At the close of the fur trade era, western America history began to take on a more permanent shape. The motivation of people coming west shifted away from exploration and hunting. Families were seeking land to clear and farm; men were hoping to find fortunes in the gold fields; and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were seeking a place to practice their religion and build there own communities.
The establishment of Fort Bridger played a major role in defining this transition. It has been credited with being the first fort west of the Mississippi River that was built specifically to provide services to the emigrants. Even though the first two locations Jim Bridger tried were not successful, this one was destined to flourish. In fact, this location has been steadily occupied and re-occupied from Bridger's time to the present.
The Sill Log
The present log segments that you can see just inside the Mormon Wall foundation are all that remains of the trading post operated by Jim Bridger and his partner Louis Vasquez. The fort was built of logs and daubed with mud and was described by some emigrants as "a shabby concern."
"I have established a small fort with a blacksmith shop and a supply of iron in the road of the emigrants on Black Fork of Green River, which promises fairly. In coming out here they are generally well supplied with money, but by the time they get here they are in need of all kinds of supplies, horses, provisions, smith work, etc." — From a letter dictated by Jim Bridger to Pierre Choteau Jr., December 1843
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