Although small, measuring 100 by 80 feet, the construction of the site's first building in 1834 marked the beginning of a major transformation in the American west. What would later become Fort Laramie, began as a trading post where it's owners primarily traded buffalo robes with local American Indian communities, particularly the Lakota or Sioux. Throughout the mid to late 1800s, the site changed alongside the decline of the buffalo population, the intensive westward movement of emigrant populations, and the US government's militaristic takeover of American Indian lands. Fort Laramie became one of the most consequential military posts on the northern plains, playing a significant and controversial role in American Indian relations. As the 19th century came to a close along with Western expansion, the role of the fort diminished. The buildings on the site today reflect a significant turning point in shaping the American landscape today.