National Parks Traveler Episode 115: Western Expansion Through Fort Laramie

By Kurt Repanshek - April 25th, 2021

Appearance of Fort William/John/Laramie as painted by Alfred Jacob Miller pre-1840/public domain

If you're searching for the door that opened Westward Expansion, find yourself at Fort Laramie National Historic Site in eastern Wyoming. It's decidedly a side trip from anywhere, as it's about 100 miles north of Cheyenne, the state capital, and maybe 55 miles west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. From Interstate 25, the nearest major highway, the drive is not quite 30 miles and 40 minutes from Wheatland, Wyoming.

This is Kurt Repanshek, your host at National Parks Traveler. I recently visited Fort Laramie and toured the site with Park Guide Clayton Hanson. The history to find across the historic site's grounds, its restored buildings, and in the surrounding countryside, is deeper than first glance might indicate. It's not just a military relic. Fort Laramie truly was an iconic milepost in the nation's history.

Last week Clayton and I made stops at the general location of the original Fort William, the Captain’s quarters, and Old Bedlam. In this week's podcast we resume our tour with a stop at the sutler's store, the cavalry barracks, and a view of where the 1868 treaty talks with Native Americans were held.

The sutler's store at Fort Laramie National Historic Site/NPS

Cavalry barracks at Fort Laramie National Historic Site/Kurt Repanshek

Barracks interior/Jim Stratton

Barracks closeup/Kurt Repanshek

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
1:06 Wonder Lake - Various Artists - The Spirit of Alaska
1:34 Potrero Group
2:01 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
2:23 Western National Parks Association
2:46 North Cascades Institute
3:10 A tour of Fort Laramie National Historic Site with Park Guide Clayton Hanson, Part 2
18:58 Shenandoah - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenadoah
19:16 National Parks Traveler
19:30 Interior Federal Credit Union
20:09 Friends of Acadia
20:37 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
21:08 Washington’s National Park Fund
21:47 Fort Laramie tour with Clayton Hanson continues
32:09 The Offering - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
34:08 Episode Closing
34:47 Orange Tree Productions
35:20 Splitbeard Productions
35:33 National Parks Traveler footer

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Fort Laramie National Historic Site

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