Fort Buenaventura
...the fort symbolizes a period of western history that was the transition from nomadic ways of the Indian tribes and trappers to the first permanent settlers in the Great Basin.
Welcome to West Ogden's Fort Buenaventura Park, the first permanent Anglo settlement in the Great Basin.
First founded in 1846, For Buenaventura sits on an 84-acre river tract just east of the Weber River. When exploring this site your group will learn fur trading and battle history, get to see authentic Native American artifacts, walk the various hiking trails and/or fish the ponds, and learn all about the Fort itself within the Visitor Center.
In 1847 Mormons bought the fort and surrounding land and renamed it Brownsville. Much before this, however, the land was as fortifications during battles, as a trading post for fur trappers, and as a long-time home to Utah's Native Americans and more recently, pioneer settlers. School groups will have the option of taking part in hands-on lessons about these topics, and after the lesson, you can choose up to 4 Stations such as fire starting, black powder, and trapping. You will also learn about the era of Mountain Men in this region and popular men of the time like Jim Bridger, Miles Goodyear, and Jedediah Smith.
After you've done all the learning you can take some time to relax and enjoy the scenery around the fort, you can even settle in for a game of disc golf on the 18-hole course or enjoy a nice picnic near the playground onsite.
