Geographic Society Presents
Beyond the Classroom:
& Natural Heritage Programs Offered Through the "Oregon Trail Education Center"
Tours & Excursions of
the Cascade Geographic Society featured in cooperation with Portland State
The tours linked
on this page are intended for teachers and schools who wish to provide an
outdoor experience for their students that will never be forgotten.
If you are not a
teacher and you are interested in learning more about these tours please contact
To sign up for a tour you must register with Cascade Geographic Society ahead of
time. If you are interested in more about the tours listed below please follow
the link highlighting the name of the tour. If you have questions after reading
the information provided please contact Mike or Nita directly at (503) 622-4798
or (503) 658-6233.
Through the years, it has
become tradition to many schools to visit the Oregon Trail on Mount Hood with
the Cascade Geographic Society, and this would be an ideal adventure for you,
your class, and parent helpers. Bring history alive by taking advantage of this
field trip opportunity where you can follow in the wake of the "Prairie
Schooners". The sites that will be visited during this day-long excursion
include emigrant graves and campsites, wagon ruts and swales, primary and
secondary routes, tollgates, stream "fords", and much more, including the
infamous Big Laurel Hill where pioneers were forced to lower their covered
wagons down over its dangerously-steep cliffs. This special interpretative tour
will be enhanced with multi-cultural stories of the past about the Indians, the
emigrant travelers, and the African-American pioneers who came West. This is a
very popular field trip so sign-up early and reserve a day by calling (503)
Visit the "Portland
Underground" (Shanghai Tunnels) with Your Class.
streets of Downtown Portlandšs waterfront lie the remains of an infamous history
that represents the remnants of an untold history of human rights violations at
their worst. Unsuspecting victims who had little or no ties to their families,
and who frequented the saloons and other places of lesser reputations, would
find themselves dropped through trapdoors into basements where they were held
hostage for a period of time until they were finally taken through tunnels to
the wharfs and sold to sea captains ready to leave port. It was a time when the
Rose City was "wide open" and police and political corruption were common but
rarely discussed openly.
Today, you can visit the
infamous "Portland Underground" with the Cascade Geographic Society. We will
adjust the historical information in this 45-minute tour to the age of your
class. This unique adventure into the historical world of shanghaiing is quickly
becoming known as one of the best educational field trips around.
If you would like to explore
Portland's Shangahi Tunnels with your class, make your reservations today.
Special limited tours of Portland's infamous Underground are available. This
unique and secret history of the "City of Roses" is awaiting you and your
classes discovery and exploration.
For additional information,
please give the Cascade Geographic Society a call (503) 622-4798. If you get our voicemail, to insure a quick response, be sure to
leave both a daytime and evening number with the hours you can be reached.
In 1845, the wagon parties of
Samuel Kimbrough Barlow, Joel Palmer, and William Rector joined together and
attempted to make the first crossing of the 11,235-foot Mt. Hood by widening an
Ancient Indian trail. From mid-September through December, they battled their
way through the thick timber of the Mountain's southern flank, and failed. They
had to cache their "Prairie Schooners" and most of their possessions in a
crudely-made log cabin, and hiked out. They didn't reach Oregon City until
Today, with the expertise of an
interpreter from the Cascade Geographic Society, experience this unique and
colorful history by visiting emigrant campsites, graves, tollgates, wagon ruts
and swales, and even the infamous Big Laurel Hill, the worst section of the
2,000-plus mile Oregon Trail. Or, study Old-Growth Forests, wetlands, Wild
Rivers, Salmon and wildlife habitats, ethnobotany, environmental issues, and
more, all located alongside this historic trail.
Hood's Old-Growth Wilderness Odyssey" with your class. Participants will learn
about both the Rivers and the Forests in this inter-disciplinary approach. Spend
the day in a 33-acre Old-Growth Forest, complete with a Lake, a River, Wetlands,
and lots of Wildlife and Salmon. This unique outdoor classroom will allow you to
study environmental science, fisheries, social studies, language arts, art, and
more. Wešll design a program to fit your needs. A great winter season field
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