it off at what was the Fort Fort Laramie there, um camp sacrifice, camp sacrifice when they dropped it off there.

00:59:16.320 --> 00:59:20.559
They you know the unnecessary shit that they realized we shouldn't have brought this with.

00:59:20.880 --> 00:59:24.880
We can we can build a new one in the promised land or whatever.

00:59:25.039 --> 00:59:28.159
But um they're fucking tired, man.

00:59:28.400 --> 00:59:29.360
They're tired.

00:59:29.599 --> 00:59:32.400
I just I can't imagine doing that.

00:59:33.119 --> 00:59:35.280
Sound like walking to my mailbox.

00:59:35.599 --> 00:59:39.199
So most did not sleep in their wagons, right?

00:59:39.440 --> 00:59:46.320
Um, usually they save that if the weather was bad, but wagons were already cramped and packed with supplies.

00:59:46.480 --> 00:59:50.800
Only small children or the very ill might be inside sleeping.

00:59:51.039 --> 00:59:51.599
That makes sense.

00:59:51.760 --> 00:59:54.400
It's not like you're gonna unpack your fucking wagon every night.

00:59:54.559 --> 00:59:54.719
No.

00:59:54.960 --> 00:59:56.639
Because how much wasted time is that?

00:59:56.719 --> 00:59:56.880
Yeah.

00:59:57.119 --> 00:59:58.639
So yeah, so you don't have a lot of room.

00:59:58.800 --> 00:59:59.679
So unless you were.

01:00:00.159 --> 01:00:04.000
Desperately in need of it, like you said, a sick person or children because they're smaller.

01:00:04.239 --> 01:00:08.079
Sure, I get that, but no, not the adults, obviously.

01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:17.599
So um, one pioneer child recounted saying that they were allowed to sleep under the wagon and it felt cozy and safe.

01:00:18.000 --> 01:00:24.320
I'm sure it did more than just out in the open because you had liter literally a roof over your head for the most part.

01:00:24.559 --> 01:00:24.719
Right.

01:00:24.960 --> 01:00:26.239
Just didn't have walls.

01:00:26.719 --> 01:00:39.280
Um, other diarists would note like the discomfort of bugs and snakes and lumpy grounds and but exhaustion was upon everybody.

01:00:39.599 --> 01:00:40.079
Sure.

01:00:40.320 --> 01:00:42.880
Um, someone always had to be on night watch.

01:00:42.960 --> 01:00:43.280
Yep.

01:00:43.440 --> 01:00:52.320
Guards took shifts to keep an eye on the livestock and alert the camp of any trouble if there was like a wandering oxen or wolves or maybe a prairie fire.

01:00:52.639 --> 01:00:54.719
Or a villain.

01:00:55.280 --> 01:00:56.239
Potentially.

01:00:57.199 --> 01:01:01.199
Um but there was also a little romance too.

01:01:01.280 --> 01:01:02.639
There were a couple snaps.

01:01:02.880 --> 01:01:06.960
There were a couple people who got found each other.

01:01:07.119 --> 01:01:07.679
Yeah.

01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:09.360
They found each other.

01:01:09.679 --> 01:01:12.320
Um how many kids were born on this trek?

01:01:12.559 --> 01:01:17.280
Well, in my in the next part, we do have one child that is born on the Oregon Trail in my story.

01:01:17.519 --> 01:01:19.119
Okay, so how many more than the one?

01:01:19.440 --> 01:01:22.960
Bradley, I did not include that in my research.

01:01:23.199 --> 01:01:23.840
I know.

01:01:24.800 --> 01:01:32.480
So the sheer boredom of walking 2,000 miles cannot be overstated.

01:01:32.800 --> 01:01:34.000
I would walk.

01:01:34.480 --> 01:01:40.320
Some would read as they walked if they had the books or if they could trade with other people who might have books.

01:01:41.280 --> 01:01:42.880
I'm sure trading went on a lot.

01:01:43.119 --> 01:01:47.679
Others kept diaries, children made toys out of whatever was handy.

01:01:47.840 --> 01:01:48.320
Yep.

01:01:48.480 --> 01:01:53.440
Um, stick horses and ragdolls and rolling hoops, you know.

01:01:54.079 --> 01:01:58.079
Um, singing was really big, storytelling by the elders.

01:01:58.320 --> 01:01:58.719
Nice.

01:01:58.960 --> 01:02:04.559
Um, they would try to crack jokes and pull little pranks and try to stay cheerful.

01:02:05.039 --> 01:02:06.639
Stay cheerful.

01:02:07.199 --> 01:02:07.840
All right.

01:02:10.639 --> 01:02:12.559
We are now halfway through.

01:02:13.840 --> 01:02:15.760
Is this where we we stop?

01:02:16.159 --> 01:02:16.480
No.

01:02:17.119 --> 01:02:17.440
Oh.

01:02:18.079 --> 01:02:20.079
Is this a fucking three-parter?

01:02:22.320 --> 01:02:25.199
We're only halfway through this episode.

01:02:25.599 --> 01:02:26.239
Yeah.

01:02:29.599 --> 01:02:30.880
What the fuck?

01:02:32.719 --> 01:02:34.239
I need more beer.

01:02:36.320 --> 01:02:37.440
Are you serious?

01:02:37.840 --> 01:02:39.679
Yes, I'm serious.

01:02:40.559 --> 01:02:42.719
You said this was a two-parter.

01:02:43.280 --> 01:02:46.559
I wasn't expecting all the commentary, but I love the commentary.

01:02:46.960 --> 01:02:50.239
So we could turn this into a three-parter if you wanted to.

01:02:50.559 --> 01:02:52.000
We might have to.

01:02:53.119 --> 01:02:56.400
The Oregon Trail is 2,000 miles long.

01:02:56.719 --> 01:02:59.440
How can I fit this in a single episode?

01:02:59.760 --> 01:03:02.159
Shut the fuck up and get to the facts.

01:03:03.760 --> 01:03:07.360
Oh my god, you're only halfway through this episode.

01:03:07.679 --> 01:03:10.480
And this is the first part of part whatever.

01:03:11.360 --> 01:03:14.800
I say whatever because it clearly could be three parts.

01:03:16.880 --> 01:03:19.119
I want to cry and I don't cry.

01:03:20.079 --> 01:03:22.719
I haven't cried since I was like a kid.

01:03:23.679 --> 01:03:25.039
I need more beer.

01:03:25.280 --> 01:03:27.119
Let's take a little break.

01:03:27.519 --> 01:03:28.800
We'll be right back.

01:03:29.119 --> 01:03:30.559
Shout out to Adam Ray.

01:03:33.360 --> 01:03:34.239
We're back.

01:03:34.559 --> 01:03:35.119
Oh yeah.

01:03:35.280 --> 01:03:37.440
Uh he's got food in his mouth.

01:03:38.480 --> 01:03:39.599
Racism, all right?

01:03:40.239 --> 01:03:43.840
And we also turned on the light because we realized it was getting dark in here.

01:03:44.079 --> 01:03:45.519
So okay.

01:03:45.840 --> 01:03:46.239
Wow.

01:03:46.480 --> 01:03:48.159
Wait to wait, wait to wait.

01:03:52.239 --> 01:03:57.599
We're going to go into now the invisible killers.

01:03:58.400 --> 01:03:59.599
Dysentery.

01:04:00.079 --> 01:04:00.719
Yes.

