Interior Oregon

Last Update: 17/APRIL/2006

Compiled by Phil and Pete Payette - Š2006 American Forts Network

Government Camp
(1849), Government Camp
A U.S. cavalry (Dragoon) expedition abandoned their wagons here. Later, settlers camped here and named it after the abandoned rusting and rotting supplies.

Fort Deposit
(1845 - 1846), near Government Camp
Settlers cached their wagons and supplies here for the winter.

Fort Dalles
(1850 - 1867), The Dalles
Originally known as Camp Drum until 1853, then briefly as Fort Drum, this was the only U.S. Army post on the Oregon Trail between Fort Laramie, WY and Fort Vancouver, WA. It also served as a supply base during the Indian campaigns. Rebuilt in 1856, and served mainly as a quartermaster depot after 1861. It was located at the former Whitman Mission, which was attacked and destroyed by Cayuse Indians in 1847. A museum is in the former Surgeon's Quarters, the last remaining structure. Owned by the Oregon Historical Society. Located at 15th and Garrison Streets. The town was first settled in 1852, chartered as Fort Dalles in 1857, but was soon changed to Dalles City.

A North West Co. trading post was first located here in 1820, later abandoned. In 1848 Fort Lee was built (also known as Fort Wascopam) in the vicinity by the Army in response to the Whitman Massacre. It was a log stockade.
Lewis and Clark camped here in 1805 at a site called Rock Fort (2).

Camp Randolph
(1859), The Dalles
A temporary Army post on Three Mile Creek during the Wagon Road Expedition to Salt Lake City, UT.

Bache's Fort
(1829 - 1830), near The Dalles
A civilian trading post or fort, also known as Bache Post. Attacked and destroyed by Indians.

Fort Henrietta
(1855 - 1856), Echo
An OR mounted militia 100-foot-square stockade with two round bastions. Replaced the Umatilla Indian Agency which was destroyed during the Yakima War in 1855.

Camp McDowell
(1865), near Ukiah
A temporary OR militia field camp four miles east of town on Camas Creek. After only one week the post moved across the creek and was renamed Camp Humbug by the troopers.

Fort Lloyd
(1877), Halfway
A monument is located here for this fort, probably civilian.

Auburn Blockhouse
(1862 - 1868), Auburn
A civilian (?) blockhouse. Located northwest of Salisbury near the Phillips Resevoir.

Camp Colfax
(1865, 1867), Ironside
A temporary OR Volunteers camp located on South Willow Creek one mile south of town, it was occupied on two separate occasions.

Camp Logan
(1865 - 1868), near Prairie City
An OR Volunteers camp located on Strawberry Creek at the John Day River, about six miles south of town.

Camp Lincoln
(1864), near Dayville
A temporary OR Cavalry post originally called Camp on the South Fork of John Day's River.

Camp Watson
(1864 - 1869), Mitchell
A palisaded complex of several log buildings built by the OR Volunteers to protect the Dalles - Canyon City wagon route from Snake Indians.

Camp Polk
(1865 - 1866), near Sisters
A temporary OR Volunteers encampment on the west bank of Squaw Creek about three miles northeast of town. Possibly moved, or another site of the same name, located five miles west of Prineville on the Crooked River.

Camp Gibbs
(1864), near Post
An OR Cavalry grazing encampment at the north base of the Maury Mountains. Replaced by Camp Dahlgren.

Camp Maury
(1864), near Post
An OR Cavalry grazing encampment at the base of the Maury Mountains, on the south bank of Maury Creek. Replaced by Camp Gibbs located five miles west.

Camp Dahlgren
(1864), near Paulina
An OR Cavalry foraging camp that lasted only one month.

Camp Curry
(1865 - 1866), Harney County
Also spelled Currey. Occupied by Volunteers from OR, WA, and CA. Undetermined location - at Indian Springs on Silver Creek in Harney County, somewhere near Riley.

Camp Union
(1860), near Riley
A temporary Army encampment on Silver Creek about 30 miles northwest of Harney Lake.

Camp Wright
(1865 - 1866), near Burns
A temporary state militia encampment on the Silvies River, possibly to the south of town. Originally Adobe Camp (1865), a 25-yard square sod-walled post, was located here before being replaced after only two weeks.

Fort Harney
(1867 - 1880), near Burns
An Army post located 12 miles east of town on the east-side of Rattlesnake Creek. Originally a supply depot named Camp on Rattlesnake Creek, then Camp Steele then Camp Crook, and then Camp Harney. It was designated a fort in 1879.

Camp Owyhee
(1860), Owyhee
A temporary Army post at the mouth of the Owyhee River. Also called Camp Owyhee River.

Visher Creek Fort
(1850's ?), Malheur County
A civilian fortification located on the Malheur River at Visher Creek (undetermined location).
(info courtesy of Ted Cook.)

Fort Dobie
(1850's ?), Danner
A civilian fortification. The Ruby Ranch House is the oldest building in Malheur County.
(info courtesy of Ted Cook.)

Camp C.F. Smith
(1866 - 1869), Whitehorse Ranch
A Federal infantry camp on Whitehorse Creek just north of town that replaced Camp Alvord.

Camp Alvord
(1864 - 1866), near Andrews
An OR Volunteers post near Alvord Lake. Replaced by Camp C.F. Smith.

Camp Warner
(1866 - 1874), Fort Warner Ranch
A Federal camp originally located 20 miles east of Warner (Hart) Lake. It was moved in 1867 to 15 miles west of Warner (Hart) Lake on Honey Creek, east of Valley Falls. Also known as Fort Warner, but never officially established as a fort.

Fort Rock (1) (State Park)
(prehistoric), Fort Rock
An ancient volcano crater where Indians once lived. Also located here is the Fort Rock Homestead Village Museum depicting early settler life.

Fort Klamath
(1863 - 1890), Fort Klamath
Originally a settlers fort, later garrisoned by the OR Cavalry to protect the travel routes. The Modoc War ended here with the capture of Captain Jack in 1873. The Klamath Indian Agency was located five miles south. The Fort Klamath Museum is in a replica of the guardhouse.

Camp Day
(1860), near Keno
A temporary Federal camp just west of town that protected the Klamath Road.

NEED MORE INFO: Fort Butte on Badger Creek west of Simnasho, Wasco County; Fort Sumpter at Sumpter, Baker County; Old Stage Station near Quartz Mountain, Lake County.
Towns: Camp Sherman in Jefferson County

Coastal Oregon - page 1