Fort Garland (1858–1883),

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

, United States, was designed to house two companies of soldiers to protect settlers in the San Luis Valley, then in the Territory of New Mexico (1850-1912). It was named for General John Garland (1793-1861), then commander of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

's Military District of New Mexico.

History

Colonel Kit Carson and New Mexico Volunteers were stationed here after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

(1861-1865), in 1866 and he successfully negotiated a treaty with the local native Utes in 1867. The Ninth U.S. Cavalry ( Buffalo Soldiers) was stationed here for three years between 1876 and 1879. In 1876, these troops were called to the La Plata region to prevent conflict between the Utes and white mining prospectors. The following year, they helped remove illegal white settlers from Ute reservation lands. In 1879, United States military units from Fort Garland were called upon by

Nathan Meeker Nathan Cook Meeker (July 12, 1817 – September 30, 1879) was a 19th-century American journalist, Homestead Acts, homesteader, entrepreneur, and Indian agent for the Federal government of the United States, federal government. He is noted for h ...

, the Indian Agent of the

Bureau of Indian Affairs The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...

at the White River Agency. Meeker and others were killed, and family members taken captive by unhappy Utes. The captives were released and the Utes were moved once again, which reduced the need for a military fort.

Fort Garland Museum

The Colorado Historical Society restored the fort and opened the Fort Garland Museum in 1950. Restored and reconstructed buildings include the adobe Commandant's Quarters, where Kit Carson and his wife once lived, the

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

barracks Barracks are buildings used to accommodate military personnel and quasi-military personnel such as police. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word 'soldier's tent', but today barracks ar ...

with exhibits of Hispanic traditional arts and 19th century transportation artifacts, and officer's quarters. Permanent exhibits focus on Kit Carson and Buffalo Soldiers. The museum is administered by History Colorado organization. Pike's Stockade, the reconstructed

stockade A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls, made of logs placed side by side vertically, with the tops sharpened as a defensive wall. Etymology ''Stockade'' is derived from the French word ''estocade''. The French word was derived f ...

site where Western explorer and Army officer Zebulon Pike raised the American flag in 1807, is located about 45 miles southwest of the fort.

References

External links

Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center
History Colorado
Fort Garland Museum
San Luis Valley Museum Association
Friends of Fort Garland Museum

Sangres.com {{Registered Historic Places 1858 establishments in New Mexico Territory 1883 disestablishments in the United States

Garland A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times ...

Former installations of the United States Army Military and war museums in Colorado Museums established in 1950 Museums in Costilla County, Colorado History Colorado

1950 establishments in Colorado National Register of Historic Places in Costilla County, Colorado

History

Fort Garland Museum

See also

References

External links