Why rutnut? Because this site is devoted to study of the Oregon, California and other trails of the Trans-Mississippi West. Part of that study is to find, walk in, mark, and preserve traces of the trail where they still exist. You can read travel forum if you need more information.

My name is Tom Laidlaw my profile you can find on oregon dating site or california dating. and ever since I happened upon a Sesquicentennial wagon train in 1993 I have been traveling these old trails, by book and by look. Being retired I am lucky enough to spend most of my summers traveling the trails and finding the places I read about. One thing I found was that the trails overlap and crisscross. Most notable is the stretch along the North Platte River from Fort Laramie, WY to Casper, Sweetwater River, South Pass, and Fort Bridger. There are many BLM Markers along this stretch which proclaim Oregon Trail, California Trail, Mormon Trail, and Pony Express on respective sides of the post.

View interactive google satellite Oregon map now.

Eventually I met some folks from the Oregon - California Trails Association (OCTA). when I found out how much I could learn from them I promptly joined the Northwest Chapter. They happened to be looking for someone to create a web page, so with an adventurous spirit but little knowledge of how to do that I began. I got great help from other chapter webmasters and the NWOCTA Website now has probably 100 pages chock full of pictures and reports of our activities. Following is a list of sites I have created, as well as other great sites, including sites with even more links.
Tales of the Oregon Trail  as told by Tom Laidlaw --- an online brochure of first person talks I give about the Oregon Trail, Overland Astorians, and Mountain Man Stories

NWOCTA Website --- a record of outings, trailmarking, tours, meetings, and newsletters of the Northwest Chapter of OCTA

The Cherokee Trail --- The story, pictures, and clickable map of this 1849 - 1850 California Trail feeder route from Tahlequah, OK to Fort Bridger.

Clickable Oregon Trail in Oregon --- a picture, quote, and interpretive tour of 21 primary sites in Oregon, with locator maps and references to guide books

Oregon's Oregon Trail Kiosk Tour --- a tour of 120 signs in 24 kiosks in I-84 rest stops.

Fort Hall Replica Website --- New in Jan. 2099. Great history and pictures of this transition site between the Mountain Man and the Emigrant.

Jim Tompkins Website --- Books and Tours by a prominent Oregon Trail and Oregon City Historian

Homeschooling supplies
Collecting paper money
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