{"id":7429,"date":"2014-06-19T16:01:21","date_gmt":"2014-06-19T16:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=7429"},"modified":"2023-05-11T14:39:46","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T18:39:46","slug":"westward-ho-how-to-trace-the-trails-of-your-pioneer-ancestors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/westward-ho-how-to-trace-the-trails-of-your-pioneer-ancestors.html","title":{"rendered":"Westward Ho! How to Trace the Trails of Your Pioneer Ancestors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak discusses online resources you can use to explore the history of your pioneer ancestors\u2014and the trails they used to migrate west. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.
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Many of us have pioneer ancestors in our family tree who participated in the westward expansion of the United States. Exploring the trails they crossed and reading their stories in old newspapers is not only a great way to learn more family history\u2014it\u2019s an interesting way to learn about an important period in our nation\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

Oregon Trail<\/strong><\/p>\n

While raising our family, we often discussed the Oregon Trail.<\/p>\n

\"photo<\/a>
Photo: Oregon Trail, original cut and marker post; Scotts Bluff Summit Road, Gering, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska (unknown date). Source: Library of Congress.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some of our knowledge of the Oregon Trail came from history books\u2014but to be honest, more lore was derived from playing the famous \u201cThe Oregon Trail<\/a>\u201d video game distributed by Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium<\/a> (MECC). We used this game to supplement computer skills for youth who attended our training center\u2019s summer computer camps.<\/p>\n

Even the youngest ones joined in the fusion of history and computer skills. They\u2019d start by outfitting wagons in Independence, Missouri, to make the trek of 2,200 treacherous miles to the Oregon Territory. You never knew which group would make it, or what pitfalls would beset them. Sometimes there were skirmishes with Native Americans; other times, the wagon broke down or they ran out of food and starved. All in all, it was a great method to make early American history come alive!<\/p>\n

\"Pioneer<\/a>
Notas de Kingsville (Kingsville, Texas), 16 September 1954, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pioneer Trail Stories Found in Old Newspapers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Much like curling up with a good juicy novel, you can make your family history come alive by playing your own \u201ctrail\u201d game with historical newspapers.<\/p>\n

Amazing stories of pioneer families traveling on various trails during the westward expansion, along with diaries, maps, advertisements and journals, can be researched to document what was happening when.<\/p>\n

As noted in this 1846 newspaper article regarding prairie caravans, many pioneers followed one of four great trails that radiated west:<\/p>\n