Robidoux Pass Trading Post
category : Pioneer Life
Following the Oregon Trail can be quite exciting, imagining the pioneers that must have traveled the path, what they were like, what they were thinking and what they went through to conquer such terrain as is found at Gering's Robidoux Pass, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.This area gives an appreciation for pioneer life, with three old fur trading post sites, one of which has been reconstructed. The trading post was moved several times to accommodate travelers. The pass was used by emigrants traveling to Oregon, as well as fur trappers, traders, and old rushers. It was named for the Robidoux family, who opened fur trading posts all along the Oregon Trail, especially Joseph Robidoux III, for whom St. Joseph, Missouri, is named.
One of the posts, located in Carter Canyon, is known as post number two. It was inhabited by Antoine Robidoux, his Native American wife and their five children, who were baptized in nearby Canyon Creek south of the post. This building was used between 1851 and 1853, providing staples for travelers and a home for the Antoine Robidoux family. It was excavated and reconstructed from sketches in 1995.
Now, you can walk on the authentic post's dirt floor, and see period-specific furs, traps, beads and cookware that were sold from the trading post. Also, you will see a nostalgic monument for an old blacksmith shop, as well as pioneer graves, including the "Dunn" grave, one of only seven marked burial sites along the Oregon Trail. Markers show the exact location of the trail in places where ruts have been eroded, but wagon tire marks are still visible in other areas.
Drive out to this area, once traveled by pioneers, and explore the history for yourself. Or, make an appointment for a tour of the reconstructed trading post.
Address: One mile south on Highway 71, 8 miles West on Carter Canyon Road
Phone: 308-436-6886
Come visit us in Gering, Nebraska