April 13-17, 2011 I attended the CoHT Annual Gathering at Fort Osage near Sibley, Missouri.  I was joined by some of my close friends for the event.  We had a great time!  The weather was less than ideal and the pollen in the air gave me a terrible sinus attack, but I am glad I went.  Somehow we missed the business meetings and weren’t aware of the seminars until too late.  The re-creation of Fort Osage was fabulous.  The ability to use these facilities seemingly unfettered was a thrill.  The old pioneer cemetery nearby was equally terrific.  One of the old time mountain men, Zenas Leonard is buried there with his wife.  I have ordered his journal so as to learn more about this man and his adventures.  This gathering and site were wonderful and it makes me eager to explore more of the history in the area.  I walked a portion of the Old Sante Fe trail while I was there.  It ran from St. Louis to Sante Fe, via Fort Osage.  Fort Osage was built in 1808 by William Clark as a “Factory” for trading with the Osage Indians.  Clark had been appointed Indian Agent of the territory by this time.  A young man named George Sibley was appointed to be the Factor at Fort Osage and remained so until 1822 when the fort was abandoned and the U.S. government closed the “Factory” system.  I am currently reading a book about and by Sibley and his time at Fort Osage.