Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘American Primeval’ mixes reality with fiction to create a compelling tale of violence and bloodshed, as well as hope and survival. The story begins with a woman named Sara Rowell and her desire to find a safe haven for her and her son, Devin. For this, they need to get to Crooks Springs, but before that, they stop at a place called Fort Bridger. The place is run by a man named Jim Bridger, who has a lot on his plate with the increasing tension between the US Army and the Mormon militia. Shea Whigham plays the nuanced role impeccably, bringing out the character’s strength and nonchalance in the same frame. What makes it more interesting is that the character is borrowed from history, and a lot of what happens in his plot line in the show is based on real events. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Jim Bridger is a Real Historical Figure Known for His Daring Expeditions
James Felix Bridger was born on March 17, 1804, to English immigrants in Virginia. He left his home when he was a teenager and embarked on a journey that would take him on several expeditions across the West, making him one of the most prominent mountain men and trappers in the 19th century. The show presents a slightly fictionalized version of him that fits well into the narrative of the story, but even without that, there is a lot of stuff that the show’s creators have kept in line with reality. For example, the real-life Jim Bridger never had a formal education and couldn’t read or write for the entirety of his life. This fact is subtly mentioned in one of the conversations in the show between Bridger and Brigham Young when they are negotiating the price of the fort.
While he may not have been literate, Jim Bridger knew several languages, like Spanish, French, and indigenous languages, to get by, which came in handy due to all the expeditions he was a part of in his lifetime. One of the most prominent events of his life is recreated in Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘The Revenant.’ Along with John Fitzgerald, Jim Bridger was the one who left Hugh Glass to die in the wilderness after a deadly bear attack. However, Bridger was very young at the time, and he soon moved on from it by making a name for himself through other expeditions and ventures.
Jim Bridger’s Fort Bridger Became a Key Location in the Conflict in Utah
Bridger’s first business venture was set up in 1830 in the form of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, which eventually closed down in 1834 after bearing through heavy losses in a trade that offered cut-throat competition from other more well-endowed companies. It was around 1843 that he joined forces with Louis Vasquez to lay the foundation of what would become Fort Bridger. Located on the Blacks Fork of the Green River along the Oregon Trail, which now falls in Wyoming, Fort Bridger quickly established as a prominent location that had the US military as well as the Mormons trying to get for themselves.
At first, the fort was created as a trading post that catered to the migrants on their journey to the West and remained a beacon of hope and opportunities despite the many challenges posed by this terrain. Due to Jim Bridger’s experience with the terrain, which he had explored heavily over the course of several expeditions, he was often taken in by the traveling parties as their guide in the unfamiliar territory. If Bridger could not accompany them himself, he would often give detailed maps of the place to guide them through what could be a treacherous journey and make things easier for them. However, it must be noted that sometimes, his knowledge of the trails could be faulty.
As the fort started to gain prominence in the area, it also attracted the attention of the Mormons. By the late 1840s, Jim Bridger was said to have already made an acquaintance with their leader, Brigham Young. Soon, the fort saw an increasing number of Mormons passing through it to get to Salt Lake City, and while it was good for business in some ways, it also became a cause for trouble. The increasing presence of Mormons started to cause problems with the Natives, who had already been familiar with the place. At the same time, the US Army also turned its attention towards the fort, wanting to secure it as their foothold in the conflict brewing between them and the Mormon militia.
Jim Bridger Survives the Violence of American Primeval
A lot of what goes down in Fort Bridger in ‘American Primeval’ is a reflection of the true events. Brigham Young’s bid to buy the place from Jim Bridger was real. The part about him trying to have Jim Bridger arrested on the charges of illicit trade in guns, ammunition, and even liquor is real, but the outcome is slightly different. In the show, Jim stands his ground as he has the people of Fort Bridger protecting him. In real life, he fled for his safety. It is also true that Brigham Young finally secured the deal, and the fort was sold to the Mormons for quite a hefty price. However, as shown in the Netflix series, they didn’t immediately burn down the place.
In fact, they worked on it to make it better and improved it to a great extent. But eventually, they figured that losing it would cost them a lot more and would benefit their enemies to no end. So, when they saw they couldn’t hold on to it any longer, they destroyed it. By this time, Bridger was back in the region, and he even claimed that the Mormons had falsely bought the place from his partner Vasquez without his involvement in the sale. In the show, Jim takes the money and leaves the place for good, just as it is being turned to ash. The real-life Jim Bridger died on July 17, 1881. He was 77 and spent his last days on a farm he owned near Kansas City, Missouri. He had been married thrice and had several children, though most of them died of several causes. In his old age, Bridger suffered from several diseases and went blind in 1875.
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