Exhibit of Early Visitors

Mountain Men and Explorers

The native people of California witnessed the arrival of men searching for new places to hunt, to trap, to explore and to make a living.
This exhibit focuses on the mountainmen and others who lived by their whits and individual efforts; men who learned to live in the "wild" and enjoy the freedoms offered.

The Mountain Man’s life was one of skill. Not only was he a trapper and woodsman without equal, he was also a trader, blacksmith, horsewrangler, teamster, doctor, gunsmith, tailor, explorer, packer and guide.
There was little room for softness in the life of the Mountain Man. He had to be as hard as the elements he lived in. Although today’s “historians” often attempt to picture him as a careless ne’er-do- well, there was really no room for carelessness or timidity in his life. He had to be constantly alert for signs of danger and ready for immediate action. As long periods of time might, and often did, pass without his seeing another man, it was necessary that he be self-sufficient, able to live from what nature provided. The Mountain Man had to possess that spirit of adventure that makes a man wonder just what is up the river and over the mountain, then go and find out, regardless of time or danger.

Perhaps most important of all, the Mountain Men had the complete loyalty toward one another that can be found only in a brotherhood of rugged men of like spirit. To quote Kit Carson, “There is alway a brotherly affection existing among trappers and the side of danger is alway their choice.” The Mountain Men were strict individualists. They seldom asked for help when danger threatened or a Brother was in need. Asking was just not necessary.

(http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/amm/ammorg.html)

Square Jaw Trap

Used for trapping live small animals. This particular trap is a double spring model used to trap small amimals such as raccoon, beaver and/or mink. The bait was placed at the center of the trap and then the trap jaws were "set" and the trap placed. The chain linked to the trap was connected to trees, rocks or other permanent pegs or objects to assure the animal caught in the trap would not run off or be carried away with the trap itself. Traps were invaluable posessions of the people who used them.

Horn Container

This type of container was made from animal horn, such as that of a buffalo or other large bovine. A plug was made of wood to cap the container. This particular contained was used to carry lead shot for a firearm.

Tomahawk Ax-head

A hand-forged metal axe head was a valuable and multi-purposed possession of early explorers. Not only could it be used as a tool for making shelters, gathering fuel and butchering meat, it was also used as a weapon against large attacking animals and hostile persons.
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Explorers of California

Jedediah StrongSmith, , 1799–1831, American explorer and one of the greatest MOUNTAIN MEN; b. near Binghamton, N.Y. His western travels opened the rich fur-trapping country and showed the way for pioneers who came later. Arriving in St. Louis (1822), he joined William Ashley’s expedition. In 1824 he helped lead a party through South Pass, in Wyoming, beginning use of that route. In 1826–27 he traveled southwest from Great Salt Lake, crossed the Colorado R. and the Mojave Desert, arrived at the San Gabriel (Calif.) mission, and then with two men made the first recorded crossing of the Sierra Nevada and the Great Salt Desert from west to east. Smith later traveled from California to Ft. Vancouver, surviving Native American attacks that killed 26 of his party, but he himself was killed along the Cimarron R. by Comanches.1

John Charles Frémont, , 1813–90, American explorer, soldier, and political leader; b. Savannah, Ga. His enthusiastic reports of his Western explorations (1841–44) created wide interest in that region. He was a leader (1846) in the revolt of California against Mexico until he quarreled with S.W. KEARNY in Kearny’s contest for command with Robert Stockton. Frémont was U.S. senator from California (1850–51) and Republican candidate for president in 1856. He commanded the Western Dept. in the CIVIL WAR but was removed because of his radical policy toward slaveholders. He lost his fortune (1870) in a railroad venture. Later, he was governor (1878–83) of Arizona Territory. He was called the Pathfinder.

1The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia

An Artist of the Times

Alfred Jacob Miller while on his journey to and from the Green River Rendezvous of 1837. Miller was the only artist to witness and paint the events at, and related to, a rendezvous. The following image is representative of one of his works.