Return to the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

Ten years later we made it back.

When we went originally we did not even know about Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail (our efforts there started around 2022); the wagon frames stood out from the highway since they were first raised.

I think we had heard that there were updates, but where we really started to think about going back was driving past on the way to somewhere else and seeing a yoke of oxen.

(Actually, I think they look like cows, but with the wagon there it is implied they are going to be used for pulling and plowing.)

We had also heard that a live chicken has settled in, but we did not see it. We found an elk we didn't remember.

It was good to go back.

There are new features, including two movies, that added to the experience.

When we visited previously, I realize now that we did not go all the way through.

Currently as you work through the wagon boxes, there is one display space where most of the school group activities are, like packing a wagon. 

Then there is the movie theater, and beyond that is another display area.

Once you exit at that end there are picnic tables. 

It feels like a one-way route, though there is not really anything to prevent you from turning around.

From field trips, we know that the third wagon box and its contents existed before, but we did not get to it on our last trip and did not know we were missing anything.

The obvious flaw with that setup if that if you decide you are not interested in the movies it would be easy miss the rest and not even know.

A clearer setup may be possible, but there is a lot of information where self-guidance is relatively easy.

One new thought from the displays is that with the origin of the trail in Independence, Missouri, some of the early travelers on the trail were escaping conflicts leading to the Civil War. Oregon's whiteness and hostility to Black settlers is well-known, but we did pick up some abolitionists as well. 

There is always more to learn.

COVID: While there is a fair amount of outside landscape to explore, most of the exhibits are indoors and it is a good idea to mask.

Accessibility: Once you are inside, navigation is pretty good, but there are steps to get up to the wagon level, more steps to get into the Visitor Center where you buy your tickets, and then steps at the end.

There are ramps, but they are not as obviously placed as would be ideal. 

It was refreshing to see sensory bags available. 

 There is room for improvement.

https://historicoregoncity.org/

Related posts: 

https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2015/09/portland-metro-area-end-of-oregon-trail.html 

https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2024/12/finishing-oregons-mt-hood-territory.html 

Minneapolis: Mill City Museum

The Mill City Museum was fantastic.

The Mississippi River runs through Minneapolis, with St. Anthony Falls becoming an important source for power in the city's development. 

That included providing the power for multiple flour mills.

While the building was originally associated with General Mills, the museum honors the other mills in the area and their history.

 The highlight is the Flour Tower tour.

There are tiered seats in an elevator. In that way it is similar to certain amusement park rides, but without any sharp drops.

Different floors tell the history of the mill, using original equipment, film, and narration.

At the end you can enjoy the view from the observation deck.

There is also a movie, Minneapolis in Nineteen Minutes Flat, giving a fun exploration of the city overall with local humorist Kevin Kling.

Just the film and the Flour Tower would be pretty good, but there is so much more.

The displays are amazing, with many opportunities for interaction.

Host to many field trips, there were children running (small) turbines and exploring transportation.

There was a lot of information about wheat, including on running a farm and the issues with feeding the work crew.

There was a baking lab.

There was a play table that was a giant stack of pancakes.

Clearly much of it was designed to appeal to children, but it was a lot of fun for adults. 

One thing I found pretty cool was the giant Bisquick box, just on principle, but there was so much more.

There were display windows around it, with information that the giant box itself could not convey.

Then, inside, you could watch classic commercials on screens set up to look like vintage televisions and radios.

Some of the commercials were before my time, but there were things I had forgotten about and suddenly remembered.

Good stuff, Maynard!

COVID: This is mostly inside, except for the courtyard and observation deck, and sometimes more enclosed than others, like in the elevator. You should wear masks. The beautiful thing is that some of the workers were wearing masks, something that has been more and more rare.

Accessibility: They really thrived here.

In addition to ramps and elevators and room for mobility devices in the elevator and theater, there were also subtitles in English and Spanish, a notice about where the subtitles could best be seen, an offer of the text of the subtitles in a handout, and an offer of a warning for loud sounds. 

There are programs for financial accessibility.

The accessible bathrooms also function as tornado shelters, something that hasn't come up before, but is nice to know.

They also have an excellent web page on the topic.

https://www.mnhs.org/millcity/visit/accessibility 

https://www.mnhs.org/