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    The document describes the process of making candles that was used by pioneers on the Oregon Trail. It explains that pioneers would melt beeswax in a tall, skinny crock by the campfire. They would dip a string with a stick attached into the melted wax to slowly build up layers of wax on the string. This created tall, thin candles that the pioneers relied on to see in the dark, as candles were a valuable commodity that they would barter for supplies. The document recounts the author and her mother learning this history and making their own candles at a candle making station led by a park ranger.

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    The document describes the process of making candles that was used by pioneers on the Oregon Trail. It explains that pioneers would melt beeswax in a tall, skinny crock by the campfire. They would dip a string with a stick attached into the melted wax to slowly build up layers of wax on the string. This created tall, thin candles that the pioneers relied on to see in the dark, as candles were a valuable commodity that they would barter for supplies. The document recounts the author and her mother learning this history and making their own candles at a candle making station led by a park ranger.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    67 views2 pages

    Candles Wynn

    Uploaded by

    api-530721714
    The document describes the process of making candles that was used by pioneers on the Oregon Trail. It explains that pioneers would melt beeswax in a tall, skinny crock by the campfire. They would dip a string with a stick attached into the melted wax to slowly build up layers of wax on the string. This created tall, thin candles that the pioneers relied on to see in the dark, as candles were a valuable commodity that they would barter for supplies. The document recounts the author and her mother learning this history and making their own candles at a candle making station led by a park ranger.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 2

    Making Candles

    By Wynn Keppinger

    The smell of beeswax filled the air as I gave the string second degree burns by dipping it slowly

    into the crock of hot, melted wax.

    Mom and I had just started making beeswax candles when the park ranger running the

    candle station asked, “Have you learned the history of candle making?”

    “No,” I replied.

    “Well, we’ll fix that,” he announced laughingly.

    As we continued to dip our wicks into the pot of wax, the park ranger told us that

    pioneers coming west on the Oregon Trail would make candles when they had nothing else to

    do. (Pioneers were never bored).

    He explained, “Pioneers would make candles at the campfire at the end of the day. They

    would do it while singing and telling stories.”

    He said that pioneers would take a tall skinny crock and melt wax in the campfire. They

    would get a stick, tie a string to it and start dipping, just like we were doing now.

    He also told us that pioneers would never waste their homemade candles. They were a

    must-have supply and quite valuable. They would use them in a good way, not like in the old

    western movies where bad guys used candles to light covered wagons on fire. Pioneers used

    candles like we do light bulbs – to see in the dark.


    The park ranger also told us that candles were like money. The pioneers would barter

    candles for bacon, beans, and other food. They might even trade them for axes, quilts, rope,

    hats, or any other supplies.

    By this time, our candles were almost done. Our candles looked tall and skinny. They

    were about five inches tall and the wax built up on the string making them look big. Mom and I

    gave our candles one last dip. Then the man cut the string and put our candles into a bag. He

    thanked us for coming. We got into our car with the candles still warm. I couldn’t wait to get

    home and use them!

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