Fort Bridger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Bridger
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Fort Bridger
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 Fort Bridger
Location in Wyoming
Fort Bridger
Location in the United States
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| Location | Uinta County, Wyoming, USA |
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| Nearest city | Fort Bridger, Wyoming |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000197 |
| Added to NRHP | 1969-04-16 |
Fort Bridger started as a trading post in 1842. It was built by fur traders on the Blacks Fork of the Green River in Wyoming. This fort became a very important stop for pioneers traveling west. Wagon trains on the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Mormon Trail used it to get supplies. Later, in 1858, the U.S. Army turned it into a military base. The fort closed in 1890. Today, a small town called Fort Bridger, Wyoming is still there, named after the old fort.
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Bridger's Trading Post
The trading post was built by a famous mountain man named Jim Bridger and his partner, Louis Vasquez. Jim Bridger was known for exploring the American West. People often called him the "Daniel Boone" of the Rocky Mountains. He even discovered a mountain pass, which was named Bridger Pass after him.
In 1845, a guide book was published by Lansford Hastings. It told travelers going to California to leave the Oregon Trail at Fort Bridger. This new route, called the Hastings Cutoff, went through the Wasatch Range and a long, dry desert. The famous Donner-Reed Party followed this path. They received a letter from Hastings at Fort Bridger. He claimed his new route was better and he would guide them.
Mormons and Fort Supply
When Mormon pioneers arrived in 1847, problems started between them and Jim Bridger. By 1853, a group of Mormons tried to arrest Bridger. They said he was selling things to Native Americans that he shouldn't be. Bridger escaped and went back East for a while.
The Mormons then built their own Fort Supply nearby in the same year. In 1855, the Mormons took over Fort Bridger. They said they bought it from Vasquez for $8,000 in gold. Jim Bridger, however, said he never sold it. There was a document that seemed to show the sale. But Bridger was not even in the area when the sale supposedly happened.
Utah War
Problems grew between Mormon leaders in Utah Territory and the U.S. government. In 1857, the United States Army was sent to Utah. Their goal was to put a new governor in charge and set up a military presence. As the army moved closer, the Mormons in the Green River valley left their settlements. They burned Fort Supply and Supply City so the army couldn't use them. On October 7, 1857, a man named Wild Bill Hickman set fire to Fort Bridger. This was to stop the approaching U.S. Army from taking it during the Utah War.
The army spent the winter near Fort Bridger. In June 1858, most of the army moved on to Salt Lake City. But two companies of soldiers stayed behind. They officially made Fort Bridger an Army post. The other troops went on to build Camp Floyd south of Salt Lake City.
In 1858, William A. Carter became the main storekeeper, or sutler, at Fort Bridger. He was a very important person in the fort's history. He stayed at the center of the fort's activities for many years. After the fighting ended, the U.S. government did not agree with Brigham Young's claim to the fort. They also didn't recognize Jim Bridger's claims.
Fort Bridger as Pony Express Station
Fort Bridger has some old buildings that are still standing. These include an old barn used by the Pony Express and a protective wall built by the Mormons.
Civil War
When the American Civil War began in 1861, all federal troops in Utah Territory were sent East. They went to fight the Confederate States Army. The next year, Colonel Patrick Edward Connor came to Utah with soldiers from California. He set up Fort Douglas near Salt Lake City. Connor later sent two companies of soldiers to Fort Bridger. This brought the Army back to the fort. Different groups of volunteer soldiers were stationed at Bridger during the Civil War.
Return of the Regular Army
In 1866, the volunteer soldiers left. The Regular Army returned to Fort Bridger. The fort became less isolated in 1869. This was when the Union Pacific Railroad was built through the area.
Over time, the expansion of railroads made many forts like Bridger less needed. Fort Bridger was first closed in 1878. But it was reopened two years later. The Army finally closed the post in 1890. This was the same year Wyoming became a state.
Town of Fort Bridger
After the Army left, the fort's buildings were sold. The site soon became a cattle town in southwest Wyoming. The old Commanding Officer's Quarters became a hotel. The large stone barracks building was even used as a milking barn.
Fort Bridger State Historic Site
In 1928, Fort Bridger was sold to the Wyoming Historic Landmark Commission. They wanted to save it as a historic monument. Today, it is known as Fort Bridger State Historic Site. Several original buildings are still there and have been fixed up. For example, the 1888 stone barracks now has a museum. It shows items from different times in the fort's history. Visitors can also see a rebuilt trading post and an archaeological site.
Annual Fur Trade Rendezvous at Fort Bridger
The Fort Bridger Rendezvous is a yearly event that celebrates the fur trade era of the 1800s. It is also called the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous at Fort Bridger. This event has happened every year since the mid-1970s. It is now one of the biggest rendezvous events in the western United States. Hundreds of sellers and thousands of visitors come each year.
The Fort Bridger Rendezvous Association, a non-profit group, runs the event. Activities include:
- Demonstrations of old-time skills
- Cooking contests
- Black powder rifle shooting
- Knife throwing and hawk contests
- Candy cannons
- Native American dancing
- Storytelling and magic shows
A big part of the rendezvous is shopping. All items sold inside the fort during the event must be from before 1840 or be a copy of something from that time.
Archaeology
Dr. Dudley Gardner started archaeological work at Fort Bridger in 1990. He and his students have found parts of Bridger's original trading post. They also found parts of the Mormon fort and the Army's later buildings. This work helps us learn more about the fort's past.
Fort Bridger at the National Archives and Records Administration
