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Step Back in Time with Pioneer History at the Hansen Museum
The first computer game I remember playing was The Oregon Trail. The game featured green-colored multiple-choice questions set against a black background, accompanied by simple blocky graphics. These graphics included pixelated depictions of people, wagons, oxen, and other animals used for hunting. Despite the simplicity, the game was immersive, allowing players to step into the role of a wagon leader tasked with guiding a group of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Along the way, you had to make critical decisions about supplies, resource management, hunting for food, crossing rivers, and handling unexpected challenges like storms and disease. The goal was to survive the treacherous journey and arrive at your destination with enough resources to start a new life. For an elementary student back then, with only one computer available in the classroom, the anticipation of your turn to play was half the fun!
A New Twist on a Classic Adventure—the Museum’s current exhibition, A Place to Call Home, offers a fresh take on this classic game with a hands-on, paper-based version of The Oregon Trail. Though the starting point and destination aren’t clearly defined, players engage in a series of multiple-choice questions and resource management tasks. Participants pack their wagons, make choices about life on the trail, select daily disasters, and spin the weather wheel to determine their chances of survival. After tallying their points, players can discover whether they would have prevailed—or if the trail would have proven too tough. Visitors have thoroughly enjoyed this interactive experience, with some competing for bragging rights while others collaborate to survive. Either way, the game highlights the dangers and difficulties faced by early pioneers settling in Kansas.
Experience Pioneer Life with Connie Cox—on March 30th at 3:00 p.m., we invite you to step back in time and experience the trials and triumphs of Kansas settlers! Join historian Connie Cox of Long Island, KS, as she brings history to life, sharing the hardships, resilience, and determination of those who journeyed to Kansas in search of a new beginning. From the mid-1850s through the late 1800s, thousands of pioneers arrived with little more than hope and perseverance. Dressed in full period costume, Connie will recount the struggles, choices, and bravery of these early settlers as they faced the unpredictable Kansas frontier. Will you prevail—or will the trail prove too challenging? Come find out!
While exploring pioneer history, visitors can also admire the work of our current Artist of the Month, Ken Caples. A talented woodcarver, Caples creates both whimsical and breathtaking pieces inspired by the western frontier. His intricate carvings showcase buffalo, mountain men, and other iconic symbols of the Old West. Through his detailed work, Caples captures the spirit of pioneer life, making his art a must-see for both history buffs and art enthusiasts.
