Part of the Picture

Have you ever wanted to step into history? Now is your chance.

1. Here you will find scenes of Fort Union including: a landscape with a tipi on the right, the front of the bourgeois house, and outside the fort walls. You can either print or use a computer program like Paint.

2. Draw yourself in any of these scenes. You can draw your self as a park ranger, in historic clothes, in modern day apparel, or however you please. You can color the images however you wish.

3. Post a picture of your drawing on our Facebook page. Share your artistry with the world.

Alternate Activity

Read the physical descriptions of the images. Think about how you would put yourself in the image. How would you interact with the picture? What would you be wearing? Where would you put yourself? What would you be doing? Post a description of this to our facebook page.

Drawing of the Bourgeois House

NPS photo, Tarra Craig

Physical Description of the Bourgeois House

The Bourgeois House is a two-story building. The middle section of the house has a roof with less of a slope and this section has a chimney on each side between where the roof is steeper. There is a front porch in the middle of the front of the house with a balcony directly above it. There is also a widow's walk with a flag pole flying at the center of the roof. The flag pole is flying the American Fur Company flag. Behind the house is the exterior walls of Fort Union.

Drawing of Tipi

NPS photo, Tarra Craig

Physical Description of a Tipi

There is a tipi on the right side of the image. A tipi is a type of American Indian dwelling structure. It is conical shaped with wooden pole supports and an outer covering that could be made from hides or canvas. It has a circular opening on the right side of the tipi. The background consists of hills and plains.

Drawing of the exterior of Fort Union

NPS Photo, Tarra Craig

Physical Description of the Exterior of Fort Union

This is an image of the exterior walls of Fort Union. On the right side of the structure there is a rectangular tower with several windows. Attached to the roof of this tower is a walkway and a weathervane with a buffalo shape. At the opposite corner of the fort structure you can find the roof of another tower. This tower also has a walkway attached to the roof and a weathervane with an eagle shape. These towers are known as the bastions and were made stone. In the center of the fort there is a large flag pole flying an American Flag. The space around the fort is an empty field.