Re: MtMan-List: Platte River

[Joseph Miller <niteowl@pageplus.com>]

Dear Don,
Re: Your inquiry on the Platte river--I can help on the South Platte in
Colorado. Actually the North Platte head waters originate in Colorado
and flows north into Wyoming and then southeast to meet the South Platte
at North Platte, Nebraska.

On the South Platte in Colorado there were several trapper forts in Weld
County near Greeley.
Only one is reconstructed and has a visitors Center. It is Fort Vasquez
at Platteville, CO which is about 30 miles down stream from Denver and
20 miles up stream from Greeley.
It was started by Louis Vasquez.
--------
Another researcher(Elizabeth Larson) states: Six miles upstream and just
south of the present town of Platteville was a famous center for fur
trading built in 1837 by Louis Vasquez and Andrew Sublette who named it
Fort Vasquez. It was subsequently destroyed by Indians around 1842. With
the 1859 gold rush to Colorado, traders and settlers restored part of
the fort, using it for living quarters. The Overland Mail Express stages
stopped there only if there was a passenger or shipment to be left off.

============
Another one is Fort St. Vrain about 6-8 miles down stream where the St
Vrain and So, Platte rivers merge. Nothing remains of it except a
marker(Elizabeth Larson)historical writer states:
A wooden sign is posted which tells of a 1967 archaeological survey
conducted by the Colorado State Historical Society. About 50 feet beyond
the wooden sign is a big concrete slab with three steps up onto it. A
big granite square slab about 6 feet tall stands on top of the concrete
slab. It says:
The plaque reads:
FORT ST. VRAIN BUILT ABOUT 1837
BY COL. CERAN ST. VRAIN.
GENERAL FREMONT REORGANIZED HIS HISTORIC EXPLORING EXPEDITION HERE
JULY 23, 1848.
THIS FORT WAS ALSO VISITED BY FRANCIS PARKMAN AND KIT CARSON.
ERECTED BY CENTENNIAL STATE CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
1911

The writer further states: Fort St. Vrain was established in 1837 by
Ceran St. Vrain, a French fur trader and trapper, and his friends, the
Bent Brothers. St. Vrain and the Bents also established a fort in 1833
on the Santa Fe Trail near La Junta, Colorado called Bent's Old Fort.
======
Eventually maybe by the time you get ready to float down So. Platte(lol)
I should have in Historical Section under Forts will have the many forts
here in Colorado, so check in at my web site from time to time.
Sincerely,
Joseph Miller




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