Centennial (miniseries) - Historical Basis

Historical Basis

The Pasquinel character bears similarities to Jacques LaRamee a French-Canadian pioneer fur trapper who explored the area of the North Platte River in southern Wyoming in the early 19th century. (Interestingly, in the episode the Yellow Apron, Pasquinel tells his son Jake that he was named after Jacques LaRamee.) The character of Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn appears to be loosely based on John Chivington who led the infamous Sand Creek massacre in Colorado in 1864. Captain John McIntosh's role in the incident and subsequent trial appears to be loosely based on Silas Soule. The range war depicted in series is similar in many respects to the 1892 Johnson County War in Wyoming. The scene where Nate Pearson, Bufe Coker, and Fat Laura are murdered by the cattlemen’s hired killers bears similarities to the lynching of Ellen “Cattle Kate” Watson with the Oliver Secombe character taking a role similar to that of Albert John Bothwell. The character of Hans "Potato" Brumbaugh appears to be loosely based on the Colorado historical figure Rufus "Potato" Clark, a failed gold prospector who turned to agriculture and became a pioneer in irrigation. He grew wealthy by growing potatoes near Littleton eventually switching to sugar beets and controlling more than 20,000 acres (80 km2).