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Oregon Country: The Story of the 1843 Oregon Trail Migration
The Oregon Trail had its beginnings in 1843 beneath the wagon wheels of the Oregon Emigrating Company, a group of disparate Americans with a common goal: to seek a new land and make it their own. The trail met its end in 1869 with the completion of the transcontinental railway. Western Passage is a detailed account of the Oregon Migration of 1843 in a "historical fiction" setting. In this context, the reader can enjoy the adventure as a participant, rather than as a student or scholar.
During its twenty-five year history, the Oregon Trail essentially changed every year. From its rough beginnings grew an organized route. By 1846 ferries serviced most of the major river crossings, and fully-stocked supply depots awaited hungry travelers. Due to all the livestock driven west, the trail became a mile-wide swath of trampled ground, providing an easy road with no need for a guide. During the summers of 1849 and 1850, over 100,000 miners also followed the Oregon Trail, enroute to the California gold fields. By the 1850s, Mormons were using the trail as a source of income, supplying emigrants with food and equipment. As the railroad extended further west, many people took the train as far as they could before switching to the trail.
Only the 1843 migration held the true adventure of entering an unknown land. Guides were needed to show the way; dangerous river crossings taxed the courage of everyone; the existing fur trading posts were unable to supply necessary food and other equipment; and the first emigrants had to build their own road because the Oregon Trail did not yet exist. Wagons had never been taken all the way to Oregon, and it was entirely possible that this great experiment might end in tragedy. It is this migration, 1843, to which we often attribute the adventure and romanticism of the Oregon Trail.
While researching this book, I found information to be both scarce and scattered, requiring many months to form an outline of the complexity of this event. The popular myth of western migration, championed by film and television, depicts a wagon train of smiling emigrants, traveling down a well-worn road and fighting Indians at every turn. The truth is considerably different.
Research sources included the Oregon Historical Society, several Oregon historical libraries, the Oregon State Archives, numerous probate records, military discharge papers, newspaper clippings, trail diaries, and cemetery headstones. I suspect that other sources of information are hidden away in the attics of various descendents, information that is essentially not available to the public. Appendix A provides a listing of the known emigrants that were part of the 1843 Oregon Emigrating Company, along with some brief biographical data. This appendix is nonfiction, providing new knowledge to the scholarly community and, it is hoped, inspiring other researchers to help fill in the gaps.
The Oregon Migration of 1843 was a watershed moment in American history. It marked the end of the trapping era and the beginnings of civilization on the Western frontier. You are about to become part of that experience. Enjoy the journey!
T. J. Hanson July, 2001
668 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2001
164 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 15, 2012
Oregon Country was an excellent book written by an historian who is obviously an expert on the subject. He takes the reader along on the incredible journey of the first large-scale migration to Oregon in 1843 with the pioneers who literally blazed the trail. He loves the day to day details of this subject and you will too. It is like an intellectual adult version of the Little House on the Prairie series. You feel like you are there with the pioneers, but are very glad, of course that you were not!
It is, of course a remarkable story. The author takes you along the trail with the actual people who traversed it. You get involved in all aspects of this life affirming, highly admirable, amazingly stranger than fiction, true story.
I am seeking out the trail museums on an upcoming trip due to reading this book.
Highly recommend.
It is, of course a remarkable story. The author takes you along the trail with the actual people who traversed it. You get involved in all aspects of this life affirming, highly admirable, amazingly stranger than fiction, true story.
I am seeking out the trail museums on an upcoming trip due to reading this book.
Highly recommend.
November 3, 2012
Although I am mightily interested in the theme, and the writer seems to have done a lot of research I could not finish this book (and I hardly ever put a book away)
the thing is, I am not a 11 year old, who needs to have everything explained to me all the time, and this writer likes to tell- not show.
If things are happening, and they are happening because they lead to something- I like to draw that conclusion myself, I find it very annoying when the writers then proceeds to tell me that 'this is going to be very important.' (reader, pay attention- I did a clever trick! I put a pointer here- Did you notice???)
T.J. Hanson should really go back to writers class, and practise a little more.
the thing is, I am not a 11 year old, who needs to have everything explained to me all the time, and this writer likes to tell- not show.
If things are happening, and they are happening because they lead to something- I like to draw that conclusion myself, I find it very annoying when the writers then proceeds to tell me that 'this is going to be very important.' (reader, pay attention- I did a clever trick! I put a pointer here- Did you notice???)
T.J. Hanson should really go back to writers class, and practise a little more.
