July 30-August 5, 2012 – Fort Bridger, WY and Garden City, UT
We left Flaming Gorge and drove across the southwest corner of Wyoming. We stopped at Fort Bridger, WY and toured the Fort Bridger State Historic Site. Fort Bridger was first established by Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez in 1843 as an emigrant supply stop along the Oregon Trail. In the 1850’s the trading post was obtained by the Mormons who ran it until it became a military outpost in 1858. The army operated the fort until it was abandoned in 1890. During this time Fort Bridger had a variety of duties. In addition to keeping the emigrant trails open and safe, it was a stop for the Pony Express and the Overland Stage, a distribution center for government supplies to the Shoshone Indians, a source of supplies for workers on the Union Pacific Railroad and for scientists exploring the Yellowstone area. A replica of the original trading post built by Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez has been constructed on the original site. ...