Oregon-California Trails Association

The '''Oregon-California Trails Association''' is an [[interdisciplinary]] organization based at [[Independence, Missouri|Independence]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]. OCTA is dedicated to the preservation and protection of overland emigrant trails and the emigrant experience.

OCTA Chapters work closely with [[National Trails System]] partners to help interpret and sustain the quality of outdoor recreation experiences along these trail corridors. For example, OCTA's guide to ''Mapping Emigrant Trails'' (MET Manual) [https://web.archive.org/web/20060519192751/http://www.nationaltrailspartnership.org/view_story.asp?story_id=47&issue_id=9] became the [[National Park Service]]'s benchmark protocol for [[GPS#On foot|GPS]]-assisted [[topographical map]]ping along other historic and scenic trails.

Three major historical trails crossed America's western territories as wagon train routes to Santa Fe, Oregon, and California. The [[Santa Fe Trail]] began in 1821 as a {{convert|900|mi|km|adj=on}} foreign trade route to [[New Mexico]]. It was unique in [[American History]] due to its overland commerce routes rather than seafaring transportation. The {{convert|2000|mi|km|adj=on}} [[Oregon Trail]] became more [[Oregon Trail#Great Migration of 1843|heavily traveled in 1843]] by settlers wanting to establish new homes in the northwest. Other pioneers forked off on the equally long and grueling [[California Trail]] to seek their fortunes in the gold fields.

The association succeeded the Oregon Trail Memorial Association, founded by pioneer [[Ezra Meeker]] in 1922 as the Old Oregon Trail Association to memorialize those who traveled to the U.S. West Coast via the [[Oregon Trail]]. The group was incorporated in New York in early 1926. The organization is best known for promoting the [[Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar]]. It was succeeded by the American Pioneer Trails Association (APTA) in 1940. Oregon-California Trails Association is considered a successor to OTMA.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Mattes|first=Merrill J.|date=Winter 1984|title=A Tribute to the Oregon Trail Memorial Association|url=http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/45439519/tribute-oregon-trail-memorial-association|url-status=dead|journal=Overland Journal|volume=2|issue=1|page=29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212730/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/45439519/tribute-oregon-trail-memorial-association|archive-date=2016-03-03}}</ref>

==See also== * [[National Historic Trail]]s

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.octa-trails.org/index.php OCTA web site] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090905190148/http://www.nationaltrailspartnership.org/index1.asp Partnership for the National Trails System web site] {{TrailSystem}}

[[Category:History of the American West|OCTA]] [[Category:Historic trails and roads in the United States]] [[Category:Hiking organizations in the United States|OCTA]] [[Category:Organizations based in Missouri]] [[Category:Trails and roads in the American Old West]]