Rendezvous at Fort Connah

FORT CONNAH - Buckskins, furs and flintlock muzzleloaders were just a few things of the past to be revived over the weekend at the third Open House and Rendezvous at Fort Connah in two years.

FORT CONNAH - Buckskins, furs and flintlock muzzleloaders were just a few things of the past to be revived over the weekend at the third Open House and Rendezvous at Fort Connah in two years.

Members of the Fort Connah restoration society, Montana Traveler's Rest Chapter and Sapphire Mountain Men, all donned traditional mountain-men clothing during the three-day event.

Last year, was the first time since 1976 that the fort had been opened to the public.

"We decided to have the rendezvous as a fund-raising event for our restoration project," said George Knapp, project director of the Fort Connah Restoration Society.

The Fort Connah Restoration Society has been working on restoring two buildings over the last year. The buildings, originally from the Charlo- Moiese area, date back to the 1870s.

Neil McArthur started Fort Connah in 1846. It was primarily used as a trading post as it was an important connection between forts on the east and west side of the Rocky Mountains.

In the early 19-century, mountain men, traders and trappers met at various forts, including Fort Connah, in the Rocky Mountains to socialize and trade supplies.

These gatherings were called rendezvous.

"At Fort Connah, Indians would bring buffalo hides and skins and trade with the mountain men," Knapp said, of the unique peaceful relationship between Indians and non-Indians at Fort Connah.

At the new entry post on Fort Connah's grounds, Ted Hoglund, of Thompson Falls, took apart the flintlock of a muzzle-loader rifle.

Two men next to him in wool overcoats and coonskin hats listened attentively to his demonstration.

Right outside the post's door, a muddy road led to Fort Connah, where inside Donna Peck, of Charlo, worked a spinning wheel as she holds a handful of wool.

"I've always been interested in history, but you always hear about the weapons and wars," Peck said. "People had to wear socks and mittens, and I was interested in more traditional women's roles."

Peck said that women played a strong part in keeping families and communities together.

Once the rain cleared, people started gathering in an open field to practice shooting with a bow and arrow.

Jennifer Fielder, from Thompson Falls, shot arrows one after the other at a target fastened to a bail of hay. Fielder, in her third season as a buck skinner, said her introduction into the rendezvous events was gradual.

"My husband has been involved in trapping all of his life," Fielder said. "But it wasn't until recently that we got introduced into the rendezvous. The longer I was around it, the fonder I grew of the lifestyle, and people started helping us to get more and more into it."

Fielder said that she and her husband now make their own clothing and accessories to wear at the events.

More demonstrations unfolded throughout the day, including fire starting, moccasin and rope making the Fort Connah Restoration Society plans on holding another Rendezvous event in mid September.

They are currently restoring another cabin on the property in which they hope to complete within a year.