The Early History of Cache Valley

• Main Author: Ricks, Joel E.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Hosted by Utah State University Libraries 1950
• Subjects: Joel Ricks; Cache Valley History; History; Bridger; Hudson; Hudson Bay; Willow Valley
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/joel_ricks/3; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=joel_ricks

The Rocky Mountain men--American fur traders--were probably the first white explorers of Cache Valley. They spent the winter of 1824 and 1825 on the Bear River and its tributaries. Since there were at least fifty men they probably trapped all the streams of Cache Valley. In this group was James Bridger who was said to have traveled down the Bear River to Great Salt Lake. While the Americans were still in the valley, Peter Skeene Ogden led a party of Hudson Bay fur traders to the Bear River and followed that stream to the Great Salt Lake. This was in May 1825. Ogden met some of the Americans, much to his regret. In the years immediately following Cache Valley, or Willow Valley as it was first named by the fur men, was a favorite rendezvous.