The Oregon Trail Adventure

WALLA WALLA - Sunday, June 23, was a big day for groups of settlers traveling from Independence, Missouri, to Fort Walla Walla.

Traveling west with me was my great-nephew Gabe, whom we chose as our leader. My great-nephew Sam, niece Michelle, and sister Sandra joined us as we endured numerous hardships along the way. But we were determined to reach Fort Walla Walla. 

Our journey started at the general store in Independence. After purchasing a few needed supplies at the store: medicine, matches, and ammo, we loaded our wagon. We were limited to 75 pounds of goods, and the group loaded needed items, including a rope, skillet, pail, blanket, extra boots, rifle, tools, food, and other items from the store. We headed to Fort Kearny in Nebraska. While at the fort, the boys were pretty dirty, so they learned how to wash clothes on a washboard. The wheel on the wagon broke, and our strong boys fixed it real quick. After Sam got bitten by a rattlesnake, Gabe cut out the poison and applied the medicine we bought at the General Store, saving his life.

We were finally ready to head to Fort Laramie. It was really cold, so the boys went out and gathered Buffalo chips. Sam learned how to use a flint to start a fire before we remembered we had matches.

Gabe broke his leg. Luckily, there was a doctor at the fort who showed Sam how to make a splint using sticks.

Before leaving, Michelle and Gabe were accused of stealing and were put in jail. Sam went to work, panning for gold to pay for their bail.

Karen Huwe

Sam worked panning gold to pay for his family's release from jail

After their release, we packed up and headed to Fort Hall. A tree fell across the road, so Sam grabbed a saw and cut it out of our way.

Both boys fixed a broken harness with the help of Sandra and Michelle before we could be on our way to Fort Boise.

When we reached Fort Boise, our food supplies were low, and we were starving. Gabe shot a deer with his first shot, and Sam caught fish for us to eat. We fetched water, but after drinking it, Sam came down with cholera, and I got alkali sickness. We both took medicine and recovered.

Sam recovered but then was attacked by a wild animal. He cheated death when he was saved at the last moment by his mom, Michelle.

We traveled the last leg of our journey to Fort Walla Walla. For their reward, the boys each claimed 320 acres of land. The deed was dated June 23, 1851.

The interactive Oregon Trail Game took place in the Pioneer Village at the Fort Walla Walla Museum.

There were numerous volunteers from Fort Walla Museum, Blue Mountain Land Trust, and the community. Baskin-Robbins served free ice cream, and Klickers offered fresh strawberries as a topping.

You will want to put this annual event on your schedule for 2025. It is fun for kids of all ages. Where else can you go to jail, get cholera, break bones, hunt, fish, rescue family members, and end up with strawberry-topped ice cream?