Wednesday in Wyoming - January 19, 2022

 

Doesn't Old Bedlam, the oldest military building in Wyoming, look peaceful? I'm sure it was anything but peaceful when the army was in residence at Fort Laramie. After all, there's a reason it was called Old Bedlam.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 6, 2021

 

It's not just Wednesday in Wyoming. It's also winter in Wyoming, which is why I'm highlighting winter at Fort Laramie, one of my favorite spots in the state, this month.

In case you don't recognize it, the building is Old Bedlam, the oldest still-standing historic building in the state. It served in several capacities while the fort was commissioned but is most famous -- or, should I say infamous? -- for being the bachelor officers' quarters. That's when it earned its nickname.

What do you suppose those officers were doing to give it that name?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- April 1, 2015

The Oregon Trail -- Part 1

This month, in honor of the publication of The Oregon Trail Romance Collection, I'm going to feature Wyoming sites along the Oregon Trail in my Wednesday in Wyoming posts. 

As pioneers entered what is now the state of Wyoming, the first major landmark they encountered was Fort Laramie.  And without a doubt, the most prominent building was the bachelor officers' quarters (BOQ), quickly nicknamed "Old Bedlam" because of the rowdy parties held there.

Built in 1849, Old Bedlam is the oldest military building in Wyoming and had a variety of uses.  Although it's most famous as a BOQ, it also served as the post headquarters and later housed married officers. 

As you can see, some of the officers left permanent reminders of their stay at Old Bedlam by signing the wall over the fireplace.  The table with cards and liquor bottles gives you an idea of how they spent their free time.

While the enlisted men had large dining halls and probably never saw a tablecloth, the officers had more privacy and luxury.  Still, life was not easy on a western fort.  Although there were few battles to be fought, the harsh conditions and boredom led to a relatively high desertion rate. 

I imagine that the arrival of wagon trains during the summer months helped alleviate the soldiers' boredom.  For the pioneers, Fort Laramie was the last place to rest and restock before they faced the most difficult part of their journey: crossing the mountains.