Bent's Old Fort Gives Visitors a Taste of Colorado, Western History

If someone were traveling, working or living in the American West during the 19^th century, there's a pretty good chance they stopped at Bent's Fort.

From its opening in 1833, until its abandonment in 1849, the large adobe trading post near La Junta, Colo., was an important stop for pioneers, traders, gold seekers, Native Americans and everyone in between. Today, thanks to a massive reconstruction project completed in 1976, the fort - which is open to the public year round - serves as an informative history lesson on early Western life in America.

A National Historic Site, the fort hosts about 30,000 visitors each year. Visitors can take self-guided tours through the settlement or follow one of the fort's multiple daily group tours guided by an interpreter in period clothing. An orientation film runs throughout the day, and several times during the year, the fort hosts living history reenactments and events.

But people in period clothing and live animals aren't the only reasons the fort is such a big attraction - its colorful history is the main draw.

The fort was built by brothers William and Charles Bent and their friend Ceran St. Vrain, all of whom owned the well-regarded Bent, St. Vrain and Co., a prominent trading business in the west. They located the fort in southeastern Colorado on the Santa Fe Trail, the main route running between Missouri and western Mexican settlements. Because it was the only major, permanent white settlement between Missouri and Santa Fe, the fort soon became a key stop for anyone traveling or doing business in the West.

The two-story adobe fort had a blacksmith shop, trading rooms, lodging quarters, a dining room, a resident physician and even a billiards room. It was protected by walls 14 feet in height and 30 inches thick and, as such, served as a safe place to stop for supplies, wagon repairs, livestock, food, water and company. The fort's solid build and central location also made it a staging area for Stephen Watts Kearney's famous Army of the West during the Mexican-American War. The army stayed at the fort for some time while waiting for reinforcements to arrive before invading northern Mexico and, later, winning modern day New Mexico and California for the United States.

The fort was primarily run by William Bent, who married a woman from a nearby Cheyenne tribe and split his time between the fort and her village. Bent's marriage and fair manner made him a friend to almost all the Native Americans in the area, so the fort was often seen as "neutral ground" for all tribes and was often used for inter-tribal councils.

The fort flourished for 16 years until 1849, when disasters, disease and fighting between Native Americans and a fresh influx of gold seekers and pioneers plagued the settlement. It was abandoned and fell into disrepair, especially as the Santa Fe Trail became less popular amid the advent of railroads.

Thanks to the 1976 restoration effort, though, much of the fort was rebuilt using sketches and descriptive diary entries from the time. Today, it's open year round to guests interested in learning about its history and important role in the development of the American West.

Admission to the fort is $3 for adults, $2 for kids 6 to 12 years old and free for anyone 6 years old and under. Hours vary by season; check the fort's web site for details: http://www.nps.gov/archive/beol/home.htm

SOURCES

http://www.nps.gov/beol/

http://www.nps.gov/archive/beol/home.htm

http://www.sangres.com/nationalparks/bents.htm