Roadschool Trip to Chimney Rock + Oregon Trail

While studying Westward Expansion with our The Good & the Beautiful History, we took a road trip north through the plains states.  Our trip through Nebraska took us right by Chimney Rock.....the same one that we used to stop off at when playing Oregon Trail on the old Apple II-E...  

There's a little bit to see in this area, including a small museum, where photography is not allowed, that talks about the Oregon Trail and hosts some of the travelers' stories.  Out back, you can hike a small section of the trail itself.

For further study, snag the free We Were There on the Oregon Trail novel study!

We stopped at the Chimney Rock Cemetery...where many loved ones were lain to rest during the trek Westward.  The cemetery wasn't as full as we'd predicted, but there was probably hundreds of settlers lain to rest beside the trail in unmarked graves.

Reading Resources

• Ballad of Lucy Whipple
• Westward Ho, Charlie Brown!
• Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell
• Bound for Oregon
• Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary
• The Pioneers Go West (Landmark)
• Daily Life in a Covered Wagon

Hands-On Activities

• The Oregon Trail Game
• Pioneer Days Projects
• How Would You Survive the West?
• Oregon Trail Activity Pack (309 pages of activities)

Looking for more World History?  Check out In-Depth Modern History for High School, one of 400+ courses included with a SchoolhouseTeachers membership.  In this history course, students will learn about some of the major events in history such as World War I and the fight for women’s right to vote. There are also lesser known events such as the Aboriginal Rights Movement and the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement. Included in each week’s lessons are reading, vocabulary, mapping, a quiz, and resources to go deeper into the topic.