Скачать или смотреть Flint vs Percussion?

The Green River Rendezvous was one of the most famous annual gatherings of the Rocky Mountain fur trade, held in present-day Pinedale, Wyoming, along the Green River. It became a central institution of the mountain man era (1825–1840).

Origins and Purpose

The first official rendezvous was organized in 1825 by William H. Ashley, leader of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company.

Instead of trappers hauling furs to St. Louis each year, Ashley’s “rendezvous system” brought traders, supplies, and goods directly to the trappers in the Rockies.

This created a mobile marketplace where mountain men, fur companies, and Native American tribes could meet.

Activities at the Rendezvous

Fur trade: Mountain men sold beaver pelts and other furs to company agents in exchange for cash or trade goods.

Supplies & goods: Traders brought rifles, powder, lead, blankets, clothing, alcohol, and luxury items from the East.

Cultural exchange: Native tribes (Shoshone, Ute, Crow, and others) traded horses, buffalo robes, and foodstuffs.

Celebration: It wasn’t just commerce—rendezvous were famous for contests (shooting, horse racing), storytelling, gambling, drinking, and socializing.

Significance

The Green River Valley became a favored location because it was fertile, easily accessible, and central to the trapper ranges.

These gatherings symbolized the high point of the mountain man era, combining frontier commerce with rough frontier culture.

The last major Green River Rendezvous occurred in 1840, when the decline of the beaver trade and changing fashion trends (silk replacing beaver felt hats) brought the system to an end.

Legacy

Today, the Green River Rendezvous is commemorated each July in Pinedale, Wyoming, with a historical reenactment and festival that honors mountain man history and Native American contributions.