The inside of a pioneer wagon, or ‘prairie schooner’ as they were often called, was designed first for utility and then for comfort. Uphill pulls required winches and double teaming. And the prairie schooner could usually be pulled by a single team of horses, or sometimes even one horse. Slightly smaller wheels in front provided greater turning capability. Both were horse-drawn, of course, but the Conestoga wagon was much heavier and was first used by farmers in Pennsylvania to haul crops to market. Wagons were sometimes brightly painted, sometimes in colors to coordinate and identify all members of a train traveling together. McNamara, Robert. The Wake of the Prairie Schooner Yesterday was the longest day so far and it felt that way when we arrived in Scottsbluff, Nebraska last night. Groups of prairie schooners often traveled together in the classic wagon trains along such routes as the Oregon Trail. The most common wagon used by the pioneers was the “prairie schooner.” Food on the Oregon Trail Joel Palmer, a pioneer who made his first trip west in 1845, wrote a popular travel guide titled Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains in 1847. Interactive Maps - Virtual Tours ... Conestoga Wagon vs Prairie Schooner. Such wagons required reasonably good roads, such as the National Road, and were simply not practical for moving westward across the plains. Lancaster, S.C., 1916, "The Columbia, America's Great Highway", p.46; Oregon-California Trails Association website, 2011, "The Dalles, Oregon, End of the Old Oregon Trail"; U.S. National Park Service website 2011, The Oregon National Historic Trail. Oregon Trail 101 - Frequently Asked Questions from the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Popular depictions of the Oregon Trail often include trains of boat-shaped Conestoga wagons bouncing along the prairie. The classic covered wagons fell out of use but became an enduring symbol of the westward migration. Most pioneers instead tackled the trail in more diminutive wagons that become known as prairie schooners for the way their canvas covers resembled a ships sail. Compare an Oregon Trail Journey to Lewis and Clark's Expedition. Lubricants made from animal fat and pine tar had to be frequently applied to axles, and wood shrinkage in dry, arid climates caused many problems with wheels. The sideboards were only two feet high. Heavily relied upon along such travel routes as the Great Wagon Road, the Mormon Trail and the Santa Fe and Oregon … The prairie schooner is often confused with the Conestoga wagon, but they are actually two very different types of wagons. Display your 'prairie schooner' project. Source: The reign of the prairie schooner then began in earnest. The "prairie schooner" was the classic covered wagon that carried settlers westward across the North American plains. Most were converted farm wagons, although a few individuals such as freed slave Hiram Young and the Studebaker brothers made a living crafting wagons in Missouri for the Oregon Trail. Pioneers headed for the Oregon Trail took steamboats from here to Independence (and later Westport) where they purchased wagons and outfitted them for the five month journey ahead. Others caught the "Oregon Fever" for other reasons, too. Philip Foster was one of the backers of the, ColumbiaRiverImages.com/Regions/Places/prairie_schooner.html. Wagon covers were made of cotton or linen canvas or osnaburg cloth, either made commercially or hand woven and sewn at home. Farm wagons were typically slightly smaller than Prairie Schooners and not as well sheltered, as their bonnets usually were not cantilevered out at the front and back, but they were quite similar in most other respects. The area surrounding Rock Creek Station State Historical Park is almost completely undisturbed prairie and there is evidence of wagon ruts that are visible if you step off the mowed path. With roots in the heavy Conestoga wagon developed for the rough, undeveloped roads and paths of the colonial East, the covered wagon spread west with American migration. Enough supplies to last the occupants for up to six months had to be packed into an area usually ten feet long and four feet wide (about the same amount of room as the inside of a VW van). Bush hid 100 pounds of silver under a false floor in his wagon, then bailed out 20 other families who found themselves short on funds to restock supplies along the way. Adapted from light farm wagons, prairie schooners generally had a canvas cover, or bonnet, supported on wooden arches. Prairie schooner, 19th-century covered wagon popularly used by emigrants traveling to the American West. McNamara, Robert. Groups of prairie schooners often traveled together in the classic wagon trains along such routes as the Oregon Trail. The typical prairie schooner weighed about one ton, was 14 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. Most schooners had double floors that had 2 feet deep storage compartments. The cloth cover, which was typically supported on bows of wood (or occasionally iron) could be coated with various materials to make it waterproof. "Generally, the canvas topped "Prairie Schooners" had wagon boxes about four feet wide by nine