The Oregon Trail computer game, first released in 1971, became almost ubiquitous in American schools by the 1980s. In this lecture, we'll go on the Trail to see how the game stacks up to the reality of the hundreds of thousands who emigrated west. What it gets right: A lot of people did die of dysentery. What it doesn't: You cannot get there faster by mashing the spacebar.

Charlie Zimmermann is a lifelong Oregon Trail aficionado. At age eight, they dressed as a pioneer for Halloween, and as a young adult, they earned the "Young OCTAn" award from the Oregon and California Trails Association. They graduated from Southern Oregon University in 2024 with a dual degree in history and political science with a minor in Native American Studies. They enjoy spending time with their cat Dassy, making rag rugs and other textile-based crafts, and teaching others about history.

The monthly Windows in Time lunchtime lectures feature well-known writers and historians and bring alive the people, values, and events that shaped our southern Oregon heritage. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) and Jackson County Library Services. Programs are presented in Medford (first Wednesdays, in-person and online) and again in Ashland (second Wednesdays, in-person). Registration is only required to attend the Zoom version of Medford's program. Recordings of Medford presentations are available on the JCLS Beyond YouTube channel