1852 Oregon Trail (Meeker)

In 1852, Ezra Meeker, a young man of 22, followed the Oregon Trail from the Missouri River, to the Columbia River in Oregon, and finally to Puget Sound in Washington. In 1906, at the age of 76, Meeker retraced his 1852 route, as close as possible, with an ox and cow team, going eastward from Puget Sound to eastern Nebraska, at Grand Island. Meeker wrote about many topics, including information about the 1852 trip, and he kept a diary of his 1906 trip. In addition, he also provided a map of the Oregon Trail, as he knew it in 1852. This document provides a modern interpretation of the routes he shows on his trail map. The modernized map was prepared, using information from many years of the author’s Oregon-California Trails research.

Meeker’s Oregon Trail Routes

Map Files

Modernized Map (PDF)

Ezra Meeker’s The Ox Team: or the Old Oregon Trail 1852–1906 (PDF)

Gallery

Ezra Meeker passing Tortoise Rock
Ezra Meeker on the Old Oregon Trail

Topics

Google Maps Route Center Line Lewis and Clark Trail Oregon-California Trails Lolo Trail Nee-Me-Poo National Historic Trail Mullan Road Other Trail Inventory Bird-Truax Trail Fur Trade Carroll Trail Methodology Old North Trail The Wilderness Road

Contributors

Steve F. Russell Kristopher K. Townsend US National Park Service (LCNHT) Robert H. Dunsmore Richard S. Buswell Merle Wells Larry Jones John (Jack) P. Harlan Martin Plamondon II James D. Harlan Ralph Saunders David and Sue Eakin Raymond Borchers