Fort Buenaventura
Encyclopedia
Fort Buenaventura was the first permanent Anglo
settlement in the Great Basin
and the region that is now the state of Utah
in the United States
. It was founded in 1846 just east of the Weber River
, west of current downtown Ogden, Utah
. The fort and the surrounding land were bought by the Mormon
settlers in 1847 and renamed Brownsville (then later Ogden). The land on which the actual fort stood is now a Weber County
park.
and the region that is now Utah
. It was established by the trapper Miles Goodyear
in 1846 about a mile west-southwest
of the Ogden municipal building. The fort was located east of the Weber River
, at a bend in the river. The purpose of the fort was to serve as a trading post for trappers and travelers.
In November 1847, Fort Buenaventura and the surrounding land claim were purchased by the Mormon
settlers for $1,950. The settlement was then renamed Brownsville, but was later changed to Ogden after Peter Skene Ogden
who trapped in the Weber Valley.
joints.
Located at 2450 "A" Avenue in Ogden, Utah, south of the Miles Goodyear Park. Fort Buenaventura Park is open from April to October. It offers camping
, canoeing
and meeting facilities.
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to the Angles, England or the English people, as in the terms Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American, Anglo-Celtic, Anglo-African and Anglo-Indian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British Isles descent in The Americas, Australia and...
settlement in the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
and the region that is now the state of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1846 just east of the Weber River
Weber River
The Weber River is a c. long river of northern Utah, USA. It begins in the northwest of the Uinta Mountains and empties into the Great Salt Lake. The Weber River was named for American fur trapper John Henry Weber.-Weber River:...
, west of current downtown Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
. The fort and the surrounding land were bought by the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
settlers in 1847 and renamed Brownsville (then later Ogden). The land on which the actual fort stood is now a Weber County
Weber County, Utah
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population was 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By...
park.
History
Fort Buenaventura was the first permanent settlement by people of European descent in the Great BasinGreat Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
and the region that is now Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It was established by the trapper Miles Goodyear
Miles Goodyear
Miles Morris Goodyear was an American fur trader and mountain man who built and occupied Fort Buenaventura in what is now the city of Ogden, Utah. The fort was located approximately two miles south of the confluence of the Weber and Ogden rivers and about one-quarter mile west of the end of...
in 1846 about a mile west-southwest
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
of the Ogden municipal building. The fort was located east of the Weber River
Weber River
The Weber River is a c. long river of northern Utah, USA. It begins in the northwest of the Uinta Mountains and empties into the Great Salt Lake. The Weber River was named for American fur trapper John Henry Weber.-Weber River:...
, at a bend in the river. The purpose of the fort was to serve as a trading post for trappers and travelers.
In November 1847, Fort Buenaventura and the surrounding land claim were purchased by the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
settlers for $1,950. The settlement was then renamed Brownsville, but was later changed to Ogden after Peter Skene Ogden
Peter Skene Ogden
Peter Skene Ogden , was a fur trader and a Canadian explorer of what is now British Columbia and the American West...
who trapped in the Weber Valley.
Weber County park
The site of the original Fort Buenaventura is a park occupying 84 acres (339,936.2 m²). When made a park, it was originally a Utah State Park, but is now a Weber County park. The fort has been reconstructed as accurately as possible using archaeological evidence and written accounts. The reconstruction was done using construction in use at the time of its original construction, mortise and tenonMortise and tenon
The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at an angle of 90°. In its basic form it is both simple and strong. Although there are many joint variations, the basic mortise and tenon...
joints.
Located at 2450 "A" Avenue in Ogden, Utah, south of the Miles Goodyear Park. Fort Buenaventura Park is open from April to October. It offers camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and meeting facilities.
External links
- Ogden Convention and Visitors Bureau article on the history and current status of Fort Buenaventura
- Weber County Parks article on Fort Buenaventura
- Utah State Parks Department article on Fort Buenaventura
- Utah Convention and Visitors Bureau article on Fort Buenaventura