On the Great Plains of North America, where the flatlands meet the Rocky Mountains and the buffalo once roamed, trailed by Cheyenne, Arapahoe and Sioux, there stood an oasis for westward migrants in search of new lives and fortunes…
It’s called Fort Laramie.
In this thought-provoking film, Don Wildman (American History Hit) travels to Wyoming to explore the story of this remarkable place, from trading post between Europeans and Native Americans to staging post for those on the trail westwards, a military bastion on the frontline of the battle for land, safe passage and resources.
To discover the site, Don meets with Park Rangers and interviews Dr Jeff Means of the University of Wyoming, a member of the Lakota Sioux Nation - a descendant of those who knew Fort Laramie in the 19th century.
The film investigates some of Laramie’s key events, from the Grattan Massacre to the treaties signed in this area in 1851 and 1868 as the United States spread westwards, across the Great Plains and beyond.
Fort Laramie stands as a memorial to America’s westward expansion, and a reminder of how the world of the Native American Plains Indians was changed forever.
Up Next in Searching for Stories
-
American Revolution: The First Battle
250 years ago, on April 19th 1775, the first muskets were fired in the American War of Independence - the famous "shot heard round the world".
In this special History Hit film, Dan Snow explores the key sites where it happened on this day - Battle Green, Lexington; The Old North Bridge, Concord...
-
Beijing Central Axis: China's Medieva...
The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Drum and Bell Towers - all of these architectural wonders stand on a line that runs like a spine through the centre of Beijing. It is known as the Beijing Central Axis, a World Heritage site containing a spectacular array of ancient buildings that together t...
-
The Mission: Finding the Untold Stori...
Historian Rishi Sharma is a man on a unique mission, a mission to interview every living World War II combat veteran of the allied forces that he can. In the seven years since he left high school Rishi has travelled through every state and across the globe, often sleeping in his car, to film over...
5 Comments