Tuesdays at Ten | Two Trails West

The National Road and The Oregon Trail

Join Fred Christensen for this 5 week journey along Two Trails West. There will be videos, pictures, and stories surrounding the historic trails that early pioneers traveled in covered wagons along the United States' first federal highway project and the Oregon Trail. 

• February 7: The National Road, 1811-1837, the settler's road to the Midwest Part 1
• February 14: The National Road, 1811-1837, the settler's road to the Midwest Part 2
• February 21:  Wagon Trains West The Oregon Trail, 1836-1869, Pioneer Route from Missouri to the Pacific Part 1
• February 28:  Wagon Trains West The Oregon Trail, 1836-1869, Pioneer Route from Missouri to the Pacific Part 2
• March 7: Wagon Trains West The Oregon Trail, 1836-1869, Pioneer Route from Missouri to the Pacific Part 3

About the presenter:

Fred Christensen is a former history instructor at University of Kentucky and ROTC instructor at University of Illinois, and spent eight years teaching the Army’s Command and General Staff Course. Fred spent 28 years in the US Army Reserves (including 5 years of active duty), retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1997. He retired in 2007 from the University of Illinois Admissions and Records office where he was in charge of issuing all diplomas for graduates and of maintaining graduate records for PhD candidates. 

Since retirement, he has taught adult-education classes for 15 years at the University of Illinois OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) program. His passion for the study of history and archaeology has contributed to these classes and their content. Other accomplishments include teaching for Parkland College’s Community Education program and serving as president of ECIAS (East Central Illinois Archaeological Society) for the last seven years. His wife Judie is a retired librarian from the Champaign Public Library. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wonderful son and daughter-in-law and their three amazing grandchildren. 

Adults | Social, Presentation, Discussion

Main Library, Robeson Pavilion Room A & B

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