> History Of The Starter? In the mid 1800's the Oregon Trail was the main route west for settlers, farmers, lumbermen and prospectors. The Trail started in the state of Missouri in about the center of the continental US and meandered WNW for about 2000 miles to the Oregon Territory. Other trails branched off of the main trail, SW to Santa Fe and west to California and elsewhere. The Starter came West in 1847 with one of Carl's ancestors who traveled the Oregon Trail to Oregon by wagon train.