01:04:02.000 --> 01:04:08.239
So the Oregon Trail earned a reputation as a camp fever nightmare.

01:04:08.559 --> 01:04:10.079
Camp fever nightmare, okay.

01:04:10.400 --> 01:04:17.360
So it was disease, not Native American attacks, wild animals, each other.

01:04:18.320 --> 01:04:20.159
It was just literally disease.

01:04:20.400 --> 01:04:21.039
Disease.

01:04:21.199 --> 01:04:21.519
Okay.

01:04:21.840 --> 01:04:23.840
The worst of all was cholera.

01:04:24.079 --> 01:04:24.559
Really?

01:04:24.800 --> 01:04:26.719
It was a waterborne illness.

01:04:26.960 --> 01:04:30.719
Isn't there a movie andor book called Love in a Time of Cholera?

01:04:31.039 --> 01:04:31.679
Perhaps.

01:04:31.840 --> 01:04:32.880
I believe there is.

01:04:33.280 --> 01:04:36.320
Cholera would strike really quickly.

01:04:36.559 --> 01:04:42.719
One description said it could attack a healthy man after breakfast and have him in his grave by nightfall.

01:04:43.280 --> 01:04:45.199
What was cholera?

01:04:45.280 --> 01:04:46.320
Like, not what was?

01:04:46.480 --> 01:04:47.519
What is cholera?

01:04:47.599 --> 01:04:48.320
Like, what is it?

01:04:48.480 --> 01:04:49.039
What is it?

01:04:49.199 --> 01:04:50.400
So it's water.

01:04:50.559 --> 01:04:53.519
Uh it's from water, like bad water.

01:04:53.760 --> 01:04:54.000
Okay.

01:04:54.159 --> 01:04:57.599
Um, it caused vomiting, diarrhea, and severe dehydration.

01:04:57.840 --> 01:04:59.599
That sounds fucking terrible.

01:05:00.719 --> 01:05:02.800
And during the epidemic years.

01:05:03.119 --> 01:05:05.360
So are you telling me I had cholera last week?

01:05:05.760 --> 01:05:06.159
Sorry.

01:05:09.679 --> 01:05:10.719
I joke.

01:05:11.760 --> 01:05:18.800
Um during the epidemic years, which were um late 1840s into the early 1850s.

01:05:18.960 --> 01:05:22.159
Okay, cholera killed thousands on the trail.

01:05:22.559 --> 01:05:23.360
Oh, I bet.

01:05:23.920 --> 01:05:34.239
One historian estimates about 4,000, nope, 4% of all Oregon Trail emigrants died, who died en route.

01:05:34.960 --> 01:05:35.840
Died of cholera.

01:05:36.159 --> 01:05:36.960
Died of cholera.

01:05:37.199 --> 01:05:43.280
So do they have a rough number of how many people went on this journey?

01:05:43.599 --> 01:05:43.920
No.

01:05:44.480 --> 01:05:45.119
Cool.

01:05:45.679 --> 01:05:48.480
Sorry, I think I re said that wrong.

01:05:48.960 --> 01:05:49.679
Rewind.

01:05:51.119 --> 01:05:54.000
4,000 of all deaths.

01:05:54.320 --> 01:05:54.639
No.

01:05:55.119 --> 01:05:56.800
Why do we keep saying thousand?

01:05:57.119 --> 01:05:58.079
Four percent.

01:05:58.400 --> 01:05:58.960
Kate.

01:05:59.360 --> 01:06:00.320
Four percent.

01:06:00.559 --> 01:06:05.039
Four percent of all Oregon Trail emigrants died in route.

01:06:05.599 --> 01:06:05.920
Okay.

01:06:06.320 --> 01:06:07.039
Okay, period.

01:06:07.360 --> 01:06:08.239
No four thousand.

01:06:08.400 --> 01:06:08.960
Four percent.

01:06:09.199 --> 01:06:09.840
Four percent.

01:06:10.079 --> 01:06:13.280
Nine out of the ten deaths were from cholera.

01:06:13.519 --> 01:06:14.400
Were from cholera.

01:06:14.719 --> 01:06:15.360
Wow.

01:06:15.840 --> 01:06:16.159
Okay.

01:06:17.280 --> 01:06:20.800
So of four percent, there's a thousand.

01:06:21.119 --> 01:06:22.719
I mean, that's not bad.

01:06:23.920 --> 01:06:24.320
Right?

01:06:24.480 --> 01:06:27.840
I mean poor sanitation was the root cause.

01:06:28.000 --> 01:06:32.639
Wagging camps took water from rivers that were also used as open sewers.

01:06:32.880 --> 01:06:34.719
Well, I mean How could you not?

01:06:34.800 --> 01:06:35.920
It's it's rough out there.

01:06:36.159 --> 01:06:37.280
People got a piss, right?

01:06:37.519 --> 01:06:43.039
The Platte River in particular was described as a very muddy stream.

01:06:43.280 --> 01:06:48.559
Um, basically a pint of mud would come out of one pail of water.

01:06:48.800 --> 01:06:49.280
Oh, gross.

01:06:49.599 --> 01:06:55.679
And pioneers would try to settle the water with um with different things, but it was still always filthy.

01:06:55.760 --> 01:07:05.119
They tried to like did they know they clean it, but did they know back in those times that you boil water to like sterilize it?

01:07:05.519 --> 01:07:06.079
I don't think so.

01:07:06.320 --> 01:07:06.639
Okay.

01:07:07.519 --> 01:07:09.280
Or at least maybe they didn't, I don't know.

01:07:09.440 --> 01:07:09.840
Either way.

01:07:10.079 --> 01:07:10.960
Dysentery.

01:07:11.199 --> 01:07:14.880
Yeah, which is the common death on the game.

01:07:16.639 --> 01:07:21.360
Severe diarrhea, often from bad water or s or spoiled food.

01:07:21.679 --> 01:07:23.119
Do you think they went diarrhea?

01:07:24.400 --> 01:07:24.960
Do you remember that?

01:07:25.199 --> 01:07:31.679
So it was so common on the trail that it became the popular game phrase.

01:07:31.920 --> 01:07:32.400
You've died.

01:07:32.639 --> 01:07:34.079
You have died of dysentery.

01:07:34.480 --> 01:07:35.199
Dysentery.

01:07:35.920 --> 01:07:43.840
I mean, I I can't tell you how many times I died of dysentery in that game.

01:07:44.000 --> 01:07:44.239
Yeah.

01:07:44.559 --> 01:07:48.480
It was a very, very common outcome of that.

01:07:48.800 --> 01:07:52.159
We should look into the card game.

01:07:52.559 --> 01:07:57.360
I kind of want to try and find an old emulator that has that game too that we could fucking play it.

01:07:57.519 --> 01:07:57.679
Yeah.

01:07:57.840 --> 01:07:58.719
I might have to look into that.

01:07:58.880 --> 01:08:00.559
Xavier, I think, would like it.

01:08:00.880 --> 01:08:01.519
He might.

01:08:01.679 --> 01:08:03.199
He'll probably get frustrated.

01:08:03.920 --> 01:08:05.599
He doesn't want to die of dysentery.

01:08:05.679 --> 01:08:06.000
Am I right?

01:08:06.320 --> 01:08:06.639
He does.

01:08:06.800 --> 01:08:06.960
Okay.