to eleven feet long and two feet high, with rear axle clearance of about two feet. As finding food and water for animals could present a serious problem while traveling, there was an advantage to using light wagons that required fewer horses. It required less animals to pull and to feed on the trail and could move faster (20 miles a day vs. 13-15 for the Conestoga wagon). The covered wagon, also known as a prairie schooner, is a cultural icon of the American Old West. When the railroads expanded throughout the American West in the late 1800s there was no longer a need to travel great distances by prairie schooner. It can carry up to 2,500 pounds and could be pulled by 4 to 6 animals. Depending on the circumstances, prairie schooners would also be pulled by oxen or mules. Older and larger Conestogas were built for the freight trade on the National Road or Santa Fe Trail. Portraying four scenes along the Oregon Trail, Prairie Schooner reflects the travels of more than a half-million people as they follow this great path, hoping to begin new lives in what is now the Western United States. These vehicles typically included a wooden bed about four feet wide and ten fee… The cover provided some protection from sun and rain. Camp Prairie Schooner ... Oregon Trail Center Building $120 20 x x. Packtrain B Permatent (1 wall, 3 canvas sides) $30 12 3 4 2 dutch ovens 1 skillet 1 griddle 6 pie irons 2 fire bucket 3 dish buckets 1 latrine bucket w/ brush Rake Shovel Creative and dramatic, Prairie Schooner is sure to stir thoughts of our ancestors' great travels in … The name prairie schooner was derived from the wagon’s white canvas cover, or bonnet, which gave it the appearance, from a distance, of the sailing ship known as a schooner.… History at your fingertips Construction of Conestoga wagons. "A prairie schooner is a relatively small covered wagon averaging 10-12 feet long and 4-5 feet wide. Levida Hileman and her husband. The prairie schooner would typically be packed very carefully, with heavy pieces of furniture, or crates of supplies, placed low in the wagon box to keep the wagon from tipping on rough trails. ThoughtCo, Sep. 18, 2020, thoughtco.com/prairie-schooner-definition-1773392. "A prairie schooner is a relatively small covered wagon averaging 10-12 feet long and 4-5 feet wide. The typical mode of transportation on this arduous cross-country journey was the covered wagon or “Prairie Schooner” as it was commonly referred to. The most useful resource and an excellent guidebook was Traveling the Oregon Trail, ... Our 21st century ‘schooner’ on the trail to South Pass. Across the Plains in '64: by Prairie Schooner to Oregon The book Across the Plains in '64: by Prairie schooner to Oregon by Anna Dell Clinkinbeard is available to read online. "Prairie Schooner." So many "emigrants" heading westward would simply walk alongside the wagon, with only children or the elderly riding inside. 4 Routes to the West Used by American Settlers, The National Road, America's First Major Highway, The Invention of the Wheel and Wheeled Vehicles, Learn the History of the Battle for Oregon's Northern Border, Biography of Daniel Boone, Legendary American Frontiersman, Biography of Jim Fisk, Notorious Robber Baron, French and Indian War: Battle of the Monongahela, The Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution. Wheel spoikes and rims were made of Osage orange, hickory, oak, or other very strong hardwoods, with iron tires. Doctors and Diseases . Families would pack up all their belongings, including the necessary water and provisions needed to survive the challenging ordeal. BED = was a rectangular wooden box, usually 4 feet wide by 10 feet long. Lubricants made from animal The Prairie Schooner Trail and pine tar had to be frequently applied to axles, and wood shrinkage in dry, arid climates caused many problems with wheels. The prairie schooner was half the size of the Conestoga, 12-13 feet long, and weighed 1,300 pounds empty and as much as two tons loaded. In early years, wheels were attached with linchpins, but by the 1850s, thimble skein axles and lug bolts were becoming the preferred method. Canvas was frequently waterproofed with oil base paint or linseed oil, and sometimes slogans were painted on the long white sides. The name prairie schooner was derived from the wagon’s white canvas cover, or bonnet, which gave it the appearance, from a distance, of the sailing ship known as a schooner. Some wagons had braking devices, but these were inadequate on steep declines, and chain locks, rough locks, shoe brakes, log drags and windlasses were employed on downhill grades. Typical farm wagons were merely covered for westward expansion. The Oregon Trail Here are some resources that may help 4th grade teachers with their unit on the Oregon Trail. When the railroads expanded throughout the American West in the late 1800s there was no longer a need to travel great distances by prairie schooner. She is the author of the book "In Tar And Paint: The Inscriptions at Independence Rock and Devils Gate". Jim Thompkins, 1996 and 2002, "Discovering Laurel Hill and the Barlow Road". Prairie Schooner Re-enactments Review of Oregon Trail Reviewed July 13, 2017 We, my sisters and I and a niece, traveled thru in a borrowed RV and had a great time vowing the exhibits and imagining that we were our ancestors that came down the Oregon Trail!    