Jim Bridger was a famous person. 19th century trader, scout, explorer, and promoter who established many trails based on his knowledge of Native American routes. He and a partner built a wooden palisade trading post here in 1842. By this time, the days of the “mountain men” were rapidly passing, and this trading post was trading not only with native Americans, but also with the immigrant trains that were beginning to flow west. Here the westbound Emigrant Trail split into the southwest Mormon Trail (later the Central Overland Branch of the California Trail) and the northwest Oregon Trail (and the North Branch of the California Trail).
The Mormons acquired the fort in the mid-1850s under conditions of conflict. They abandoned the fort (after burning it) in the late 1850s as U.S. forces advanced in the so-called “Mormon Wars.” The fort became a formal Army post in 1859 and later played some role in expeditions against local Native American tribes. Fort Bridger was eventually abolished when Wyoming became a state in 1890.
The Emigrant Trail and the old Mormon Trail became part of the Lincoln Highway, the first coast-to-coast motorway, in the 1920s. It was later renamed US 30 when the numbered route system was introduced in the late 1920s. Interstate 80 largely follows its current route.
A replica of the original wooden palisade (based on modern accounts) now stands on the site, as well as some of the original surviving military buildings. In fact, part of the museum is located inside a restored barracks. Several exhibits date back to the early days of automobile travel in the early 20th century. These include early motor vehicle courts (an example of what would soon be called motels) and Lincoln Highway memorabilia.