| I found out why this was called
Independence Rock. Pioneers bound for the Pacific coast would hope
to arrive here by Independence Day in order to reach their destination
before the snowfalls. |
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| It was very windy on this day. |
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| Stopping in Casper, I visited the Fort
Caspar Museum. |
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| This is a painting. In 1847, Brigham
Young and his group of pioneers built and operated a ferry across
the North Platte River near this site. |
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| This is also a painting. Guinard's
Bridge was built in 1859 by Louis Guinard and was used until Fort
Caspar was abandoned in 1867. The bridge was 1000 feet long and 17
feet wide. Toll was $1 to $6 depending on the river conditions. |
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| An old Triple Bell slot machine from
the 1940's. No, this would not have been at the old fort. The little
museum had old stuff from the history of Casper. |
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| Casper must be a hell of a place during
Pride Month. |
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| This is a sheepwagon. It is essentially
a mobile home where sheep herders would live. |
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| I guess it was kind of like an Old West
Airstream trailer. |
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| As with many historic sites, these
buildings were reconstructed by the Depression-era Works Progress
Administration (WPA). |
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| Here would have been the officer's
quarters, a laundry room and stables. |
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| What the quarters might have looked
like. |
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| The commissary storehouse. Come here
for your hard tack and salt pork. |
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| Lots of things in these buildings. |
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| Mess hall. |
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| The telegraph room from 1861 to 1867. |
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| Probably not part of the original
bridge across the North Platte. |
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| Also not the original Mormon ferry. |
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