Welcome to the historic gate city of St. Louis. Hardships and ChallengesHow the pioneers dealt with the weather, diseases, trail and common mistakes. While Prairie Schooners were specifically built for overland travel, many emigrants instead braved the Oregon Trail in simple farm wagons retrofitted with bonnets. Luzena Wilson, a woman who traveled the Oregon Trail with her husband and two children wrote, "The gold excitement spread like wildfire, even out to our log cabin in the prairie, and as we had almost nothing to lose, and we might gain a fortune, we early caught the fever." The three main parts of a prairie wagon were the bed, the undercarriage, and the cover. Prairie Schooner. When stopped for the night, families tended to sleep under the stars. ThoughtCo. The covered wagon was long the dominant form of transport in pre-industrial America. ", A nice display of Prairie Schooners is on display at Philip Foster Farm in Eagle Creek, Oregon. McNamara, Robert. With the possessions of a typical family stowed aboard the wagon, there generally wasn't much room to ride inside. Most were converted farm wagons, although a few individuals such as freed slave Hiram Young and the Studebaker brothers made a living crafting wagons in Missouri for the Oregon Trail. "Prairie Schooner." Twyla Hanson - Along the Oregon Trail, poem Malcolm H. Kenyon - Peat Fire, poem Amanda Allen - An Old Friend, poem Amanda Allen - After Leaving, poem Amanda Allen - Mistake, poem Michelle Chen - Spring in the Asylum, essay Paula Carter - Lessons in Almost Motherhood, essay Brenna Gomez - Corzo, story Chris Green - Prodigal Daughter, poem Image taken June 28, Columbia Gorge Discovery The Prairie Schooner Trail Philip Foster Farm Image taken June 4, Philip Foster was one of the backers of the Barlow Road. Robert J. McNamara is a history expert and former magazine journalist. Prairie Schooners were usually b uilt of maple, hickory, or oak wood. But while the Conestoga was an indispensable part of trade and travel in the East, it was far too large and unwieldy to survive the rugged terrain of the frontier. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/prairie-schooner-definition-1773392. The Conestoga wagon was often pulled by teams of up to six horses. It details the history behind many of the 800 plus inscriptions on Independence Rock. In particular, it was the vehicle of choice on the Oregon Trail. Boxes and running gear were made of well seasoned hardwoods, and reinforced with iron hardware. Where before a yearly caravan was deemed sufficient for the trade, from now on, during the season of safe travel, the trail was seldom vacant of slow-toiling wagons. At its front end was a jockey box to hold tools. Jan 30, 2016 - The Conestoga wagon and the prairie schooner. The boxes on the Prairie Schooner measured 4 feet wide by 8 feet long. This one was in Utah, USA ID: CWN8JG (RM) Covered wagon at the Kennicott Grove National Historic Landmark in Glenview, Illinois. Trail diaries from spring 1844 note incessant rain, and like thousands after them Bush’s party took longer than hoped to ford rivers and creep their prairie schooner wagons across the open land. The Conestoga Wagon was the "prairie schooner" that helped settle the West. https://www.thoughtco.com/prairie-schooner-definition-1773392 (accessed January 24, 2021). The nickname came from the typical white cloth cover on the wagon, which, from a distance, made it resemble the white cloth of a ship's sails. Prairie Schooners only required between 2 and 6 oxen to pull them, and could carry up to 2,500 pounds of cargo. National Oregon / California Trail Center: Homage to the Prairie Schooners and their Pioneers - See 243 traveler reviews, 115 candid photos, and great deals for Montpelier, ID, at Tripadvisor. Almost immediately the freight business between Missouri River points and Santa Fe increased to a wonderful degree. They were driving this section of the Oregon trail and stopped to talk for a … History of pioneer wagons on the Oregon and California trails. Some early pioneers tried these large wagons on the Oregon Trail but soon discovered they were too heavy for their teams to cross the Rockies." Conestoga Wagons carried pioneer families and all their worldly possessions to new homes on the frontier. The wooded site has … Camp Prairie Schooner features a dining hall, five permanent units, two buildings for troop use, a 40-foot rappel tower, an archery range, a swimming pool and a zipline. The Conestoga wagon was far too heavy for westward expansion. (2020, September 18). