SCOTTSBLUFF — The Robidoux Buying and selling Publish takes guests again in time, serving as a illustration of the household’s second buying and selling submit within the Nebraska Panhandle. Historic paperwork present the buying and selling submit supplied provides and blacksmithing to immigrants and the Native inhabitants.
“The Robidouxs have been one of many very first entrepreneurs on this space that had the buying and selling posts,” Dan Morford, member of The Mates of Robidoux Buying and selling Publish, stated. “They supplied lots of providers and provides for these immigrants and for the Native People that have been right here, that traded with them.”
The sod-roofed constructing has been reconstructed with 100-year-old hand-hewn logs and had been situated at its unique web site in Carter Canyon till final yr.
The brand new house for the buying and selling submit was effectively thought out, with its location in Gering simply north of 5 Rocks Amphitheater and close to Robidoux Go.
“It’ll be enjoyable for the individuals tenting, you understand, they will simply stroll (to the submit),” Barb Netherland, chairman of The Mates of Robidoux Buying and selling Publish stated.
Individuals are additionally studying…
Guests are inspired to view the skin construction of the fort and glimpse by means of the home windows to see the restoration work that’s nonetheless underway. The Mates of Robidoux Buying and selling Publish is a gaggle of volunteer group members who’ve taken up care of the submit.
Historical past Nebraska CEO who evoked reward and criticism to go away this summer season
UNL starting restoration of Love Library cupola
“We fashioned principally to simply attempt to higher serve the submit, to maintain a greater eye on it,” Netherland stated. “The submit had some upkeep points that wanted to be checked out and we simply actually felt prefer it wanted extra consideration.”
The group has divided into subcommittees to proceed to work on totally different phases geared towards finishing the renovations. Morford is the chairman for the story committee which is charged with designing the inside displays in addition to the interpretive signage for the skin of the submit. The shows will characteristic objects that may depict the Native and fur commerce lifetime of the 1850s in addition to blacksmith instruments.
Panorama additions comprised of crops native to the realm are additionally deliberate.
A portion of the Robidoux Buying and selling Publish will almost definitely be roped off for guests to see a show of blacksmithing instruments, fur commerce objects and different issues immigrants could have stopped on the fort to restock on.
“Our hope is to have the ability to open the submit — at the very least often — and make it right into a enjoyable, academic expertise,” Netherland stated. “And it is a chance to reveal native historical past.”
She stated up to now the tasks have been accomplished by volunteers and funded primarily by means of Scotts Bluff County Tourism and Gering Keno revenues. The Metropolis of Gering and Scotts Bluff Nationwide Monument have supported the renovation with preservation steerage and experience.