Realistic or Modern Laramie Lowe's Wagon Road Guide | Weeds Lore

[Terrier B]

This thread will contain all Canon Lore, Historically relevant facts, misc. information and all that other good juicy stuff.
It may seem like I'm spouting random facts here, and that's because I am, but I have tried to organise and provide anything that might be useful to us in this here thread.
Also, I am a lowly Brit, so many apologies if there is something here that is just, completely wildly inaccurate.

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The Oregon Trail

Historical Trail Map

Modern Trail Map​

Note: While the above shows common routes used on the Oregon Trail, our group may veer off the trail every now and then, so don't take this as sacred.

I'm pretty sure we're all at least somewhat aware of what the Oregon Trail was, and is, so I won't natter on. However, I am going to shamelessly copy this well-worded summary from History dot com:

"The Oregon Trail was a roughly 2,000-mile route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, which was used by hundreds of thousands of American pioneers in the mid-1800s to emigrate west. The trail was arduous and snaked through Missouri and present-day Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and finally into Oregon. Without the Oregon Trail and the passing of the Oregon Donation Land Act in 1850, which encouraged settlement in the Oregon Territory, American pioneers would have been slower to settle the American West in the 19th century."​

The first organised Wagon Train set out in 1836. That means Wagon Trains have been embarking upon the trail for 49 years by the time 1885 rolls around. Since these earls journeys in the 1830's and 40's multiple improvements were made to make the trail just that little bit easier. It was still very much not a piece of cake trek, but bridges, ferries and roads being built here and there at least helped a little bit.

While once, acres of land were literally given out for nothing, in 1854 the expiration of a initial land act now meant that land cost $1.25 per acre, with a maximum 320 acre allowance. According to my inflation calculations, $1.25 in 1885, which is the year in which Weeds takes place, is equivalent to $38.24 in today's money.
$1.25 multiplied by 320 equals to $400
$400 in 1885, is equivalent to $12,236.86 in today's money.

Misc Facts I thought were cool Useful:​

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- The whole trail (When starting from Missouri) is roughly 2000 miles long. ​

- Three types of draft and pack animals were commonly used by Trail Pioneers: Oxen, Mules and Horses. But Oxen were the favoured animal to actually pull the Wagons. ​

- Horses could not survive on Prairie grass and Sage, unlike Oxen and Mules, and therefore had to be, and will have to be fed directly in this RP. ​

- Common Ox commands: Gee/Right, Haw/Left, Whoa/Stop. ​

- Wagon types found on the trail included A Conestoga Wagon, A Covered Wagon, and A Studebaker. ​

- The typical cost of food for four people for six months was about $150. ​

- Nobody really actually rode within the actual Wagons upon the trail. It was far too rough, dusty, and quite hard on the livestock. ​

- There was a Gold Rush in California in 1849.​

- Disease was the biggest killer on the Oregon Trail. ​

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Burdock Wilson, and Other Assorted Weeds. ​

Burdock Wilson is the Guide, and supposed 'Wagon Master' of our merry little voyage. A grumpy old crust of a man, he's coarse, uncouth, and seems to have grown straight up out of the Prairie lands like all the other cactus's too. Unclear and never telling of what exactly his previous employment or position ever actually was, he seems to be a relative newcomer to the whole Wagon Train business. Only in comparison to how long other, more well established Guides and Trains have been in operation for however. For three years he's escorted parties across the territories now, but despite these numerous journey's, his reputation is not exactly sterling. He'll never set off on the trail from the same starting point twice, and his prices are rather cheap compared to other Guides.
Burdock charges $5 per person for guidance along the trail.
Calculated for inflation, $5 in 1885 is equivalent to $132.46 in today's money.

Burdock's prices are comparatively dirt cheap when compared to the price of a Pacific Railroad Ticket. Opening in 1869, the worlds first Transcontinental Railroad, known then as the Pacific Railroad, connected the Eastern and Western halves of the United States, starting at Council Bluffs in Iowa, and ending in San Francisco Bay. As you might expect, this significantly decreased traffic along the trail.
A ticket for the Pacific Railroad cost $65.
Calculated for inflation $65 in 1885 is equivalent to $1721.99 in today's money.

Transcontinental Railroad Route

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Things that go b u m p in the night ​

Weeds incorporates Supernatural and Occult themes into its story, however, I need to clarify to what level. Above anything else, Weeds leans more towards history and realism. I wanted to include loose magical ideas throughout however to just give it that little bit of spiciness. It honestly almost gets down to 75% Historical Realism, 25% Supernatural-ism. Think along the lines of Folk-Tales being real events the characters could come across. Mothers may tell their children if they wander too far the Faeries will steal them away, with no actual idea or genuine belief that they are in fact completely correct. I'd like anything magical or occult-like to exist as an almost representational factor within the RP. While we can have some fun with it of course, it's almost there as a moral compass.

I'm aware this may all sound vague as heck, so I've listed some examples of what I have in mind, and what has inspired me to create this RP thus far. But also please feel absolutely free to ask any questions at all if there is something I am not being clear enough on.

Bee's Influences Thus far: ​

- Over the Garden Wall​

- Angela Carter's Writing​

- The work of Jenna Barton/Dappermouth​

- Gothic Americana in General​

- The Ballad of Buster Scruggs​

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I will probably add to this as we go along, but I will always let you know what + when I update

Burdocks Way-Bill Book | Character Thread: Realistic or Modern - Burdock Wilson's Way-Bill Book | Weeds Character Thread

The Golden Finch Saloon | OOC Thread: Soon​