Ichabod S. Bartlett (1838-1925) was a Civil War veteran from Massachusetts who came to Wyoming to work as a military storekeeper and later became a miner. He became a journalist and managing editor of the Cheyenne Leader and served in the Wyoming Territorial Legislature. He was a noted historian specializing in local Wyoming history.

In 1918 Bartlett writes:

"The history of Wyoming, in all its details and phases, presents a story of gripping human interest. Sixty years ago great herds of antelope and buffalo roamed over the plains, elk and deer by thousands found shelter in the foothills and mountain ranges, while predatory animals, such as timber wolves, bears and mountain lions, held undisputed possession of the forests. The soil was then untouched by the plow of the husbandman, the groves and forests had not yet echoed the sound of the woodman's ax, the rich treasures of coal and ore had not felt the stroke of the miner's pick, and the only civilized persons who had penetrated the vast, primeval solitudes were the trappers, hunters, Indian traders and missionaries, or the emigrants on their way to the gold fields of California or the Mormon settlement at the Great Salt Lake.

"Then came the cry of "Westward Ho!" and the spirit of Wyoming's dream was changed. Brawny, red-blooded men came flocking in from the older states and began a work of development unparalleled in the nation's history."

This book tells the story of the trappers, traders and early explorers who made this development possible.

CONTENTS:

•BEGINNING OF THE FUR TRADE
•THE FRENCH THE PIONEERS FREE TRADERS AND TRAPPERS
•INFLUENCE OF TRADER & TRAPPER ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEST
•THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY
• THE NORTH-WEST COMPANY
•THE AMERICAN FUR COMPANY
•THE PACIFIC FUR COMPANY
•MANUEL LISA
•THE MISSOURI FUR COMPANY
• HUNT'S EXPEDITION
• RETURN OF THE ASTORIANS
•ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR COMPANY
•SMITH, JACKSON & SUBLETTE
•SKETCHES OF NOTED TRAPPERS COLUMBIA FUR COMPANY
•THE MACKINAW COMPANY
•TRADING POSTS IN WYOMING.
•EARLY EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICA CHIEFLY ALONG THE COAST
•CORONADO'S EXPEDITION ON TO QUIVIRA
•OTHER SPANISH EXPEDITIONS
•VERENDRYE
•LEWIS AND CLARK
•HANCOCK AND DIXON
•LIEUTENANT PIKE
•EZEKIEL WILLIAMS
•LONG'S EXPEDITION
•NATHANIEL J. WYETH
•WYETH's SECOND EXPEDITION
•CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE
•FATHER DE SMET
•JOHN C. FREMONT
•HIS SECOND EXPEDITION
•CAPTAIN STANSBURY WARREN'S EXPEDITION CAPTAIN RAYNOLDS.

Originally published in 1918; reformatted for the Kindle; may contain an occasional imperfection; original spellings have been kept in place.