Mountain West
Malachite’s Big Hole
Interesting Links to Other Sites:
This isn’t intended to be a comprehensive list of sites, just those that I’ve found useful and interesting. I've divided these links into the following broad categories.
Skills, Crafts, Designs and Plans
Organizations, Museums and Sites
Miscellaneous Links of Interest
Reader's Guide to The Mountain Men of the American West: A really great list of Mountain Man related references split by catagory.
Denver Public Library Western History Photo Collection: A searchable online collection of photographs dating back to about the time of the Civil War.
American Journeys: This site contains approximately 18,000 pages of letters, journals, diaries and other documents regarding the exploration of North America.
Mountain Men and the Fur Trade
Mountain Men and Plains Indian Fur Trade
Northwest Journal. An outstanding site with information generally focused towards the voyageurs of Canada, the Hudson's Bay Company and the Northwest Company.
Over Land Trail – More about the mountain men and a plethora of information about posts forts and the 1800’s
Historical Maps of North America and the U.S.
South Platte Valley Historical Society - Focused on the South Platte Valley, primarily Fort Lupton, but including Fort St. Vrain, Fort Jackson, and Fort Vasquez. The historic site of Fort Lupton now includes a visitor center, the fort is in the process of being reconstructed, and three major rendezvous are held on the site annually.
Turning Points in Wisconsin History - maps, documents and articles about the fur trade in French and English Wisconsin.
On Canadian Ground - Great information about moccasins and frontier footwear.
Skills, Crafts, Designs and Plans
Tanning Deer Hides and Small Fur Skins
Shaving with a Straight Razor and Classic Shaving. A skill every male should develop for starting the day around camp.
Writing and Speaking in the 1800's. Gaskell's Compendium of Forms
Crooked Tree Farm This site provides a series of sublinks to sites with how-to information and plans for shelters, clothing, sewing, accoutrements and tools, woods skills and others, generally oriented to the 18th Century. The quality of the sublinks is varies: most are excellent, however a few are rather indifferent. If you are interested in doing things yourself, you will find something of interest here.
The Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Organizations, Museums and Historical Sites
Bent’s Old Fort Historical Association
South Platte Valley Historical Society - Focused on the South Platte Valley, primarily Fort Lupton, but including Fort St. Vrain, Fort Jackson, and Fort Vasquez. The historic site of Fort Lupton now includes a visitor center, The fort is in the process of being reconstructed, and three major rendezvous are held on the site annually.
Traders and Sutlers: There are hundreds of suppliers of period trade goods, guns, shoes, clothing, to meet all of your reenacting needs. This list is not meant as an endorsement of the suppliers shown, it is merely intended to be be a representative subset of the types of suppliers out there. Remember, in choosing your source of clothing or plunder, unless you’ve done your research, cheap isn’t necessarily going to be cheapest.
Michele's Sew-it-Seams: Historically accurate clothing from the 1600's through to the late 1800's. Custom garments as well as individually sized. Excellent quality and value.
Dixie Gunworks - General Supplies
Pecatonica River Long Rifles- I built a NW Trade Gun from one of their kits, I was pleased with the quality of the components and the fit of the parts.
Crazy Crow - General Supplies, large collection of beads
Jas. Townsend and Sons - General Supplies, and clothing
Leather Unlimited - Hides, skins, furs, and leather, and leatherworking tools
Panther Primitives General Supplies, but specializing in Canvas Shelters
Shipman Guns - Collector quality, custom crafted flint locks
Swamp Fox Knives - Hand forged custom knives
Track of the Wolf - Black Powder Guns, Kits, Supplies and Acoutrements
Contemporary Long Rifle Association- An extensive inventory of antique and high quality reproduction goods. A fun site to look through even if the goods don't fit your budget.
Tremont Nail Company - Cut steel (square) nails for your period woodworking projects
J Adams Ltd. Newly Made Period Correct Knives manufactured by one of the Sheffield knife manufacturers.
Dexter-Russell, Inc. The successor company to the Russell Green River Works. Compare some of these “traditional” knives to those shown in Hanson, James A. The Fur Trade Cutlery Sketchbook. Except for the placement and size of the pins some are identical to those produced in the 1840’s.
Miscellaneous Links of Interest
Almost Complete List of Muzzle Loading and Buckskinning Links
Colorado State Muzzle Loaders Association - Gives a listing of events and shoots sponsored by the CSMLA