There is another “Greatest Generation,” although mostly long forgotten — the 300,000 men, women, and children who made the 2,200 mile trek from Independence, Missouri to Oregon’s Willamette Valley and beyond between 1846 to 1869. You can experience the trials and tribulations of these Americans by visiting the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center five miles east of Baker City, Oregon, off I-84 in the state's northeast corner.

Located in the middle of scrub desert on a hill just above the actual Oregon Trail, the interpretative center offers a wide variety of educational experiences for those who want to learn more about history of the US and the sacrifices that were made in building this country on the way west.

Read more in Tripatini contributor Rusty Rae´s post The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and an Earlier ´Greatest Generation.´