Near Chadron in Dawes County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Bordeaux Trading Post

Photographed By Michael Stroud, June 1992

1. Bordeaux Trading Post Marker

Inscription. From about 1846 until 1872, an Indian "trading house" occupied a site near here. Built by James Bordeaux, the trading station was once attacked and set afire by hostile Crow warriors. Fortunately, some friendly Sioux Indians came to the rescue and drove off the attacking Crow.

James Bordeaux was from a French settlement near St. Louis and while yet a young boy, he went west with fur traders. Bordeaux was active in the fur trade in the vicinity of Fort Laramie from the 1830's until the 1870's. In the 1840's, he served as host to the explorer John C. Fremont and the historian Francis Parkman. He left his name to Bordeaux Bend near Fort Laramie, scene of the Grattan Massacre. His name also survives in the name of Bordeaux Creek, near this marker.

The Indians brought buffalo robes, furs, and ponies to this post to trade for guns, powder, beads, blankets, and whiskey. Some of the weapons may have been used against the troops at Fort Phil Kearny and Custer's troops at the Little Big Horn. The story of James Bordeaux's life is the story of the Upper Missouri country from the 1830's-1870's.

Erected by Citizens of Chadron, Historical Land Mark Council. (Marker Number 42.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce

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• Native Americans • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Nebraska State Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1846.

Location. 42° 49.583′ N, 102° 56.333′ W. Marker is near Chadron, Nebraska, in Dawes County. Marker is on U.S. 20. Marker is approximately 3.1 miles east of Chadron. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6321 Highway 20, Chadron NE 69337, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Chadron-Chicago Cowboy Race (approx. 3.1 miles away); The First Church in Chadron (approx. 3.2 miles away); Chadron State College (approx. 3.2 miles away); Fort Robinson - Camp Sheridan - Pine Ridge Indian Agency Road (approx. 4.1 miles away); Historic Northwestern Nebraska (approx. 4.1 miles away); Chadron Creek Trading Post (approx. 6.4 miles away); The Fort Pierre-Fort Laramie Trail (approx. 6½ miles away).

Also see . . . Official Web site of Chadron, Nebraska. Located in beautiful northwest Nebraska, Chadron is south of the Black Hills and west of the Sandhills, in the Pine Ridge region. This area is rich

Bordeaux Trading Post image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Christopher Nichols (from open source internet search), September 3, 2007

2. Bordeaux Trading Post

with friendly atmosphere and a variety of landscape. (Submitted on January 4, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

The area is still open country. These buffalo represent a source of the fur traded industry. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Stroud, June 1992

3. The area is still open country. These buffalo represent a source of the fur traded industry.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 4, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,848 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 4, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 2. submitted on January 7, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 3. submitted on January 4, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.