Family joins N. Dakota wagon train
VALENCIA — A Valencia family took a slow-moving trip out of the 21st century and into a 19th century lifestyle this summer.
Steve and Marie Cooper and their children, Bryce, 11, and Zoe, 7, spent June 23-29 traveling across the prairie in North Dakota in a 12-wagon train that re-created the conditions of the original pioneer caravans.
After driving to North Dakota from their home, Steve Cooper said, “We left Jamestown, N.D., to begin the vacation.”
Staged by Fort Seward, a nonprofit organization established in 1969 by a group of citizens to preserve, protect and promote the history of North Dakota, the wagons traveled in a 77-mile loop out from Jamestown and back.
“We did go along an historical route that the pioneers traveled, and we did two river crossings,” Cooper said.
“The land was very flat, and it was open prairie land, very few trees and a lot of wild grass,” he said.
“We had two horses that pulled each wagon. We had a teamster to handle the team and 10 people per wagon,” Cooper said.
“There were 11 wagons that hauled people, and there was a support wagon, like a chuck wagon,” he added.
The wagons had wooden wheels and canvas tops, just like those seen in countless Western movies.
But the authenticity didn't stop with the transportation, Cooper said.
'You are required to dress in the time period. For men, straw hats, pioneer-style shirts and jeans,” said Cooper. “And the women had to wear the full dresses with bonnets. Boys had to wear suspenders. The organizers advocated that strongly.”
“They really ran it as if they were pioneers,” Cooper said. “Everybody had duties every day. If you were on kitchen duty you had to get up at 5 a.m. and get the fire ready and get breakfast.”
“Other people were assigned taking care of the horses, taking care of the wagons,” he said.Once camp was broken, the train would push off with people walking alongside or riding in the wagons.“We did about 10 to 15 miles a day,” Cooper said.“We did very few roads, it was mostly out in the prairie, it was mostly rough,” said Cooper.“They had a medic that followed us. There was a lot of dehydration, the first day or two, dehydration and a couple of people got sunburned, but the medical staff was amazing,” he said.He added the wagons were extremely uncomfortable, and a lot of the participants opted to walk rather than ride.“The wagons were 12- feet long and six-feet wide. The actual wagons the pioneers used were much larger,” he said. “There were no comfort measures. They were hay wagons that they just put seats in for 10 people. It was a tight fit,” said Cooper.“My son probably walked 70 miles,” he said. “But he was finding arrowheads along the way.”Zoe rode in a wagon.
“My daughter in the bonnet never complained. They played games in the wagon. They had so much fun they didn't realize it was hot and muggy out,” Cooper said.“It was very hot and dusty, it was very uncomfortable. I am very proud of my children,” Cooper said.“I couldn't get them to do it at home, but on this trip they loved doing chores,” he said.At the end of a day of traveling, the wagons were, yes, drawn into a circle and the participants would pitch tents for the night.“Everyone was allowed to bring a day bag with them,” he said. “The tents were in support vehicles that met us at the end of the day. We usually stopped close to a road, and they would drive the equipment out to us.”He said the evenings were enlivened by storytelling, music and square dancing. Trip participants were encouraged to bring musical instruments along. A historian would lecture about pioneering life.
Cooper said their fellow wagon riders came from all over.“The crowds were extremely diverse,” he said. “The people who run the tour are all volunteers.”“There were some Canadians, but they were teaching in Malaysia,” he said. “There were families from all over the country. There was a family from Germany. There were two women that were nurses who were in their 70s. There was a family from New England with a newborn.”He said the participants left most of their smart phones and computer pads behind and most of them felt better for being cut off from the present day if just for a bit.“That was my favorite part,” said Cooper. ”Just the fact that my son and I got to walk together for three hours.“When else do you have enough time with nothing to do, no distractions? We are so busy with what we do, that we just never have that time together.”He added, “The other motivation was related to our work as teachers for Winchester Thurston North Hills campus. Our students study the pioneers and this trip provided a first-hand experience that will certainly serve to help the curriculum with a fresh perspective.”
Sharing their snapshots, above, are Steve and Marie Cooper of Valencia and their children, Bryce and Zoe. The Coopers are teachers at the Winchester Thurston North Hills campus in Allison Park, a private school for prekindergarten through fifth-graders. He is a physical education teacher, and she teaches first grade. The Coopers think their wagon-train trip this summer will provide a fresh perspective in the classroom.
