Episode 29: Oregon Trail

"Trailblazers": The Oregon Trail game as a Primary Source with Dan of Tracing the PathThe Oregon Trail. That term evokes images of either pioneers making their way from east to west in the middle of the 19th century, or the computer game where, no matter what you do, at least one of your characters will die of dysentery. The game was such a staple of elementary school computer labs throughout the 1980s, and many of us who played it on the Apple IIe probably assumed that The Oregon Trail just fell into the mix of Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? and Number Munchers as games developed all at the same time with the purpose of entertaining and educating our generation.But The Oregon Trail has its origins earlier than with the personal computer revolution, making it and those who created it pioneers in their own right. Dan R. Morris, host of the fantastic history podcast, Tracing the Path, joined me recently to talk about the educational game and from where and when it came.