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2011 Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal, Volume 5

Tracking Jim Bridger: Finding the Trail of Old Gabe
by Jerry Enzler
Jim Bridger is a fascinating fur trade icon about whom numerous books and articles have been written. Yet, new information continues to surface that adds to or corrects the body of knowledge available about this famous mountaineer. Within this article Jerry Enzler thoroughly examines the legend decrying Bridger as one of the men who abandoned grizzly-mauled Hugh Glass, among other anecdotes of Bridger’s career.

Was Fort Bonneville Simply Nonsense?
by O. Ned Eddins
Did a Fort Bonneville exist on Wyoming’s Green River during the Rocky Mountain fur trade era? Warren Angus Ferris was the only Green River rendezvous participant to leave a physical description of a Fort Bonneville, or use the term Fort Nonsense. Contemporary fur trade journals, lack of physical evidence, and no verifiable artifacts suggest a bastioned Fort Bonneville did not exist.

St. George and the Dragon Sideplate: An Art History for North American Trade Guns
by Nathan E. Bender
This article talks about one of the trademarks of these fur trade era weapons is a serpent-shaped sideplate. Nathan Bender ventures into a strongly debated realm by presenting his theory on how and why the shape of this significant ornament evolved. Accompanied by remarkable illustrations of sideplate patterns as they developed over time, Bender’s research supports a plausible hypothesis regarding the history behind the imagery of the decorative yet functional firearm component.

“A Life Wild and Perilous”: Death in the Far West among Trappers and Traders
by James Hannon, Jr.
There have been many attempts to reconstruct the trapper lifestyle during the Rocky Mountain fur trade era that ignore the risks involved in the occupation. Frequency and causes of trapper deaths are investigated within this article. With statistical data from mostly primary sources, Hannon’s study affords an innovative analysis of dangers faced by mountaineers chasing their fortunes in the icy streams of the Rockies. Informative charts and graphs clarify Hannon’s conclusions.

Lock, Stock and Barrel: Arming the Far Western Mountaineers
by Doyle Reid
Author Doyle Reid goes far beyond the typical survey of weaponry and firearm-related accoutrements used by intrepid beaver hunters. Reid conducts experiments under lifelike conditions to better understand the functionality of these tools. Accuracy and penetration qualities of a variety of firearms are field tested and the results revealed.

Myth and Mountain Men Analyzed: Heroes and Heroines
by Ken Zontek, PhD
This article uses the model developed by mythologist Joseph Campbell to explain the allure of mountaineer legends. The mountain man/hero adventure story is powerful both collectively and personally. Zontek shows how Campbell’s monomyth template easily fits the lore of the fur trade, just as legendary mountain men’s stories can inspire and mirror the lives of individuals today.

An 1824-1825 Columbia Fur Company Ledger
by Jim Hardee
A recently discovered ledger adds new light to the business of CFC and some of the men employed in the fur trade of the upper Missouri River. The ledger is dating to 1824 – 1825 and was found largely by accident in the Missouri History Museum archives, The Columbia Fur Company ledger includes familiar names like James Kipp and Toussaint Charboneau.

Sublette County Historical Society, 2011