Camp Alert |
Fort Atkinson |
Fort Aubrey |
Bear Creek Redoubt |
Big Creek Station | Fort Bissell | Fort Brooks | Camp Butterfield | Camp Caldwell
Carlysle Station | Castle Rock Creek Station | Chalk Bluffs Station | A.P. Chouteau's Fort
Cimarron Redoubt | Cimarron Springs Redoubts | Cimarron Springs Station | Fort Clifton
Fort Coon | Cow Creek Post | Crisfield Post | Crossing of the Arkansas Station
Camp Davidson | Fort Dodge (1) | Fort Dodge (2) | Fort Downer | Downer's Station
Camp Dunlap | Fort Ellsworth | Fort Expedient | Fort Fletcher | Fort Floyd
Fossil Creek Station | Camp Grierson | Grinnell Springs Station | Fort Harker
Fort Hays | Henshaw's Station | Camp Hoffman | Fort Jewell (1) | Fort Jewell (2)
Camp Kirwin | Fort Kirwin | Fort Larned | Fort Lookout (1) | Fort Lookout (2)
Lookout Station | Camp Mackay | Fort Mann | Mead's Trading Post | Fort Monument
Monument Station | Monument Springs Post | New Kiowa Post | New Post on the Arkansas
North Redoubt | Camp Ogallah | Camp on Pawnee Fork | Camp Pliley | Fort Podunk
Camp on Pond Creek | Pond Creek Station | Camp on Prairie Dog Creek | Fort Protection
Fort Pyramid | Russell Springs Station | Smoky Hill Station | Fort Sod | Fort Sodom
Fort Solomon | Camp on the Solomon River | South Redoubt | Stockade Museum
Fort Sumner | Camp Van Dorn | Fort Wallace | Camp Wichita | Fort Wichita
Fort Wyncoop | Fort Zarah
Eastern Kansas - page 1
KANSAS FORTS NETWORK
OLD WEST KANSAS FORTS
FORT WIKI - KANSAS
Fort Lookout (1)
(1866 - 1870 ?), near Republic
A two-story log blockhouse on a bluff overlooking the Republic River and the military trail from Fort Riley to Fort Kearny, NE. It was garrisoned by the local militia and settlers intermittently after the Army withdrew in 1868. Site located about two miles below the state border. No remains.
(1862 - 1863), Clifton
A settlers' fort near the town for protection against Indian attacks. Exact location undetermined.
A local militia log blockhouse on the property of George Brooks.
(1867), near Concordia
A temporary Army encampment originally located on White Rock Creek in northern Jewell County. It moved to Lake Sibley on the Republican River, three miles northwest of town, before it was abandoned.
Fort Jewell (2)
A local militia sod fort about 50 yards square. Briefly garrisoned by an Army unit before it was abandoned.
(1864 - 1865), Minneapolis
A settlers' stockade enclosing several houses, once located 1.5 miles south of town on the Solomon River at the mouth of Lindsey Creek. Also known as Fort Podunk and Camp on the Solomon River. It was never attacked.
(1869 - 1870 ?), Lincoln County
A state militia stockaded blockhouse and Officers' quarters located on Spillman Creek, built for the protection of the local settlers against Indian attacks. It was never attacked. After it was abandoned, it was burned down during a prairie fire in 1872.
(1864 - 1873), Kanopolis
Originally located three miles east of Ellsworth on the north bank of the Smoky Hill River, and known as Fort Ellsworth until 1866. It was moved in 1867 one mile northeast to its present site. It protected the Santa Fe Trail and the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and also served as a supply depot. Site opened to settlers in 1880. Many structures still exist, however most of the site is on private property. The Ellsworth County Historical Society operates the museum in the former Guardhouse.
(1866), near Windom
A Federal stockaded campsite on the west-side of the Little Arkansas River where the Santa Fe Trail crosses.
Cow Creek Post
(1865), near Lyons
A temporary Army post located at the Cow Creek Crossing of the Santa Fe Trail.
(1868 - 1869), Wichita
Located on the Little Arkansas River near its mouth. Also known as Fort Wichita. Renamed Camp Butterfield (May 1868), and then Camp Davidson (June 1868), and then Camp Beecher (October 1868). It was then abandoned in June 1869.
James Mead's Trading Post
An independent trading post built by Mead and Jesse Chisholm, located on Chisholm Creek.
