Fort Bridger: Island in the Wilderness

ix, 185 pp. Illustrated with monochrome photographs, 11 reproductions of documents kept in the Church Archives of the LDS Church Historical Department, and 13 maps. "Fort Bridger was the first emigrant way station, the initial trading post established specifically to serve the covered wagon trains to the far West. It was a notable trading outpost. Not only did it supply westbound emigrants, but it catered also to the Indian trade. It played an important part in the so-called "Mormon War" of 1857-58 and then became a United States military fort and continued that role until 1890, the year generally accepted as the termination of the Frontier. During almost a half century it was a notable outpost of the American West. A number of other Western forts have already inspired book-length narratives. It is gratifying that at long last we now have a worthy account of Historic Fort Bridger."