1820s Fur Trade in New Mexico - Jim Hardee

Published 2023-09-04
Bartolomé Baca served as the Governor of the Santa Fe de Nuevo México territory, modern-day New Mexico. Faced with the economic challenges of the province, he recognized the potential of attracting foreign trappers to the region, considering the fur trade as a solution. To revitalize the economy, he initiated trade involving Mexican goods, fur pelts, and silver coins with the United States, which further expanded commerce along the Santa Fe Trail.

During Jim Hardee's presentation, he will delve into the endeavors of mountain men hailing from northern New Mexico and other regions of the southern Rocky Mountains as they ventured in search of new sources of valuable beaver pelts.

Jim Hardee has an extensive body of work in the field of Rocky Mountain fur trade, including the recent publication of "Hope Maintains Her Throne: The Western Expeditions of Nathaniel J. Wyeth, 1834-36," alongside numerous articles and books. For a decade, he held the position of editor for the "Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal," which is published by the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, Wyoming. He maintains his involvement with the museum by serving on its Editorial Board and Historical Advisory Board.

The Oregon-California Trails Association is the pre-eminent guardian and promoter of the inspirational story of the 19th century westward migration, which is unique in world history. Our mission is to protect the Historic Emigrant Trails legacy by promoting research, education, preservation activities and public awareness of the trails, and to work with others to promote these causes.

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All Comments (4)
  • @rayschoch5882
    Interesting lecture – I've been interested in the fur trade for a long time, and it's the northern Rockies that get most of the attention. Video itself could be better – background (occasionally foreground) coughing doesn't help.
  • @markserour9115
    Good info. Might want to work a bit harder on those French pronunciations, though.