Below are the pages of a rare booklet of instructions for members of a wagon train traveling from Independence, Missouri, to San Francisco, California, in 1849. I've read this a few times, and I hope you find this as interesting as I have over the years.
My advice when reading this is simply to put yourself in the position of a member of the wagon train. Imagine that you are leaving with the wagon train, and this is your guide to making the journey. Imagine all of the preparation, your options, what was required of you along the journey, the rules, the advice of the wagon train company, the items that you were limited to taking, and, among other things, the long walk that was ahead of you.
There is a lot to digest in this. As a traveler, you are required to do a lot on your part to be successful. The advice and recommendations regarding what to take, what not to take, how much things should cost, and much, much more should all be heeded.
There is so much to this 11-page booklet. And yes, I really believe that after reading this, you'll get the gist of what to expect on the journey. When reading this, you may find things about making the trip that you may not have really thought about before.
It wouldn't surprise me to find out that you were indeed surprised to learn about some of the things in this booklet. For me, I have to admit that even though I've read a lot about wagon trains in the past, there are small things in this booklet that surprised me. I hope you enjoy reading this.
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