As part of the Santa Fe Trail history and history of the West I enjoy reading about Bent's Fort. I have always wanted to stop and see the reconstructed fort. I had a little extra time so I detoured off the main highway and went by to see it. Over the next few days I will post pictures and information about Bent's Fort. Check back often.
...UPDATE - See the new Bent's Fort postings below.....
>>1st day - posted Saturday
>>2nd day - posted Sunday
>>3rd day - posted Monday
>>4th day - posted Tuesday
Bent's Fort - 1st posting
(click on the pictures for a larger view)
Bent’s Old Fort was one of the significant centers of fur trade on the Santa Fe Trail, influencing economies around the world. Built by brothers Charles and William Bent and their business partner Ceran St. Vrain in 1833, the fort was the leading industry west of the Mississippi in the early 1830s. For 16 years, Bent, St. Vrain and Co. managed a prosperous trading empire. The Fort was located on the' Arkansas River, the international boundary between two countries, Mexico on the south side of the river, and the United States on the north. Strategically located on an established road, it helped pave the way for the occupation of the west by the u.s. Army, and was an instrument of Manifest Destiny and the invasion of Mexico in 1846.
By 1849, the trade 'which had made Bent's Fort prosper was deteriorating. Local bison populations were in decline, cottonwood groves were wiped out, and the lives of the Plains Indians had been disrupted by trade and the growing stream of settlers, gold-seekers, and soldiers during and after the Mexican-American War. Clashes with the Plains Indians had become more frequent, cholera was sweeping the area, and William Bent's first wife and three brothers had died. Some theorize that he tried to burn down the Fort in 1849. In the early 1850s he constructed Bent's New Fort 40 miles downriver at Big Timbers, near present day Lamar, Colorado.
The Council Room
(click to read a larger view)
The Trade Room
(click to read a larger view)
The Dining Room
Map and Overview of the Fort
View along the council room, trade room and dining room side of the fort interior.
Walkway and gate leading to the south wall.
See the next posting below.
