Visiting Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, North Dakota/Montana

@JohnRoberts (109865)
Los Angeles, California
October 22, 2018 6:23am CST
The fur trade was the dominate business in the American frontier from 1806 to 1865. The American Fur Company started by John Jacob Astor established a series of trading posts including the most prominent Fort Union on the Missouri River near the now Montana-North Dakota border. The post operated from 1828 to 1867. In 1966, Fort Union National Historic Site was established to commemorate this significant chapter in the development of the American west. Once upon a time the Missouri River was an “interstate highway” in its era. Today, Fort Union is located way off the beaten path and only National Park service facility in two time zones. The parking lot is in Montana mountain time and fort in North Dakota central time. There is nothing original remaining. The fort had been dismantled and its materials used to construct nearby Fort Buford army post. What you see is a reconstruction built on the exact locations and it looks pretty good and authentic. Visitors can wander the grounds and go to the visitor’s center. Exhibits discuss life at the fort and the fur trade. Interesting to learn relations between the fur trade company (Fort Union was not military but privately owned) and Indians were peaceful as each side got what they wanted in trade. For instance nine buffalo robes equaled one gun. This balanced ended when white settlers flooded in putting the fur trade out of business and eventually forcing Indians onto reservations. The Missouri River has changed course from those days but back then steamboats came right up to the entrance to unload and load goods. Indians set up camp outside the walls. A brief but informative travel stop.
An introduction to Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site in North Dakota and Montana.
5 people like this
3 responses
@FourWalls (61308)
• United States
22 Oct 18
I like those forts. We have a state park based on Daniel Boone's settlement. When I was there last year I thought the reconstructed log houses looked more like the TV version and less like what a real 19th-century frontiersman might have....
2 people like this
• United States
22 Oct 18
I've always enjoyed the history of the old west. Wish I could travel around and visit some of the places you've written about
1 person likes this
@theend (2778)
• Gifu, Japan
22 Oct 18
One day long enough to enjoy all this?
1 person likes this