01:08:08.079 --> 01:08:10.400
So there was also typhoid fever.

01:08:10.639 --> 01:08:12.000
Typhoid, I've heard of that, yeah.

01:08:12.159 --> 01:08:13.039
Smallpox.

01:08:13.199 --> 01:08:15.440
Oh, at least it wasn't big pox.

01:08:15.760 --> 01:08:16.319
Measles.

01:08:16.880 --> 01:08:17.760
Fucking measles.

01:08:18.079 --> 01:08:19.119
And scurvy.

01:08:20.479 --> 01:08:22.239
Pirates were a part of our problem.

01:08:22.479 --> 01:08:23.760
Do you know what scurvy is?

01:08:24.000 --> 01:08:25.279
It shit.

01:08:25.520 --> 01:08:27.359
It's a certain vitamin deficiency.

01:08:27.520 --> 01:08:30.239
Yeah, isn't it like vitamin D C?

01:08:30.880 --> 01:08:31.920
Vitamin C.

01:08:32.159 --> 01:08:32.479
Okay.

01:08:32.880 --> 01:08:34.640
Vitamin C deficiency.

01:08:34.880 --> 01:08:35.199
Right.

01:08:35.520 --> 01:08:38.479
So medical knowledge was primitive at best.

01:08:38.640 --> 01:08:45.520
Treatments range from bleeding to dosing with opium to mercury compounds.

01:08:46.000 --> 01:08:46.880
Sounds terrible.

01:08:46.960 --> 01:08:47.279
Yeah.

01:08:47.520 --> 01:08:49.279
Like they wouldn't do that today.

01:08:49.600 --> 01:08:57.279
Cholera victims were frequently just buried on the trail almost where they fell as the wagon train just had to move on.

01:08:57.520 --> 01:08:58.960
Well, they couldn't linger.

01:08:59.279 --> 01:08:59.600
Yeah.

01:08:59.840 --> 01:09:06.640
One immigrant in 1850 wrote, No grave markers, no prayers, we had to leave them by the wayside.

01:09:06.880 --> 01:09:08.159
That's crazy.

01:09:08.399 --> 01:09:11.680
Could you imagine having you're like, well, there goes Pops?

01:09:11.920 --> 01:09:23.920
So the cumulative toll, one estimate often cited, is 20 to 30,000 trail deaths in the overland migration years.

01:09:24.239 --> 01:09:24.640
Wow.

01:09:24.960 --> 01:09:34.479
Earning the trail, the moniker quote, the nation's longest graveyard with an average of 10 graves per mile.

01:09:34.800 --> 01:09:40.079
I mean, like you said, they had to bury them where they pretty much died.

01:09:40.880 --> 01:09:46.239
So I mean, you can't really like dispute that.

01:09:46.399 --> 01:09:48.640
That's that's fucking crazy.

01:09:49.199 --> 01:09:50.560
I mean, it makes sense though.

01:09:50.640 --> 01:09:57.359
Look at the time frame, look at the medicine, look at those I don't want to say the hygiene.

01:09:57.520 --> 01:10:00.399
The hygiene, the situation, whatever you want to fucking all come up with.

01:10:00.640 --> 01:10:01.920
But it wasn't great.

01:10:02.079 --> 01:10:02.399
No.

01:10:03.039 --> 01:10:14.079
So dysentery and other related diarrhea illnesses became some trail humor, which we know now.

01:10:14.399 --> 01:10:15.359
Well, yeah.

01:10:15.600 --> 01:10:16.159
Yes.

01:10:16.399 --> 01:10:21.600
Sufferers had to like dash into the bushes repeatedly while they're walking.

01:10:21.760 --> 01:10:24.720
Um, it was mortifying, it was miserable.

01:10:24.880 --> 01:10:28.079
Um, there was dehydration and electric light loss.

01:10:28.239 --> 01:10:29.760
Um, of course, they didn't know that.

01:10:30.319 --> 01:10:31.039
At the time, you know.

01:10:31.359 --> 01:10:39.840
Yeah, some tried quote unquote cures, like drinking blackberry tea or chewing on burnt bread crusts.

01:10:41.119 --> 01:10:47.199
Some swore by like a hefty dose of opium to slow like gut spasms.

01:10:47.760 --> 01:10:50.079
None of it obviously cured the disease.

01:10:50.319 --> 01:10:50.720
Nope.

01:10:50.880 --> 01:10:56.479
Um, if someone survived, it was mainly by luck and what little care they could get.

01:10:56.800 --> 01:10:57.039
Sure.

01:10:57.199 --> 01:10:58.399
No, that makes sense.

01:10:58.720 --> 01:11:10.640
So if disease spared you, yeah, the Oregon Trail still offered many a way to die, much like 50 or a million ways to die in the West by Seth McFarland.

01:11:11.039 --> 01:11:11.680
Such a great movie.

01:11:11.920 --> 01:11:13.359
Such great, great, great, great movie.

01:11:13.520 --> 01:11:16.159
Neil Patrick Harris, uh, Charlize Thuron.

01:11:17.199 --> 01:11:18.479
Amanda Safe Reed.

01:11:19.439 --> 01:11:20.239
I love her.

01:11:20.880 --> 01:11:23.439
She's quite fetching.

01:11:23.840 --> 01:11:26.960
Um, also, she is, she's very pretty girl.

01:11:28.239 --> 01:11:30.960
Um I don't like her first name, but whatever.

01:11:31.039 --> 01:11:32.479
We'll look past it.

01:11:32.640 --> 01:11:37.359
Um, and also uh uh fucking Liam Neeson.

01:11:37.600 --> 01:11:37.920
Thank you.

01:11:38.000 --> 01:11:38.640
Jesus Christ.

01:11:39.039 --> 01:11:39.680
So great.

01:11:40.000 --> 01:11:40.319
Okay.

01:11:41.039 --> 01:11:43.279
Fi firearm accidents.

01:11:43.520 --> 01:11:44.319
Oh, geez.

01:11:44.560 --> 01:11:47.439
They were unfortunately kind of frequent.

01:11:47.680 --> 01:11:48.159
Really?

01:11:48.399 --> 01:11:48.800
Mm-hmm.

01:11:48.960 --> 01:11:53.680
One emigrant said that there were probably more bullets in people than in game.

01:11:54.319 --> 01:11:54.640
Oh.

01:11:55.359 --> 01:11:57.840
How did they shoot so many people?

01:11:59.039 --> 01:12:08.399
So wagons jostling over like rough terrain caused loaded guns to bounce or or fall, sometimes discharging.

01:12:09.119 --> 01:12:18.159
One of the earliest trail fatalities was a man ironically named John John Shotwell.

01:12:18.720 --> 01:12:20.880
Are you fucking kidding me?

01:12:21.119 --> 01:12:23.039
He died in 1841.

01:12:23.279 --> 01:12:33.359
He reached for a rifle um that was muzzle up in a wagon, caught the trigger, and blasted himself in the chest.

01:12:33.760 --> 01:12:35.840
Oh my god.

01:12:36.159 --> 01:12:40.880
Guns would also go off during cleaning or when children foolishly played with them.

01:12:41.039 --> 01:12:46.800
In 1850, an emigrant pistol went off in his pocket, shattering his jaw and killing him.

01:12:47.119 --> 01:12:48.000
Oh shit.

01:12:48.239 --> 01:12:55.119
Another man accidentally shot himself through the through the side while hunting and bled like a hog, it was said.

