Three families, with only a few wagons and oxen as possessions, head West on the high desert in 1845, led by a garrulous but evasive tall-tale artist named Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood), who may or may not be taking them to a beautiful valley in Oregon.

NEWYORKER: Meek's Cutoff

There was a time, less than two centuries ago, when the only trains heading west from Chicago were composed of wagons carrying groups of traders, prospectors and missionaries seeking their fortunes or their freedom in frontier outposts.

BBC: Five unforgettable rail journeys