The infantry and cavalry stationed at
Living quarters were cramped for enlisted men, who slept four to a bunk, head to foot, on bed sacks filled with grass ticking. The enlisted men occupied their leisure time with simple activities including playing cards and table games, swimming in the Pawnee Fork on warm days, and sports such as foot races and "base-ball."
With the departure of the 10th Cavalry in 1869, the barracks were no longer home to any cavalry units. In 1872, the post hospital was moved into the barracks, an improvement over the former adobe hospital building that leaked mud from the ceiling when it rained. Even with a solid roof overhead, medical care was crude by today's standards, to say the least.
Today, one of the barracks buildings has been modernized to serve as the park visitor center and museum.
Did You Know?
The brick oven at the Fort Larned bakery turned out hundreds of loaves of bread a day, though the troops were not given the fresh bread for at least two days for health concerns. More...