Pierre's Hole, Historic fur trading site in Teton Valley, Idaho, United States
Pierre's Hole is a shallow valley in eastern Idaho, just west of the Teton Range, with an elevation over 6,000 feet (1,830 m). It collects the headwaters of the Teton River, which flows north through the valley before joining Bitch Creek and turning west into Teton Canyon. The valley is traversed by state highway 33 and is now known as Teton Basin or Teton Valley.
The valley hosted a major 1832 rendezvous of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company that drew more than one thousand trappers and Native Americans with thousands of horses and mules for trading. A conflict between trappers and Gros Ventre Indians followed this gathering, significantly marking the site's story.
The name honors "le grand Pierre" Tivanitagon, a Hudson's Bay Company trader of Iroquois descent killed in a fight with Blackfoot Indians in 1827. To mountain men, a "hole" meant a broad, sheltered valley with beaver and game, so the name also records how trappers classified the land.
A historical marker stands at Idaho Highway 33 in Driggs, providing information about the fur trading period and the 1832 events. The location is relatively easy to access and situated in the scenic Teton Valley area, making it convenient for visitors exploring the region's history.
The name honors "le grand Pierre" Tivanitagon, a Hudson's Bay Company trader of Iroquois descent killed in a fight with Blackfoot Indians in 1827, five years before the rendezvous. The 1832 battle itself followed the gathering and pitted Gros Ventre against American trappers with Nez Perce and Flathead allies.
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