Trading Posts of the Mountain Men
For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the fur trade era, the sheer number of trading establishments, often grandly referred to as forts, posts, or houses, that once dotted the vast wilderness before the great westward migration might seem unbelievable. As early as 1843, a staggering 150 of these posts, either actively occupied or abandoned, existed west of St. Louis, Missouri. While the names of over a hundred have been documented, the fleeting mentions found in historical narratives and correspondence suggest the presence of an even greater number. Some were substantial, long-lasting operations, while others were fleeting, serving only a season or two. Abandoned locations were frequently reclaimed, often by competing companies who bestowed upon them new names and identities.
The trading posts of the mountain men were vital hubs in the American West, far removed from the comforts and constraints of established society. They served as more than just places of commerce; they were often the only outposts of civilization in a vast and unforgiving landscape.
The vast majority of these trading posts of the mountain men were situated along the Missouri River, and with the passage of time, many of their names have faded into obscurity. Some are irretrievably lost, while the true locations and ownership of others remain shrouded in uncertainty. Yet, some names have endured, immortalized in the towns and villages that sprung up on or near these historical sites. Ironically, some of the most significant posts have vanished entirely from the modern landscape.
These establishments were typically designated as "Forts," reflecting their dual purpose of trade and protection. In a land inhabited by potentially hostile Native American tribes, defense was paramount. Consequently, their construction was carefully planned to serve both commercial and security needs. The ground plan of a typical trading posts of the mountain men was invariably rectangular, sometimes square, but more often elongated in one direction. The dimensions varied from 100 to 400 feet, depending on the scale of trade the post was intended to accommodate.
Essential to their design was a robust defensive perimeter. The fort was enclosed by sturdy walls constructed of either wood or adobe. While adobe structures existed, they were relatively uncommon. The quintessential fort boasted wooden palisades or pickets, ranging from 12 to 18 feet in height and 4 to 8 inches in thickness. These pickets were sometimes squared and placed side-by-side; other times, they were formed by sawing logs in half, creating rounded palisades. Set 2 to 3 feet into the ground, the base of the palisades was often reinforced with an earthen embankment. Some forts even featured musketry loopholes along the top of this embankment.
For guard duty and active defense, a plank walk was attached to the inside of the pickets, approximately four feet below the top. This allowed sentinels to patrol and observe the surrounding terrain. In the event of an attack, defenders could use the walk to fire over the palisades or through the loopholes.
The primary defensive elements were the two bastions, or blockhouses, strategically positioned at diagonally opposite corners of the fort. These square structures, typically 15 to 18 feet on a side, featured two stories and a roof. The lower level, raised slightly above ground level, was equipped with loopholes for small cannons, which were standard features in the larger, more important posts. The upper level provided musketry defense, with three loopholes on each exposed face. Crucially, the blockhouse was positioned entirely outside the main enclosure, its inner corner joining the corner of the fort, thereby flanking two sides. This allowed defenders in each bastion to fire along the outer face of two sides of the fort, effectively preventing any attempts to scale or breach the walls.
A fort constructed in this manner was a formidable defensive structure, virtually impregnable to enemies lacking artillery. Even large groups of Native Americans armed with bows and arrows or rudimentary firearms would find it difficult to make any impact. As long as the garrison exercised reasonable caution and maintained adequate supplies of provisions and ammunition, they could withstand even the most determined assault. Notably, there are no documented instances of a successful siege of a stockaded fort in the history of the fur trade west of the Mississippi River.
Beyond defense, the layout and features of the fort were dictated by trade considerations. The entrance was a heavily fortified door, often equipped with a wicket for the doorkeeper to scrutinize visitors. More elaborate posts featured a double-door system with a room and trading counter between them. Native Americans were typically only permitted access to this space for trade purposes. In simpler posts with a single door, trading was sometimes conducted through the wicket, especially when danger was suspected.
Opposite the entrance stood the house of the bourgeois, the post’s manager or leader, typically the most impressive building within the fort. Nearby were the office and residences of the clerks. Along one side of the quadrangle were the barracks for the engagés, the hired laborers and trappers. Across the square were the storehouses for merchandise, provisions, furs, and peltries. The complex also included workshops, with the blacksmith shop being of particular importance. A fur press was an indispensable piece of equipment. The buildings were often constructed with their back walls forming part of the enclosure, effectively replacing the pickets along that stretch. The central courtyard was a large open space, often featuring a piece of artillery trained on the entrance and a flagstaff proudly displaying the ensign of the governing nation.
