Mission

The purpose of the fund is to develop interpretive, educational, and economic projects to preserve and protect the cultural and natural resources of Oregon’s historic trails. Although the fund derived much of its revenue from the sale of Oregon Trail license plates, a long-term goal is to build a large and stable resource to support local citizen efforts that promote public awareness of and enjoyment of the historic trails.

In 1998, the financial assets of the Oregon Trails Coordinating Council were transferred to The Oregon Community Foundation to establish the Oregon Historic Trails Fund, dedicated to projects related to Oregon historic trails as recognized by the state legislature in ORS 358.075. As of 1998, these trails included:

• Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
• Applegate National Historic Trail
• Oregon National Historic Trail
• Nez Perce National Historic Trail
• Whitman Mission Route
• Upper Columbia River Route
• Meek Cutoff
• Free Emigrant Road
• Cutoff to the Barlow Road
• Klamath Trail
• Jedediah Smith Route
• Nathaniel Wyeth Route
• Benjamin Bonneville Route
• Ewing Young Route
• John Fremont Route
• Santiam Wagon Road