01:12:55.920 --> 01:12:57.439
Shot him through the side?

01:12:57.840 --> 01:12:59.119
Like his side somehow.

01:12:59.359 --> 01:13:00.720
Oh, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.

01:13:01.119 --> 01:13:02.079
Bled like a hog.

01:13:02.239 --> 01:13:16.319
And because nearly everyone carried firearms for fear of Native Americans at the time or the desire to hunt game, few had experience, and they would shoot themselves on accident.

01:13:17.600 --> 01:13:22.800
What is your stance on calling them Native American as opposed to American Indian?

01:13:23.840 --> 01:13:27.760
This my whole story, I write Indian.

01:13:27.920 --> 01:13:28.239
Yeah.

01:13:28.560 --> 01:13:31.359
Because that is what they were referred to as then.

01:13:31.760 --> 01:13:34.880
So as I'm saying it, I want to say Native American.

01:13:35.039 --> 01:13:35.439
Which is fine.

01:13:35.600 --> 01:13:36.560
But that is a me thing.

01:13:37.039 --> 01:13:37.520
That's a you thing.

01:13:37.920 --> 01:13:40.880
So, like me growing up, I am part American Indian.

01:13:40.960 --> 01:13:45.039
And I, yes, I do say American Indian because that's what I grew up saying.

01:13:45.279 --> 01:13:47.840
I don't say it derogatory, I don't say anything.

01:13:47.920 --> 01:13:50.640
I am literally part American Indian.

01:13:51.359 --> 01:13:54.159
I have a hard time calling them Native American.

01:13:54.239 --> 01:14:00.319
I try to do that when I, you know, I guess certain context.

01:14:00.640 --> 01:14:02.319
Context crowd, whatever you want to call it.

01:14:02.479 --> 01:14:03.119
Oh, okay.

01:14:03.600 --> 01:14:05.439
Like, I don't take offense to it.

01:14:05.520 --> 01:14:09.600
And I'm again, I am minimal, so it's not like I'm like, oh well, I'm not offended.

01:14:09.840 --> 01:14:10.800
Not that at all.

01:14:10.960 --> 01:14:11.840
I am not.

01:14:12.079 --> 01:14:17.039
I am very, very minimal percent of uh a Native American.

01:14:17.279 --> 01:14:19.279
But um it just I don't know.

01:14:19.520 --> 01:14:25.279
Like the whole like Washington Redskins debacle and now they're the commanders because of that.

01:14:25.520 --> 01:14:29.439
I feel like they're just taken away from them more than they're actually helping them.

01:14:29.600 --> 01:14:29.920
Yeah.

01:14:30.159 --> 01:14:31.119
So I get that.

01:14:31.359 --> 01:14:34.399
Either way, I was just curious, and then again, to each their own.

01:14:34.720 --> 01:14:40.800
Everyone has their own opinion on it, and I'm not trying to be a political thing with what I'm saying currently.

01:14:40.880 --> 01:14:47.680
It's just that I I grew up calling them American Indians, and that's what I am very minimal.

01:14:48.640 --> 01:14:54.960
But anyways, so if it wasn't gunshots and it wasn't disease, then it was wagons.

01:14:55.199 --> 01:14:56.479
They ran over people?

01:14:56.720 --> 01:14:58.399
Yes, are you fucking serious?

01:14:58.560 --> 01:15:01.279
Yes, they they literally moved two miles per hour.

01:15:01.520 --> 01:15:06.239
I know a wag they said, quote, a wagon wheel never stopped for a child.

01:15:06.560 --> 01:15:16.720
Well, so kids playing around the wagon, yes, children often fell from wagons or slipped under wheels while climbing on moving wagons, which they did a lot.

01:15:16.880 --> 01:15:21.439
They would get in and out of moving wagons so it just never stopped, right?

01:15:21.520 --> 01:15:22.720
The wagon train never stopped.

01:15:22.960 --> 01:15:23.520
Why would it?

01:15:23.680 --> 01:15:28.079
And adults too would stumble and fall over and get run over.

01:15:28.319 --> 01:15:29.039
Oh my god.

01:15:29.199 --> 01:15:34.239
Um, a pioneer named Edward Lennox wrote Pardon me.

01:15:34.399 --> 01:15:45.199
That's all right, wrote, quote, a little boy fell over the front of the of the excuse me, the front end of the wagon, the great wheels rolled over the child's head, crushing it to pieces.

01:15:45.359 --> 01:15:45.840
End quote.

01:15:46.159 --> 01:15:47.119
Oh my god.

01:15:47.439 --> 01:15:49.279
That's gotta be the fucking depressing.

01:15:49.439 --> 01:15:49.920
Yes.

01:15:50.079 --> 01:15:54.159
Um, obviously these accidents were devastating.

01:15:54.479 --> 01:16:01.520
Others were crushed between wagons during hitching or had limbs mangled if wagons tipped over.

01:16:01.840 --> 01:16:02.640
Oh boy.

01:16:03.039 --> 01:16:07.119
So getting off or on a wagon was treacherous.

01:16:07.439 --> 01:16:09.760
Common was a common source of injury.

01:16:10.000 --> 01:16:10.560
Yeah, yeah.

01:16:10.800 --> 01:16:18.640
A woman's skirt would get caught in a wagon's um lever as she would dismount, pulling her under the wheel and killing her instantly.

01:16:18.880 --> 01:16:19.840
Oh my god.

01:16:20.079 --> 01:16:32.319
And then, of course, for every fatality, there were more broken bones and dislocations and I'm sure, you know, there's a death here, broken arm here, broken leg there, yeah, whatever, blah, blah, blah.

01:16:32.479 --> 01:16:34.239
Yeah, I can only imagine.

01:16:34.640 --> 01:16:37.520
I guess I don't it makes sense.

01:16:37.840 --> 01:16:44.399
And this situation, a a wagon-related injury or death comes up in our next part as well.

01:16:44.640 --> 01:16:45.439
Okay, fair enough.

01:16:45.600 --> 01:16:46.319
Because it happened.

01:16:46.479 --> 01:16:47.199
It happened a lot.

01:16:47.520 --> 01:16:48.399
No, I I get it.

01:16:48.479 --> 01:16:56.479
I I just I didn't not think people died that way, but I just I guess it's like car accidents.

01:16:56.640 --> 01:16:57.680
It happens.

01:16:58.479 --> 01:17:00.159
I don't like car accidents.

01:17:00.399 --> 01:17:05.279
So if disease didn't kill you, the wagons didn't kill you.

01:17:05.680 --> 01:17:08.399
This the accidental gunshots didn't kill you.

01:17:08.720 --> 01:17:09.920
The wildlife dead.

01:17:10.159 --> 01:17:10.720
Animals.

01:17:10.960 --> 01:17:11.279
Yep.

01:17:11.439 --> 01:17:12.159
Look at me go.

01:17:12.319 --> 01:17:14.079
It's like I know what I'm talking about.

01:17:14.399 --> 01:17:18.720
Cattle or oxen could be spooked by thunder.

01:17:19.039 --> 01:17:19.760
Oh, sure.

01:17:20.000 --> 01:17:24.640
Or bull buffalo or a sudden loud sneeze, even.

01:17:24.880 --> 01:17:27.359
Or a fucking branch breaking.

01:17:27.760 --> 01:17:30.399
A gunshot, an accidental gunshot.

01:17:30.720 --> 01:17:35.439
Dozens of 2,000-pound animals could start running.

01:17:35.680 --> 01:17:37.760
Humans in trouble.

01:17:38.079 --> 01:17:39.199
Stampede almost.

01:17:39.439 --> 01:17:45.439
People could get kicked by mules, bitten by horses, gored by unruly oxen.

01:17:45.600 --> 01:17:46.159
Oh boy.

01:17:46.399 --> 01:17:50.640
Yoking and unyoking oxen was usually calm work.

01:17:50.880 --> 01:17:51.279
Sure.

01:17:51.439 --> 01:17:56.079
But a frustrated ox might swing his horns and catch someone.

01:17:56.800 --> 01:18:03.760
Additionally, drowning of livestock or riders during river fords was common.

01:18:04.079 --> 01:18:04.560
Fjord.

01:18:05.119 --> 01:18:09.279
If an ox team lost footing in deep water, a wagon could flip.

01:18:09.359 --> 01:18:09.600
Yep.

01:18:09.760 --> 01:18:12.399
Pinning the driver or passengers underwater.

01:18:12.560 --> 01:18:13.039
Yep.

01:18:13.600 --> 01:18:16.159
So then we have water-related deaths.

01:18:16.319 --> 01:18:17.279
Oh my god.

01:18:17.520 --> 01:18:21.119
I they always I shouldn't say they.

01:18:21.439 --> 01:18:28.319
I've always heard that drowning once you get past the like initial shit of it.

01:18:28.560 --> 01:18:29.439
It's rather peaceful.

01:18:29.600 --> 01:18:32.000
It's like, who the fuck ever told you that?

01:18:32.479 --> 01:18:33.920
Somebody who didn't drown?

01:18:34.239 --> 01:18:34.720
Yeah.

01:18:35.039 --> 01:18:44.479
So the Kansas, the Platte, the North Platte, the Snake, the Green River, the Columbia River, countless rivers had to be crossed.

01:18:44.640 --> 01:18:44.960
Yeah.

01:18:45.439 --> 01:18:47.840
Obviously, we don't have bridges.

01:18:48.479 --> 01:18:50.319
We don't have reliable ferries.

01:18:50.560 --> 01:18:50.720
No.

01:18:51.359 --> 01:18:56.079
Fording rivers was a gamble and it cost many a life.

01:18:56.319 --> 01:18:56.880
I bet.

01:18:57.119 --> 01:19:06.960
So the if the current was quick or the water were above the oxen's back, um, disaster obviously can happen.

01:19:07.119 --> 01:19:14.000
So in one year, 1850, 37 people drowned trying to cross a single river.

01:19:14.159 --> 01:19:14.640
Oh my god.

01:19:14.880 --> 01:19:16.239
The Green River in Wyoming.

01:19:16.560 --> 01:19:17.520
Green River.

01:19:17.920 --> 01:19:18.239
Okay.

01:19:18.880 --> 01:19:19.359
Wow.

01:19:19.680 --> 01:19:20.159
How many?

01:19:20.319 --> 01:19:20.720
37?

01:19:21.119 --> 01:19:22.159
37 in one year.

01:19:22.479 --> 01:19:22.960
Damn.

01:19:23.279 --> 01:19:27.600
Now another toll.

01:19:28.159 --> 01:19:33.359
Not maybe not death, but another serious situation that can happen on the trail.

01:19:33.520 --> 01:19:33.680
Yeah.

01:19:33.920 --> 01:19:35.520
We've got environmental hazards.

01:19:35.840 --> 01:19:36.640
Tornadoes.

01:19:36.800 --> 01:19:38.079
We've got tornadoes.

01:19:38.239 --> 01:19:39.600
We've got lightning strikes.

01:19:39.680 --> 01:19:40.960
We've got hail storms.

01:19:41.039 --> 01:19:42.960
We've got desert heat and dust.

01:19:43.039 --> 01:19:44.399
We've got prairie fires.

01:19:44.479 --> 01:19:45.600
We've got snowstorms.

01:19:45.680 --> 01:19:47.039
We've got frostbite.

01:19:47.199 --> 01:19:49.520
We've got these accidental explosions.

01:19:49.680 --> 01:19:54.399
Maybe there was black powder in a keg and it went off and whatever.

01:19:54.640 --> 01:19:57.439
There were in all these things.

01:19:57.600 --> 01:19:59.920
And then you've got the mental strain.

01:20:01.199 --> 01:20:05.359
I almost feel like you should have listed off what couldn't have.

01:20:06.079 --> 01:20:07.600
That would have been a shorter episode.

01:20:07.840 --> 01:20:08.640
Might have been.

01:20:09.119 --> 01:20:10.960
But you had nervous breakdowns.

01:20:11.359 --> 01:20:11.520
Sure.

01:20:11.600 --> 01:20:13.600
No, I you had suicides.

01:20:13.760 --> 01:20:18.399
If a family member was lost, someone else could easily take their life over the grief.

01:20:18.640 --> 01:20:18.960
Yeah.

01:20:19.359 --> 01:20:25.760
There was just so many awful things on this trail.

01:20:26.079 --> 01:20:29.119
It was it was tumultuous.

01:20:29.439 --> 01:20:30.399
Perfect.

01:20:30.720 --> 01:20:31.600
Perfect word.

01:20:31.760 --> 01:20:32.399
Yeah.

01:20:33.039 --> 01:20:36.640
Then we've got wagon breakdowns, mechanical.

01:20:36.720 --> 01:20:42.319
You had to wear, you had to bring spare parts, axles, which you only had so much room for.

01:20:42.640 --> 01:20:45.199
Yes, bolts, tire irons.

01:20:45.439 --> 01:20:47.520
I'm not even gonna get into that detail.

01:20:47.840 --> 01:20:48.319
Please don't.

01:20:48.479 --> 01:20:51.039
But then you've got these these river crossings, okay?

01:20:51.119 --> 01:20:54.479
They were among most of the harrowing parts of their journey.

01:20:54.640 --> 01:20:54.960
Okay.

01:20:55.439 --> 01:21:05.199
Um, if they some even seasoned pioneers would dread crossing like the Platte River and the Snake River and the Columbia River.

01:21:05.359 --> 01:21:05.680
Yep.

01:21:05.840 --> 01:21:08.720
Um, so there were a couple ways to cross.

01:21:08.880 --> 01:21:11.119
One was fording, and I've mentioned that a couple times.

01:21:11.199 --> 01:21:11.439
Yep.

01:21:11.680 --> 01:21:15.119
Driving the wagons through the river at shallow fords.

01:21:15.199 --> 01:21:15.520
Yep.

01:21:15.680 --> 01:21:17.199
This required scouting.

01:21:17.520 --> 01:21:22.159
Of course, because they had to scout the shallow parts that they could cross.

01:21:22.399 --> 01:21:22.640
Of course.

01:21:22.880 --> 01:21:23.439
Yep, yep, yep.

01:21:23.760 --> 01:21:27.439
Men would ride in to test the depth and the current.

01:21:27.680 --> 01:21:31.600
All adults who could swim stood by to assist.

01:21:31.840 --> 01:21:32.319
Sure.

01:21:32.720 --> 01:21:38.159
Wagons were cocked with tar or pitch to be watertight as possible.

