EDX Seattle

In the 1820s, to support trade with Mexico, US surveyors expanded the traditional routes used by Native Americans to establish the Santa Fe Trail. In 1851 the US Government built Fort Union along the trail to help protect land acquired in 1848 through war with Mexico. For forty years, 1851-1891, Fort Union functioned as a hub of commerce, and an agent of profound political and cultural change throughout the Southwest.
The new exhibits at Fort Union provide diverse perspectives on this complex history telling the stories of American Indian Tribes for whom the region is part of their traditional homelands; local Hispano farmers, tradespeople, and millers who provided the fort with food and goods; and the soldiers, workers, women, and children who supported the functioning of the fort.
A replica freighter (covered wagon) of the fort era serves as a central feature of the exhibits which utilize a variety of media including, AV elements, 3D full-scale human figures, and a variety of tactile and interactive exhibit components.