Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site

23Jul18

Technically, the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site is only two states away from my home base in Iowa.

In reality, it’s a long way from Ames. And when I say long, I mean 872 miles or 13½ hours.

I’m guessing that’s without stopping.

So you can see why it’s taken me so long to knock the Fort Union Trading Post off my list of visited national park sites. Last month I finally accomplished that goal and in my book, it was worth the long drive.

For the record, Carole and I did stop at a couple of other national park units along the way so I didn’t drive 872 miles just to see Fort Union. But in reality I probably would have still gone ahead and visited even if it was the only national park site to see.

Fort Union Trading Post was the most important fur trading post on the upper Missouri River in the early to mid-1800s. A center of peaceful economic as well as social exchange between Native Americans and the fur trappers and soldiers, Fort Union is a significant part of our history.

The original structure is long gone, but the reconstructed trading post is built where the original structure stood. As you enter Fort Union, you are naturally drawn to the Bourgeois House. The bourgeois was the field agent of the fur companies and this two-story house served as his headquarters. It had to be an architecture marvel for its time and location.

The Bourgeois House now serves as the visitor center and upon entering Carole and I were met by a young park ranger who was dressed in the clothes of the early 1800s.

The trading post is a walled structure (some 240 feet by 220 feet), although not all of the original buildings have been reconstructed. Those that are include the Trade Houses, where business was conducted, the Bell Tower, the bastions, and the blacksmith shop. All these buildings have been furnished with items from the time period and are worth a trip around the trading post.

The visitor center has a very nice set of exhibits highlighting the history of Fort Union. Carole and I ducked in there several times during our hour-long stay to fend off the mosquitoes that pestered us throughout our tour.

The Missouri River is right outside the trading post, although it isn’t the same Missouri I’m familiar with in its namesake state. Be sure to go to the north entrance of Fort Union to view the several tepees that have been erected just outside.

There’s also a hiking trail that leads to the lookout at which famed artist Karl Bodmer painted a view of Fort Union in the 1830s. Carole and I considered going on the hike for about 15 seconds before deciding the mosquitoes were too bad.

Not to mention we still had a 13½-hour trip back home.

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