Fort Laramie, Wyoming – Crossroads to the West
Fort Laramie, Wyoming, a name synonymous with the American West, stands as a powerful testament to a nation on the move. More than just a structure of stone and wood, it represents the complex interplay of westward expansion, Native American resilience, and the evolving identity of the United States. From its humble beginnings as a fur trading post to its later role as a crucial military installation, Fort Laramie served as a vital crossroads, witnessing both peaceful exchange and violent conflict.
The story of Fort Laramie begins in 1834, not as a military stronghold, but as a commercial venture. Here, on the vast plains of what is now Wyoming, a fur trading post known as Fort William was established. Its location proved strategically advantageous, drawing the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes who frequented the area for trade and hunting. This initial iteration of Fort Laramie offered a space where cultures could interact, exchanging goods and forging tentative relationships. While not yet a formal military establishment, Fort William gradually gained a reputation as a place of relative safety for the increasing numbers of settlers venturing westward across the continent.
As the 1840s dawned, the trickle of settlers transformed into a steady stream. Wagon trains, laden with hopeful pioneers and their possessions, began to utilize Fort William as a crucial rest stop and resupply point. Their destinations varied – the fertile valleys of Oregon, the promise of gold in California, and the religious haven of Utah – but their shared journey led them to this vital outpost. Recognizing the evolving needs of the westward migration, Fort William was replaced in 1841 by a more substantial structure: Fort John. Constructed of durable adobe brick, Fort John commanded a prominent position on a bluff overlooking the Laramie River. This new fort was named in honor of John Sarpy, a prominent partner in the American Fur Company, but despite its official designation, it remained widely known among employees and travelers as Fort Laramie.
The year 1849 marked a significant turning point in the history of Fort Laramie. The United States Army, recognizing the strategic importance of the location, purchased the existing Fort John for the sum of $4,000. The acquisition signaled a shift from commercial enterprise to military control, transforming the trading post into a formal military outpost along the increasingly busy Oregon Trail. For years, a tenuous peace had existed between the Plains Indians and the emigrants traversing their lands. However, the escalating influx of settlers inevitably strained these relations, leading to growing tensions and the looming threat of conflict.
To address these concerns and safeguard the travelers venturing westward, the United States Congress authorized the establishment of a series of forts along the Oregon Trail, staffed by a special regiment of Mounted Riflemen. Fort Laramie was the second of these forts to be established, signifying the government’s commitment to maintaining order and protecting its citizens on the frontier. This transition from trading post to military installation irrevocably altered the character of the fort and its relationship with the surrounding Native American tribes.
Contrary to the popular image of a western fort, often portrayed in Hollywood films as a heavily fortified enclosure surrounded by walls and stockades, Fort Laramie never possessed such defenses. Initial plans did call for a wooden fence or a substantial rubble structure, standing nine feet high and enclosing a considerable area. However, due to the prohibitive costs associated with such a construction project, the wall was ultimately never built. Instead, Fort Laramie remained an open fort, relying on its strategic location and the presence of its garrison of troops for security and defense. This unique characteristic underscores the fort’s reliance on diplomacy and strategic positioning rather than impenetrable physical barriers.
During the 1850s, the primary responsibility of the troops stationed at Fort Laramie was to patrol and maintain security along a vast stretch of the Oregon Trail. This was a daunting task, complicated by the relatively small size of the garrison and the immense distances involved. In 1851, a landmark treaty was signed between the United States government and the most prominent tribes of the Plains Indians. This treaty, known as the Treaty of Fort Laramie, aimed to establish defined territorial boundaries for various tribes and promote peaceful coexistence. While the treaty initially ushered in a period of relative calm, this peace proved fragile, lasting only three years.
In 1854, an incident involving a passing wagon train ignited a chain of events that culminated in the Grattan Fight. This clash, named after the officer who led the ill-fated expedition, resulted in the deaths of an officer, an interpreter, and twenty-nine soldiers from Fort Laramie. The Grattan Fight, though relatively small in scale, served as a major catalyst, fueling the flames of a larger conflict between the United States and the Plains Indians that would persist until the late 1870s.
The outbreak of the Civil War in the 1860s brought about another shift in the composition of the garrison at Fort Laramie. As regular army troops were redeployed to the East to participate in the conflict, state volunteer regiments were dispatched to garrison the fort. Units such as the Seventh Iowa and the Eleventh Ohio took on the responsibility of maintaining order and protecting the westward trails.
While the flow of emigrants along the Oregon Trail began to diminish, the completion of the transcontinental telegraph line in 1861 brought new responsibilities to the soldiers stationed at Fort Laramie. Inspecting, defending, and repairing the "talking wire" became an integral part of their duties, further solidifying the fort’s importance as a vital communication hub. During the latter half of the 1860s, troops from Fort Laramie played a crucial role in supplying and reinforcing the forts along the Bozeman Trail, a contentious route that traversed through territory claimed by the Sioux, until the signing of the Treaty of 1868.
The Treaty of 1868, though intended to bring lasting peace, ultimately failed to resolve the underlying tensions between the United States and the Plains Indians. By the 1870s, large-scale military campaigns were being launched against the Plains tribes, marking a period of intense conflict and upheaval.
The discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874, and the subsequent influx of prospectors, violated the terms of the Treaty of 1868 and deeply angered the Sioux, who considered the Black Hills sacred ground. Under the leadership of prominent figures such as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, the Sioux and their allies chose to resist the encroachment on their lands. During these campaigns, including those in 1876, Fort Laramie served as a critical staging area for troops, a vital communications and logistical center, and a key command post.
By the 1880s, the conflicts with the Indians on the Northern Plains had largely subsided. Relieved of some of its military functions, Fort Laramie transitioned into a period of relative calm and comfort, reflecting the Victorian era. Boardwalks were constructed in front of officers’ houses, and trees were planted to soften the stark landscape, transforming the fort into a more pleasant and livable environment.
However, by the end of the 1880s, the Army recognized that Fort Laramie had largely served its purpose. While the fort had played a significant role in many important events on the Northern Plains, and numerous arteries of transport and communication passed through it, the most crucial artery of all – the Union Pacific Railroad – had bypassed it to the South. In March 1890, the troops marched out of Fort Laramie for the last time, marking the end of its military chapter. The land and buildings that comprised the fort were subsequently auctioned off to civilians.
Today, Fort Laramie stands as the Fort Laramie National Historic Site, a testament to its rich and complex history. This unique historic site preserves and interprets one of America’s most significant locations in the history of westward expansion and Native American resistance. When Fort Laramie closed its doors in 1890, its legacy was one of peace and war, cooperation and conflict; it was a place where the West we know today was forged.
Proclaimed a National Monument in 1938 and designated a National Historic Site in 1960, Fort Laramie now preserves a 19th-century United States military post, including eleven restored buildings. These structures include "Old Bedlam," the post headquarters and officers’ quarters built in 1849; the cavalry barracks constructed in 1874; the Sutler’s Store; a stone guardhouse; and a bakery. A museum on site exhibits artifacts that shed light on the history of the Northern Plains and the diverse cultures that converged at this pivotal location.
The National Park Service administers the historic site, which encompasses 833 acres, ensuring that the story of Fort Laramie continues to be told and remembered for generations to come.