Fort Jewell (1)
(unknown dates), near Kingman
(1884 - 1885), Caldwell
A temporary Army post protecting the Indian Territory border from white squatters and outside Indian intruders.
(1885), near Corwin
A temporary Army camp during Cheyenne Indian troubles.
New Kiowa Post
An Army camp during an Indian scare that never materialized.
(unknown dates), Medicine Lodge
A museum of the pioneer settlers. A log cabin and recreated stockade is located here on the grounds of the Carrie Nation Home Memorial at 211 West Fowler Ave.. Admission fee.
(1864 - 1869), Great Bend
Originally known as Camp Dunlap, built of earthen dugouts located on Walnut Creek. In 1867 the post was moved two miles downstream of Walnut Creek to its present site three miles east of town. Rebuilt as a two-story sandstone structure, 120 feet long and 52 feet wide, with two blockhouses in the corners, and a detached magazine connected by a tunnel. Attacked by Kiowa Indians in 1868. After it was abandoned, settlers took away all the sandstone blocks, with no trace left by 1900. A marker and a Civil War cannon designates the site.
(National Historic Site)
(1859 - 1878), Larned
Originally named Camp on Pawnee Fork until January 1860, then moved 2.5 miles west and was renamed Camp Alert. Later in May 1860 it was renamed again. From 1861 to 1868 the post was an Indian Agency for the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa and Commanche. Became a rendezvous point for the Santa Fe Trail wagon trains after 1864. A blockhouse was built in 1865 and the post was surrounded by an earthen breastwork. In 1868-69 the post buildings were rebuilt from adobe to stone. The blockhouse was torn down sometime after 1886. There are ten restored buildings. Admission fee. 1957 Kansas Historical Quarterly article
(1868), near Kinsley
A crude sod fort located about one-fourth mile southwest of the Big Coon Creek Crossing of the Santa Fe Trail, garrisoned by ten men.
Fort Dodge (2)
(1865 - 1882), Fort Dodge
Located east of town on the Santa Fe Trail. Initially only sod dugouts, it was rebuilt with stone in 1867. The fort was later abandoned. The Hospital and two Barracks still remain, and now serves as the Kansas Soldiers' Home (since 1890). Another website from Santa Fe Trail Research.com
(1850 - 1854, 1865), Dodge City
A hastily-built sod fort located six miles west of town on Walnut Creek, originally named Camp Mackay. Also known derisively by the troopers as Fort Sod (or Sodom), and also Fort Expedient. The post was rebuilt with adobe in 1851, and renamed New Post on the Arkansas or Fort Sumner, then renamed again. It was temporarily occupied as an Army campsite in 1865. A concrete marker on US 50 marks location. 1974 Kansas Historical Quarterly article
(1847 - 1850), Howell
A log and adobe stockade supply post located on the north bank of the Arkansas River. It was repaired and enlarged in 1848. Discontinued when Fort Atkinson was built.
A settlers' dirt and sod fort for protection against a Cheyenne Indian scare.
(1870 - 1876), Clark County
Located 12 miles south of Ashland on the south side of the Cimarron River to protect the military supply routes. Also known as South Redoubt and Deep Hole. A general store and post office was located here from 1876 to 1887. Traces of the 50-foot square earthwork still remain on private property.
Cimarron Springs Station
(1864 - 1873), Ashland
Two earthen redoubts were built here at Upper Cimarron Springs and Lower Cimarron Springs to protect the stage station.
Bear Creek Redoubt
(1870 - 1876), near Ashland
Located north of town on Bear Creek to protect the military supply routes. Also known as North Redoubt. Earthen remains still exist.
Crossing of the Arkansas Station
(1864), near Ingalls ?
A fortified stage station at the ferry crossing of the Santa Fe Trail (Cimarron Cut-Off) over the Arkansas River.
Fort Dodge (1)
(1864), Haskell County
A temporary camp located north of Sublette, where the Santa Fe Trail (Cimarron Cut-Off) crosses present-day US 83.
(1864, 1865 - 1866), near Syracuse
A temporary sod dugout large enough to hold 300 men. Originally called Camp Wyncoop. After it was abandoned, it was re-established and then later renamed. Located at the head of Spring Creek four miles east of town.
Auguste Pierre Chouteau's Fort
(1816), unknown location
Located on "Choteau's Island" in the Arkansas River in western Kansas. It was a temporary fort made from the fur traders' baggage when a large group of Pawnees attacked.
