North Dakota Humanities Council
Dr. Jerome Tweton, John Jacob Astor scholar.
Distinguished Professor of History, emeritus - retired, University of North Dakota, and senior consultant to the North Dakota Humanities council.
American Fur Company's John Jacob Astor Headlines this Year’s Rendezvous at Fort Union Trading Post
Fort Union Trading Post hosts its 27th annual Rendezvous, Thursday through Sunday, June 18-21, 2009. Mark the dates on your calendar, and come and participate in the upper Missouri’s finest fur trade fair at one of the West’s most imposing historic sites.
Dr. Jerome Tweton will headline the event this year and give daily presentations on John Jacob Astor, founder and managing owner of the American Fur Company. Dr. Tweton will give both first person portrayals and general presentations on Astor’s role in the 19th century American fur trade. Dr. Tweton is Distinguished Professor of History, emeritus, from the University of North Dakota, and is senior consultant to the North Dakota Humanities Council. Between 2002 and 2006 he interpreted John Jacob Astor for the Great Plains Chautauqua Society.
Traders and campers in period dress will set up just outside of Fort Union’s north wall, with trader’s row extending northward from the back gate. The traders will have their usual array of furs and handcrafted items available. Each day will feature a variety of speakers and demonstrations including blacksmithing, canoes of the fur trade, sign language, flint knapping, period cloth, finger weaving, weapon firing, beaver skinning, brain tanning and pottery making. Bagpipers will perform Sunday afternoon from 12:30-3:30 pm CDT. A special daily presentation will be done on the use of cameras and photography during the 19th century.
An array of trade goods will also be presented in the trade house. The American Fur Company traded beads, cloth, blankets, knives, guns, tobacco, and cooking kettles in exchange for buffalo robes and other furs from the Assiniboine, Crow, Cree, Ojibway, Blackfeet, and Hidatsa tribes. Taken from the clerk’s ledger lists of 1848-51, exact replicas of more than 200 trade items are available for purchase today.
The 18th annual Rendezvous Run will take place Saturday morning at 9:00 am (CT). The event is sponsored by the American State Bank and will include 11K and 5K runs, a 5K walk, and a “one-mile” fur trader’s run/walk.
Come and spend the day at Rendezvous. Admission is free. Buffalo burgers and drinks will be on sale in the parking lot.
Complete 2009 Rendezvous schedule
Rendezvous Photo gallery
Rendezvous Run information
