Fire Building

Fires were difficult for pioneers to make, because they did not have any wood! They had to get something that would burn quickly, so they started using buffalo chips. They collected the buffalo chips in a basket.  It took 3 whole baskets of buffalo chips to cook a meal.  In order to be safe when they made a fire they dug a trench.  The trench was 6 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and 2 feet long.  Then you would put the buffalo chips in the trench, and light it up with gun powder or matches.  When they reached the Rocky Mountains there were no buffalo chips!  It was still hard to find wood so the pioneers burned dead sagebrush branches.  

Go to these pages to learn more about pioneer life on the trail:

Cooking First - Aid on theTrail
Recipes Pioneer Pastimes
Crossing the Rivers Dangers on the Trail

Pioneer Tools and Utensils

Pioneer Toys

 

Who were the Pioneers?
Why did they travel to the frontier?
Where did the pioneers travel to?
What are some of the trails they used?
What did they take with them?
How did they travel?
What were their wagons like?
What was a Wagon Train?
Who led the Wagon Train?
What were their lives like on the trail?
What did they do after reaching their new homes?

 

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