Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Amanda Phillips Is Eighth Grade Winner Of DAR Essay Contest

Winners of the 1996-1997 Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest in Prescott Middle School are Jade Hall, fifth grade; Darryl Pickett, sixth grade; Megan Taylor, seventh grade; and Amanda Phillips, eighth grade. This week's essay is written by Amanda Phillips. This is the last essay of the series. The contest is sponsored by the Benjamin Culp Chapter of the DAR.

"Trails West"

Important United States Trails

Trails were an important part of American history that led to the early development of our country. They led to the beginning of rail roads, highways, mail routes, and streets. The early settlements along many of these trails are large trade centers of our country today.

Of the many trails, seven of the very historic ones will be discussed in this paper. They are the Wilderness Road, Cumberland Road, Natchez Trace, the Chisholm, Santa Fe, Oregon and California trails.

A most widely used trail in the eastern United States was the Wilderness Road. It started in Virginia and ended in Boonesborough, Kentucky. It is about 200 miles long and goes through the Cumberland Gap in the Appalachian Mountains.

The Wilderness Road was the first important route from Virginia to the interior of Kentucky and was cleared by Daniel Boone and a party of woodsmen in March 1775. It was little more than a foot path or packhorse trail. The state of Virginia improved and enlarged the Wilderness Road, but it took 20 years before it was passable by wagons. Highway 25 later followed the same route.

Another widely traveled trail in the eastern United States was the Cumberland Road, which started at Cumberland, Maryland, and ended at Vandalia, Illinois. It is about 600 miles long and was the first road built by the United States government. The Cumberland Road goes through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana. Highway 40 later followed this original road.

A famous trail of the southeastern United States was the Natchez Trace, extending from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. It was the major land route through the southern frontier during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was used mainly as a return route by traders, merchants and settlers who floated their produce down to New Orleans on the Mississippi River. The route generally followed an Indian path called the Chickasaw Trail. The Natchez Trace was made a partial mail route by the United States government in 1880. In 1938, it was made a National Parkway.

Another popular trail was the Chisholm Trail, which started in San Antonio, Texas, and ended in Abilene, Texas. This trail was named after Jessie Chisholm, who was the first trader to use the route. A part of the Union Pacific Railroad followed this path.

The Santa Fe Trail started in Independence, Missouri, and ended in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A part of the Santa Fe follows the Arkansas River. It was about 800 miles long and goes through parts of Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. This was an important trade route, where people traded for food, clothes, cattle, weapons and other items to Indians and Mexicans along the route. The Kansas Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads followed this route later.

The Oregon Trail started in Independence, Missouri, and ended at Fort William, Oregon. It was about 1500 miles long and goes through parts of Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon. It partially followed the Platte River.

Most of the pioneers that travelled west on the Oregon Trail were looking for land to claim. They often began their journey in May, because grass was needed for grazing along the trail and the heat was not oppressive. Wagon trains often hired a mountain man as their guide. He knew the trail, the best places to cross the rivers, and the best place to camp.

The pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail had to buy food items, such as flour, sugar, smoked meats, coffee, salt, dried fruit and seed potatoes, before beginning thier journey. They also bought extra shoes, boots, spare wheels, other wagon parts and ammunition. The household items, such as feather beds, blankets, and dishes, were also part of their belongings.

The Mormons were a famous group that traveled the Oregon Trail. This is why the Oregon Trail was also called the Mormon Trail. The California Trail branched off the Oregon Trail in two different directions. The northern route ended near Fort Sutter and the southern route ended near San Diego. It was about 550 miles long and followed the Sacramento and American Rivers. The California Trail was used mostly by pioneers in search of gold. Most of them were disappointed, but a few became rich during the California Gold Rush.

There were many things in common with every trail. As an example, some trails had turnpikes, a type of toll booth, which prevented passage over a portion of the trail until a toll was paid. Many turnpikes had roadside inns, which provided entertainment, news, gossip, discussion, and a place for trading goods. Average tolls for ten miles for one man on horseback was 6 1/2 cents; 25 cents for a carriage and two horses, 12 1/2 cents for one horse with chaise; and 37 1/2 cents for a carriage with four horses. Livestock was also charged a toll to the owner for traveling turnpikes. For each ten miles of turnpike, twenty driven cattle cost a quarter; twenty sheep or hogs half as much. If a freight wagon's wheel was as narrow as four inches, the driver paid 12 1/2 cents per horse. Wider wheels cost less on the theory that they damaged the roadbed less.

As far as jobs along the trail while traveling, everyone had at least one or two jobs on the wagon train. Men's jobs included guiding the wagons and livestock, repairing wagons, killing game for food, and keeping watch for unfriendly Indians. Women cooked meals, washed clothes, and cared for children and the sick. Children carried firewood and cared for younger brothers and sisters.

Pioneers traveling these trails often would come across grave markers along their way. For example, a troop of cavalry going west on the Santa Fe Trail found a gravemarker that said, "Here Lies Sandy McGreggor, A Generous Father and a Pious Man." Most gravemarkers were unmarked.

There are numerous western trails not discussed in this paper. Some of these include the Trail of Tears, Old Beef Trail, and the Old Spanish Trail. They all had a major part in the discovery and development of the United States.