Stories of the Oregon Trail are part of the mythos that surrounds the settlement of the American West. Books have been written about it and classic films produced which share some of the hardships of traveling the Trail.
There is no better place to learn more about the Oregon Trail than at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. It’s located about 6 miles northeast of Baker City, atop Flagstaff Hill (named after an old gold mine located nearby). The Visitor Center covers 23,000-square-feet and is operated by the Bureau of Land Management. The actual Oregon trail passes near the interpretative center, as discussed below.
The photo shown below of an antique wagon was featured as our One Clue Mystery photo two weeks ago. It was recognized by George G — excellent detective work, as always, George! This wagon is one of several arranged in a circular fashion near the Interpretative Center
A Brief History of the Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a wagon route extending from Missouri to Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley, covering some 2170 miles. Some call it a road, but generally it only consisted of parallel wagon wheel ruts dug into the soil of the prairies and mountains. The trail was actively used from the 1840s to the 1880s, As you might expect, the thousands of pioneers who headed westward encountered many hardships along the way.
Old fur traders discovered a route through the Rocky Mountains on what was later called the Oregon Trail. It passed through the Rockies at about 7000 feet above sea level, and had a fairly easy grade, providing a reasonable option for wagons. Ownership of the western states was not clearly established at that time, with both the US government and England laying claims. The Americans encouraged settlers to move west to solidify the USA claim to the territory. And hoping to improve their lot in life, thousands of people sold all their possessions, outfitted a wagon, and headed towards Oregon.
It’s estimated that as many as a half million people traveled the Oregon Trail, a slow difficult journey. Pioneers were challenged by extreme head and cold, water shortages, insufficient food supplies, cholera, and rarely attacks from native tribes (who generally preferred to trade than fight). It’s estimated that at least 20,000 people died along the Oregon Trail; bodies were quickly buried trailside and wagon trains continued on. The trip took about a half year to complete and travelers settled in what are now the states of Oregon, California, Washington and Utah.
With the development of railroads and highways, the Oregon Trail would probably have been forgotten had it not been for a few individuals who made a point of placing markers and monuments along the Trail. In 1978, Congress designated it as the Oregon National Historic Trail, part of the National Trails System. Today there are still about 300 miles of actual trail ruts remaining, including near the Interpretative center.
Visiting the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretative Center
The highlight of the exhibits are life-size displays and replicas of a wagon train as it heads west. The exhibit shows many of the hardships of the route, such as wagons stuck in the mud, death, and the need to abandon goods along the way to lighten the load. There are many interpretative and informative plaques all combining to give even a visitor with no experience in the subject a fairly good understanding of the history and challenges of the Oregon Trail.
Outside on the 500 acre property there is a network of hiking trails on Flagstaff hill that you can explore. The area is quite lovely.
If you Visit
The Center was closed for a number of years because of CoVid and an extensive remodel/retrofit. It reopened in 2024.
It is located at 22267 Hwy. 86. Baker City, OR and The center is best reached by car. There is lots of parking, including for RVs and buses.
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Summer – $8 for age 16 and up, $6 for seniors, good for two days with receipt || Winter – $5 for age 16 and up, $4 for seniors, good for two days with receipt
Located at the base of Flagstaff Hill you can see some of the ruts in the original Oregon Trail. You are required to stay on the trail so as to help preserve this piece of history.
Somewhat closer to Baker City you’ll see this obelisk, constructed on the 100th anniversary of the Oregon Trail.