August 25, 2012
I ended up enjoying the story after a rocky start. The repetitiveness of the details at the beginning almost made me put the book down, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Once I got to know the characters, the repetitiveness of the author wasn't as obtrusive. This was a thoroughly enjoyable history lesson and I will be looking for more tales based on this era of American life.
December 19, 2014
Bit of a slow start, but once Abby got to Independence, I really enjoyed this book. The logistics of taking the first wagons to Oregon are mind-boggling. Miscalculations of how much food to buy before they left could mean life or death... and how could you possibly know what you'd need when no one had done it before? Amazing that nearly all of them made it. I have renewed appreciation of those who attempted it.
June 21, 2015
I love books about this era of pioneering, but I can't say I'm a fan of this book. If you're going to write a book of historical FICTION I would expect a few liberties to make it more compelling. I do however applaud & appreciate the obvious research put into creating the book. Perhaps the author would have been better suited to write a nonfiction account using all his research. As is, the dialog was clumsy and overly simplified.
August 6, 2015
While informative, the pace of this book is very slow akin to the actual journey. These few sentences pretty much sum it up for me:
"The warm summer sun and lazy pace of the oxen posed an additional
challenge to the teamsters--staying awake. Men driving mules often
fell asleep at the reins, as the swaying motion of the wagon
proved too much to stay alert. Other men riding horses would
also doze off in the saddle." (p. 216)
"The warm summer sun and lazy pace of the oxen posed an additional
challenge to the teamsters--staying awake. Men driving mules often
fell asleep at the reins, as the swaying motion of the wagon
proved too much to stay alert. Other men riding horses would
also doze off in the saddle." (p. 216)
May 15, 2015
Fact or fiction?
The author may be a competent historian but he is not a writer.
Much of the book is comprised of a tedious and repetitive list of the daily activities of the emigrants on the Oregon trail. While this may satisfy the demands of historical accuracy, it certainly falls far short of the entertainment value of good historical fiction.
The author may be a competent historian but he is not a writer.
Much of the book is comprised of a tedious and repetitive list of the daily activities of the emigrants on the Oregon trail. While this may satisfy the demands of historical accuracy, it certainly falls far short of the entertainment value of good historical fiction.
October 26, 2015
Very interesting historical topic. Not always easy to persevere with the writing style being semi-novel, semi-historical report. Some of the details made it rather dry but knowing it was true also made it fascinating.
Read
June 4, 2020This was a long book about the first Americans who ventured onto what became the Oregon Trail. I read it because my 4th gr-grandfather was a group leader on this trail in 1847. For that reason, I found this story fascinating. It is hard to imagine what these immigrants to Oregon went through.
March 18, 2013
The writing was very respective and juvenile. However, the history was great!
May 28, 2015
Love these types of books
I love thinking about all the people had to go through many years before. We have it so easy nowadays.
I love thinking about all the people had to go through many years before. We have it so easy nowadays.
March 30, 2021
This is a difficult book to review. The author as a researcher is clearly gifted. As a writer, the author is really not good at fiction.
Here is an example of his storytelling and descriptions, "So the morning passed with Jacob relating tales and Abby questioning him on regional geography, Indian tribes, their customs and the land ahead.
At noon the Light Column stop short of a lava field. The rough rock terrain appeared to extend for several miles, so before embarking, Colonial Martin thought it wise to rest the stock."
Abby and Jacob often have interesting discussions but we are not privy to them. Abby often thinks the landscape is lovely and writes about it in her diary, but we never get the description. We get lava fields described as tough rock terrain and that is it.
Here is another example, "As he had often done in the past, Jacob watered the stock from one of the twenty-gallon barrels, then hobbled them for the night. Before dusk he watered them again and moved each animal three ties to ensure that they got as much forage as possible. Other emigrants may have resented knowledge and prowess of the West, but his care for Abby's outfit was evident. Here, over one thousand miles from Independence, that extra care was obvious to everyone. Abby's outfit was probably more capable of meeting the difficulties of the Snake River Plains than any other company."
Every single day and every single night, Jacob and Abby do the same thing and every single time we are told what they did. The train splits into several columns and every single day the author tells us which of the columns is ahead and which is behind and by how much. It is like the ongoing description of a race I care nothing about.
Frequently the writer tells us how superior Abby is to every other person in the wagon train. This makes me dislike Abby not because she is boastful, but because the author holds her up as a 'modern' and makes all the women with families out as hopeless dups of their husbands. This is not a novel set in 2020, don't superimpose modern sensabilties overtly onto the 1840s.
