Other
Oregon California Trails Association: Historic Trails Learning Center
Information portal for the organization that oversees the preservation of the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, the Applegate Trail, and the Mormon Trail.
Other
Historic Trails: Oregon/california Trails
Find a map of the Oregon Trail and California Trail and click Historical Trails tab to discover the hardships and daily grind of traveling on the Oregon Trail.
Curated OER
National Park Service: California National Historic Trail
This site from the National Parks Service gives a brief history, and description of the California trail system which was used by settlers moving to California during the 1849 Gold Rush days.
University of California
University of California Museum of Paleontology: Uniformitarianism
Read about the pioneers in Earth's geologic history and their discovery of how the process of uniformitarianism shaped the study of evolution.
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in California: Pioneer Deep Space Station
NASA's Deep Space Network for tracking unmanned spacecraft in deep space was inaugurated when this antenna became operational in 1958.
The History Cat
The History Cat: Westward Expansion
Here you can learn about the Oregon Trail, Donner Party, the California Gold Rush, and life as a pioneer through text, images, video, and quotes.
Other
The Official Site of Minor League Baseball
Official site for Minor League Baseball. Anything you ever wanted to know about the Minor League is right here.
Library of Congress
Loc: Nation Expansion and Reform: Traveling on the Overland Trails, 1843 1860
Primary source information about traveling the Overland Trails, both to Oregon Country and California.
Other
U.s. Route 40: History of Route 40
The history of U.S. Route 40, including the development of predecessor roads such as colonial roads, the national road, pioneer trails, and various highways.
Other
U.s. Route 40: History of Route 40
The history of U.S. Route 40, including the development of predecessor roads such as colonial roads, the national road, pioneer trails, and various highways.
NASA
Nasa: Astronaut Biography: Sally K. Ride
Sally K. Ride, native Californian, is featured in this biography. Ride is known for being a woman pioneer in the U.S. Space program, but she has been a strong supporter of STEM education for girls and young women as well.
Digital History
Digital History: Donner Party
The gruesome story of the Donner Party is a cautionary tale of poor planning. Read about the survivors and those who did not live to see their dreams of California.
Library of Congress
Loc: Teachers: Journeys West
A series of lessons utilizing primary texts, including narratives, photographs, and maps, through which young scholars explore the following question: "What motivated thousands of people to journey west during the 1800s?"
Other
Yuba City: John Augustus Sutter
This article traces the career of the Swiss American pioneer, John Sutter. The discovery of gold in 1848 at his lumber mill led to the California Gold Rush.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Eric Cornell
Born in Palo Alto, California, and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts - homes to Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively - you could say Eric Cornell was destined to become a renowned scientist. And while he...
Curated OER
Wikipedia: Natl Historic Landmarks in Ca: Eames House (Case Study House 8)
Built in 1949 by husband-and-wife design pioneers Charles and Ray Eames; also known as Case Study House No. 8.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Westward Expansion and Reform
Part of a longer time line describing the history of the American West, this section covers the period 1829 to 1859 with hyperlinks to stories and people of this time period.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Colorado
Discover more about the Rocky Mountains. Why is Colorado called the "Centennial State?" Look at this website for captivating facts.
Ducksters
Ducksters: History: Timeline of Westward Expansion for Kids
Kids learn the timeline of Westward Expansion of the United States on this site. Follow the timeline of how pioneers and settlers moved west of the Mississippi all the way to California.
Curated OER
Smithsonian Institution Archives: Laurel Van Der Wal (D. 2009)
Pioneering female aeronautical engineer Laurel van der Wal (d. 2009) (later Laurel van der Wal Roennau) had had a brief career as a model, art instructor, and deputy sheriff before training to be a pilot during World War II; she returned...