Cody, WY to Gering, NE
September 12 - 18, 2019
This is another long post. It seems like we're either traveling or sightseeing and I don't have time to do them as often as I'd like.
This is another long post. It seems like we're either traveling or sightseeing and I don't have time to do them as often as I'd like.
On Thursday, September 12 we took the Mesa Falls Scenic Drive near Ashton, ID. It was a beautiful drive as were the falls.
On Friday, September 13 we drove through Yellowstone.
See all the cars in front of us? This is what happens when any wildlife is sighted.
We drove to Cody, WY and stayed at Absaroka Bay RV Park.
It was a good base for exploring the area.
On Saturday, September 14 we went to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and toured the museums. John took many more pictures than I did but here are a few I took.
The Cody Firearms Museum...
There were so many different firearms. They must have had one of everything ever made. Here are a few really strange ones.
Some of them were works of art.
Here's an interesting belt buckle.
In the Plains Indian Museum there were these items made by the Indian women. The beadwork on them is beautiful.
We spent all day and could have spent longer.
Here's a picture of downtown Cody and Buffalo Bill's Irma Hotel. He named it after his daughter.
On Sunday, September 15 we took the Chief Joseph and part of the Beartooth Scenic highways. The scenery was amazing and changed from desert to mountain peaks.
Monday, September 16 we drove to Douglas, WY and stayed at the Douglas KOA. Neither one of us got a picture but it was a nice park. It was a long day of driving but pretty scenery for some of it. Other parts were just plain desolate.
Tuesday, September 17 we left Douglas and stopped at the Fort Laramie National Historic Site. In 1834 Robert Campbell and William Sublette built the first "Fort Laramie" near the Laramie and North Platte rivers. They called it Fort William, and it measured 100' by 80'. It was mostly a trading post and survived until a competing trading post, Fort Platte, was built a mile away. Not to be outdone, Fort William's owners replaced their aging fort with a larger one named Fort John. It continued to be a trading post, with buffalo hides and other furs being sent east. As the demand for buffalo hides declined Fort John's role changed. In 1841 the first of many emigrants arrived. Fort John did a brisk but seasonal business catering to the emigrants needs. In 1849 the Army bought Fort John and renamed it Fort Laramie. It served as a military post for the next four decades. It was expanded during the western emigration and was the principal military outpost, transportation, and communication hub for the central Rocky Mountain region. The emigrants were glad to get there to rest, make repairs and resupply. In addition to the emigrants, the stagecoach, Pony Express and transcontinental telegraph passed through the post. Treaty negotiations were held there which remain controversial and contested to this day (the Indians got a bad deal). At the end of the Indian Wars the fort's importance was reduced and in 1890 the Army abandoned the post and sold it a public auction. Supplies to build were scarce in the area so people bought the buildings, dismantled them and used them to build their own homes and businesses. In 1938 the National Park service bought the fort and what was left of it and began to restore it. The restoration continues and gives us a glimpse to the past.
I took this picture of the covered wagon the emigrants used and then realized that our "covered wagon" was in the background (you'll have to click on the picture).
I took this picture of the covered wagon the emigrants used and then realized that our "covered wagon" was in the background (you'll have to click on the picture).
The Cavalry Barracks
The Old Bakery and New Bakery ruins
The Guardhouse, cell and solitary confinement cells (no light, no heat and no furniture).
The Administration Building, which was used for the Army, and the right portion used for a schoolroom for the officer's children.
The Captain's Quarters
The ruins of the Officer's Quarters
"Old Bedlam"
Ruins of the Infantry Barracks
Officer's Row
The Sutler's Store
The Old Iron Bridge
After leaving Fort Laramie we continued to Gering, NE and are at the Robidoux RV Park. It's a city park and very nice with full hookups, lots of grass, and a view of Scotts Bluff.
Wednesday, September 18 we drove about three miles on the Oregon Trail Road to Scotts Bluff National Monument. As with Fort Laramie, the Oregon Trail, California Trail, Mormon Trail, and Pony Express all went by Scotts Bluff through Mitchell Pass. Most emigrant diaries mention Scotts Bluff. After traveling from Missouri on the plains they considered Courthouse Rock, Jail Rock, and Scotts Bluff the beginning of western lands. The visitor center and wagon displays are right on the Oregon Trail.
This is what the really poor emigrants used, and they pulled these wagons across the country!
Most emigrants used wagons like these (approximately 4' by 10' in which to put all your worldly goods).
Only the rich could afford wagons like these as they were very heavy and took a large team to pull.
There's a road that goes to the top of Scotts Bluff. The view was beautiful, and it helped to imagine what the trip would have been like across this section.
They were a hearty lot for sure.
Roving on...
The heavens declare the
glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1
No comments:
Post a Comment