Visitor at Bent's Old Fort

THIS WAS ONE OF OUR VISITORS TO THE BENTS OLD FORT ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THIS WAS TAKEN RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE BOOKSTORE AND TRADE ROOM THAT I WORK IN.

THIS IS A PRAIRIE RATTLER ABOUT 4-5' LONG. I WAITED TO GET A PICTURE WITH HIS RATTLERS IN ACTION, BUT TO NO AVAIL. HE CERTAINLY SCARED TWO OF OUR LADY PATRONS. THEY CAME BACK IN THE STORE SCREAMING SNAKE!! SNAKE!! I OF COURSE BEING THE ONLY ONE AROUND, AND I HATE SNAKES LIKE "INDIANA JONES", HAD TO GO OUT AND SEE WHAT WAS UP. THEN TO MEET THIS GUY AT YOUR FRONT DOOR WAS NO FUN. WE TO HAVE AN INTREPRETOR ON SITE THAT LIKES SNAKES, BUT HE WAS OFF DUTY SO I HAD TO CALL ONE OF THE OTHER PARK EMPLOYEES. HE GOT HIM CORNERED IN A METAL TRASH CAN, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD THE ORDEAL. ONE OF THE LADIES SAYS WHY DON'T YOU GET A SHOVEL AND JUST KILL HIM. WE INFORMED HER THAT IN COLORADO THAT RATTLESNAKES ARE A PROTECTED SPECIES AND ARE UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE KILLED. THEY CARRIED HIM OFF TO THE RIVER BOTTOM AND RELEASED HIM. HE PROBLABLY WILL VISIT AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME HE WILL BE 6' LONG. OUT TRAILS OUR ALL POSTED BEWARE OF SNAKES. THEY HARDLY EVER BOTHER ANYONE. WE DO HAVE ONE OLD FRIENDLY BULL SNAKE THAT LAYS ALONG THE TRAIL TO ENTRANCE OF THE FORT ON SUNNY DAYS AND HE SCARES A FEW, HOWEVER HE QUITE HARMLESS.

More from Bent's Old Fort

THIS PHOTO IS OF ONE OF FOUR OF OUR MALE PEACOCKS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE FORT. HE IS PRACTICING ON HIS MATING RITUAL THAT WILL BE COMING VERY SOON. WE HAVE 3 FEMALES ALSO. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT BIRDS, BUT ARE ALSO A BIT OF ANNOYANCE WITH THEIR CALLS. THEY ARE VERY GOOD YARD GUARD BIRDS AND SOUND OFF AT SOME OF THE SMALLEST THINGS.

IT IS SAID THAT WILLIAM BENT BROUGHT THESE BIRDS INTO BENT'S OLD FORT TO FACINATE THE LOCAL INDIANS, WHICH I AM SURE THAT THEY WERE VERY MUCH SO, PRIZING FEATHERS OF ALL KINDS FOR THEIR DRESS COSTUMES. I AM SURE THAT WILLIAM EITHER GAVE THEM TO THEM AS A TOKEN OF HIS FREINDSHIP, OR HE MAY HAVE POSSIBLY TRADED THEM FOR BUFFALO AND BEAVER HIDES SINCE THAT WAS THE VERY LIVELYHOOD OF THE FORT.

OUR BIRDS NOW OF COURSE ARE JUST FINISHING UP THEIR MOLT STAGE AND BEGINNING TO GROW NEW PLUMAGE FOR NEXT YEAR'S RITUALS. WHEN THEY DO MOLT IN LATE JULY AND AUGUST YOU CAN FIND TAIL FEATHERS STRUNG ALL OVER THE FORT. WE LET OUR TOURISTS KEEP ANY THAT THEY CAN FIND. THE CHILDREN REALLY LOVE THEM. YOU CAN SEE WHY. MANY ARE JUST AS FASCINATED AS THE INDIANS WERE, BEING THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAVE EVER SEEN A PEACOCK OR FEATHER.

THIS IS A 6# HOWITZER CANNON KEPT AT BENTS OLD FORT FOR DEFENSE PURPOSES. HOWEVER THE INDIANS WERE SO PEACABLE THAT IT NEVER HAD TO BE FIRED IN DEFENSE OF THE FORT. IT WAS OCCASIONALLY FIRED FOR CLEANING AND PLEASURE, AT TIMES. IT IS DISPLAYED IN FRONT OF THE FORT IN THE SUMMER MONTHS AND KEPT UNDER COVER IN THE WAGON ROOM DURING THE WINTER MONTHS AND CAN STILL BE VIEWED.