(State Historical Site)
(1865 - 1889), Hays
Originally named Fort Fletcher until 1866. It was built to provide protection for settlers, various roads and trails, and for the Kansas Pacific Railroad. It was also used as a supply depot for other forts in the western part of the state. It was moved 15 miles northwest on Big Creek after the 1867 flood. This is where William "Buffalo Bill" Cody acquired his nickname while supplying buffalo meat to railroad construction workers. The original pre-1867 site is now a golf course. Only the Guardhouse and the two-story hexagonal Blockhouse (both 1867) were built of limestone, and are the only original buildings still on their original sites. The Kansas Historical Society maintains the two stone buildings, with a museum in the blockhouse. The campus of Fort Hays State University occupies much of the former reservation.
A summer cavalry encampment, with a stockaded corral, located on Bow Creek at the North Fork Solomon River. Site is now under the waters of the Kerwin Reservoir.
In 1871 local settlers erected a 90-by-50-foot stockade within the town, which became known as Fort Kirwin.
(1873 - 1878), Phillipsburg
A hastily built log stockade erected by settlers on the property of John Bissell. It was never attacked by Indians. The original site is located three miles from town on Bissell Creek. A not-entirely faithful replica has been built around two original-period settler log cabins, located one-half mile west of town.
Camp Van Dorn
(1859), Long Island
A temporary Army encampment also known as Camp on Prairie Dog Creek.
(1857), unknown location
A temporary Army encampment within improvised earthen walls, about 50 feet square, located somewhere along the North Fork Solomon River. Exact location undetermined.
(1866 - 1868), near Ellis
A fortified stage station located 15 miles west of Fort Hays. Also known as Fort Lookout (2).
A temporary Army encampment located one mile west of town, protecting Union Pacific Railroad workers.
(1867 - 1868), near Wakeeney
A fortified stage station, aka Downer's Station, located south of town on Downer Creek. It was burned by Indians in 1867, but was not abandoned as a military post until the next summer.
Fortified Butterfield Stage Stations
(1865 - 1867), various locations, Gove and Logan Counties
The Army fortified several stage stations along the Smoky Hill River route. They were Big Creek Station, Castle Rock Creek Station (one mile east of Castle Rock), Grinnell Springs Station (10 miles west of Castle Rock Station, nine miles east of Chalk Bluffs Station), Chalk Bluffs Station (north-side of Smoky Hill River south of Gove, destroyed by Cheyenne Indians in 1867), Carlysle Station (1865 - 1866) (between Gove and Orion), Smoky Hill Station (7 miles southeast of Russell Springs) a circular sod dugout, Russell Springs Station (1865 - 1866) (at Russell Springs), and Henshaw's Station (one mile east of McAllaster).
Fossil Creek Station (location ?)
(1865 - 1868), near Elkader
Located at Monument Rocks (aka Chalk Pyramids), about 20 miles south of Oakley. Also known as Fort Pyramid. This was a fortified Butterfield stage station, aka Monument Station. The garrison was withdrawn when the Indian threat diminished.
Monument Springs Post
(1865 - 1867), near Monument
Protected the Kansas Pacific Railroad. Located 2.5 miles west of town on the south bank of an unnamed creek. Traces remain.
(thanks to Ted Cook for providing info)
Pond Creek Station
(1865 - 1866), Wallace
This was a fortified Butterfield stage station located about two miles west of town. It was attacked by Cheyennes in 1867. The station depot was connected by a tunnel to the stables, with rifle pits nearby. The original station was restored and moved to a park on the eastern side of town.
(1865 - 1882), Wallace
Originally named Camp on Pond Creek after the nearby stage station. It was renamed in 1866. It was attacked by Cheyenne Indians in 1867. The fort was abandoned. No remains except the Post Cemetery. Stone from the buildings was taken away by settlers for use throughout the county. The site is on private property on Pond Creek at the South Fork Smoky Hill River, two miles southeast of town. Another website from Santa Fe Trail Research.com || 1977 Kansas Historical Quarterly article
NOTE: Additional stage stations may have been fortified, and will be listed when data becomes available. Many other stage stations were not fortified and/or garrisoned with Army troop detachments, therefore those will not be listed.
Fossil Creek Station (1865-67) (location ?)
Special thanks to Marshall Sitrin for providing information on several U.S. Army posts and fortified stage stations throughout Kansas.
Eastern Kansas - page 1
QUESTIONS ? Please send any corrections and/or additions to this list to:
"Updates" at NorthAmericanForts.com