 June 21st, 2018 Contact: Chris Floyd, 307-782-3842 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The final presentation in the Fort Bridger State Historic Site Treaty of 1868 Speaker Series features journalist and historian Tom Rea, editor of WyoHistory.org. Rea presents “People, Politics and Land: The Fort Bridger Treaties of 1863 and 1868,” on June 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the American Legion, 100 County Road 224 in Fort Bridger. The public is invited to attend and admission is free. During the Civil War, the US government was concerned about the security of the overland trails and the transcontinental telegraph line, so treaties with tribal nations along that route were arranged. In 1863, Chief Washakie and other leaders of the Shoshone tribal nation signed a treaty at Fort Bridger that designated 44 million acres of land for the Shoshone in exchange for peaceful relations. With the coming of the transcontinental railroad five years later, the Treaty of 1868 significantly reduced the size of Shoshone lands with the establishment of the much smaller Wind River and Fort Hall reservations in Wyoming and Idaho respectively. Despite the reduction in tribal lands, the 1868 Treaty continues to provide a legal foundation for the Eastern Shoshone (Wind River) and Shoshone-Bannock (Fort Hall) tribal nations.  To mark its 150th anniversary, a re-enactment of the Treaty proceedings along with traditional Native dances and other activities will be held at Fort Bridger on Tuesday, July 3starting at 9 a.m. “The knowledge, passion, and diverse opinions of our speakers have made the Sesquicentennial Speaker Series a success so far,” said Chris Floyd, District Manager for Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails. “To bring the series to a conclusion, we are happy to host Tom Rea, who has done a lot of research on both the 1863 and 1868 treaties. We look forward to hearing his perspective.” The Fort Bridger Speaker Series is sponsored by the Wyoming Humanities Council.
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