If you can live with the lack of descriptions, the laughable dialogue and the sheer monotony of the same details described endlessly in the same words, then grab your quirt (A word used tens of thousands of times) and learn about the Oregon Trail. This is worth reading, you will just wish Michener and when you get done go read Centential to see a similar topic by an actual writer.
Here is an example of his storytelling and descriptions, "So the morning passed with Jacob relating tales and Abby questioning him on regional geography, Indian tribes, their customs and the land ahead.
At noon the Light Column stop short of a lava field. The rough rock terrain appeared to extend for several miles, so before embarking, Colonial Martin thought it wise to rest the stock."
Abby and Jacob often have interesting discussions but we are not privy to them. Abby often thinks the landscape is lovely and writes about it in her diary, but we never get the description. We get lava fields described as tough rock terrain and that is it.
Here is another example, "As he had often done in the past, Jacob watered the stock from one of the twenty-gallon barrels, then hobbled them for the night. Before dusk he watered them again and moved each animal three ties to ensure that they got as much forage as possible. Other emigrants may have resented knowledge and prowess of the West, but his care for Abby's outfit was evident. Here, over one thousand miles from Independence, that extra care was obvious to everyone. Abby's outfit was probably more capable of meeting the difficulties of the Snake River Plains than any other company."
Every single day and every single night, Jacob and Abby do the same thing and every single time we are told what they did. The train splits into several columns and every single day the author tells us which of the columns is ahead and which is behind and by how much. It is like the ongoing description of a race I care nothing about.
Frequently the writer tells us how superior Abby is to every other person in the wagon train. This makes me dislike Abby not because she is boastful, but because the author holds her up as a 'modern' and makes all the women with families out as hopeless dups of their husbands. This is not a novel set in 2020, don't superimpose modern sensabilties overtly onto the 1840s.
If you can live with the lack of descriptions, the laughable dialogue and the sheer monotony of the same details described endlessly in the same words, then grab your quirt (A word used tens of thousands of times) and learn about the Oregon Trail. This is worth reading, you will just wish Michener and when you get done go read Centential to see a similar topic by an actual writer.
September 29, 2018
Wonderful!
One of the most detailed and extensive accounts of the Oregon migration I’ve ever read. The author fully captures the duration and difficulties of the journey. After trial and suffering and long, long tiring days we learn we’ve now traveled 400 miles. Impossible! We should be at least halfway there by now! Only 1600 more miles to go! I’ve made the trip across country in a plane numerous times. I’ve made the trip by vehicle a few rimes and it seems the trip will never end, even traveling at 70mph. I cannot imagine making that long, long trip at a pace when twenty miles a day is considered a good day!
TJ Hanson, you nailed this one! I loved most of the characters, sincerely hoped others would roll down a mountain and never be found again. I couldn’t understand Abby’s infatuation with Sam. My eyes would have looked like a Japanese anime within two minutes of beginning to converse with him. He was not the brightest bulb on the tree! On the other hand, I fell in love with Jacob within a week and hoped he and Abby would stay together despite his advanced age. An educated mountain man, who could ask for more.
I throughly enjoyed this saga and dreaded it coming to an end. Will be looking for more by this author.
One of the most detailed and extensive accounts of the Oregon migration I’ve ever read. The author fully captures the duration and difficulties of the journey. After trial and suffering and long, long tiring days we learn we’ve now traveled 400 miles. Impossible! We should be at least halfway there by now! Only 1600 more miles to go! I’ve made the trip across country in a plane numerous times. I’ve made the trip by vehicle a few rimes and it seems the trip will never end, even traveling at 70mph. I cannot imagine making that long, long trip at a pace when twenty miles a day is considered a good day!
TJ Hanson, you nailed this one! I loved most of the characters, sincerely hoped others would roll down a mountain and never be found again. I couldn’t understand Abby’s infatuation with Sam. My eyes would have looked like a Japanese anime within two minutes of beginning to converse with him. He was not the brightest bulb on the tree! On the other hand, I fell in love with Jacob within a week and hoped he and Abby would stay together despite his advanced age. An educated mountain man, who could ask for more.
I throughly enjoyed this saga and dreaded it coming to an end. Will be looking for more by this author.
May 12, 2018
I really loved this book. It reminded me of all the pioneer stories I read in grade school. It really brought to life everything these pioneers went through on their historical journey. I enjoyed reading all the details about what people brought with them and how they used it. Would love to read a sequel to find out what happens to Jacob and Abby and to the other settlers who arrived with them.
