The new, and very impressive, Crow Sun Dance lodge that the Mountain Man Museum has re-created is being highlighted at the National Fur Trade Symposium this week.  One of the little known facts is that this lodge was abandoned by the Crow after they had completed what is most likely a vengeance ceremony and marched east from here towards Lander living a wide swath behind them.  A swath that was recorded by a traveling band of Shoshone who had to avoid the Crow because of their violence and anger.

“CHS and the Museum of the Mountain Man (MMM) are hosting the symposium, with the theme of “The 200th Anniversary of Robert Stuart and the Astorians, 1811-1812” to examine “the significance and ramifications of the Astorians and their contributions on the economic, cultural and social development of the peoples and geographic area to fur trade history,” according to MMM director Laurie Hartwig.”

On October 16th, 1812 the Astorians “crossed Pine Creek right where Pinedale is now and on the east side found a large abandoned Crow Indian village. In the village was a large lodge structure he (Stuart) described as 150 feet around and built with 40-foot logs. It included three bodies.” [Gilchrist]

Read more at Sublette Examiner Solving a 200-year-old mystery.

Or for more information about Crow Sun Dance lodge’s vengeance ceremonies, go here, a Google book, The Call Me Agnes: A Crow Narrative based on the Life of Agnes Yellowtail.

If you’re not coming to the Bible study tonight, consider attending the free lectures at the Mountain Man Museum.