A Transportation Corridor

A Transportation Corridor. Traffic moved both east and west along the trails.. , Most history books focus on the westbound travel along the trails, but what about eastward movement? , The first European-Americans to record seeing the bluffs were eastbound fur traders returning from the west coast. After that, fur traders traveled both ways to trap, trade and attend rendezvous. , Once wagons traversed the trail, the reasons to travel along it multiplied with vast numbers of people moving west looking for land, riches and religious freedom. The number of people who turned around is unknown. , Motives for returning to their starting points varied with the people. Some "saw the elephant” and quit in the midst of their westbound journey. Hardships, deaths and the realization that this was not what they wanted were all reasons to become a “go-backer" or turnaround. Other people made it to their destination and found it was not for them. Some returned for good and others came back only long enough to bring other family members to the west. , Traders drove massive freight wagons both ways on the trail. Army units also rode the trail east and west as they watched for problems along the route. The short-lived Pony Express galloped each direction as they carried mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and San Francisco, California. , With traffic running two ways through such a narrow pass, how do you think they avoided having traffic jams? , [Captions:] , Fur traders attended rendezvous each year from 1825 to 1840, bringing back valuable furs for the wealthy., Most of the trail was wide enough to allow room for travelers to pass each other., Pony Express riders braved the elements and other dangers to ensure mail was delivered faster than ever before.