I was searching for a geocache in this park and took the time to read the info/history plaque here at de Bourgemont Access (boat ramp, access to the river), and notice the YOU ARE HERE.
Then, being the curious sort of person I am, after I returned home, I decided I'd like to know who or what de Bourgemont was/is. So , with a little internet research, I found this link:
(
visit link)
Turns out de Bourgmont was born with the name Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont in Normandy, France, in 1679, was arrested as a teenager for poaching on the grounds of the local monastery, but determined he would not pay the penalty for his crime, he fled to New France about 1695, couldn't be tied down and by 1702 was listed among soldiers fighting in the Ohio Valley. History indicates that in 1706 he "took command" (more of his poaching mentality!) of Fort Ponchartrain at Detroit; ran into trouble for his conduct there, and deserted when his bosses came to inspect the situation.
But the story does not end! Bourgmont remained on the run for several years from French authorities, living in the wild as an illegal fur trader around Lake Erie, and it was there that he met some traveling Missouri Indians, and the brash Bourgmont married the young daughter of a Missouri chief. He took to traveling with the Indians, toward Illinois with another illegal trader and their Indian women, and history reports that the churh & government "denounced" the group for its "debauched and dissolute behavior". So, in 1712, to try to avoid getting caught, he ran off to Mobile, Alabama.
He is then show in history books as assisting in the capture of Pensacola, Florida during the squirmish (in 1719) between the French and Spanish, who were at war. In 1720 he returned to France (and apparently married a rich widow), but his military assignment brought him back to America. Under instruction from the French government, (I guess we can read between the lines there!) he departed France in 1722 and helped develop Fort Orleans which was just east of modern Kansas City, Missouri. In 1724 he was instrumental in arranging a rocky peace truce among the local Comanche, Osage, Oto, Iowa, Kansas, and Omaha nations, which buddied the tribes in a fragile manner with France (to further irritate Spain). In 1725 he was up to his old tricks, when traveled to France with some of the Indian chief to make the "truce" with France official, and he brought along his Indian wife, (but he had her disguised as the spouse of a servant because remember, he had a wife in France!). For his service, he was bestowed noble status by the King, in payment for his services. At this point, de Brougmon was about worn out, he retired and little more is heard from him.
Except in Missouri, where his name pops into conversation once in a while, when folks talk about this fishing spot named after him!