Tom Rea to present “Spear Points of Empire” Saturday at the Trails Center
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CASPER, Wyo. – Visit the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center this weekend to learn about John C. Fremont and Kit Carson and the lasting imprint the duo made with their expeditions across Wyoming.
Local writer and historian Tom Rea will present “Spear Points of Empire: John C. Fremont, Kit Carson, and Fremont’s 1842 Expedition” at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 12.
Fremont and Carson, two of the most famous men in America in the 1850s, first met a decade earlier and passed through what is now Casper, Wyoming, twice on Fremont’s first expedition through the state in 1842. Carson made Fremont’s early successes possible in part by protecting him from his own recklessness, while Fremont’s reports made “Carson” a household name. Neither could have achieved what they did without crucial support of their wives and families.
“Kit Carson and John C. Fremont are two of the most renowned names in Wyoming history,” Trails Center Manager Dennis Kuhnel says. “Join us on Saturday to learn about their partnership and legacy from acclaimed author Tom Rea!”
Rea lives in Casper with his family and is a freelance writer and editor of WyoHistory.org. For more than a decade he covered politics, education, and science with the Casper Star Tribune, Wyoming’s largest newspaper.
On Saturday, the Trails Center will also offer a youth Hands-on History Club program at 10 a.m. on March 12. “Leaving a mark on the Overland Trails” will teach students how they can help preserve the trails and leave their own mark in history. History Club is geared for 2nd-5th grade children, but all ages are welcome. Chaperones are required to stay on-site.
For more information or to learn more about the Trails Center’s weekend programs, please call the Trails Center at (307) 261-7700 or visit https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-trails-interpretive-center.
The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 4:30 pm MST.
1501 N Poplar St., Casper, WY 82601.
Admission is Free
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.