Western Kansas

Last Update: 18/APRIL/2018

Compiled by Phil and Pete Payette - Š2018 American Forts Network

Fort Lookout (1)
(1866 - 1870 ?), near Republic
A two-story log blockhouse on a bluff overlooking the Republican 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.

Fort Clifton
(1862 - 1863), Clifton
A settlers' fort near the town for protection against Indian attacks. Exact location undetermined.

Fort Brooks
(1864), Clyde
A local militia log blockhouse on the property of George Brooks.

Camp Hoffman
(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)
(1870), Jewell
A settlers' "militia" sod fort about 50 yards square, hurriedly built in two days during an Indian scare. After a month long "seige" (it was never actually attacked), it was briefly garrisoned by an Army unit before it was abandoned during the summer of 1870. No remains.

Fort Solomon
(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.

Camp Pliley
(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.

Fort Harker
(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, with new stone structures. 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 buildings still exist as private residences, however most of the original grounds is private property. The Ellsworth County Historical Society operates a museum in the former Guardhouse.

Camp Grierson
(1866), near Windom
A Federal stockaded campsite on the west side of the Little Arkansas River at the Santa Fe Trail crossing.

Cow Creek Post
(1865), near Lyons
A temporary Army post located at the Cow Creek Crossing of the Santa Fe Trail.

Camp Wichita
(1868 - 1869), Wichita
Located on the Little Arkansas River near its mouth. Also known as Fort Wichita. It provided protection for the Chisholm Trail and the early settlement of what would later become the town in 1870. 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
(1864), Wichita
An independent trading post built by Mead and Jesse Chisholm, located on Chisholm Creek.

Fort Jewell (1)
(unknown dates), near Kingman

Camp Caldwell
(1884 - 1885), Caldwell
A temporary Army post protecting the Indian Territory border from white squatters and outside Indian intruders.

Crisfield Post
(1885), near Corwin
A temporary Army camp during Cheyenne Indian troubles.

New Kiowa Post
(1885), Kiowa
An Army camp during an Indian scare that never materialized.

Stockade Museum
(no date), Medicine Lodge
A museum of the pioneer settlers. A log cabin and recreated log stockade typical of the 1870's era is located here on the grounds of the Carrie Nation Home Memorial at 211 West Fowler Ave.. Admission fee.

Fort Zarah (park)
(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 opposite 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.

Fort Larned (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 around the original parade ground. Admission fee. 1957 Kansas Historical Quarterly article

Fort Coon
(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

Fort Atkinson
(1850 - 1854, 1865), Dodge City
A hastily-built log and 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. No remains. A concrete marker on US 50 marks location. 1974 Kansas Historical Quarterly article

Fort Mann
(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.

Fort Protection
(1885), Protection
A settlers' dirt and sod fort for protection against a Cheyenne Indian scare.

Cimarron Redoubt
(1870 - 1876), Clark County
Located 12 miles south of Ashland on the south side of the Cimarron River to protect the military supply route between Fort Dodge (2) and Camp Supply, OK. Garrisoned by a dozen troopers. 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 (originally about ten feet high) 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 route between Fort Dodge (2) and Camp Supply, OK. Also known as North Redoubt. Almost identical in design and size as the Cimarron Redoubt to the south. Earthen remains still exist on private property.

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.

Auguste Pierre Chouteau's Fort
(1816), near Lakin
Located on "Chouteau's Island" in the Arkansas River, just west of town. It was a temporary "redoubt" made from the fur traders' baggage train when a large group of Pawnees suddenly attacked the party in August 1816. The island no longer exists, but the general location is marked on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

Fort Aubrey
(1864, 1865 - 1866), near Syracuse
A temporary sod dugout fortification large enough to hold 300 men. Originally called Camp Wyncoop. It was abandoned before any real construction took place. It was later re-established and then renamed. Located at the head of Spring Creek four miles east of town. Traces of soil depressions still remain on private property.

Fossil Creek Station
(1865 - 1867), near Russell
A fortified Butterfield stage station located on Fossil Creek, just south of the later (1867) Kansas Pacific Railroad station of the same name. The town was settled in 1871 and renamed in 1872.

Big Creek Station
(1865 - 1867), near Hays
A fortified Butterfield stage station located on Big Creek. The "Fort Fletcher" Post Office moved here in July 1867, then was relocated to Hays City in October 1867.

Fort Hays (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 to its present site 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, with a 1931 monument to Elizabeth Custer. At the post-1867 site 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 military reservation.

Camp Kirwan
(1865), Kirwin
A Tennessee cavalry summer encampment, with a stockaded corral, located on Bow Creek at the North Fork Solomon River, while they provided escort for a government survey team. Site is now under the waters of the Kerwin Reservoir.

In 1871 during an Indian scare local settlers erected a 90-by-50-foot stockade within the town, which became known as Fort Kirwin. A marker is in town.
(NOTE: the spelling of the town name was altered from the original Army designation by the Post Office.)

Fort Bissell (Museum)
(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 correct 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.

Fort Floyd
(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.

Lookout Station
(1866 - 1868), near Ellis
A fortified stage station located 15 miles west of Fort Hays. Also known as Fort Lookout (2).

Camp Ogallah
(1867), Wakeeney
A temporary Army encampment located one mile west of town, protecting Union Pacific Railroad workers.

Fort Downer
(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 formally abandoned as a military post until the next summer. Cellar holes and a ruined stone wall still remain on private property.

Fortified Butterfield Stage Stations
(1865 - 1867), various locations, Trego, Gove, and Logan Counties
The Army fortified several stage stations along the Smoky Hill River route. They were 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).

Fort Monument
(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.

El Cuartelejo
(Lake Scott State Park)
(1664/1696 - 1706), Scott County
Archaeological stone and adobe ruins located here on Ladder Creek are the northernmost known Indian pueblo in North America, and the only one known in Kansas. A group of Picuris Indians fled Spanish rule in New Mexico in 1696, and evaded the Spanish for ten years before the Spanish found them and brought them back. It is believed that these Indians most likely built the pueblo at that time, although it is known that a group of Taos Indians had previously arrived here in 1664 and lived here for about 15 years with the Plains Apache before Spanish troops returned them to New Mexico. The pueblo was abandoned after 1706, but was occassionally used by Spanish troops or French traders as a temporary frontier outpost until the 1730's. The ruins were not known to Anglo-American pioneers. The ruins were rediscovered in 1889, confirmed in 1898, and later became part of Lake Scott State Park in the 1960's. The El Quartelejo Museum, operated by the Scott County Historical Society, is located 13 miles south in Scott City at 902 West 5th Street.

Fort Wallace
(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 later abandoned. No remains except the Post Cemetery and traces of building foundations. Stone from the several buildings was later 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

Pond Creek Station
(1865 - 1866), Wallace
This was a fortified Butterfield stage station located about two miles west of town. It was attacked by 300 Cheyennes in June 1867. The stone and wood stage station was connected by a four-foot deep covered trench to the stone-built stables, with a stone-walled corral and three covered rifle pits nearby. Cellar holes and remnants of the trenches still remain on private property. The original main building was restored and moved to a park on the eastern side of town.

NOTE: Additional stage stations may have been fortified, and will be listed when confirmed as such. Many stage stations were not officially fortified and/or garrisoned with Army troop detachments, therefore those will not be listed.

Special thanks to Marshall Sitrin for providing information on several U.S. Army posts and fortified stage stations throughout Kansas.

Eastern Kansas - page 1

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