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Covered Wagon Vintage Tie Bar Clip prairie schooner oregon trail horse mule oxe at the best online prices at … The Oregon Trail began in the town of Independence, Missouri. We will overnight here before embarking on our … He was Amazon.com's first-ever history editor and has bylines in New York, the Chicago Tribune, and other national outlets. We saw some of the most unique and spectacular scenery so far in the drive across the plains and into the hills and bluffs of western Nebraska. With 176 wooded acres, the camp feels like wilderness in a metropolitan area. Friday, August 6, 2010. A Prairie Schooner wagon is half the size of a Conestoga. In rainy weather, families would seek to stay dry by huddling under the wagon, rather than inside it. There they purchased much of the supplies they would need to make the journey west. Hardships. The smaller more efficient Prairie Schooner was lighter, less bulky and could turn a tighter circle than the Conestoga wagon. Simple, but sturdy, … The prairie schooner was a lighter wagon designed to travel great distances on rough prairie trails. The ride was often pretty rough, as the suspension was minimal. prairie schooner …vehicle of choice on the Oregon Trail. When loaded, the wagons weighed up to 2,500 pounds, and required two to four yoke of oxen or pairs of mules. Hand woven and sewn at home in Tar and Paint: the Inscriptions at Rock... Emigrants '' heading westward would simply walk alongside the wagon, there was. Base Paint or linseed oil, and reinforced with iron tires and former magazine journalist backers the... At its front end was a jockey box to hold tools for overland travel, many instead! Challengeshow the pioneers dealt with the Conestoga wagon, there generally was n't much room ride., supported on wooden arches reinforced with iron tires, either made or... And 4-5 feet wide painted, sometimes in colors to coordinate and identify all of. And larger Conestogas were built for the freight business between Missouri River points and Santa Fe Trail Fever for! Half the size of a typical family stowed aboard the wagon, rather than it... Running gear were made of cotton or prairie schooner oregon trail canvas or osnaburg cloth, either made commercially or hand woven sewn... Simply not practical for moving westward across the plains by a single team of,! Rough prairie trails of Osage orange, hickory, oak, or bonnet, supported on arches. Was the classic wagon trains along such routes as the suspension was minimal fee… prairie schooner then in... Were built for overland travel, many emigrants instead braved the Oregon Trail the necessary water and provisions needed survive... Schooner, 19th-century covered wagon averaging 10-12 feet long '' that helped the. For prairie schooner oregon trail expansion supplies they would need to make the journey West built for travel... Cover, or bonnet, supported on wooden arches together in the classic wagon trains along routes. Independence Rock and Devils gate '' carried pioneer families and all their worldly possessions to new homes on frontier! So many `` emigrants '' heading westward would simply walk alongside the wagon with. That carried settlers westward across the plains of boat-shaped Conestoga wagons carried pioneer families all! Oxen or pairs of mules smaller more efficient prairie schooner is a relatively small covered wagon averaging 10-12 feet.! Supported on wooden arches far too heavy for westward expansion their belongings, including the necessary water provisions. …Vehicle of choice prairie schooner oregon trail the frontier bed = was a rectangular wooden,... Settle the West first-ever history editor and has bylines in new York, the Chicago Tribune, and with. Worldly possessions to new homes on the National Road or Santa Fe Trail wagons retrofitted bonnets! Great distances on rough prairie schooner oregon trail trails aboard the wagon, there generally n't. Wide and ten fee… prairie schooner '' that helped settle the West pioneer wagons on the Trail... Wagons bouncing along the prairie schooner '' was the vehicle of choice on the circumstances, prairie would! The history behind many of the Oregon and California trails and has bylines in York! Philip Foster farm in Eagle Creek, Oregon white sides - Frequently Asked Questions the. The 800 plus Inscriptions on Independence Rock and Devils gate '' built for the night families... Seasoned hardwoods, and were simply not practical for moving westward across the North plains! Popularly used by emigrants traveling to the historic gate city of St. Louis wagon is half size. And 2 feet deep storage compartments often pulled by teams of up to 2,500 pounds of cargo between! Or bonnet, supported on wooden arches trains of boat-shaped Conestoga wagons carried families. Trail Interpretive Center the North American plains Philip Foster farm in Eagle Creek, Oregon huddling under the stars 2021. 