The Closing of Fort Laramie April 20, 1890

On April 20, 1890, the last soldiers left Fort Laramie.  127 years ago does not seem long ago as I have lived more than half those years.  The fort, once one of the most important along the Oregon Trail and for years a hotbed of activity for trappers, traders, travelers, tribes and the military was no longer needed – that’s progress.


I decided to go back and take a look at the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851. The treaty is short, a bit over a thousand words (about four pages) and contains eight articles. Each article, when broken down in today’s world, looks to be something that would not work – and they didn’t.

ARTICLE 6. The parties to the second part of this treaty having selected principals or head-chiefs for their respective nations, through whom all national business will hereafter be conducted, do hereby bind themselves to sustain said chiefs and their successors during good behavior.

Here is what I wrote about the treaty and specifically. Article 6, a few years ago.

Although the government meant well, a lack of understanding of Indian culture and governing policies likely doomed the treaty from the start.  The government idea of assigning each tribe a certain area, as if each was a state or county within a state was a foreign idea to the tribes and likely not understood. Also, the idea of one man as a head chief for each tribe did not work. Within the Indian culture, if an important matter was to be decided anyone in the tribe had a say.


Fort Laramie and the end of its day’s 127 years ago Thursday, April 20.




Some of My Favorite Wyoming People

Today I thought that I might write a piece on famous people from Wyoming. Looks like I may need to put that off. Why? Too much research. I looked at famous writers, but many of the famous writers from Wyoming were not born here or did not live here for any significant time. I don’t care if they were not born here for my list of famous people from Wyoming but am not sure, as I read in other sources, that claiming a town in Wyoming is a favorite place or vacation living, part time, in a Wyoming Yurt qualifies as Wyoming.

Guess I was not sure what I was looking for. Jim Bridger is near the top of many lists for famous Wyomingites but was not born here. He did spend many years here, and that’s enough for me. Fourteen years ago, maybe it was 15, I ran for a statewide political office (if you have never tried this I would not recommend it) several times I was put down by an opponent because I was not born here. Living here for nearly two decades didn’t count in his book – I thought that should be enough. Now I have spent more than three decades in Wyoming and might qualify. I am, of course, speaking with tongue in cheek but I do believe that to be a famous Wyoming person that a few years in the state should be a qualifier.
If I listed my favorites most would be Mountainmen or Native Indians

Here are ten people that I researched for posts in the past year, all famous and very interesting.  Not my top 10, just 10 people that everyone in Wyoming should know more about.

Note – I purposely did not say anything about them, take the time to Google – fun stuff. Sorry, it must be the old teacher in me.

Enjoy!

Maxwell Struthers Burt
Nellie Tayloe Ross
Edgar Wilson Nye
Annie Proulx
Chris LeDoux
Curt Gowdy
Jackson Pollock
Velma Linford
Robert LeRoy Parker – Butch Cassidy
John B. Kendrick

In other news, I am happy to say I, at last, got out my second book in the Blade Holmes western mysteries published. This one entitled, The Ghost Dance, follows Marshall Holmes from Fort Robinson, Nebraska to Nevada and back to the Sioux Reservations of Southern South Dakota.  The book centers on the famous circle dance of the white shirted dancers, the Ghost Dance. This one has lots of authentic western history and is a very nice follow up to, Commitment, the first Blade Holmes historic novel.

Spring and Bluebirds in Wyoming






A Sunday Drive

Working on a re-do of how this site looks. So far, a lot of do-overs, but I will get there soon.   
Sunning


We took an enjoyable drive yesterday and were once again reminded of how beautiful Wyoming can be. To some it looks terribly empty, to others, there is too much to see. 
Playing with the colors a bit
Snow in the mountains
If this one is blurry, they were in an all out run - 55, or so MPH


All of the photos are from that two hour and ten-minute drive. 
Young Mule Deer
Horses enjoying the new growth grass