July 9, 2018
Wow, What a Journey
I was spell bound by this book. The first wagon train to Oregon. They had to make their own trail and go thru areas that no wagon had ever come. No one thought wagons could make the trip. Daily life on the trail described. The daily lives of other members of the wagon train. The egos and petty jealousies that were amount the members of the train, all described. Interesting reading.
I was spell bound by this book. The first wagon train to Oregon. They had to make their own trail and go thru areas that no wagon had ever come. No one thought wagons could make the trip. Daily life on the trail described. The daily lives of other members of the wagon train. The egos and petty jealousies that were amount the members of the train, all described. Interesting reading.
August 4, 2018
I really enjoyed reading about the first group of people to come over on the Oregon Trail. Great historical fiction. I would find myself looking up the trail and the sites on the internet as the characters were traveling. I often found myself imagining being there with those characters and experiencing the adventure. Long story but it was also a long trip. I found myself wanting to find out what the next challenge would be. I would be so interested in reading a sequel if there was one.
September 4, 2019
Oregon Migration
Oregon Country by T.J. Hanson. A very good book written in the view of a young school teacher as she travels in the early 1800's . The first migration to Oregon. Wonderful tale of the hardships faced by these pioneers.
Oregon Country by T.J. Hanson. A very good book written in the view of a young school teacher as she travels in the early 1800's . The first migration to Oregon. Wonderful tale of the hardships faced by these pioneers.
September 6, 2019
What a read!
I have now read this book twice & I can only say it is one of the best books I have ever read ! It kept my interest all the way thru both times I read it. Not a romance but an actual account of the Pioneer trail to Oregon!
I have now read this book twice & I can only say it is one of the best books I have ever read ! It kept my interest all the way thru both times I read it. Not a romance but an actual account of the Pioneer trail to Oregon!
March 23, 2020
I could not get into this book. There wasn't a lot of dialogue, just paragraph after paragraph and telling the reader what happened and not letting the reader experience it. I do want to include here I finally put it down, it may get better.
October 22, 2020
Engrossing story
You will NEVER read a more complete story of the first Oregon Trail wagon train AAAAND so interesting to follow the day by day progression.... You’ll enjoy it!!! HMT
You will NEVER read a more complete story of the first Oregon Trail wagon train AAAAND so interesting to follow the day by day progression.... You’ll enjoy it!!! HMT
May 29, 2017
This was a good read, but it seemed so long.
Quite an adventure for the people who
were on the Oregon Trail.
Quite an adventure for the people who
were on the Oregon Trail.
October 27, 2017
Brilliant
Loved this book. Made me feel like I was there. Read it second time in real time which added a lot to my enjoyment. Probably best book of it's kind I've ever read
Loved this book. Made me feel like I was there. Read it second time in real time which added a lot to my enjoyment. Probably best book of it's kind I've ever read
April 2, 2018
Enjoyable
This is a long book, but very enjoyable reading. It starts off with the formation of the families and goes right thru to Oregon. Very historical and well researched.
This is a long book, but very enjoyable reading. It starts off with the formation of the families and goes right thru to Oregon. Very historical and well researched.
October 20, 2018
Wonderful read!!
Loved this book! The story kept me excited throughout the entire book. History , excitement and marvelous details . A must read.
Loved this book! The story kept me excited throughout the entire book. History , excitement and marvelous details . A must read.
June 1, 2019
Gret book I love it
Grea
t book love it it was wrote like you was there and you just see it with yours mind eyes
Grea
t book love it it was wrote like you was there and you just see it with yours mind eyes
August 31, 2019
Well researched historical fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed Hanson’s telling of the first settlers in wagons to blaze the Oregon Trail. I couldn’t put it down.
August 20, 2008
This is the story of Abby, who is recently widowed and determined to finish her husband's dream of starting a new life in the Wallamet (now spelled Willamette) valley. The story follows her through her journey to Independence, getting her wagon purchased and stocked, hiring the fur trapping mountain man Jacob to man her rig and off on the trail to Oregon. This is not a page turning, racy sit on the edge of your seat type of book. This follows every bit of day to day business, from how they made their food, hunted, crossed the rivers, and kept not only themselves but their livestock alive.
The trail follows the western plains, over the Rockies, through Idaho into Oregon's Blue Mountains and finally through the Columbia River Gorge on the way to the end of the trail at Oregon City. Although I mentioned some might not find this a racy page turner, I was thoroughly fascinated and had a hard time putting the book down. The historical detail, even of the day to day part of living on the trail was fascinating -- the buffalo stampede was just heart stopping.
