Category: Reenactments

Rendezvous – Fort Bridger Wyoming

Even as a young kid I imagined that I once lived as a mountain man in the Rocky Mountains. No, I’m not a Shirley MacLaine type who remembers all my previous lives, it was more about the fascination of living a solitary life in the Rockies. I’m sure my Aspie traits had something to do with it, but it was also brought on by my overactive imagination. 😉 I don’t really remember the books I read as a youth to spur the dream of being a mountain man, but I’m sure they existed. For that reason Ft. Bridger has been on my bucket list before I even knew there was such a thing.

A Little Background

Fort Bridger was the biggest rendezvous in the mountain man days. As shown here it took place between 1825 and 1840. There is an annual reenactment in the first weekend of September and is the largest such gathering in the nation.

The town of Ft. Bridger itself has a population of about 300 people and I think has one gas station/general store. There is also a some small mom-and-pop rental cabins and a campground that I expect is reserved years ahead for this particular weekend. From a cursory view, it looks like a fifty-mile trek to a city of any size. So, needless to say the first weekend in September is THE event of the year.

I knew before my visit that this rendezvous was one of the biggest in the US. I got there early so managed to get a parking spot near the entrance. If it had been a couple of hours later I would have had a mile long trek to get to the gate. As soon as I got through the gate it struck me that this rendezvous was quite different from any I had been to before. Almost everyone dresses for the event. I think they drew about 10,000 the day I visited and most had on 1840’s garb.

To keep from looking out of place, I quickly found a booth to buy things that were period appropriate and then rushed back to my µRV to change. Upon entering the gate properly attired I discovered just how big it this rendezvous was. I had visited a couple of dozen others and this one was likely bigger than all of those combined. But since it was spread out a couple hundred acres or more it did not feel crowded to this city guy.

I spent about 10 hours there and walked over 10 miles and I still don’t think I saw everything. But what I remember most was the frying pan throw and the Native American dances and rituals and the recreated fort with all the surrounding activity. Booths, demonstrations and storytelling were everywhere. There was also a women’s shooting range and of course, the compensatory tomahawk throwing contests lined the venue throughout the day.

This was the longest trip I have taken to a rendezvous but well worth the time. I am putting together a more thorough on-the-road storytelling report about this trip that will soon be available over at one of my other blogs that is dedicated to storytelling. I will give you the address here when it is completed.

Enough for now I will let these pictures tell you the rest of the story. If you have any questions just drop a comment or note and I will try to answer them.

Click on any picture to see a larger version slideshow:

  • There was always a demonstration or lecture to explain things.
    There was always a demonstration or lecture to explain things.
  • The original fort was nothing fancy. Just a place to meet once a year.
    The original fort was nothing fancy. Just a place to meet once a year.
  • Outside the fort
    Outside the fort
  • Selling their goods and swapping stories outside the fort.
  • When I think of the original rendezvous I see this guy.
    When I think of the original rendezvous I see this guy.
  • Trappers swapping goods with Native Americans was what it was all about
    Trappers swapping goods with Native Americans was what it was all about
  • The encampment, at least today's version
    The encampment, at least today’s version
  • This is one of my first pictures of the day. I wondered why the guy was carrying a frying pan. It was for the frying pan toss
    This is one of my first pictures of the day. I wondered why the guy was carrying a frying pan. It was for the frying pan toss
  • The frying pan toss is an annual tradition at the rendezvous.
    The frying pan toss is an annual tradition at the rendezvous.
  • Even the women got in on the target shooting
    Even the women got in on the target shooting
  • A Typical Vendor
  • The encampment reenactors were really into the spirit of things
    The encampment reenactors were really into the spirit of things
  • Native American dance for all the visitors
    Native American dance for all the visitors
  • This little guy really got into the swing of things.
    This little guy really got into the swing of things.
  • To me, this photo embodies the overall spirit of the rendezvous.
    To me, this photo embodies the overall spirit of the rendezvous.

Mississinewa 1812

I spent much of 2019 traveling around the country to reenactments. It was surprising to see the best one of that year within 200 miles of my home. The Battle of Mississinewa took place in 1812. This was a time before the forming of the State of Indiana. It was a time when all the Native Americans were being driven out of their homelands of the “State of the Indians”. The battle took place in December 1812. It was between 600 federal troops and a few hundred Native Americans who aligned with the British to try to desperately hold on to their native lands. Of course the federal troops ruled the day and therefore wrote the history of the event. This reenactment is supposed to be the biggest one of the War of 1812.

I was amazed at the diversity of the encampment and the attendance. There were lots of people there but it was well worth it. There were many musicians around the event that I dreamed of hearing. One of the things about my deafness of thirty years is that I no longer can remember what musical instruments sound like and that is a very frustrating thing when I saw the fellow below playing.