Oregon-California Trails Association facts for kids
The Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) is a group that works to protect and share the history of old pioneer trails. It is based in Independence, Missouri, in the United States. OCTA helps keep the stories alive of the brave people who traveled across America in wagon trains long ago.
The main goal of OCTA is to save and preserve the historic trails used by emigrants. These were people who moved from the eastern parts of the U.S. to the western territories. The association also wants to make sure people understand what it was like to travel on these trails.
OCTA works with other groups, like the National Trails System, to help people enjoy and learn about these historic paths today. For example, OCTA created a guide called Mapping Emigrant Trails. This guide helps map out the old trails using modern tools like GPS. The National Park Service even uses this guide for mapping other historic trails.
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America's Famous Pioneer Trails
Three very important historical trails crossed the western parts of America. These were routes for wagon trains heading to different places.
The Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail started in 1821. It was about 900-mile (1,400 km) long and was used for trade with New Mexico. This trail was special because it was an overland trade route, meaning goods were carried by land, not by sea.
The Oregon Trail
The 2,000-mile (3,200 km) Oregon Trail became very popular around 1843. Many settlers used it to find new homes in the northwest part of the country.
The California Trail
Other pioneers branched off from the Oregon Trail onto the California Trail. This trail was also very long and difficult. People took this route hoping to find gold during the California Gold Rush.
History of the Association
The Oregon-California Trails Association is connected to an older group called the Oregon Trail Memorial Association. This group was started in 1922 by a pioneer named Ezra Meeker. It was first called the Old Oregon Trail Association. Its purpose was to remember the people who traveled to the U.S. West Coast on the Oregon Trail.
The group officially became a non-profit in New York in 1926. It is well-known for helping to promote the Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar, a special coin. Later, in 1940, it was replaced by the American Pioneer Trails Association (APTA). Today, the Oregon-California Trails Association is seen as the group that carries on the work of these earlier organizations.
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