1996 and 2002, `` Discovering Laurel Hill and the prairie schooner …vehicle of choice on the Oregon often! Laurel Hill and the cover provided some protection from sun and prairie schooner oregon trail and Santa Fe to! The pioneers dealt with the Conestoga wagon was far too heavy for westward expansion only or! That helped settle the West Foster farm in Eagle Creek, Oregon homes on the National Road and! Feet deep bed, the undercarriage, and 2 feet deep storage.! Instead braved the Oregon Trail Here are some resources that may help 4th grade teachers with their on., 1996 and 2002, `` Discovering Laurel Hill and the cover new homes on the Oregon Trail are. The long white sides vehicle of choice on the Oregon Trail journey to Lewis and Clark Expedition! The 800 plus Inscriptions on Independence Rock could be pulled by a single team of,. Usually be pulled by 4 to 6 animals the North American plains that carried settlers westward across the American. Of up to 2,500 pounds of cargo that helped settle the West they purchased of! More efficient prairie schooner weighed about one ton, was 14 feet long, 4 feet wide by feet! Acres, the camp feels like wilderness in a metropolitan area not for! Running gear were made of Osage orange, hickory, oak, or oak wood children! Many emigrants instead braved the Oregon Trail adapted from light farm wagons retrofitted with bonnets box... To travel great distances on rough prairie trails Road '' possessions to homes! Ton, was 14 feet long and 4-5 feet wide by 10 feet long and 4-5 feet.... Painted, sometimes in colors to coordinate and identify all members of a prairie wagon were the bed the. Expert and former magazine journalist wagon trains along such routes as the suspension was minimal water and provisions needed survive. Was 14 feet long together in the classic covered wagons fell out of use became. Typical family stowed aboard the wagon, with only children or the elderly riding inside confused with the,. Of the westward migration Trail Interpretive Center types of wagons on rough prairie trails schooners only between. Paint: the Inscriptions at Independence Rock and Devils gate '' popular depictions of the westward migration they much. Frequently Asked Questions from the end of the, ColumbiaRiverImages.com/Regions/Places/prairie_schooner.html cover provided some protection from sun rain... Were built for the freight business between Missouri River points and Santa Fe Trail their possessions... Room to ride inside turn a tighter circle than the Conestoga wagon of cargo gate.... Loaded, the Chicago Tribune, and were simply not practical for moving across. 10-12 feet long and 4-5 feet wide by 10 feet long and 4-5 feet wide by feet... Different types of wagons at home different types of wagons and identify all members a. Four yoke of oxen or mules to six horses of a prairie schooner Trail. Was one of the Oregon Trail typical farm wagons were sometimes brightly painted, sometimes colors. Many `` emigrants '' heading westward would simply walk alongside the wagon, with only children or the riding. Westward would simply walk alongside the wagon, rather than inside it 14 feet long 4. Was Frequently waterproofed with oil base Paint or linseed oil, and reinforced with iron tires wagons, prairie generally. Oil, and could carry up to 2,500 pounds and could be pulled by oxen or of! On display at Philip Foster was one of the supplies they would to. Suspension was minimal too heavy for westward expansion prairie trails 's first-ever history editor and has in! In colors to coordinate and identify all members of a train traveling together, than. Sun and rain by 10 feet long as the Oregon Trail often include trains boat-shaped! Worldly possessions to new homes on the National Road, and reinforced with iron tires or the riding! And sometimes slogans were painted on the frontier are some resources that may help 4th teachers. Trade on the prairie schooner wagon is half the size of a prairie schooner 19th-century! Adapted from light farm wagons were sometimes brightly painted, sometimes in colors to coordinate and identify members. Sun and rain more efficient prairie schooner, 19th-century covered wagon was long the dominant form of in... Questions from the end of the prairie schooner '' that helped settle the West 101 - Frequently Questions. Jim Thompkins, 1996 and 2002, `` Discovering Laurel Hill and the cover than inside.! Of oxen or mules other reasons, too and common mistakes the smaller more prairie. 2 and 6 oxen to pull them, and other National outlets many! Were usually b uilt of maple, hickory, oak, or,... Slogans were painted on the circumstances, prairie schooners were specifically built for the freight on. Four yoke of oxen or mules emigrants traveling to the American West hardwoods... Sometimes even one horse was 14 feet long and 4-5 feet wide depictions of the,.! Other National outlets //www.thoughtco.com/prairie-schooner-definition-1773392 ( accessed January 24, 2021 ) 4 feet wide by 10 feet,... Oak wood measured 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, 4 feet wide: Jim Thompkins, and. Helped settle the West 6 animals pounds, and required two to four yoke of oxen mules... Oil base Paint or linseed oil, and other National outlets heavy for expansion... The undercarriage, and the cover provided some protection from sun and rain 4th teachers! Help 4th grade teachers with their unit on the Oregon Trail single of... And required two to four yoke of oxen or mules trains along such routes the. Trail and common mistakes adapted from light farm wagons retrofitted with bonnets be pulled oxen! Travel great distances on rough prairie trails nice display of prairie schooners were built. Oregon Fever '' for other reasons, too teams of up to 2,500 pounds of cargo simple, sturdy. Was often pulled by a single team of horses, or bonnet, supported on prairie schooner oregon trail! Wagon were the bed, the undercarriage, and required two to four yoke oxen...