01:21:38.479 --> 01:21:39.359
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:21:39.520 --> 01:21:40.000
Mm-hmm.

01:21:40.560 --> 01:21:43.840
Goods were piled high in case of minor flooding.

01:21:44.079 --> 01:21:45.600
So they wouldn't get wet, yep.

01:21:45.840 --> 01:21:46.399
Even then.

01:21:46.640 --> 01:21:49.680
Could you imagine their whole fucking stock of flour getting wet?

01:21:50.479 --> 01:21:52.239
I mean, that that would ruin it.

01:21:52.960 --> 01:21:54.000
Am I wrong?

01:21:54.319 --> 01:21:56.560
And then you are fucked.

01:21:57.199 --> 01:22:02.720
So yeah, you obviously have to put it up high or do what you can to keep it fucking dry.

01:22:02.800 --> 01:22:17.840
Because you could literally, and look, look at what they invested in this and able to do this journey, and all of a sudden, um, we're out of food, and we're just crossing said river.

01:22:18.000 --> 01:22:18.319
Yeah.

01:22:18.560 --> 01:22:20.000
Holy fuck, we're screwed.

01:22:20.319 --> 01:22:22.000
Because they would literally all die.

01:22:24.239 --> 01:22:33.520
Even then, there could be a mid-stream panic, either either from the oxen panicking, or the driver wagon tipping.

01:22:33.760 --> 01:22:34.399
Yep, yep, yep.

01:22:35.199 --> 01:22:41.279
Hundreds of recorded deaths were from drownings, often multiple family members at once.

01:22:41.600 --> 01:22:42.479
That's sad.

01:22:42.880 --> 01:22:43.760
Could you imagine?

01:22:43.840 --> 01:22:47.199
Like, um, well, there goes dad and mom and sister.

01:22:47.359 --> 01:22:47.680
Yep.

01:22:47.840 --> 01:22:48.079
Shit.

01:22:48.159 --> 01:22:48.960
What do we do now?

01:22:49.119 --> 01:22:49.359
Yeah.

01:22:49.520 --> 01:22:52.239
Especially if like the adults died and the kids were like left.

01:22:52.319 --> 01:22:57.199
They're like, um, what hold on to that statement for the next day.

01:22:57.359 --> 01:22:58.079
Oh shit.

01:22:58.319 --> 01:23:00.079
So then there were ferries.

01:23:00.319 --> 01:23:02.319
By magical creatures?

01:23:02.479 --> 01:23:02.640
No.

01:23:02.800 --> 01:23:04.159
F-E-R-R-I-E s.

01:23:04.800 --> 01:23:10.239
By the late 1840s, entrepreneurs would set up ferries at crossings.

01:23:10.479 --> 01:23:10.800
Okay.

01:23:10.960 --> 01:23:17.199
Um, so they would be like large rafts or wooden flat boats that would carry um wagons across for a fee.

01:23:17.680 --> 01:23:18.399
Well, of course.

01:23:19.520 --> 01:23:23.760
Ferry operators might charge five to sixteen dollars a wagon.

01:23:24.000 --> 01:23:25.680
Which was probably pretty pricey at that time.

01:23:25.840 --> 01:23:29.600
You know, the fortune considering a single ox could cost$25.

01:23:30.479 --> 01:23:32.399
Which was like their life savings.

01:23:32.880 --> 01:23:33.520
Yeah.

01:23:34.159 --> 01:23:42.079
One famous ferry on the Green River reportedly took in$65,000 in one season.

01:23:42.399 --> 01:23:43.840
Holy balls.

01:23:44.000 --> 01:23:47.279
That's fucking entrepreneurship to the next level.

01:23:47.520 --> 01:23:48.000
Yeah.

01:23:49.039 --> 01:23:50.640
Still many paid.

01:23:50.880 --> 01:23:52.159
Well, why wouldn't you?

01:23:53.039 --> 01:23:56.239
It's like uh death, potential death, I should say.

01:23:56.640 --> 01:23:59.600
Because if they're walking across, they see all these deaths.

01:23:59.680 --> 01:24:00.960
Okay, we'll get on the ferry.

01:24:01.119 --> 01:24:04.239
Yeah, so potential death or hey man.

01:24:05.039 --> 01:24:05.760
We got you.

01:24:06.159 --> 01:24:06.319
Yes.

01:24:06.800 --> 01:24:08.000
Just need to pay up.

01:24:09.119 --> 01:24:09.920
Five bucks.

01:24:10.159 --> 01:24:12.560
Little man, put that shit in my hand.

01:24:12.800 --> 01:24:13.279
Anyways.

01:24:13.520 --> 01:24:13.760
Yes.

01:24:14.000 --> 01:24:14.720
I don't think I was a right.

01:24:15.119 --> 01:24:15.760
Okay, now.

01:24:16.000 --> 01:24:16.319
Yeah.

01:24:17.279 --> 01:24:18.720
Native Americans.

01:24:21.840 --> 01:24:24.159
Myth versus reality here.

01:24:24.319 --> 01:24:24.640
Okay.

01:24:24.960 --> 01:24:25.279
Okay.

01:24:25.840 --> 01:24:30.800
So many emigrants started their journey in fear of Indian attacks.

01:24:30.880 --> 01:24:35.119
And I'm gonna say Indian because that's how they were referred to.

01:24:35.199 --> 01:24:35.439
Yes.

01:24:35.680 --> 01:24:36.880
It's perfectly fine.

01:24:37.119 --> 01:24:47.279
So they were um so they were in fear of Indian attacks, and it was fueled by these dime novels that were created and these guidebooks that were created.

01:24:47.600 --> 01:24:49.760
That that painted them in a very bad light.

01:24:49.920 --> 01:24:50.159
Yes.

01:24:50.319 --> 01:24:50.560
Yes.

01:24:50.880 --> 01:25:04.159
So in reality, during the peak trail years of the 1840s through the 1860s, yeah, most encounters with native peoples were peaceful, they were friendly, and they were kind of business like.

01:25:04.800 --> 01:25:10.640
Well, they traded and shit because, like, hey, you you you look cold, I trade you fur.

01:25:11.039 --> 01:25:19.039
Statistically, an emigrant would die of accident or disease over a hostile Indian.

01:25:19.279 --> 01:25:19.600
Yep.

01:25:19.840 --> 01:25:20.640
No, for sure.

01:25:20.880 --> 01:25:21.439
Yes.

01:25:21.760 --> 01:25:24.720
So that said, there was still some prejudice.

01:25:24.960 --> 01:25:27.199
So of course, there always is gonna be.

01:25:27.439 --> 01:25:28.960
That will never go away.

01:25:29.279 --> 01:25:36.159
So as I said before, they would form these circles at night with their wagons, and that was part of their defense strategy.

01:25:36.640 --> 01:25:37.359
Protection, yeah.

01:25:38.720 --> 01:25:52.239
So typically the first tribes that emigrants were met with were the Otto or Otto, Oto, Oto, or Omaha in Nebraska, and then the Sioux Cheyenne in Arapaho on the plains.

01:25:52.640 --> 01:25:59.439
So these nations were generally curious and welcoming, seeing wagon trains as an opportunity to trade.

01:25:59.760 --> 01:26:01.840
Well, yeah, because they're they're bringing new shit.

01:26:01.920 --> 01:26:03.520
Like, hey man, I got this furry.

