Rendezvous at the Museum - Pinedale, Wyoming

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Pinedale Online > News > July 2007 > Rendezvous at the Museum

The Fire. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.

The Fire Rendezvous started with a bang on Thursday evening when the Pole Creek fire roared near the north part of Pinedale. There was an emergency evacuation, causing Dr. Fred Gowans talk on the Iberian Horse to be cut short as smoke poured into town.

Sheep Horn Bow. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.

Sheep Horn Bow Michael Terry explains how Roger Daultry, of the rock bank "The Who", broke his $5000 sheep horn bow by pulling it backwards.

Buffalo Tail Pouch. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.

Buffalo Tail Pouch Mike Powell, of the American Mountain Men, shows the audience what you find under a buffalo's tail.

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Rendezvous at the Museum
by Clint Gilchrist
July 15, 2007

Green River Rendezvous Days is the biggest weekend of the year at the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale. The museum focuses on a wide variety of academic and educational programs. There was something for everyone with as many as four programs happening at the same time.

The museum introduced the first annual Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal and celebrated its publication with a forum. The forum started Thursday evening with “The Iberian Horse in the Fur Trade” by Journal editor, Dr Fred Gowans. Friday night the audience heard "Phillip Covington and a New Look at the 1828 Rendezvous” by Journal editor, Jim Hardee, before an awards ceremony and book signing. During the day on Friday and Saturday, all seven authors published in the Journal presented their papers. Subjects included:

"Fame Over Misfortune: La Verendrye and the Opening of the Western Fur Trade", by Brad Tennant

"The Yankee Pedlar: Introduction of Percussion Lock Firearms into the Far West", by Alex Miller

"Hawaiians in the American Fur Trade", by Keith “Moki” Hipol

“The Superior Dignity of Such a Character: Nineteenth-Century American Manhood and the Image of Kit Carson", by Dr. S. Matthew DeSpain

"Perceptions of a Mountain Man: John 'Jeremiah Liver-Eating”'Johnston at Old Trail Town, Cody, Wyoming", by Nathan E. Bender

"Forgotten in the Fur Trade: The Deerskin Trade of the High Plains and Intermountain West, 1540-1882", by Ken Zontek, Ph.D

"Rocky Mountain Rivalry: The Hudson’s Bay Company’s Involvement in the American Fur Trade Rendezvous System", by Dale F. Topham

The American Mountain Men gave presentations on the day-to-day life on Mountain Men, gained from research and living the life for practical experience. Subjects covered included: “Firearms”, “Sign language”, “Beaver trapping/skinning/fur press”, “Mountain Man Clothing”, “Knives, tools, fire making”, “Horses, tack and packing”, and “Campfire stories and songs”.

Michael “Bad Hand” Terry has become a crowd favorite, coming to Pinedale for 15 years. He is a Plains Indian historian and expert. He studies historical records, then recreates the Plains Indians material culture by building items including clothes, tools, weapons, food, teepees, as authentic replicas of the era.

Lapita Frewin provided programs for kids. Children got to build simple traditional Indian items and take them home to keep.

All programs were free due to generous sponsorships from Shell Rocky Mountain Production, EnCana, PacificCorp and the Sublette County Museum Board. In addition, Shell funded and manned the buffalo burger lunch with all proceeds going to support the Museum.

Photos by Clint Gilchrist and Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!

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Nathan Bender During the Forum, Nathan Bender explained how the public image of Mountain Men was shaped by the ficticious Jeramiah Johnson.	Tim Tanner During the Saturday night song and story session, Tim Tanner sang, "I am my own Grandpa".	Buffalo Hunt Michael Terry shows the reaction of his frineds when Michael and his horse were picked up by a buffalo during a hunt.
Hawaiins in the Fur Trade Keith "Moki" Hipol gave a talk on Hawaiians in the fur trade during the Forum.	Gun Scabbard Hat Richard Ashburn and his wife Susan demonstrated how a blanket gun scabbard could be used as an impromptu hat.	Mountain Man Clothes Mike Powell (left) uses volunteers to show different styles of coats and hats mountain men would have worn.
Grizzly Bear Power Michael Terry explains the spiritual power of the grizzly bear to Plains Indians.	Percussion Guns Alex Miller gave a talk on how percussion lock guns spread to the mountains in the 1830s.	St Louis Dandy Pete Roulette shows a typical coat of a St. Louis dandy that would not have lasted long in the mountains.
Winter Gloves Bruce "Burnt Spoon" Druliner models a typical pair of mountain men winter mittens make from a blanket.	Matt Despain Dr. S. Matthew Despain explained his theory on how ficticious accounts of Kit Carson were used to define American manliness during the 1800s.	Roy "Crazy Cyot" Crazy Cyot shows the sign for small during an Indian sign language demonstration.
Authors The authors selected to have papers printed in the 2007 Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal. From left to right: Alex Miller, Nathan Bender, Brad Tennant, Matt Despain, Keith Hipol, Ken Zontek, and Dale Topham.	Book Signing The authors sign books on Friday evening at the author reception for the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal.	Museum of the Mountain Man The Museum of the Mountain Man is located in the heart of the Rocky Mountain fur trade area.
Lunch at the museum The Museum had their annual buffalo burger lunch on Friday and Saturday, sponsored by Shell Rocky Mountain Production.	He caught it Employees of Shell sponsored the museum's Buffalo Burger Lunch on Friday and Saturday. They paid for the food and serving supplies, did set up, cooked and served, repaired the canopy when the wind demoloshied it, and cleaned up! Pictured left to right: Bobbi Sell, Geoff Sell, James Duran (black hat), Leonard Roehl (red hat). Not pictured, but also in the booth on Saturday, was Jeff Debenport.	Songs and Stories A large crowed braved a Saturday night rain and wind storm to attend fireside songs and stories. The campfire stories were moved under the canopy, but four people still manned each leg of the canopy tent holding onto the tie ropes to keep the canopy from getting blown off by the strong wind. The storm passed, leaving the rest of the stories in the night calm.

Pinedale Online > News > July 2007 > Rendezvous at the Museum

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