Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly

[BillinOregon]

It's always a pleasant surprise when the brown envelope arrives every three months from the Museum Association of the American Frontier, bearing the issue of the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly.
If you haven't joined in supporting this wonderful museum, in Chadron, Nebraska, on the banks of the Niobrara, you ought to consider it.

 

[Alden]

Not really a museum (in fact not accredited and their "papers" not peer-reviewed) as much as a post-war multi-generation roadside tourist trap though they have some neat (relatively poorly kept and embarrassingly displayed) stuff with no other game in town to speak of.

 

[tenngun]

Alden has some points that MFT is not an acredited museum, and it is a tourest location. For the most part 'peer reviewed' means just puplishing stuff others will agree with and not ruffiling feathers. MFTQ is a great work.You cant take it for gosple, and still have to look up your stuff your self. Itis intersting, mostly on the right track. You wont agree with it all, but its as good as most studies are.

 

[BillinOregon]

The late Charles Hanson and his son Dr. James Hanson have contributed enormously to our body of knowledge about the material culture of the fur trade.

 

[tenngun]

That's a trueism. At the MFT is the best preserved dedicated collection around. I think the MFTQ is great, just not the last word. We all have to form our opinions on our own reseach experince and logic. Alden pointed out that it wasn't peer reviewed. A good point. Unfortantly peer review leads to group think. So you have to think for your self. Is a new non peer reviewed point off the wall or on the right track?
The Hansons have done much for our hobby.

 

[Kansas Jake]

And my experience with Charles Hanson many years ago is he was very willing to help a newbie learn and provide hints and information in the time before everything was available via internet. No internet in the 1970's.

 

[crockett]

Now now Alden, that's not very nice is it? :grin: I mean Chadron, NE isn't New York City. Their collection of Northwest Trade Guns, if that's your thing they have the most extensive collection any place. One thing a lot of folks don't realize before they get there is the museum covers the entire fur trade. Because it is in Western Nebraska some folks have this preconceived notion that the whole place is oriented to the Rocky Mountain/Mountain Man time period.
If I had a folding stool I probably could have spent hours there. For those that haven't been there, the museum has seven rooms, each dedicated to a different aspect of the fur trade. Lots of artifacts. Takes about one hour to see everything. It isn't the Buffalo Bill Center in Cody, WY- still it is well worth a look-see. While you are in the area- Ft. Robinson has Little Bat Garnier's Half Stock percussion plains rifle.
Good old Little Bat. Neat botas.

 

[Dewey]

I last visited the Museum of the Fur Trade about 30 years ago, when I lived in Rapid City, SD. I also visited the Buffalo Bill Museum shortly thereafter. I greatly enjoyed my visit to both museums - both have much to offer the fur trade re-enactor.

As does the Quarterly.

I strongly recommend them all !!!

On a personal note, my wife and daughter bought me Charles Hanson's "The Northwest Gun" while we were there- - and got Mr. Hanson to autograph it. It's even more special to me now that I have my new NSW Chief's gun !!!

 

[crockett]

That sought after book is out of print (I think) but Fort Robinson still has a few for sale.

 

[BillinOregon]

Dewey, have you shared photos of your new NSW chief's gun? If not, why not?


:wink:

 

[Dewey]

Yeah ... the photos are hidden (buried) in the "Photos" forum area - I got it last Spring, but at less than a year old, it's still "new" to me!
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/294729/


Really enjoying it !!!

 

[BillinOregon]

Beautiful gun, Dewey. Fit and finish seem to be perfection.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

I've been a member there for the past 3 or 4 years, coincidentally around the time I started getting interested in this period of our nation's history!. I enjoy the periodicals most of the time. The only "BIG" book I've gotten in their series is the first, FIREARMS and that's surely as comprehensive a tome as I'm ever going to need on that subject. I passed on the new one on textiles - Just not dedicated enough. I also found many good to great books on the fur trade in their "gift shop", for which I'm very grateful. All in all they've helped me get centered and oriented on the fur trade path tremendously.

 

[BillinOregon]

Marc, I bought the volume on firearms as well. It's a great resource.