Fort Bridger State Park

Yesterday morning we went over to the state park.  My expectations were pretty high, I am an American History buff and I have read about the expansion of the west and in particular this past year, I read a number of books on Mountain Men and fur trappers, knowing we would be in Wyoming and Montana this summer. One book was about Jim Bridger's life.

One of two known photos of Bridger 

As they say, first impressions are the ones that last.  But not in this case.  Not until Dave and I went through the park and THEN sat down to watch an orientation movie did the significance of this particular fort come to prominence. My first reaction as I came into the fort was - oh no, not another old military outpost (been there, done it many times).  Original buildings from the military occupation of the fort still stand with a walking tour of the different buildings and functions performed.  Where was the Jim Bridger fort?  Found it deep within the park.

Jim Bridger, Mountain Man, who was one of the foremost trappers of American history, and an explorer,  realized when the fur trapping business was quickly coming to an end by 1843 and the importance of starting a trading fort to help those pioneers and emigrants restock their supplies once they traveled the South Pass, heading to Oregon, California, to Salt Lake City (Mormons), and points beyond. The Pony Express had a station within the fort, also.  This fort was the main hub of the expansion of the west.  If it happened in the opening of the American West, it affected or was affected by, Fort Bridger.

Various trails and routes come into Fort Bridger then move out

He eventually left the fort after a decade and the Mormons (forced him out) took over for two years, then the US Army moved in by 1858 and developed a very large military outpost, then abandoned it by 1898 when the transcontinental railroad came through.  For the next 30 years local citizens came in and used some of buildings for housing/milking sheds for their cattle and bought some of the buildings and moved them to their homestead. Last, the State of Wyoming took over the complex in 1933, realizing the importance of what happened here, and made it into a state park and museum.

Entrance into the Fort 

Bridger's living quarters

Unfortunately, the original fort that Bridger built burned down in the early 1930's but the state had enough information and local knowledge so they built another fort as a replica of what it looked like. The Mountain Man Rendezvous reenactment that happens here the first weekend of September is said to be the largest reenactments of all.  People dressed as pioneers, Indians, fur trappers, emigrants, military personal - can you imagine experiencing this?

And to top it off, at the entrance to the state park is a Lincoln Highway roadside car/hotel.  People started to get out and see the country by the late 1920's and would follow the original emigrant trails and at Fort Bridger, a hotel was built where for $1 you could park your car under a carport and rent a room to sleep for the night.  Even comes with bathrooms.  Sorta an olden days camp ground.

Room and carport

Communal bathrooms