Table of Contents

1 A Great Adventure

Why did people travel the Oregon Trail? 7

2 Claiming the Wes

Who was the first European to set foot in Oregon? 11

3 The Trail Open

What was known as the "brown gold" rush? 17

4 Hopes and Beams

Who got to ride in a covered wagon? 23

The Man who Saved the Trail

Who traveled east on the Oregon Trail in both a wagon and an airplane? 26

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What did pioneers worry about most? 33

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How did the first coast-to-coast railroad affect the trail? 39

True Statistics 43

Resources 44

Important Words 46

Index 47

About the Author 48