This exhibit tells the story of
traveling west in a covered wagon from a child’s point
of view. Between 1806 and 1900, more than half a million
men, women, and children traveled west to settle in a
new land. Although many parents regarded the journey as
a difficult ordeal, many emigrant children considered it
a great adventure that allowed them to camp outdoors and
play games with other children. Unfortunately, many
children encountered fear, hunger, loneliness and death
along the trail.
Many children who traveled west knew
that they were making history. These children were
taking part in a movement that would change the shape of
the United States. Many kept diaries or wrote letters to
friends and relatives back home, telling of the sights
they saw or the experiences they had. One such diary
recounts the decision to move west and the affect it had
on the family. "Mother was not willing to go. She did
not want to undertake the long and dangerous journey
with a large family of small children. To cross the
plains in those days with ox teams was a fearful
undertaking, and a tiresome one too. She begged father
to give up the notion but he could not….Children were
expected to do as their parents said in those days, and
father said we must come."
Getting the family ready for the trip
was a big job. After 1841 handbooks were published which
gave helpful information about planning the trip, what
routes to take, and lists of necessary supplies. The
most important piece of equipment was a sturdy wagon.
Generally, emigrants’ wagons were about 10 or 12 feet
long and about 6 feet wide. The sides were between 2 and
3 feet high. Because emigrants would have to cross many
rivers, the wagons were designed so that they could be
used as boats.
Waterproofing the bottom and sides with
tar kept the contents dry during the crossing.
The wagons had to be sturdy enough to
hold about 2,500 pounds of supplies. Those traveling
west were encouraged to have at least 200 pounds of
flour, 150 pounds of bacon, 20 pounds of sugar, 10
pounds of coffee, and ten pounds of salt per person.
Other provisions could include cornmeal, beans, cheese,
crackers, ham, salted codfish, dried beef, fruits and
vegetables. Along the trail hunters provided fresh meat.
In addition to food, emigrants needed to
have rifles and ammunition, sturdy clothing and shoes,
tools to repair wagons, and tools needed for
homesteading.
Often those who traveled across the
country together settled near each other. Some of those
who took the westward trail turned back. Others
succumbed along the way. Many emigrants who started the
journey strong and healthy were tired and weak when they
reached the end of the trail. Many families lost a
child, a mother, or a father. Yet most emigrants felt
that their new homes were worth the suffering they had
gone through.
The children who made the journey west
shared an experience unlike any other. They had been
part of a mass migration across a continent; they would
always remember the joys and sorrows of their journey.
