Fort Laramie Wyoming

As you all can probably tell Mike and I love historic places and we both love history.  When I was going to college I was majoring in it.  Although I never finished a degree most of the class credits I have were in history.  I will be trying to get some quilting and sewing done on this trip I just haven’t found much time for it.  We have not watched any tv since we left home and mainly  just been looking at sites, traveling, and then both of us blog! Mike posted maps on his blog of were we have driven and I have cut and pasted them here:

our first part of our journey west

the second days drive

across Nebraska

The last place we stopped yesterday was Fort Laramie Wyoming.  The fort was used for about 50 years in the mid to late 1800′s protecting the travelers and the telegraph lines going through this part of the country before treaties were signed and kept with the Indians.  I must say that I do not think the Indians were treated right but that is something that took place before our time and I had no say in the matter.  If the pioneers had not continued to forge to the west we do not even know what would have taken place in the history of this part of the country.

The fort was crumbling from disuse when the park service took it over in the 1930′s and renovated the buildings. Some of the photos might not look clear this is because they have glass over all entrances to the rooms so that you can see in the rooms but cannot go into to them.  It really ruined taking photos for me, but I can understand why they can’t have the rooms open to the public.

an 1800's style barracks

I loved this tree - it was not tall but very wide, I have no idea how old it is - there are not a lot of trees in this area, one of the branches is so low but so long that they have it supported on one end so it won't break off.

a quilt on a bed in one of the officiers house. I do not think this was an actual antique quilt - I couldn't get real close to it but it just didn't look really old - maybe it was but very well taken care of? The fabric showed no signs of age to me other than being a little faded.

I took more photos of the quilts on the beds but because of the glass between me and the quilts they didn’t turn out well.  Mike took photo’s with his camera too and his camera is better.  When he goes through his I will see which ones to take and past here.

a snake we saw at Scottsbluff - it is up against the wall - not a rattlesnake but do not know what kind it is

a woven coverlet - brought from Ohio by family on their way west

a shiney new doctor kit - wouldn't you love being treated with this equipment!

the flooded North Platte River in this area of eastern Wyoming. We had intended to camp in the parks in this area and found out a couple days ago that the area was still flooded and has been for over a month I think. Instead we are at a KOA for two nights as there are many things in this area we wanted to see but did not want to have to search for a campground in the area that was not flooded. All of those trees in the distance are standing in water.