FFA Convention 2007

Wellington sent a pretty good delegation to the Texas State 2007 FFA Convention.



Sierra Cummings & Kristen Odom
On Board the aircraft carier USS Lexington. Pictured (l-r) Becca Johnson, Corbin Riley, Cari-Anna Breedlove, Sierra Cummings, Kristen Odom, Zachary Odom, Chance Castillo, Dustin Thomas, Jared Warrick.











I am not sure which side of the ship they are on but at least its above the water line.



Getting some "bunk time" on the USS Lexington.























A sharp looking group of young people.
Kristen earned her Loan Star Degree. Jeff Sherman, our Ag Teacher, does a wonderful job.
Captin Kristen.
Hard to believe it time to start aquireing show animals. Kristen has already bought 2 goats.

Bent's Fort - Colorado

My travels this week took me into Colorado.

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

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The Trade Room

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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.

Bent's Fort - 2nd Posting

Welcome to my second day posting on Bent's Fort. Remember you can click on the pictures for a larger view.

The Kitchen
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Looking out the back door of the kitchen.
It would have taken a lot of kitchen help to feed all the residents of the fort as well as the guest, traders, and travelers.

Dutch ovens would have been used a lot.


William Bent's Quarters
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Looking out the kitchen the first door on the left was William Bent's quarters. The second door is Fitzpatrick's quarters. Next to that is the blacksmith shop and then the carpenters shop.


Fitzpatrick's Quarters
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Standing at the door to Fitzpatrick's quarters this is the view across the forts court yard.

Blacksmith's Shop
(click to read a larger view)






Carpenters Shop
(click to read a larger view)
Wagons were kept between the rooms that I have covered so far and the outer fort defensive wall. This kept them safe. The wagons pictured here are directly behind the blacksmiths and carpenters shop where it was easy to work on them.




Here is an aerial view of Bent's Fort. The Arkansas River is directly south of the fort.

See the 3rd posting below.

Bent's Fort - 3rd Posting

Welcome to my 3rd posting on Bent's Fort. Enjoy!
Remember you can click on the pictures for a larger view.


The Warehouse
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The powder storage room.























When Bent destroyed the fort he placed powder kegs around in various places and set fire to the fort. The ceiling in each room was made entirely of wood with grass straw above that as insulation and then a layer of adobe mud. So it would have burned pretty good. When the fire touched off the black powder it would have done a lot of damage to the structure.

This shot was taken looking down the warehouse side of the fort.
The bottom floor of the north side of the fort is where the warehouse room are located.

Inside of a storage room.

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In the center of the court yard was the hide press. This is where they compacted the hides into bundles to be ready for transport back east.

The "bank vault" where the hides were stored. Notice how the bundles are labled. The fort was also know as Fort William after William Bent.

The Well Room

(click to read a larger view)

The hand pump for the well is located about 5 feet below ground level.




The Laborer's Quarters
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The laborer's quarters are located in the corner and the right side of this pictures.




These rooms were all interconnected.























The Doctors Quarters
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The Living Quarters
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The living quarters were above the warehouse storage rooms.





Looking down the side of the living quarters.



Another view of the warehouse and living quarters side of the fort.




Notice how they used a hollowed out tree for the rain spout down the side of the adobe.























See the 4th posting below.