La Junta, ColoradoAug 14, 2006
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Seventy-one miles brought us to a Wal-Mart parking lot in La Junta, Colorado. There were a couple of things we wanted to see in La Junta, the first was Bent's Old Fort. This adobe fort was completely reconstructed by the National Park Service and opened in 1976. The original fort was documented to be in existence in 1833 and was partially destroyed in 1849 (but parts of the fort were used as a stage coach stop until the end of the stage coach era). The fort was the largest trading post in the area. We got an excellent 1.5 hour tour from a Cheyenne Indian who gave us interesting insights into the relationships between the traders and the Indians. The fort included numerous rooms for treating and trading furs, housing, preparing meals, dining, and storage. There were blacksmith and carpenter shops along with stables and other outbuildings.
We also went to the Koshare Indian Museum in La Junta. This excellent museum was started and is still sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 232. The museum has an excellent collection of artifacts as well as modern contributions from members of the troop.
