Sacred Ground

One of the most violent years in the history of the American fur trade was 1832. The fur trade companies coveted beaver pelts for the high prices they brought on the East Coast and the European market. The free-spirited mountain men were most willing to bring them in. However, the Indians, the British, and the endless plains proved formidable opponents for even the most experienced of these reckless adventurers. Back East, the country was experiencing a period of prosperity under Andrew Jackson. "Old Hickory" was a visionary thinker. He considered the possibility that the United States might well span the continent from sea to shining sea. The President recognized he would need firsthand knowledge about the untamed lands beyond St. Louis to fulfill his dream. Jackson lacked needed information about the cutthroat competition among the fur trade companies, Indian activities, and the British Hudson Bay Company. So, he sent an envoy to be his eyes and ears. This is the story of that adventure. Sacred Ground is based on historical facts. Jonathan McKenna, Rachel Lawrence, Charlie Newcomb, and Wylee Jamoke are fictional characters in name only. Their love, their dreams, and their fears are as real as the lives of the historical characters that they interact with. The events portrayed by these individuals either did or could have happened. Experience the challenges of traveling from Washington D.C. to the majestic Rocky Mountains during this turbulent time in history.

During the fur trading era, a rare breed of daring men challenged the treacherous Rocky Mountains in search of much-desired beaver pelts. The Indians considered the Rocky Mountains their Sacred Ground. In 1832, wagons would cross South Pass for the first time in the area known today as Wyoming. This paved the way for the Oregon Trail. The mountaineer that accomplished this was an Army captain by the name of Benjamin Bonneville. This book deals with the question of why the military would provide a sabbatical for him to take twenty wagons to the Rocky Mountains. Was he actually an explorer, or a spy sent to monitor the British Hudson Bay Company? During this same year, the British were handing out rifles to the Indians to be used on the American mountain men. These fur trappers were some of the most rugged and determined adventurers in history. The country was experiencing a period of prosperity under Andrew Jackson. "Old Hickory" was a visionary thinker. He considered the possibility that the United States might well span the continent from sea to shining sea. The President recognized he would need firsthand knowledge about the untamed lands beyond St. Louis to fulfill his dream. Jackson lacked needed information about the cutthroat competition among the fur trade companies, Indian activities, and the British Hudson Bay Company. So, he sent an envoy to be his eyes and ears. This is the story of that adventure. This book is based on historical facts. Jonathan McKenna, Rachel Lawrence, Charlie Newcomb, and Wylee Jamoke are fictional characters in name only. Their love, their dreams, and their fears are as real as the lives of the historical characters that they interact with. These three courageous men and one extraordinary woman will interact with the most famous historical characters of the era. This trio of mountain men will share adventures with Jim Bridger, Captain Bonneville, President Andrew Jackson, and many others. Experience the challenges of traveling from Washington D.C. to the majestic Rocky Mountains during this turbulent time in history.

How does a Vice President of finance in the hospital industry turn into an author of a western historical novel? He divides the day into two parts. During the daylight hours, he attends to his work career. However, at night he is secretly transformed into a mountain man writing a journal of life in 1832. Thomas took a love for the Fur Trade Era in American History and turned it into a research project. He discovered the diary of a little-known explorer named Nathaniel Wyeth. This adventurer was the first person to travel from Boston, Massachusetts, to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon during the same year. History had completely forgotten this significant explorer. Writing a book that included Wyeth's accomplishments became his passion. Wyeth's travels to the Rocky Mountains paralleled those of Captain Benjamin Bonneville. This Army captain became the first explorer to take wagons over South Pass in Wyoming and he provided the road map for the Oregon Trail. History suggests that Bonneville was a spy sent to the mountains to provide the Army with intelligence on the activities of the British Hudson Bay Company. Sacred Ground is Thomas' first book. It is a historical novel with four key fictional characters sharing adventures with the actual historical cast. The book provides the reader with an accurate depiction of life in the fur trade era. With a focus on Captain Bonneville, the book becomes somewhat of a western spy thriller. Thomas loves to hike, ride mountain bikes, and play some serious softball. His outdoor love for hiking and camping has given him a realistic perspective of living life in the mountains. Thomas has hiked every trail east of the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park. He has also spent many years involved with the Buckhorn Skinners Mountain Man Club. It was during this time that he learned how to live as the fur trappers did during the 1830s. Thomas is married to Pamela and has two daughters Tiffany, and Lindsey. He also has a special son-in-law and three energy-filled grandchildren. He splits his time between Windsor, Colorado, and Buckeye, Arizona. You can contact him at TboudreauBook@Outlook.com