Fort Gibson Historic Site’s living history programs in November will focus on the Santa Fe Trail in the 1830s. The presentations will take place on Saturday, November 1, 15, and 22, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. with historical interpreter Seth Goff.

After the Dodge-Leavenworth Dragoon expedition established peaceful contact with the Comanche, Kiowa, and Wichita tribes, a door was opened for American entrepreneurs to travel across the plains and establish profitable trade with Mexico. Although travel was not entirely safe, trade along the Santa Fe Trail flourished in the 1830s. Josiah Gregg was one of the most famous and successful of these American tradesmen, and he recorded his adventures in his book Commerce on the Prairies (1849). Goff will be set up as a 1830s American trader and demonstrate some of the unique equipment Gregg and his trading caravans brought with them along the Santa Fe Trail.

The program on November 1 will focus on lessons in navigation, fire starting and survival challenges on the prairie. Gregg used a compass to safely navigate the Plains and made his own maps. He and his employees also learned basic survival skills to stay alive on the Plains.

On November 15, Goff will focus on the most advanced civilian and military firearms in the 1830s and their use along the Santa Fe Trail. Gregg was an early adopter of these firearms and recorded many instances of using them for hunting and personal defense.

The final program on November 22 will present Gregg’s stories of diplomacy, a crucial skill that Gregg employed regularly as a businessman working with people and cultures radically different from his own. Goff will talk about the challenging encounters Gregg had to navigate with patience and tact to avoid serious troubles.

The programs are included with paid admission to the site and will take place at or near the log palisade located at 110 E. Ash Ave. in Fort Gibson. All guests should check in at the palisade office to find out where the program is being held each day. For more information, please call 918-478-4088.