Bent's Old Fort

BENTS OLD FORT 1833-1849 RECONSTRUCTION.........

THIS IS A PICTURE THAT WAS TAKEN IN THE EARLY MORNING OF THE FUR PRESS IN THE COURTYARD. THIS WAS USED BETWEEN 1833-1849 TO PRESS 10-12 BUFFALO PELTS INTO A SQUARE BAIL THEN BANDED. BY DOING THIS THEY COULD GET MANY MORE PELTS IN A WAGON TO SEND THEM BACK TO ST. LOUIS, MO. OVER THE SANTE FE TRAIL. AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR THEY MAY HAVE PACKED BEAVER PELT(PLEWS) AS WELL. SOMETIMES A WAGON TRAIN COULD HAVE 10 OR MORE WAGONS LOADED WITH HIDES. NOTICE THE GREEN TREES THROUGH THE DOORWAY AND ALSO ONE OF OUR INTERPRETERS IS STANDING WAITING FOR VISITORS. IF YOU HAVE NOT AS YET SEEN THIS RECONSTRUCTION OF A FUR TRADING POST ON THE SANTE FE TRAIL NEAR LA JUNTA, CO. YOU ARE MISSING A LOT. IT IS SAID TO BE THE BEST RECONSTRUCTION OF SUCH IN THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

BENTS OLD FORT 1833-1849 RECONSTRUCTION....

AGAIN ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE COURTYARD AND FUR PRESS. NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL BILLOWING CLOUD FORMATION. THE ROOM ON THE LEFT TOP SIDE IS CERAN ST. VRAIN'S QUARTERS. SINCE CERAN TRAVELED A LOT TO ST LOUIS, TAOS, AND SANTE FE FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS HIS QUARTERS WERE ALSO USED MANY TIMES BY MORE IMPORTANT VISITORS TO THE FORT. ONE SUCH PERSON WAS LT. JAMES ABERT. HE WAS A U.S. TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEER(RECOVERING FROM DYSENTERY). HE RESIDED AT THE FORT FOR AROUND 4 MONTHS IN 1846 AND DID MANY DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS OF THE FORT. HE ALSO AND ARTIST AND NATURALISTS AND PAINTED MANY PICTURES OF THE FORT, INDIANS, AND MANY OF THE PLANT LIFE HE FOUND. HE EVEN DONE A LITHOGRAPH OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE FORT SO WE KNOW ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE. HE ALSO NAME A COLORADO SQUIRREL AFTER HIMSELF. OF COURSE THE ABERT SQUIRREL IS THE ONE I AM REFERRING TO.

THE ROOM TO THE TOP RIGHT IS THE BILLARD ROOM. IT HAS A FULL SIZED BILLIARD TABLE THAT WAS TRANSPORTED IN FROM ST. LOIUS BY WAGON AND REASSEMBLED. THERE WERE MANY OTHER GAMES OF CHANCE PLAYED AS WELL, SUCH AS POKER, BACKGAMMON, CHECKERS, MONTE, AND SEVERAL OTHERS. THERE WAS EVEN A SMALL BAR OF SORTS AT THE ONE END AND A FIREPLACE. THIS ROOM WAS A NO-WOMEN ALLOWED ROOM EXCEPT TO CLEAN.

LT JAMES ABERT OFTEN USED THE ROOM FOR HIS ART STUDIO AND WOULD POSE HIS MODELS ON THE BILLARD TABLE.

THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE FORT THAT MOST PEOPLE NEVER SEE. WAS TAKEN ABOUT 1/2 MILE AWAY WITH A 15X TELEPHOTO LENS. YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOUR CAR TO TAKE THIS PHOTO FROM HWY 194 EAST OF THE FORT. A SMALL GAP IN THE TREES LET YOU SEE A VERY BRIEF VIEW FROM THE ROAD. BENTS OLD FORT WAS FUR TRADING CENTER ON THE SANTE FE TRAIL. IT WAS BUILT BY THE BROTHERS BENT(CHARLES AND WILLIAM) AND CERAN ST. VRAIN BEGINNING IN 1832-33 AND FINISHING IN ABOUT 2 YEARS USING A LARGE MEXICAN LABOR FORCE. THEY WERE MAINLY DID THE ADOBE WORK AS THEY WERE SPECIALISTS IN THIS FIELD OF WORK AT THAT TIME.