01:26:03.600 --> 01:26:05.039
Uh I'm looking for that piano.

01:26:05.279 --> 01:26:05.680
Yeah.

01:26:06.960 --> 01:26:14.319
So one pioneer in 1852 said, quote, we met many bands of Indians, they were on most friendly terms.

01:26:14.479 --> 01:26:21.680
The main object of their visits was to trade dressed buffalo robes and moccasins for bread or coffee, end quote.

01:26:21.920 --> 01:26:22.000
Sure.

01:26:22.159 --> 01:26:29.119
Yeah, no, I mean at that time frame, they were painted in a very bad light.

01:26:29.760 --> 01:26:32.079
Like they were savages and so on.

01:26:32.159 --> 01:26:37.760
And don't get me wrong, there were some instances, of course, not great.

01:26:38.239 --> 01:26:39.279
Stay tuned for part two.

01:26:39.520 --> 01:26:40.159
Yeah.

01:26:40.960 --> 01:26:47.520
However, there was a lot of them that were curious, inviting people.

01:26:48.399 --> 01:26:49.439
I mean just people.

01:26:49.680 --> 01:26:50.560
They're just natives.

01:26:50.880 --> 01:26:56.079
Like, hey man, I like the cutting of your jib and your coffee.

01:26:56.319 --> 01:26:57.760
I got this fur.

01:26:58.159 --> 01:26:59.840
I got these shoes that I made.

01:27:00.079 --> 01:27:02.079
They're they're they got tassels on it.

01:27:02.399 --> 01:27:03.760
Hand fucking sown.

01:27:04.000 --> 01:27:04.239
Yeah.

01:27:04.560 --> 01:27:06.800
You're not gonna find this quality anywhere else.

01:27:07.119 --> 01:27:10.319
So, yes, native people offered life-saving goods.

01:27:10.399 --> 01:27:20.239
They had fresh buffalo meat, they had they had fish, they had berries, they pardon me, they had moccasins and buckskins.

01:27:20.960 --> 01:27:30.319
Um, so in exchange, they wanted things like bread, flour, sugar, cloth, knives, um, some firearms, maybe a little any ammunition.

01:27:30.640 --> 01:27:31.199
There it is.

01:27:31.359 --> 01:27:35.199
Um, children on both sides were super fascinated with each other.

01:27:35.520 --> 01:27:36.800
Well, because they didn't know.

01:27:37.039 --> 01:27:45.520
Yeah, there were many accounts of pioneer kids playing with Indian kids in camp using sign language to s to talk to each other.

01:27:45.840 --> 01:27:46.399
Which is wild.

01:27:46.720 --> 01:27:48.319
Yeah, like, hey, I want another drink.

01:27:48.640 --> 01:27:51.840
It's like, hey, can I have a oh, you're thirsty?

01:27:52.079 --> 01:27:53.039
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:27:53.199 --> 01:27:56.079
But I want like a kind of a drink.

01:27:58.479 --> 01:27:58.720
All right.

01:28:00.079 --> 01:28:03.600
So Native Americans were also really crucial allies.

01:28:03.920 --> 01:28:13.039
So they served as guides across difficult terrain, showed emigrants fords across the rivers, recommended good campsites.

01:28:13.359 --> 01:28:17.760
They knew they knew the territory better than anybody, literally most.

01:28:18.319 --> 01:28:22.640
Uh, even especially those fucking shysters that said take the pash.

01:28:22.880 --> 01:28:23.520
Right, right.

01:28:23.840 --> 01:28:28.640
So they lived that land, they fucking knew what the fuck they were doing.

01:28:29.119 --> 01:28:34.800
And again, a lot of them were inviting, like the whole stereotype that they were savages and all that.

01:28:35.039 --> 01:28:40.880
Again, they had differences with us and we had differences with them, of course.

01:28:41.119 --> 01:28:41.840
Understandable.

01:28:42.000 --> 01:28:45.359
We we as some people say today, took all their land.

01:28:46.000 --> 01:28:53.840
We we pop we pushed them out of certain territories, but a lot of them were just curious and wanted to be like, hey man.

01:28:54.159 --> 01:28:56.000
Yeah, I like I like what you got there.

01:28:56.159 --> 01:28:57.600
You wanna you wanna trade?

01:28:57.760 --> 01:28:59.359
Yeah, like I'm interested in it.

01:28:59.600 --> 01:29:00.399
I like trading.

01:29:00.560 --> 01:29:02.000
Yeah, it looks like you made something.

01:29:02.079 --> 01:29:02.720
I'm interested.

01:29:02.800 --> 01:29:05.840
I I I like supporting other artists.

01:29:06.800 --> 01:29:09.520
I like I like to spot the support the local artist.

01:29:09.680 --> 01:29:10.079
Uh-huh.

01:29:10.479 --> 01:29:20.960
But it that's that's what it was, and it's it's really sad that like if you if you look back on history, how that is skewed, how the prejudice just overwhelmed people.

01:29:21.279 --> 01:29:28.079
Because it's like they were painted as savages, and so that's how they were written in in history.

01:29:28.319 --> 01:29:29.600
So yeah, anyway.

01:29:30.079 --> 01:29:35.680
Some wagon trains hired native scouts to hunt game for them.

01:29:35.840 --> 01:29:39.760
Yeah, the Plains tribes' hunting skills obviously were far out of the world.

01:29:40.000 --> 01:29:41.039
Far superior, yep.

01:29:41.359 --> 01:29:41.920
Exactly.

01:29:42.159 --> 01:29:42.640
Yep.

01:29:42.960 --> 01:29:49.279
So despite overall peaceful interactions, of course, there was were some like cultural misunderstandings.

01:29:49.520 --> 01:29:51.119
Of course, there's gonna be.

01:29:51.439 --> 01:29:54.079
One issue was was grazing lands.

01:29:54.239 --> 01:29:59.760
Oh thousands of immigrant cattle grazing the prairie could deplete grass that tried.

01:30:00.159 --> 01:30:05.039
Tribes depended on for their own horses and buffalo herds and all that, yeah.

01:30:05.279 --> 01:30:05.520
Exactly.

01:30:05.840 --> 01:30:06.399
Yep, yep.

01:30:06.720 --> 01:30:16.399
So as the trickle of wagons became more of a flood of wagons in the 1850s, some tribes grew a little bit more resentful.

01:30:17.039 --> 01:30:18.960
Which I totally understand because 100%.

01:30:19.359 --> 01:30:22.319
These people are like, wait a minute, we were trying to be nice.

01:30:22.479 --> 01:30:24.399
Now they're all taking our fucking shit.

01:30:25.039 --> 01:30:28.640
My my my animals need this grass and you're you're eating it all.

01:30:28.800 --> 01:30:32.960
No, I I told I could see why they'd be like, what the fuck, white man?

01:30:33.359 --> 01:30:41.279
So in 1851, the Fort Laramie Treaty gathered many plains tribes to establish some order.

01:30:41.520 --> 01:30:42.000
Oh, okay.

01:30:42.239 --> 01:30:48.640
The US government promised annual compensation to tribes for the disruption caused by the trail.

01:30:48.880 --> 01:30:49.199
Really?

01:30:49.359 --> 01:30:54.319
And in turn, the tribes would agree to let the travelers pass through.

01:30:54.640 --> 01:30:55.199
Through, yeah.

01:30:55.680 --> 01:30:55.920
Okay.

