Fort Osage

So, in short, this spot was located by the Corps of Discovery (Lewis & Clark), and later then General Clark came out here to build a fort and install a factor to trade with the natives and trappers headed out to the wilderness.  The job of the factor was two-fold - to trade for furs to send back east, and to create an atmosphere of friendliness among the natives and others from various countries living in the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase.

Fort Osage was the second fort built after the Louisiana Purchase.  The fort started out as a critical presence, as the US was the only ones around that recognized the purchase as valid.  France reneged, and - after being paid - tried to take the territory back by force; the British ignored the purchase as they ignored anything the French did; the Spanish claimed the sale was illegal due to their treaty with France; and the local natives of course claimed the land as theirs.

What you see here is a re-creation based upon the drawings of the original.  With the exception of an additional building for the interpretive info and some restrooms, it closely copies the original.

This is the 'factory' or where the factor purchased and sold goods.  It is actually outside the palisade...

It's hard to think of this fort as being the western-most outpost (of it's time), since we had to come nearly 2000 miles East to get to it, but there being only 15 stars on the flag helps to put that in perspective...

The factor lived a pretty nice life, for being on the edge of the wilderness! Of course, he also had to keep up appearances for any visitors that should happen to come out to the 'wilderness'.

The lower levels of the factory held the kitchens...

...and a storage area for the furs. It was great that they had re-created the living areas with artifacts and replicas so that we could discuss what they did and did not have in those days!

Upstairs had a commanding view of all traffic on the river. This allowed them to keep an eye on the locals as well as watch for traffic headed west from 'civilization'. Might have made an awfully nice afternoon tea spot as well!

The left building is one of the four towers at the corners of the fort, built very much for defense.  The large building next to it house the rooms for the officers and their wives.

The soldiers lives in much more modest dorms...

And often the bunks were shared by two to three men, sleeping in shifts (when they weren't on watch or doing drills and duties).

As with all self-sustaining forts, the blacksmith shop was an important and integral part of the fort.

The fort eventually became a 'jumping-off' point for travelers headed to the west.  Once the westward expansions was well under way, and the local natives had been removed to reservations, the need for the fort dwindled until it was decommissioned and eventually taken apart by people using the wood.  It wasn't until many years later that they started rebuilding this historic fort.