Fort Supply (Uinta County, Wyoming)

Uinta County · Wyoming · Utah War

History & Significance

Church leadership in Salt Lake City called Orson Hyde to organize the effort to establish the 'Green River Mission' and build a fort, with goals not only to convert and 'civilize' the local Shoshone, but to help maintain Mormon control in the area and supply provisions to pioneers who still had a nearly 100-mile journey across the Wasatch Range to the Salt Lake Valley. During the church's general conference in October 1853, 39 young men were called to the mission; the first company led by John Nebeker left Salt Lake City on November 2, 1853, and a second company led by Isaac Bullock departed on November 25.

The 1855 crop did well until an early frost destroyed most of what had not been harvested; in 1856, 43 families were called from other settlements to strengthen the community. A site for "Supply City" was chosen approximately 3 miles north of the fort and surveyed in June 1857; 15 or 16 homes had been constructed by the end of that summer.

Fort Supply was burned around midnight on October 3, 1857, after which the Utah militia moved on to Supply City and burnt it. As the Utah War ended, some settlers desired to return to the sites of Fort Supply and Supply City, but the land had been made part of the military reserve when Fort Bridger became an official US military post. Irrigation was first introduced to the area at Fort Supply, and it was also the first Anglo-Saxon settlement in what would become Wyoming.

Map

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Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Supply_(Utah_Territory)
• https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/activities-amenities-fort-bridger/fort-supply-fort-bridger-state-historic-site
• https://ensignpeakfoundation.org/fort-supply/
• https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=174178
• https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/fort-bridger

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