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The Santa Fe Trail
Bent's Fort
Bent's Fort was a giant store to the people traveling down the Santa Fe trail. Traders, Native Americans, and mountain men all converged at the fort in the hope that someone else had what they wanted and that they had what others wanted. Then they could trade. After trading at the fort, the goods were taken to Santa Fe or Independence where they were sold for money, gold or silver.
Charles BentWilliam Bent
Charles and William Bent
Who owned the Fort?

The fort was owned by Bent. St. Vrain and Company. In 1833 they hired people to build a fort on the Santa Fe trail. The company consisted of three main owners. They were Ceran St. Vrain, Charles Bent and his younger brother William Bent.

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