RENDEZVOUS
The rendezvous-a French word meaning "appointed place
of meeting"-was a time when trappers, both white and
Indian, could sell their furs, and trade for needed
supplies, (which included Indian squaws), meet with
old friends, get rip-roaring drunk, engage in
storytelling, gambling, gun duels and contests of all
sorts. Horse racing, wrestling bouts, and shooting
contests were the favorites. "Meet me on the Green," the
mountain men would say.
The tradition of the rendezvous was started as a
practical gathering to exchange pelts for supplies and
reorganize trapping units evolved into a month long
carnival in the middle of the wilderness. The gathering
was a scene of "mirth, songs, dancing, shouting,
trading, running, jumping, singing, racing,
target-shooting, yarns, frolic, with all sorts of
extravagances that white men or Indians could invent.
William Ashley, founder of the Rocky Mountain Fur
Company, was instrumental in establishing the
"rendezvous." Ashley's men made it to the Yellowstone
River country in 1824, along with about 10,000 dollars
in supplies. Promising to meet them on Henry's Fork,
near the Green River the following summer, Ashley
brought them wagon loads of supplies, and the
rendezvous was born.
Ashley failed to bring whiskey that first summer of
1825, and the rendezvous lasted only two days. In later
years, until the last rendezvous in 1840, whiskey
flowed freely, and the festivities lasted for weeks.
Things generally got rowdy, debauchery ran rampant
at the rendezvous, and by the time they were over, many
of the mountain men had lost their entire year's
earnings.
Six rendezvous were held on the Green River, north of
present day Pinedale, Wyoming, with the others in the
Wind River area, or Idaho and Utah. These sites were
chosen since there was ample space for up to 500
mountain men and 3000 Indians. Ample grazing and
water was needed for the thousands of horses. All were
held in Shoshone territory, rather than farther east or
north where the hostile Sioux, Blackfeet, and Crow ruled
the land.
The rendezvous came to an end with overtrapping, and
the changes in fashions from beaver hats to those of
silk from China. Also, permanent trading posts, such
as Fort Laramie, drew Indians away from the rugged
mountains to trade in the buffalo robes of the plains.
The last rendezvous was held on the banks of the Green
River, very near the site of the first one, bringing full
circle a slice of history never to be forgotten.
of meeting"-was a time when trappers, both white and
Indian, could sell their furs, and trade for needed
supplies, (which included Indian squaws), meet with
old friends, get rip-roaring drunk, engage in
storytelling, gambling, gun duels and contests of all
sorts. Horse racing, wrestling bouts, and shooting
contests were the favorites. "Meet me on the Green," the
mountain men would say.
The tradition of the rendezvous was started as a
practical gathering to exchange pelts for supplies and
reorganize trapping units evolved into a month long
carnival in the middle of the wilderness. The gathering
was a scene of "mirth, songs, dancing, shouting,
trading, running, jumping, singing, racing,
target-shooting, yarns, frolic, with all sorts of
extravagances that white men or Indians could invent.
William Ashley, founder of the Rocky Mountain Fur
Company, was instrumental in establishing the
"rendezvous." Ashley's men made it to the Yellowstone
River country in 1824, along with about 10,000 dollars
in supplies. Promising to meet them on Henry's Fork,
near the Green River the following summer, Ashley
brought them wagon loads of supplies, and the
rendezvous was born.
Ashley failed to bring whiskey that first summer of
1825, and the rendezvous lasted only two days. In later
years, until the last rendezvous in 1840, whiskey
flowed freely, and the festivities lasted for weeks.
Things generally got rowdy, debauchery ran rampant
at the rendezvous, and by the time they were over, many
of the mountain men had lost their entire year's
earnings.
Six rendezvous were held on the Green River, north of
present day Pinedale, Wyoming, with the others in the
Wind River area, or Idaho and Utah. These sites were
chosen since there was ample space for up to 500
mountain men and 3000 Indians. Ample grazing and
water was needed for the thousands of horses. All were
held in Shoshone territory, rather than farther east or
north where the hostile Sioux, Blackfeet, and Crow ruled
the land.
The rendezvous came to an end with overtrapping, and
the changes in fashions from beaver hats to those of
silk from China. Also, permanent trading posts, such
as Fort Laramie, drew Indians away from the rugged
mountains to trade in the buffalo robes of the plains.
The last rendezvous was held on the banks of the Green
River, very near the site of the first one, bringing full
circle a slice of history never to be forgotten.