Convention News and Updates

PRESS COVERAGE OF CONVENTION

September 5, 2009: Aussie tractor tour treks through Falcon.
Article by Kathleen Wallace in the New Falcon Herald regarding Transworld Tractor Treks' tour through Colorado and visit to OCTA convention.
Click here to read full article.

Kansas State Historical Society website: Congratulations to Duane! 
Article on presentation of OCTA's Outstanding Educator Award for the Museum category to Duane Durst, site administrator at Hollenberg Pony Express Station State Historic Site.
Click here to read full article.

Downtown Loveland Association website: Report on OCTA convention

"Board member Jan Brown spoke about the huge OCTA - Oregon-California Trails Association - convention in Loveland.

- The DLA thanked board member Jan Brown for promoting our downtown restaurants, merchants and businesses at the information booth at the August convention for the OCTA -  Hundreds of folks from the U.S. and around the world descended on Loveland for a week of talks and activities and for the world premier of a new film. Jan singlehandedly made reservations for restaurants, gave out coupons to local stores, and handed out brochures for local businesses and maps of Loveland to many visitors."

www.downtownloveland.org

August 20, 2009: Rialto Theater hosts documentary's premiere
Article by Shelley Widhalm in the Loveland Reporter-Herald. 
Click here to read full article.

August 20, 2009: Oregon Trail film has premiere in Loveland   
Article by Shelley Widhalm in the Longmont Times-Call.  
Click here to read full article.

August 19, 2009: ‘The real America’ - Australia’s Transworld Tractor Treks stops in Loveland on coast-to-coast US trip
Article by Shelly Widhalm in the Loveland Reporter-Herald.  
Click here to read full article.

August 18, 2009: Celebrate historic trails to points west
Editorial in the Longmont Times-Call welcomes the OCTA convention.  
Click here to read full editorial.

August 17, 2009: "In Pursuit of a Dream" in theaters this week
Article by Candy Moulton in The Fence Post.
Click here to read full article.

August 16, 2009: Aussie tractor trekkers wander in
Article by Rick Myers in the Omaha World-Herald discusses Transworld Tractor Treks' trip through Nebraska and the group's plans to participate in the OCTA convention.  
Click here to read full article.

August 10, 2009: Loveland convention to preserve trail history
Article by Pamela Dickman in the Longmont Times-Call discusses highlights of the convention.
Click here to read full article.

August 6, 2009: Documentary, Loveland convention celebrate historic trails
Article by Pamela Dickman in the Loveland Reporter-Herald discusses highlights of the convention.  
Click here to read full article.

July 24, 2009: Major historic tourism event in Colorado
Posting on YourHub.com describes highlights of the convention.  
Click here to read full posting.

June 1, 2009: Filming the Oregon Trail
Article by Candy Moulton in True West Magazine.
Click here to read full article.

PRE-CONVENTION UPDATES

August 14, 2009: Online registration and pre-registration by mail have now closed.  Please register at the convention site beginning Tuesday, August 18 at 9:00 a.m.
Click here for full schedule of Registration Room hours.

August 11, 2009: All the bus tours on Thursday, August 20 are now sold out.  Seats remain available on all the Saturday tours.

July 30, 2009: The Rocky Mountain Map Society has organized an exhibit of over 50 diverse, sometimes rare, maps and books depicting America's westward trail history.  This exhibit, Quest: Trail Maps of the American West, will be on display at the Loveland Museum/Gallery from August 8 to October 4, 2009.  Wesley Brown, a member of the Society, will be a speaker at the OCTA convention on August 19. The opening of the exhibit on August 8 is free and open to the public.  

• Click here to learn more about the exhibit and a list of the maps on display.

• Click here for information on the opening of the exhibit on August 8.

July 30, 2009: A new page has been added to the convention website with information on the authors who will be participating in Authors Night.  Click here to read more.

July 30, 2009: Continuing education credit through the University of Northern Colorado is available to educators for participation in the OCTA convention.  
Click here for further information.

July 27, 2009: Schedule change: Tour D will be conducted on Saturday only.

July 27, 2009: Laura Joss, Acting Deputy Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service, will be the speaker at the Agency Appreciation Luncheon on August 19.

July 21, 2009: In Pursuit of a Dream, OCTA's new movie which will have its premiere at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on August 19, now has a website. Click here to learn more.

July 20, 2009: Special convention guest, Dan Rottenberg, received the Wild West History Association's Best Book of the Year 2008 Award for Death of a Gunfighter: The Quest for Jack Slade, the West's Most Elusive Legend.  The award was presented on July 16, 2009 at the WWHA conference in San Antonio, Texas.  Click here to read more.

June 27, 2009: New contact for Volunteer information: Bruce Watson.

June 23, 2009: Next convention planning meetings scheduled for July 11 and August 1.  Click here for further information.

June 20, 2009: New hours for Registration Room on Tuesday, August 18: 

• 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

June 10, 2009:  Loveland has been named one of America's 10 "Best Places to Live" by U.S. News & World Report.  Click here to read more.

June 8, 2009: Changes have been made to the Convention Schedule for August 19 and 21.

May 28, 2009:  Panelists have been announced for the Workshop, Partnering With Federal Agencies on Your Trail Projects:

• Jay Banta - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Utah

• Jude Carino - Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming

• Otis Halfmoon - National Park Service, New Mexico

• Aaron Mahr - National Park Service, New Mexico

• Susan Alden Weingardt - United States Forest Service, Colorado

• Gary Werner - Partnership for the National Trails System, Wisconsin

May 26, 2009:  The early history of Loveland and Berthoud is described in an article prepared by the Loveland and Berthoud Historical societies: 
Trails Across the Thompson Valleys.

May 22, 2009:  OCTA is pleased to welcome Denny “Scott” Miller as our special guest speaker for the premiere of the film In Pursuit of a Dream at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on August 19. From Tarzan to the Gorton’s Fisherman, Mr. Miller has been a television favorite for over 50 years.  Fans of TV westerns will most notably remember him as the tall, blonde and handsome scout “Duke Shannon” on Wagon Train.  Before Mr. Miller was discovered by Hollywood he was a talented athlete and played basketball for UCLA, planning a career in coaching and promoting physical fitness.

Today, Mr. Miller has authored two books and continues his passion for connecting youth and adults to the benefits of fitness and relaxation, getting kids outdoors and concerns against obesity.  He remembers fondly his days on Wagon Train and looks forward to joining us at the 2009 OCTA Convention for the premiere event and Author's Night on August 21.

May 12, 2009:  Please note update to South Platte River Route/Overland Trail pre-convention tour.  CBs are required for communication among vehicles.

April 27, 2009: The two-day pre-convention tour of the Cherokee Trail, beginning in Rock Springs, Wyoming, is now sold out.