IT WAS AN EMPIRE THAT STRETCH FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES IN ALL DIRECTIONS, AND WAS A SIGNIFIGANT SOURCE OF SUPPLIES FOR THE CHEYENNE, ARAPAHO, KIOWA, AND MANY OTHER TRIBES. AT TIMES THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AS MANY AS 200 HUNDRED TENTS PITCHED IN FRONT OF THE FORT.

KEARNEY'S ARMY MARCHED THROUGH HERE DURING THE MEXICAN INVASION. IT WAS SAID THAT HE HAD AS MANY A 20,000 ANIMALS THAT HAD TO BE PASTURED AND A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF MEN AS WELL. WHEN THEY LEFT THE FORT WAS PRETTY MUCH STRIPPED OF ITS SUPPLIES AND WAS NECESSARY TO RESTOCK VERY QUICKLY(SAY ABOUT 6-8 WEEKS AT LEAST TO MAKE THE ROUND TRIP TO SANTE OR ST. LOIUS. THIS FORT SEEN MOST OF THE MOST PROMINENT MOUNTAIN MEN OF THE DAY. KIT CARSON, TOM FITZPATRICK, JIM BRIDGER, OLD BILL WILLIAMS AND MANY MORE.

OLE' GREEN PICK-UP

LORAN HAS THE OLE' GREEN PICK-UP OUT NOW AND DRIVING IT TO WORK OUT AT BENTS OLD FORT. POLISHED IT ALL UP, FIXED A COUPLE OF SMALL THINGS, PUT A NEW BATTERY IN IT AND ZOOM WE ARE READY TO GO. THIS PICK UP A 1977 FORD F150 HAS OVER 200,000

MILES ON IT NOW, BEEN OVERHAULED ONCE AND IT STILL RUNS AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN OUR OTHER 2 PICK-UPS. MOST OF OUR FRIENDS REMEMBER ME DRIVING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD BETWEEN LAS ANIMAS AND LAMAR EVERYDAY FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS. SHE HAS BEEN A GOOD FRIEND. BEEN SETTING IN THE GARAGE FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 50 MILES PUT ON IT. I THINK THE OLD TRUCK IS HOLDING AS WELL OR BETTER THAN ME THESE LAST FEW YEARS.

ANOTHER SHOT OF LORAN AND HIS OLE' GREEN FRIEND. I TRIED TO SELL THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT I GUESS NO ONE THOUGH IS WAS WORTH $1750.00. CONSIDERING THAT IT IS A CLASSIC NOW AND IN GOOD SHAPE RUNNING WISE. DOES HAVE SOME RUSTED OUT OVER THE BACK FENDERS, LIKE ALL FORDS OF THIS YEAR HAD, UNLESS SOMEONE DID A PROPER UNDERCOATING. THE INSIDE IS SPOTLESS AND THE AM RADIO STILL WORKS. WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR. CONSIDERING THAT I PAID ONLY 1950.00 FOR IT 25 YEARS AGO I DON'T THINK MY PRICE WAS TO OUTRAGEOUS. I GUESS I'll JUST DRIVE THE REST OF THE LIFE OUT OF IT.

GUESS WHAT? HERE WE ARE CANNING TOMATOES AGAIN. LINDA ALREADY HAS 3 BATCHES DONE WHILE I WAS AT WORK AND EMILEE IS COMING TO STAY THE NIGHT AND HELP US OUT AGAIN. SHE DID THINK IT WOULD BE NICE IF GRANDMA AND GRANDPA TOOK HER TO THE DAIRY QUEEN FOR SUPPER.....WE THOUGHT WE COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

To all who wanted a picture of Loran.......

For all those of you who were waiting for a picture of Loran..... HERE IT IS!!!! This was taken on the way home from tomato picking in Rocky Ford. Loran and his great granddaughter, Brooklyn, fell asleep in the truck. Like Grandpa like Granddaughter, I guess you can say!!!

Lance's Girls

From the left: Elizabeth, Ashley and Emilee. Their father is our youngest son, Lance. They are home schooled by their mother. Ashley is attending Otero Junior College. This picture was taken in early spring in their yard. They love movies and reading and often help out their father with his surveying business.

