Fort Bridger: Difference between revisions
John Stanton (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
John Stanton (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
== Mormon Fort Bridger (1855-1857) == | == Mormon Fort Bridger (1855-1857) == | ||
[[Image:Fort Bridger - 101.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Excavation of Mormon Defenses at Fort Bridger]] | [[Image:Fort Bridger - 101.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Excavation of Mormon Defenses at Fort Bridger]] | ||
In 1855 | In 1855 Fort Bridger was sold to the Mormons for $8,000. Tensions increased between the Mormon leaders in Salt lake and the U.S. Government and the Mormons at Fort Bridger expanded and further fortified the post, completing the improvements in the summer of 1857. U.S. troops were dispatched in mid 1857 to insure a secular government for the Utah Territory in what became known as the [[Mormon War]]. As the U.S. troops approached Fort Bridger the Mormon defenders burned down Fort Bridger and nearby [[Fort Supply]] to keep them from falling into U.S. Army hands. Fort Bridger was taken over by the U.S. military under General [[Albert Sidney Johnston]] in 1858 and rebuilt as a U.S. Army post but [[Fort Supply]] was not rebuilt. | ||
{{Clr}} | {{Clr}} | ||
== U.S. Army Fort Bridger (1858-1890) == | == U.S. Army Fort Bridger (1858-1890) == | ||
Revision as of 11:21, 17 September 2011
Fort Bridger (1843-1890) - Established by Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez in 1843 as a trading post and outfitting point for emigrants. Later acquired by the Mormons and taken over by the U.S. Army. Fort Bridger was transferred to the Interior Department and finally abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1890.
 |
 |
 | |
Old Fort Bridger (1843-1855)
The original Fort Bridger as established by Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez in 1843 became an important emigrant outfitting stop along the Oregon, Salt Lake and California trails. The post was strategically located in an ideal spot with plenty of good water just before the point where the trails began to split off to the various western destinations. Bridger established a blacksmith shop and stocked it with iron so he could offer repair services and brought other supplies from the east to meet the needs of the travelers. Mormon leaders in Salt Lake originally shipped supplies to Fort Bridger to meet the needs of Mormon emigrants but found that too expensive and they established nearby Fort Supply in 1853 so that they could locally raise crops.
Mormon Fort Bridger (1855-1857)
In 1855 Fort Bridger was sold to the Mormons for $8,000. Tensions increased between the Mormon leaders in Salt lake and the U.S. Government and the Mormons at Fort Bridger expanded and further fortified the post, completing the improvements in the summer of 1857. U.S. troops were dispatched in mid 1857 to insure a secular government for the Utah Territory in what became known as the Mormon War. As the U.S. troops approached Fort Bridger the Mormon defenders burned down Fort Bridger and nearby Fort Supply to keep them from falling into U.S. Army hands. Fort Bridger was taken over by the U.S. military under General Albert Sidney Johnston in 1858 and rebuilt as a U.S. Army post but Fort Supply was not rebuilt.
U.S. Army Fort Bridger (1858-1890)
 |
 |
 | |
In spite of temporary times of abandonment during the U.S. Civil War and then again during the late 1870s, Fort Bridger remained U.S. Army property until it was transferred to the Interior Department 14 Oct 1890 and finally abandoned by the U.S. Army 6 Nov 1890.
After the post was abandoned, many of the buildings constructed by the army were sold at public auction and moved off of the fort grounds to become private homes, barns, bunkhouses and the like. For a time, the buildings that remained were allowed to fall into disrepair. But after a period of neglect, various groups and individuals took interest in preserving and restoring what remained of old Fort Bridger. In 1933 the property was dedicated as a Wyoming Historical Landmark and Museum.
Current Status
Fort Bridger is now a state historic site and administered by Wyoming State Parks & Historic Sites, Division of Parks & Cultural Resources, Wyoming Department of State Parks & Cultural Resources.
|
{"selectable":false,"width":"500"} |
Location: At the town of Fort Bridger, Uinta County, Wyoming. Three miles off Interstate 80, exit #34. Maps & Images Lat: 41.317722 Long: -110.392148 |
Sources:
- Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 196
- Frazer, Robert W., Forts of the West, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK, 1965, ISBN 0-8061-1250-6, page 178
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 855-857
Links:
Visited: 16 Sep 2011
Picture Gallery
|
Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |