OCTA Membership
Join the Oregon-California Trails Association
| Level | Dues |
|---|---|
| Click a level to add it to your cart or download our . | |
| Offline Application | |
| Emigrant | $45 |
| Pioneer | $60 |
| Trail Patron | $125 |
| Mattes Society | $250 |
| Ezra Meeker | $1000* |
| Student (college) | $20 |
| Educator | $45 |
| Institutional | $300 |
| Corporate | $1250 |
National Membership
Memberships have been tailored to address varying member wishes. Those with higher initial costs provide increased benefits.
General Memberships
While the basic Emigrant membership provides the member with a newsletter, scholarly journal and 5% discount, the Pioneer also gets two votes in the annual election; the Trail Patron additionally gets an increased 10% discount, the Merrill J. Mattes Society additionally gets a 15% discount, two free publications and a Mattes pin, and the Ezra Meeker Life Member additionally gets a plaque and Meeker Life Member pin.
Educational Memberships
College Students get the basic member benefits, and Educators receive access to the education section on OCTA’s website.
Institutional Memberships
The Institutional member gets discounts, plaque and an ad in the journal and newsletter, and the Corporate Member gets, in addition, links on OCTA’s website.
Chapter Membership
Once you have selected a National Membership level, please consider joining one of our local chapters to enjoy the benefits of a community of trail enthusiasts with more specific goals and activities.
| Chapter | Student | Individual | Family | Corporate | Sustaining | Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Click a level to add it to your cart | ||||||
| CA-NV | $10 | $15 | $35 | |||
| CO-Cherokee Trail | $10 | $200 | ||||
| Crossroads | $5 | $10 | ||||
| Gateway | $10 | $15 | ||||
| Idaho | $10 | |||||
| KANZA | $10 | $15 | ||||
| Nebraska | $10 | |||||
| Northwest | $10 | $15 | $20 | $200 | ||
| Southern Trails | $10 | $15 | $50 | $200 | ||
| Trails Head | $10 | |||||
| Wyoming | $10 | |||||
Member Benefits
Overland Journal is OCTA's quarterly magazine which contains articles and book reviews concerning historic trails.
News from the Plains is OCTA's quarterly newsletter, which contains information about the activities of OCTA national, OCTA chapters, and OCTA members.
Local Chapters sponsor field trips and other activities to preserve and learn about the trails in their regions. Join OCTA and then join one of these local chapters.
Time Travelers is a program in which OCTA participates that allows OCTA members to receive a variety of special benefits, such as free admission or gift shop discounts when they visit Time Travelers affiliates. There are 185 museums and historic sites in 45 states that participate in the program. See a complete list of participating institutions.
When you join OCTA, you will receive free access to Paper Trail, the website based on a searchable index of 19th Century westward American migration documents. (www.paper-trail.org)
Membership Levels
Emigrant - $45/year
- Basic membership for individuals
- Receive the Overland Journal, OCTA's quarterly scholarly journal, and News From the Plains, OCTA's quarterly newsletter
- 5% discount on all OCTA merchandise
- One vote in OCTA's annual election
- The opportunity to join a local chapter
- Access to a members-only section of OCTA's website
- An invitation to OCTA's annual convention
Pioneer - $60/year
- Basic membership for families
- Pioneers receive the same benefits as the Emigrant level, but get two votes in OCTA's annual elections
Trail Patron - $125/year
Formerly the Supporting level, Trail Patrons receive the same benefits as the Pioneers level, plus a 10% discount on all OCTA merchandise.
Merrill J. Mattes Society - $250/year
Formerly the Patron level, this prestigious society is named for the former Superintendent of Scotts Bluff National Monument, Platte River Road historian, and a founding member of OCTA. Members of this society receive the same benefits as the Trail Patron. They also receive:
- A 15% discount on all OCTA merchandise
- Two free publications from selected stock (OCTA publications only)
- A Merrill J. Mattes lapel pin signifying their willingness to help sustain Mr. Mattes' vision
Institutional (Libraries, Museums, Trail Centers, etc.) - $300/year
Designed especially for our friends who also support and promote overland emigrant trails, the Institutional level receives the same basic benefits plus:
- A plaque signifying their membership in OCTA
- A 15% discount on all OCTA merchandise
- One free quarter-page ad in OCTA's two prestigious quarterly publications, the Overland Journal and News From the Plains
Ezra Meeker Life Member - $1000
Formerly the Life Member category, this membership level is named for Oregon Territory pioneer Ezra Meeker, who followed the Oregon Trail in 1852 with his young wife and infant son. In 1906-07, Meeker single-handedly led the first effort to gain historic status for these emigrant roads when he retraced his route in reverse with a team of oxen and a covered wagon. He retraced the trail later by rail, auto, and in 1924, by air. Life members receive all of the benefits listed above as well as:
- A plaque signifying their willingness to help sustain Meeker's vision
- An Ezra Meeker Life Member lapel pin
- A permanent 15% discount on all OCTA merchandise
Corporate Member - $1,250
OCTA relies heavily on the kindness of corporate friends and has established a unique opportunity for the business community to show their solidarity with trail preservation efforts. Corporate members receive:
- The Overland Journal, OCTA's quarterly scholarly journal, and News From the Plains, OCTA's quarterly newsletter
- A 15% discount on all OCTA merchandise
- Two free half-page ads in OCTA's two quarterly publications
- Free links back to their corporate website on OCTA's homepage during the duration of their membership.
College Student - $20
This level is designed especially for undergraduate and graduate students. Members at this level receive the same benefits as the Emigrant level.
Educator - $45
This level is designed especially for teachers in elementary, junior and high schools. Members at this level receive the same benefits as the Emigrant level, a set of “Junior Friend of OCTA,” the opportunity to submit articles to a new “Students Only” newsletter, and access to a special education section on the OCTA website.