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The Wild Freedom of the Mountain Men
A presentation by Gary Hartzell on ZOOM
Monday, March 22, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

For more information please call (310) 802-5010.

Do you remember movies like 1971’s Man in the Wilderness with Richard Harris, or Jeremiah Johnson
with Robert Redford in 1972, or Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant in 2015?

These were all films about Mountain Men braving the dangers of the far western American wilderness in search of beaver pelts and other saleable furs in the first half of the 19th Century. In the words of historianFrancis Parkman, “I defy the annals of chivalry to furnish the record of a life more wild and perilous than that of a Rocky Mountain trapper" in pursuit of elusive fortune. In the process, these trappers discovered marvelous places like Yellowstone and the Great Salt Lake, along with passes through the Rockies and the Sierras that later streams of pioneers in wagon trains would use to reach California and Oregon. They were the first to cross the great American desert – some on foot and alone.They became masters of innovation and survival and provided us some of the most thrilling early American West adventure stories.

Somehow, though, the recollections of all that they were and all that they did have faded from much of our national memory. The Mountain Men today are often little more than footnotes in our national story. But they were more than that. Join Gary Hartzell for an introduction to their unique personalities, lives, adventures, exploits, and contributions to the Spirit of the West.

More Information
For more information about this activity, please call the Older Adults Hotline at (310) 802-5010. For more fun at home, please visit the Healthy at Home website and click through the various tabs.

If you need assistance with errands, grocery shopping, transportation, etc. please call the Older Adults Hotline at (310) 802-5010, Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday/Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You may also call the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) Assistance, Information and Referral line at (310) 374-3426, ext. 256, seven days a week, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.