Wyoming Western Trails Project - Annals of Wyoming - Trading Posts, Forts and Bridges of the Casper area - unraveling the tangle on the upper Platte

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Trading Posts, Forts and Bridges of the Casper area -
unraveling the tangle on the upper Platte

Annals of Wyoming 47:1:4-30
By Robert A. Murray
COVER: Annals of Wyoming, Spring 1975, Vol. 47, No. 1 - W. H. Jackson sketch of Fort Caspar, Wyoming State Archives and Historical Department.

COVER: Annals of Wyoming, Spring 1975, Vol. 47, No. 1 - W. H. Jackson sketch of Fort Caspar, Wyoming State Archives and Historical Department.

In 1812, Robert Stuart and his returning party of Astorians pioneered the Platte Valley, Sweetwater, South Pass route through the Rockies that became the Oregon Trail. River crossings demanded ferries or bridges. Mormon ferry service began in 1847. In 1851, John Richard built a bridge over the North Platte, a mile west of Deer Creek. Trading posts often grew up at bridge and ferries because of the Indian trouble. In 1855, the Army placed an officer and 25 men at Richard's Bridge and brought Richard's Trading post back to Fort Laramie. In 1858, the Army established a garrison of 67 soldiers and 35 civilians at Richard's second bridge, calling it "Post at Platte Bridge." Louis Gruinard built a bridge over the Sweetwater River in 1857 and 6 miles from Richards bridge on the North Platte in 1858. Richard's Bridge was the departure point for wagon trains going on the Bozeman Trail in 1864 and Guinard's Bridge was a departure point for those going on the Bridger Trail. Because of various reasons, Richard's Bridge was disassembled and transported to the new post, Fort Caspar, near Guinard's Bridge.

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