As the oldest historical society in Wyoming, the Sublette County Historical Society (SCHS) was established in 1935 to preserve historic sites related to the fur trade and rendezvous, mark settler graves and trails, and collect records, documents and artifacts reflecting Sublette County history.
Today, SCHS serves as the parent organization for the Museum of the Mountain Man, which offers a visual and interpretive experience of the mountain man era, Plains Indian culture, the Oregon Trail, and the region’s development. The Museum sponsors programs, living history events and workshops for both children and adults, providing opportunities to explore Wyoming settlement history. SCHS also organizes the annual Green River Rendezvous Days, and its research library is available to the public by appointment.
The Museum of the Mountain Man, located in Pinedale and opened in 1990, is operated by the Historical Society through a public-private partnership with Sublette County. The Historical Society holds more than 21,500 artifacts ranging from pre-historic to the settlement era objects.
Approximately half of the Historical Society’s annual budget comes from private funds, and half from public funds provided through the Sublette County Museum Board. This unique partnership, established in 1959, represents a lasting commitment between local government and private citizens to work together in preserving local history. Sublette County’s community heritage is preserved and interpreted by a private foundation that leverages private support to maximize the impact of public funding.
In 1936, the founding members of the Historical Society began the modern-day rendezvous reenactment program in Daniel, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1836 rendezvous – this historic gathering attended by the first white women to cross the Continental Divide. That tradition continues today as the Green River Rendezvous Pageant, performed each July by the Green River Rendezvous Pageant Association in Pinedale during Rendezvous Days.
Artifacts directly traceable to individual mountain man are extremely rare. While the Museum’s collection includes many authentic, period-correct pieces from the fur-trade era, few can be definitively linked to specific trappers. Notable genuine artifacts include a rifle owned by Jim Bridger after the fur trade era and archaeological pieces from the site of Fort Bonneville. Sublette County’s acquisition of the fur-trade papers significantly expanded the Museum’s authentic collection and its ability to interpret the Rocky Mountain fur-trade era.
Our mountain man heritage reflects a kinship with those adventurous young men who chose this remote and harsh environment to make a living, much like the people who call this place home today. Sublette County’s multi-generational tradition of honoring and celebrating the men who opened the West continues to keep their legacy alive.
Museum of the Mountain Man, PO Box 909, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941
e-mail: director@mmmuseum.com
tel: 307-367-4101
toll free: 877-686-6266
