Trading with the American Fur Company.
The American Fur Company established Fort Robidoux, Nebraska, in 1822 and named it for fur trapper Joseph Robidoux. Soon after its establishment, it was also known as the French Company and Cabanne’s Trading Post, named for its operator, John Pierre Cabanne. Cabanne continued to operate the post until 1833, when Joshua Pilcher assumed command, and it was abandoned in the early 1840s.
Its success partly stemmed from its ability to supply provisions to nearby Fort Atkinson. Shortly after 1840, operations moved to Fontenelle’s Post in the Bellevue, Nebraska, area and were placed under Peter A. Sarpy’s management. Although nothing remains of the fort today, the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located 10 miles North of Omaha, Nebraska, on the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway near Florence, North of Dodge Park.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated November 2026.
Also See:
Adventures in the American West
Nebraska – The Cornhusker State
See Sources.