Video
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Transcript
BENT’S OLD FORT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE PART 1 OF A SERIES LOOKING AT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HUMANS AND NATURE ALONG THE SANTA FE TRAIL
Man Oh, great. We got one. It weighs more than I thought it would.
Cori Knudten Research Associate, Colorado State University I think sometimes there’s a tendency to try to separate humans and the environment, or nature and culture. But really these things are very deeply intertwined.
John Carson Park Ranger, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site The old trappers, mountaineers they called themselves, are going to bring in beaver. The animal is going to be used. And not only for trade here and that way those people bringing those animals in can get what they need or can’t make for themselves.
Rick Wallner Chief of Interpretation, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site The fort itself, Bent’s Old Fort, when it was constructed about 1833 or at least open for business, was located on the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail. The trail was all about commerce, making money. That’s the reason the Santa Fe Trail developed. And the Bent’s were businessmen and besides seeing an opportunity in the buffalo hide trade with the Plains tribes, also saw an opportunity to supply folks travelling along the trail and to freight goods themselves.
Fran Pannebaker Chief of Resources, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site The natural resources found here, the native prairie grasses, supported millions of buffalo. The buffalo supported the Plains tribes. The tribes then traded buffalo hides for material goods that made their lives easier.
Ed Aragon Adobe Master, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site First of all what they do is make a pit and then we put some water in there, then we put some prairie grass, make sure that it gets down to all the corners and all that good stuff so that you have a nice square block. Within probably three days you would turn them on their side so that they dry. And then they’ll continue, you’ll stack them on their side like that over there also. And then you can pick them up probably within seven days.
Danette Ulloa Park Staff, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site [Spanish translated]. Yes, in the lands here, yes we have this
Bethany Taylor Park Staff, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site We can get things like prickly pear around here, but there are a lot of ingredients that we can’t grow. So we get a lot of things shipped in because we’re right along the Santa Fe Trail. So those traders come in and they can bring us dried fruit that we use for our pies. And they can bring in salt and other seasonings. So there are a lot of ingredients that we get from the trading caravans.
Alexa Roberts Superintendent, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site Visitors love Bent’s Fort. They have an opportunity to get transported back in time, and that’s really how they feel about it. They’re experiencing a piece of history. And it’s a very hands on experience for them. They get to touch it, they get to smell it, see it, feel it, hear the sounds, the voices, everything of 1846. And Bent’s Fort grew up out of the ground around it. It’s made of the mud from around it and the grass from around it and the water from the river and the cottonwoods. Bent’s Fort, it’s made of its natural surroundings. And so really there’s not really a conflict between natural and cultural resources. It’s all of a piece.
Description
Here the expansive prairie grasses attracted and fed buffalo herds; Plains Indians shot the beast and tanned the hide; the hide was a highly sought after trade item. What's another way in which prairie grasses were essential to this site?
Duration
5 minutes, 21 seconds
Credit
Donald J. O'Brien
Date Created
12/19/2011
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