Destinations across six states work together to commemorate the 175th year of the Oregon Trail

Oregon City, Oregon, May 15, 2018, -- This year marks the 175th commemoration of the Oregon Trail. The 2,170-mile trail was a wagon route that stretched from Independence, Missouri to the official end in Oregon City, Oregon. Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory has partnered with cities along the route to launch a social media campaign that tells both the story of the trail's history and the route today. All are invited to follow along at mthoodterritory.com/oregontrail as influencers visit a variety of locations and explore what each city has to offer. The campaign kicks off May 18 when the first influencer visits Independence.

“The Oregon Trail 175th commemoration provides the perfect opportunity for us to partner with destinations that we don't usually have the chance to work with,” said Danielle Cowan, executive director for Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory. “We anticipate that this campaign will inspire travel not only to the end of the Oregon Trail in Oregon City, but also to many of the cities along the way. Visitors will be encouraged to spend a few days experiencing these areas to the fullest. Our partners have been wonderful to work with, and it is very exciting to see this project launch.”

The campaign will feature 15 social influencers visiting 17 different cities along the trail. A different influencer will visit each location to explore the sites and museums of importance to the Oregon Trail, as well as interview and work with a Modern Pioneer from that area to tell their story. Modern Pioneers are the business owners, makers and leaders carrying on the entrepreneurial spirit of the original Oregon Trail pioneers who set off on the trail 175 years ago with the dream of a better life.

“The theme of the Modern Pioneer is critical to this campaign,” said Cowan. “We want to highlight the people that make each destination special. When planning a trip, the stories of the individuals and businesses in the area inspire and intrigue potential visitors. Attractions are great, but add in the backstory of the person who started that business, and visitors begin to feel like they are part of the community.”

Each of the influencers will post their adventures on their blogs and social channels. They will also share their content with the other influencers to tell a complete Oregon Trail story.

Partners along the trail include: Visit Independence, Visit Topeka, Visit Kearney, Visit North Platte, Visit Casper, City of Soda Springs and the Oregon Trails Coalition, which includes Eastern Oregon, Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge and the Portland Region.

For more information and to follow this campaign, visit mthoodterritory.com/oregontrail and use #oregontrail175.

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About Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory

Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory is the official destination marketing organization for Clackamas County, Oregon and is responsible for developing and promoting tourism throughout the County. We work to increase the number of new and repeat visitors to strengthen the local economy. For more information on Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory visit mthoodterritory.com.

About the Oregon Trails Coalition
The Oregon Trails Coalition is a collaboration of statewide and regional tourism partners to inspire visitors to experience the heritage trails in Oregon, specifically the Oregon Trail. The goal of the Coalition is to incorporate heritage tourism into the destination development plans and marketing strategies to ultimately raise awareness of the historical significance of the trails and create experiences that a variety of visitors will enjoy.

For more information contact:

Lizzie Keenan

503-655-8458

Lizzie@hood-gorge.com