Part II. James Bridger (1804-1881) He trapped and traded with the Indians, and came to know every corner of the vast and remote western region. He was the first White man to gaze upon the Great Salt Lake in 1824; his search for beaver pelts blazed trails. In 1843, he established Fort Bridger as a supply point for emigrants on the Oregon Trail, helped chart the west for the pioneers, and over the years guided several mapping expeditions.
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