Fort Laramie

Fort Laramie was established as a fur trading fort in 1834 and quickly became the largest and best known military post on the Northern Plains. The fort was abandoned in 1890, but it witnessed the entire sweeping saga of America’s western expansion and Indian resistance to encroachment on their territories. The fort was originally established as a private fur trading fort, but it soon became a key stop on the Oregon Trail. The Fort was also the site of several important treaties between the United States and various Native American tribes, most notably the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868), which guaranteed the right of free passage for settlers on the Oregon Trail. In its later years, the fort was home to several famous figures, including “Wild Bill” Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Buffalo Bill Cody. Today, the site of the fort is a National Historic Site, and visitors can explore the ruins of the old fort as well as a variety of exhibits about its history.