Near the fort, and often protected by its own enclosure with a connecting passage to the fort, was a small field for cultivating common vegetables for the garrison. Also essential was a secure corral for horses, which were a prime target for Indian raids. While some corrals were located outside the fort, many were brought within the walls for greater protection. The surrounding plains were rarely without the presence of Native American tents, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, particularly during peak trading seasons.
Larger river posts typically had a designated area, known as a "chantier" (French for shipyard), located where timber was plentiful. Here, the pickets and lumber for the fort were produced, and mackinaw boats and canoes were built. The name "chantier" has survived in a few place names, such as Chantier Creek in South Dakota and Shonkin Creek (originally Chantier Creek) below Fort Benton in Montana. The Fort Pierre site was also commonly referred to as the Navy Yard and was located approximately 20 miles upstream from the post.
It is important to note that the detailed description above applies primarily to the larger, more established posts. A considerable number of smaller posts existed, intended for only temporary occupancy and, therefore, built with far less elaborate structures.
Often, the financial resources of the traders were limited, resulting in the construction of only the most basic structures. These posts or houses were generally simple log buildings, sometimes two or three clustered together, but often just a single structure. They were scattered throughout the West, and the names and locations of most have been lost to time.
In the upper Missouri River region, these smaller posts were typically not independent operations. Instead, they were affiliated with a larger, central post from which they received supplies, equipment, and personnel, and to which they sent the products of their trade. Fort Union in North Dakota and Fort Pierre in South Dakota are prime examples of major posts that supported a network of smaller establishments.
Life at these trading posts of the mountain men, often situated hundreds of miles from civilization, was often monotonous, lonely, and lacking in diversions for much of the year. However, there were occasional periods of excitement and celebration. The daily routine primarily consisted of receiving and attending to Native American trading parties, monitoring the surrounding area for buffalo and organizing hunting expeditions, preparing and dispatching the winter express to St. Louis, cutting wood for the annual steamboat (at river posts), maintaining accounts, journals, and correspondence, receiving reports from subordinate posts, and baling and pressing furs for shipment to St. Louis.
News from the outside world arrived in the form of bundles of newspapers, which were eagerly read and re-read until they were worn out. The occasional visit from notable figures added a welcome change to the routine. Hunting was a popular pastime, with buffalo hunts being particularly prized. Various games were also played, as occasionally mentioned in the Fort Pierre journals. The arrival of independent trappers was usually marked by a period of heavy drinking, during which astute traders often managed to recover not only the furs they had purchased but also much of the money they had paid for them. Competition between rival trading posts led to a degree of social interaction, with reciprocal visits and dinners, as business rivalries rarely interfered with basic human courtesy.
The most significant event in the life of a trading post of the mountain men was the arrival of the annual convoy from the East, whether it was a steamboat or keelboat on the Missouri River, a mountain brigade, or a caravan on the plains. This marked the end of one business year and the beginning of another. Engagés whose contracts had expired could return home, while new recruits arrived to take their place. The convoy brought merchandise for the coming year’s trade, letters and packages from loved ones, and news from the outside world. In return, it carried cargoes of furs and peltries collected over the past year, as well as many of the personnel who wished to return home. The arrival of the Missouri River steamboat was an eagerly anticipated event. When the expected arrival date neared, Native American runners were dispatched downriver to bring the first news of its approach. The bourgeois and his clerk would sometimes meet the boat in a canoe. As soon as the steamboat’s smokestacks appeared on the horizon, the fort would fire a celebratory salute with whatever artillery it possessed, while the entire population – traders, engagés, and Native Americans – would gather on the riverbank to welcome the visitors.
At the more prominent posts, a daily journal of events was meticulously kept. Fragments of these journals from Forts Pierre, Clark, and Union have survived, providing valuable insights into the daily life and operations of these remote outposts.
The geographical location of the trading posts of the mountain men was primarily determined by the convenience of the Native American tribes. In many cases, tribes explicitly designated the locations where posts should be built. The surrounding geography also played a crucial role in the commercial viability of a site. For example, the post at the mouth of the Yellowstone River controlled the commerce of two major rivers, making it a particularly important establishment. Throughout the West, trading posts arose in locations that offered the greatest advantages for trade, such as the mouths of major rivers, the heart of tribal territories (Blackfeet, Sioux, Mandan), and the headwaters of the Arkansas and South Platte Rivers. Typically, there were two or three such posts in these key locations, belonging to different companies.