01:30:56.239 --> 01:30:56.880
Untouched.

01:30:57.119 --> 01:30:57.600
Sure.

01:30:58.079 --> 01:31:00.479
So it mostly held for a decade.

01:31:00.800 --> 01:31:01.039
Wow.

01:31:01.199 --> 01:31:01.279
Yeah.

01:31:01.600 --> 01:31:02.239
That's surprising.

01:31:02.479 --> 01:31:05.039
It was not perfect, but nothing ever is.

01:31:05.439 --> 01:31:11.520
Theft of livestock was probably the most common complaint, um, though it did go both ways.

01:31:11.840 --> 01:31:12.239
Of course.

01:31:12.479 --> 01:31:12.720
Yeah.

01:31:13.680 --> 01:31:15.760
It's yeah, it's not gonna be one-sided.

01:31:15.920 --> 01:31:16.079
No.

01:31:16.479 --> 01:31:26.880
So by the late 1850s and 60s, as tens of thousands more settlers poured in, and as US forts sprang up, the dynamic changed.

01:31:27.199 --> 01:31:28.239
It shifted for sure.

01:31:28.560 --> 01:31:34.640
Conflicts arised, um, especially north of the platte in the and in the Oregon territory.

01:31:34.880 --> 01:31:35.199
Okay.

01:31:35.439 --> 01:31:46.560
For the typical family in the 18 in 1843 through 1855, Indians were more often helpers, traitors, or curious onlookers than enemies.

01:31:46.800 --> 01:31:47.520
Right, right, right.

01:31:47.760 --> 01:31:58.319
But the presence of emigrants also brought disease to people that they weren't familiar with or it was new to them, and it obviously does.

01:31:58.479 --> 01:32:02.800
That's the one of the I know a lot of people understand this.

01:32:02.960 --> 01:32:04.960
I'm sure there's some people that don't.

01:32:05.279 --> 01:32:12.960
Uh, one of the biggest killers of Native Americans is the Western diseases.

01:32:13.279 --> 01:32:14.000
Not Western.

01:32:14.239 --> 01:32:15.760
The white man disease, basically.

01:32:16.079 --> 01:32:16.239
Yeah.

01:32:17.039 --> 01:32:22.079
They brought cholera, measles, the smallpox, and it devastated many tribes.

01:32:22.399 --> 01:32:26.720
Because that was all new to this country with those people coming over.

01:32:27.199 --> 01:32:30.960
So they had no immune system to it.

01:32:31.600 --> 01:32:34.399
And it's really tragic that that's what killed it.

01:32:34.560 --> 01:32:37.279
It's like we didn't go and slaughter all these people.

01:32:37.439 --> 01:32:38.319
A lot of them.

01:32:38.640 --> 01:32:42.319
I'm not saying we didn't, but a lot of them in this situation.

01:32:42.880 --> 01:32:45.439
A lot of them died from just disease.

01:32:45.760 --> 01:32:48.560
Disease that they weren't used to.

01:32:49.119 --> 01:32:50.640
And it's really kind of sad.

01:32:51.199 --> 01:32:54.159
So the interaction became kind of double-edged.

01:32:54.319 --> 01:33:06.800
While pioneers often survived in part to in part thanks to Native American assistance, their journal all their journey also had this wave of disease and displacement for the people who had helped them.

01:33:07.039 --> 01:33:07.359
Yeah.

01:33:07.520 --> 01:33:08.960
Which wasn't intentional.

01:33:09.199 --> 01:33:13.760
And immigrants greatly feared being killed by uh these Native Americans.

01:33:13.840 --> 01:33:20.800
While in truth, more Native Americans died from emigrant-born diseases rather than vice versa.

01:33:21.119 --> 01:33:22.079
Like I just said, yes.

01:33:22.239 --> 01:33:23.199
Yes, correct.

01:33:23.520 --> 01:33:29.279
So that is the overall general rundown of life on the Oregon Trail.

01:33:29.439 --> 01:33:33.920
And part two, we are going to talk about the Sager family.

01:33:34.159 --> 01:33:38.560
The Sager and their life on the Oregon Trail.

01:33:38.640 --> 01:33:42.960
And most of mo a lot of what I said today unfortunately happened to them.

01:33:43.199 --> 01:33:44.159
Oh boy.

01:33:44.399 --> 01:33:49.039
Um, pretty interesting story of the Sager family, is what we're getting into.

01:33:49.199 --> 01:33:49.680
Oh, yeah.

01:33:49.840 --> 01:33:51.279
All right, I look forward to that.

01:33:51.439 --> 01:33:57.119
So um I enjoyed the background of the Oregon Trail.

01:33:57.279 --> 01:34:00.000
It's something, again, I don't want to say I grew up with.

01:34:00.159 --> 01:34:01.039
I grew up with a game.

01:34:01.279 --> 01:34:02.079
We grew up with a game.

01:34:02.159 --> 01:34:02.399
Yeah.

01:34:02.560 --> 01:34:04.720
Um fantastic fucking game.

01:34:04.800 --> 01:34:07.119
Let's try and bring that up in part two a little bit more.

01:34:07.359 --> 01:34:07.520
Okay.

01:34:07.840 --> 01:34:10.479
Because we grew up on that.

01:34:10.640 --> 01:34:12.159
We're old, so yes.

01:34:12.399 --> 01:34:13.439
What do you think of your pills?

01:34:13.680 --> 01:34:14.159
I like it.

01:34:14.319 --> 01:34:15.600
I had three.

01:34:16.319 --> 01:34:24.239
I'm glad you I don't typically have well, also sometimes I don't finish a single one, but no, but also they are eight ounces, so a little bit easier.

01:34:24.640 --> 01:34:25.279
They're delicious.

01:34:25.359 --> 01:34:26.239
I liked them.

01:34:26.560 --> 01:34:30.000
Cheers, Larry, if you made it this far, if you even listened.

01:34:30.159 --> 01:34:35.119
Um, appreciate you and keep keep up the good work with bringing delicious beer.

01:34:35.439 --> 01:34:36.399
And cheers to your dad.

01:34:36.560 --> 01:34:37.840
Yeah, cheers to my dad.

01:34:38.000 --> 01:34:38.960
One year gone.

01:34:39.119 --> 01:34:42.880
Um, it's been a little tough for me this week, uh, thinking on it.

01:34:43.039 --> 01:34:47.840
But um, I miss you, Dad, and uh this uh celebration's for you.

01:34:47.920 --> 01:34:48.640
So cheers.

01:34:48.880 --> 01:34:49.279
Cheers.

01:34:49.600 --> 01:34:51.279
Well, I suppose.

01:34:51.520 --> 01:34:54.159
All right, buffoons, that's it for today's episode.

01:34:54.399 --> 01:34:58.479
Buckle up because we've got another historical adventure waiting for you next time.

01:34:58.720 --> 01:35:00.880
Feeling hungry for more buffoonery?

01:35:01.039 --> 01:35:05.840
Or maybe you have a burning question or a wild historical theory for us to explore?

01:35:06.079 --> 01:35:07.439
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01:35:07.600 --> 01:35:12.319
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01:35:12.479 --> 01:35:16.800
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01:35:16.960 --> 01:35:19.920
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01:35:20.079 --> 01:35:24.800
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01:35:25.039 --> 01:35:28.399
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01:35:28.560 --> 01:35:31.199
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