Oregon Trail game turns 50 this year

[VictorR]

The first edition of the Oregon Trail game turns 50 this November.

I have fond memories of the game, and how I learned a lot of words from it, like ford, caulk, and dysentery.

As someone who loves cultural geography and history, it played a part in my first trip to Portland, OR to take a detour to Oregon City to visit the end of the trail. I hope someday to visit St. Louis so I can likewise go to Independence to see where it starts.

As a non-driver, unless I find someone with a similar passion and interest who doesn't mind driving, I probably won't get a chance to travel alongside the trail along modern roads and highways, but to me, the story of the trail and those who traversed it makes it as legendary as the better known and one-century-later Route 66.

Articles
Nine Places Where You Can Still See Wheel Tracks from the Oregon Trail
How You Wound Up Playing The Oregon Trail in Computer Class | Innovation | Smithsonian Magazine

 

[Major Tom]

I loved that game, it was the first "video game" I ever played. I also learned a lot from it too. It also eventually led me to Junction City California. Which if I remember correctly was the end destination in the game. It's beautiful there, but still in many ways like the wild west, and the road that leads there is STILL dangerous, the 299 scenic Highway. There's rock slides, hairpin turns, and crazy drivers. One mistake and it's game over.

Haha I just looked it up, I was wrong, the end destination was Oregon city, Oregon.

 

[Aneka]

The first edition of the Oregon Trail game turns 50 this November.

I have fond memories of the game, and how I learned a lot of words from it, like ford, caulk, and dysentery.

As someone who loves cultural geography and history, it played a part in my first trip to Portland, OR to take a detour to Oregon City to visit the end of the trail. I hope someday to visit St. Louis so I can likewise go to Independence to see where it starts.

As a non-driver, unless I find someone with a similar passion and interest who doesn't mind driving, I probably won't get a chance to travel alongside the trail along modern roads and highways, but to me, the story of the trail and those who traversed it makes it as legendary as the better known and one-century-later Route 66.

Articles
Nine Places Where You Can Still See Wheel Tracks from the Oregon Trail
How You Wound Up Playing The Oregon Trail in Computer Class | Innovation | Smithsonian Magazine

Amazing how computer games can turn 50 in 2021

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

*The Oregon State Song*

Land of the Empire Builders,
Land of the Golden West;
Conquered and held by free men,
Fairest and the best.
Onward and upward ever,
Forward and on, and on;
Hail to thee, Land of Heroes,
My Oregon.

Land of the rose and sunshine,
Land of the summer's breeze;
Laden with health and vigor,
Fresh from the Western seas.
Blest by the blood of martyrs,
Land of the setting sun;
Hail to thee, Land of Promise,
My Oregon.

Here's an emulator where you can play Oregon Trail online:
Oregon Trail, The (DOS) - online game | RetroGames.cz

 

[paloftoon]

No one's getting dysentery this year!