All in all a very good tale of a courageous woman with "sand" as Jacob called her, able to live up to and exceed the challenges of the Oregon Trail to reach her destination and achieve her dreams of a new life in Oregon City. I especially enjoyed the last of the tale, as Abby sees the Columbia River for the first time and her reaction to the beauty of that river. I am fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest and have traveled many times along that glorious river, and the author brought all of it magically to life -- the rapids (which are long gone due to dams), the basalt cliffs, the waterfalls, Beacon Rock are all there for the reader to experience along with Abby.
This was a first rate book and I highly recommend for any lover of historical fiction or for one interested in the Oregon Trail.
The trail follows the western plains, over the Rockies, through Idaho into Oregon's Blue Mountains and finally through the Columbia River Gorge on the way to the end of the trail at Oregon City. Although I mentioned some might not find this a racy page turner, I was thoroughly fascinated and had a hard time putting the book down. The historical detail, even of the day to day part of living on the trail was fascinating -- the buffalo stampede was just heart stopping.
All in all a very good tale of a courageous woman with "sand" as Jacob called her, able to live up to and exceed the challenges of the Oregon Trail to reach her destination and achieve her dreams of a new life in Oregon City. I especially enjoyed the last of the tale, as Abby sees the Columbia River for the first time and her reaction to the beauty of that river. I am fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest and have traveled many times along that glorious river, and the author brought all of it magically to life -- the rapids (which are long gone due to dams), the basalt cliffs, the waterfalls, Beacon Rock are all there for the reader to experience along with Abby.
This was a first rate book and I highly recommend for any lover of historical fiction or for one interested in the Oregon Trail.
December 10, 2013
Oregon Country - 668 pages by T.J. Hanson - This was a wonderful book, I really enjoyed the journey. This was the first wagon train to go to Oregon Country. It was a very large wagon train with lots of hardships with cattle, wagons , people walking beside their wagons, accidents, wagons breaking down. Each family having to watch out for their cattle, their children, and making their food supply last the trip. I can't imagine going through some of the hardships that they had to face and come up with solutions and to go that far not knowing what was ahead of them. This was a long book but I enjoyed every minute of it. I will remember this book for a long time. This was a well written book written by an author with great talent. The characters were well described you feel that you know each on individually. The journey is described so well that you can feel each bump the wagon is going over and are crossing all the rivers right along beside them. There are some sad stories that touch your emotions. Even though there is some fiction in it this is our history and these things did really happen. A really good book don't miss it.
August 24, 2015
Very interesting story
Very interesting story of the very first wagon train to blaze the Oregon Trail. They took wagons over plains, prairies, deserts, and mountains, where no wagon had ever been before. It tells the story of a very brave woman travelling alone after losing her baby and husband. She found a very savvy mountain man trapper who helped her survive the hardships of the trail. In one way, the very first wagon train had a big advantage, because even though they had to blaze the trail, they didn't have to worry too much about Indian attacks, because the
Indians were still very naive and had never seen so many white people or even wagons before. In fact, the wagon train would have never made it to Oregon at all if not for the HELP of the Indians. True story with facts gained from diaries, census data, birth, death, & marriage certificates, and museum & historical data. Makes history come alive!
Very interesting story of the very first wagon train to blaze the Oregon Trail. They took wagons over plains, prairies, deserts, and mountains, where no wagon had ever been before. It tells the story of a very brave woman travelling alone after losing her baby and husband. She found a very savvy mountain man trapper who helped her survive the hardships of the trail. In one way, the very first wagon train had a big advantage, because even though they had to blaze the trail, they didn't have to worry too much about Indian attacks, because the
Indians were still very naive and had never seen so many white people or even wagons before. In fact, the wagon train would have never made it to Oregon at all if not for the HELP of the Indians. True story with facts gained from diaries, census data, birth, death, & marriage certificates, and museum & historical data. Makes history come alive!
December 15, 2014
This book is mistyped as fiction. It seems to be straight from diaries and histories of the first wagon emigration to Oregon. There are lists and lists of wagon requirements, livestock to take, how many pounds of coffee, flour, etc to take, and items to pack (and not to pack) from all categories. It details each day, how many miles travelled and where they camped plus the weather. I am finding it very interesting, but it is not a novel. The characters do not have much personality and there is no plot except for the trek, but I give it 4-stars because as a non-fiction book using fictional characters as a point of reference it is excellent. In fact, I enjoy this style of writing more than if it were a straight historical account.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews