Bent's Old Fort
- Colorado
photo: Carol Highsmith
Why go there?
Located in Otero County in southeastern Colorado, Bent's Old Fort is a well-preserved example of a 19th-century trading post. The fort was built in 1833 by a company owned by Charles Bent and William Bent and Ceran St. Vrain, and was used as a base for trade with Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Plains Indians and trappers for buffalo robes. The fort changed hands several times over the years, and was finally abandoned in 1849. Today, the fort is operated as a living history museum, and is open to the public for tours and educational programs.