The Adventure of Canning Tomatoes

WE WENT TO ROCKY FORT AND PICKED 11 5-GALLON BUCKETS WITH THE HELP OF OUR GRANDDAUGHTER SHEENA AND GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER BROOKLYN. THE PICTURE ABOVE IS OF BROOKLYN HELPING PICK TOMATOES IN THE TOMATO FIELD. SHE HAS FUN FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, UNTIL SHE STARTED TRIPPING OVER THE TOMATO PLANTS AND EATING DIRTY ONES!!!

HERE COMES SOME MORE TOMATOES TO PEEL MOM, AND LANE YOU BETTER GET TO HURRYING UP WITH THE CUTTING SO WE CAN GET DAD BACK IN HER STUFFING TOMATOES INSTEAD OF TAKING PICTURES OF US WHILE WE DO THE WORK. DON'T THOSE JARS LOOK PRETTY?? THIS IS USUALLY OUR ONLY CANNING PROJECT OF THE YEAR, BUT IF THINGS STAY THE WAY THEY ARE RIGHT NOW WE MAY START LOOKING FOR A GOOD GARDEN SPOT SOMEWHERE I THINK.
GETTING TOWARD THE END OF CANNING TOMATOES. CANNED 112 QUARTS. TOOK US ALL DAY. IT WAS HARD WORK FOR ALL, BUT WE WILL SURELY ENJOY THEM THIS WINTER AND NEXT SPRING. IN THE PICTURE IS LANCE ON THE LEFT, LINDA IN THE MIDDLE, AND LANE ON THE RIGHT. EVEN EMILEE HELPED US ALL DAY. SHE WAS A VERY GOOD LITTLE HELPER. SHE WAS THE CUT-UP GIRL. LORAN STUFFED THE JARS, LANCE HOT WATER BATHED THE TOMATOES SO WE COULD PEEL THEM, LINDA PEELED TOMATOES AND RAN THE JARS AND CANNER WITH THE HELP OF LANCE. WE WERE ALL VERY TIRED AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT IT WAS AN ENJOYABLE FAMILY GET TOGETHER THAT JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN ENOUGH. AND WE CAN'T FORGET WE EVEN TOOK THE TIME TO COOK HAMBURGER ON THE GRILL AND EMILEE, BLESS HER HEART SHE MADE SOME VERY GOOD HERB STUFFED TOMATOES UNDER THE OVEN BROILER. THEY WERE VERY GOOD. THANKS EM.

ALSO, A BIG "THANK YOU" TO LANE, LANCE AND FAMILY FOR ALL THE HELP WITH THIS PROJECT!!!!

About the Brundage's

We are the Brundage's. We were married in 1960 in Fall City, NE. Loran was born in Grand Island, NE and Linda was born in Ravenna, NE. We currently live in Las Animas, CO where we have lived for the past 33 years. Loran is retired and worked in retail all of his life. He currently runs the bookstore and trading post at Bent's Old Fort, part-time. He also serves civil papers. Linda works at Bent County Social Services. She is getting very close to retirement.

We are the proud parents of three boys, and have 4 dogs, 7 grandkids and 1 great grandkid. Our boys are Lynn William Brundage, Lane Wesley Brundage, and Lance Wade Brundage. Our grandkids are Sheena Nacre Jensen and Miles William Brundage (Lynn's kids), Jessica Melane Brundage and Lane Wade Brundage, Jr. (AKA J.R.) (Lane's kids), and Ashley Brundage, Elizabeth Brundage and Emilee Brundage (Lance's kids). Our great granddaughter is Brooklyn Nacre Jensen (Sheena and Wesley's kid). The picture to the right is our granddaughter Sheena and our great granddaughter Brooklyn. Brooklyn 1 and 1/2 years old.

Our dogs are two Jack Russells: Miss Jackie Rose and Mr. Buddy. Our two West Highland White Terriers: Hoover and Cheza. Jackie is the queen of the coupe. Buddy keep an eye on everybody... because he only has one due to an unknown accident. Hoover and Cheza are new additions to the family. They all live to eat and play. Jackie loves ball and Buddy loves frisbee.

Starting the Blog

Loran and Linda are starting their first blog. Please check back often for updates and pictures.