Bent's Old Fort Living History Encampment, June 4, 5, 6, 7, 2009

One of the highlights of this trip for Chuck was to participate in a Living History immersion event at Bent's Old Fort. He will learn to use the antique surveying instruments and a sextant like the Topographical Engineers of the 1800s, staying in a tent and eating meals prepared over an open fire. He will have to remain in 1st person the entire time as though he were really in the time period of the fort. This is a National Park event and it looks like it will be fun but a little rugged. This is the entrance to Bent's Fort which was a civilian trading fort on the Santa Fe trail in the 1830s and 1840s.


Set up along the river bottom just outside of the fort is the Topographical Engineer camp. The scenario for the week is to map the Arkansas river, sketch the fort and lay out a map of the area. This is to be la learning session for new Engineers right out of West Point. One of the reasons the fort was able to be restored was that a Topographical Engineer, James Abert, spent a number of months there. He sketched and measured the area and left information in his journal. This is what the NPS used to reconstruct the fort and set up its living history program.



Inside the fort, everything is set up as a working trading post for trappers, Indians, and freighters on the Santa Fe Trail. The closest civilized city was St. Louis. There were many cultures at Bent's fort -- Indians, French, Spanish, Anglos and many of mixed heritage. Inside the fort, women are working as domestic laborers to feed those in the fort. There are craftsman who make what is needed for the wagons and those who take care of the livestock -horses and oxen. There are trappers and hunters camped outside the fort bringing in their furs for trade.

There is even an alarm and guard peacock. They screeched every time someone new came into the fort.

From what the reenactors said, the peacocks were on duty all night long and had no intent of letting anyone sleep for any length of time. They were even heard loud and clear on the river bottom. In those days dogs were more likely to be eaten than kept as pets or guards. That is why Autie and Ulysses never got to go out to the fort.

The fort is run by a manager for William Bent, who was portrayed by a professional living historian. He is quite a character and runs a tight ship. He considers dog a delicacy. There are traders and trappers who come into trade for goods. I think he is quite tough. It was all very interesting.

Domestic laborer women are paid 5 cents a day and their pay goes to their men. Chuck thinks I should do this next year since he was impressed that the women waited on the men hand and foot. Ha! You’d think he’d know by now that I’m not that trainable.

I am picking Chuck up at the fort on Sunday at noon. I’m sure he will be tired, hungry, dirty and smelly. But I'll bet he had a good time. We leave for Laramie, Wyoming tomorrow. Here is what the dogs spent their time doing while Chuck was gone.

PS: Chuck was very tired, hungry, dirty and smelly when I picked him up. He was ready for the 21st century and showers.