The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-10-15
Jim Bridger, Typical Trapper and Prodigious Liar,
Knew His Wilderness Like Thumb-lndex Volume

~ ALL the hunters, trapperS,
!; +:
Bridger probably covered larger ter
ritory and was familiar with more
country than any of them. While eX-
ploratiOn was not his primary purpose,
the services which he rendered to the
country in that regard were notable.
the Great Salt lake. He discovered it
in 1924. He visited the Yellowstone
park region in 1880, the second white
man to do so. The region had previously
been crossed by John Golfer, trapper
in the employ of Manuel Lisa about
1907, but Golfer left no record OF his
trip.
Bridger's stories of the park were
larer found to be true. At the time
they won for him no credit unless it
be that which would attach to the title
of championship liar, which honor
was accorded him all over the west as
the result OF his descriptions, OF the
wonders which he found there. Miffed
at the lack of credence given his tales
he really did tell some monster lies
about the region to get even With those
who refused to believe the truths he
had told them.
Fort Bridger, historic fertilization
and trading post in southwestern wy
oming, was founded by Bridger in 1843.
He long prior to that had found the
south pass across the Rocky mountains
and he opened the overland route to
the Great Salt lake by way OF Brldger
pass. He acted as guide for the United
States army exploring expedition under
served Gen. G. M. Dodge as guide
when the latter was making surveys
for the Union Pacific railroad, as well
as in Indian campaigns OF 1865 and
1866
Bridger many times padded the
length of most of Montana'S rivers,
and in the states trails he left the m
print of his moccaSlned feet over many
a weary mile. In the dome OF the state
capital at Helena is a painting OF him
as representing the typical trapper
of the old west. Montana has town
and creek named in his honor. These
are, in a way, monuments to his mem
DRY. The only stone monument to him.
is that at his grave in Kansas City,
where his body was moved by General
Dodge some time after his death at
his farm near Santa Fe, Mo.
Born in Virginia
Bridger was born in Richmond, Va,
March IT, 1904. He died in 1881. He
was the son of farmer who was
also a tavern keeper and who had some
knowledge of surveying. The family
moved to st. Louis in 1872, and. in
that then booming world fur market,
young Bridger received his early i'm
presSions and his early training. His
mother died in 1916 and his father in
1917 and the youngster and his brothers
and sisters were parceled out to live
with relatives.
BY the time that he was 10 years of
age, young Bridger had acquired
wide knowledge Of river trading with
the Indians along the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers, and the other rivers
through Missouri and adjacent terri
tory. He quit the traders for several
years, however, and served an appren-
ticeship as blacksmith, knowledge
of which trade proved of great value
to him during later years in the will
derneSS.
In 1922 he joined a party of trappers
bound for the Three Forks of the Mis-
souri, in Montana. The group was in
the employ of William H. Ashley and
Andrew Henry, who financed it, and