Some people may not realize what a big part mountain men played in settling the American frontier. Without them, our country wouldn’t look like it does right now. While there were many, many mountain men that are part of that history, there are a handful of them that put an especially large mark in the settling of the American frontier. Carve Me a Bear! Chainsaw Carvings is here to talk about these prominent mountain men and what their contributions looked like.
John Colter
John Colter first headed West toward the Pacific Ocean as part of Lewis & Clark’s Corp of Discovery. This happened in 1804 and by 11806, most of the members of that company decided it was time to head home. However, Colter decided to stay behind. He started a successful career as a fur trapper. Since he is one of the first known mountain men, some argue that he was most likely the first man to set eyes on Yellowstone National Park.
Jim Bridger
At only 18 years old, Jim Bridger joined up with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company on a large trapping expedition that traveled along the Missouri River. This was only the start of his 45 year long career as a fur trapper. He discovered countless trails and routes in the frontier and founded a trading fort on the Oregon Trail. During his career, he traveled all the way from the Canadian border to southern Colorado. He was also the first Anglo-American to cast his eyes on the Great Salt Lake.
Kit Carson
Kit Carson is a folk hero and a remarkable legend in many newspapers and dime novels of the 19th century. He was a natural frontiersman and knew the wilderness inside and out. Remarkably, Carson learned a half a dozen languages as well. He played a large role in mapping the American West with explorer John C. Frémont. They teamed up for three different missions that took them across the Rocky Mountains, California and Oregon.
Jedidiah Smith
Growing up with a sense of adventure as he devoured stories about Lewis & Clark, Jedidiah Smith went on to have a successful career as a trapper and trader as an adult. He played a big role in rediscovering the South Pass which is a key crossing in the Rocky Mountains which later became part of the Oregon Trail as he was searching for new hunting grounds in the Dakotas and Wyoming. He was also the first explorer to travel the length of the coastline from California to Oregon.
Custom Chainsaw Carvings Picked Up from Lincoln, Montana & Nampa, Idaho
One of the best ways to memorialize the history of the famous mountain men of the American west is with a chainsaw carving. Carve Me a Bear! Chainsaw Carvings can make you a detailed and intricate carving of mountain men as you remember and memorialize the important role they played in our country. Call us today!
