National Parks Traveler Episode 114: Walking The Grounds Of Fort Laramie

By Kurt Repanshek - April 18th, 2021

Fort Laramie National Historic Site in eastern Wyoming is a rare, overlooked outpost in the National Park System. It's not the only 19th century fort in the system, but it is richly steeped in Western history, from the fur trappers and the cavalry to the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express. During a recent visit, Kurt Repanshek and Fort Laramie Ranger Clayton Hanson walked the grounds. In this week's episode, the first of two episodes, they started at the approximate site of original Fort William and headed over to the sutler's store.

Fort Laramie as it appeared in 1870/NPS archives

Fort Laramie as it appeared in 1870. The two-story Old Bedlam can be seen in the back row of buildings/NPS archives

Old Bedlam in a deteriorating condition around 1935/NPS archives

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
:48 Red Clay - Grant Geissman - The Sounds of the Grand Canyon
:56 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
1:27 Interior Federal Credit Union
2:05 Washington’s National Park Fund
2:42 Friends of Acadia
3:15 Kurt Repanshek explores Fort Laramie National Historic Site with Park Guide Clayton Hanson
13:50 Oh Susanna - Grant Geissman - The Sounds of the Grand Canyon
24:35 Shenandoah - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenandoah
24:50 National Parks Traveler
25:02 Western National Parks Association
25:25 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
25:47 North Cascades Institute
26:06 Potrero Group
26:37 Kurt's exploration of Fort Laramie with Clayton Hanson continues
36:35 The Horsemen - Randy Petersen - The Spirit of South Dakota
36:53 Episode Closing
37:15 Orange Tree Productions
37:49 Splitbeard Productions
38:01 National Parks Traveler footer

Fort Laramie National Historic Site

Add new comment

Comments

Submitted by Natalie McCormick on October 9, 2021 - 7:04pm.

As a former ranger of Fort Laramie National Historic Site, i would say that this is an enjoyable walking tour of an incredible resource save for one thing: the facts. Knowing the facts of your site and knowing them as well as you know your own name is IMPORTANT when interpreting a historic site. The thing to remember is that people believe what we tell them. Our desire is to hopefully represent to them the truth as well as we know it. It takes years of study to accomplish that goal, digesting the material written by "the greats" of Fort Laramie history. Individuals such as Robert Utley, Paul Hedren, Douglas McChristian, Jerome Green, John McDermott, Patricia Stallard and others are ESSENTIAL to the understanding of life at Fort Laramie, "The Queen of the Northern Plains". This tour is a good place to START. Keep after it young interpreter!

Add comment

form.antibot { display: none !important; } You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form.

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 311 | Keeping Cape Lookout Above Water

Rising sea levels, stronger storms, eroding shorelines, and sinking terrain are taking a toll on the fragile ecosystems and historic resources at Cape Lookout National Seashore on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey takes a close look at these threats and predicts how they will impact the national seashore over the coming years.

February 2nd, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 310 | Parks Under Pressure

Here we are, a week into the second administration of President Donald Trump. It’s certainly a time of change, some of which is expected, and some perhaps not. Do we really need to rename North America’s tallest mountain, Denali in Denali National Park and Preserve?

There is much going on in the federal government, and not all is good. Hiring freezes are underway. There’s much talk about reducing the federal budget, which requires cutting agency funding.

January 26th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 309 | Yellowstone Wolves at 30

There are sounds that wake you up out of a deep sleep, only to be dismissed as you fall back to sleep. And then there are sounds that rivet you, make you sit bolt upright.

That was the type of sound that woke us while we were deep in the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park. Sunrise hadn’t yet come, yet we were wide awake, listening to one of the most mesmerizing sounds you can encounter in the wilds: The melodious rising and falling howl of a wolf.

January 12th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 308 | Threatened and Endangered Parks

We’re five days into 2025, and already there’s a lot of news concerning national parks and the National Park Service. Traveler Editor-in-Chief Kurt Repanshek is joined today by Contributing Editor Kim O’Connell to discuss the Traveler’s 4th Annual Threatened and Endangered Park Series and other recent park-related news.

January 5th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 307 | A Walk in the Park

Many of us like to take a walk in our favorite national park, whether it’s a short stroll down one of the boardwalks at Yellowstone National Park, the hike to the top of Old Rag at Shenandoah National Park, or up the Mist Trail at Yosemite National Park, we like to get out and experience parks up close.

December 29th, 2024 Read More

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks