Colorado FORTS - Here's a list

[BuffaloBob]

Many detecting trips in Colorado reference old Fort locations as a benchmark. Seventeen miles s/w of Fort whatever. Here is a list of Forts to narrow down where they were located. FYI from my amazing accumulation of useless stuff. Check it out
BB
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COLORADO FORTS


Camp Livingston
(1835), Julesburg
A short-lived Federal encampment.


Julesburg Post
(1864), Julesburg
A temporary Federal garrison post. No barracks were actually built.


Fort Sedgwick
(1864 - 1871), Ovid
Originally Post at Julesburg Station, then renamed Camp Rankin in 1864, and Fort Rankin in 1865. It was burned by Indians in 1865 for retaliation for the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. A monument is on the site of the Old Julesburg Pony Express Station, about one mile east of the mouth of Lodgepole Creek.


Valley Station Post
(1864 - 1865), Sterling
An Overland stage station fortified by the Army during Cheyenne raids. The soldiers used corn bales for protection. Also called Fort Moore.


Godfrey's Ranch Station
(1864 - 1865), Merino
An Overland stage station also referred to as American Station. Nicknamed Fort Wicked by the Cheyennes because of the fighting spirit of the station's agent, Holon Godfrey, who refused to give up. This was the only stage station in the region not captured or destroyed during the 1865 Indian raids.


Junction Station
(1864 - 1865), north of Fort Morgan
A fortified stage station on the Overland Trail.


Fort Morgan
(1865 - 1868), Fort Morgan
Originally Post of Junction, Post of Junction City, Camp Tyler, and then Camp Wardwell until 1866. It was built to protect the Overland Mail Route. Abandoned for Fort Laramie, WY, after the Union Pacific Railroad was completed to Denver.


Camp Sanborn
(1864), Orchard
A CO Mounted Militia encampment originally called Camp at Frémont's Orchard.


Fort (Elmer) Gerry
(unknown dates), near Kersey
A trading post originally on the north-side of the South Platte River at Crow Creek. Abandoned in 1840 and then rebuilt on the south-side of the river.


Fort Latham
(1864 - unknown), near Kersey
Possibly a state militia post, located six miles south of town.


Fort Collins
(Old Town Historic District)
(1863 - 1867), Fort Collins
It was originally Camp Collins located at an Overland stage station in Laporte on the South Platte River. It was built to protect stage and mail routes. It was abandoned in 1864 due to flooding and moved to higher ground on the Cache la Poudre River, then renamed. The town was settled after 1872. The Officers' mess hall may still exist as a local meeting place. The Fort Collins (city) Museum on Mathews Street has a model of the fort as well as several displays.


Camp Point of Rocks
(1862 - 1864), Laporte
A Federal encampment west of town. The garrison transferred to Fort Collins.


Robert Boyd's Fort
(1865), near Laporte
Two sod forts built by a settler to protect his property along the Cache la Poudre River. The sod house and sod corral still exist.


Fort Namaqua
(1862 - 1865), Loveland
Located four miles west of town at Buckhorn and Dry Creeks, this was a settler's stone fort. In 1862 it became a fortified stage station on the Overland Mail Route. Most of the buildings burned down in 1936.


Fort St. Vrain
(1837 - 1844), near Gilcrest
A Bent and St. Vrain Fur Co. trading post on the South Platte River at St. Vrain Creek, it was 125 feet by 100 feet, with adobe walls two-feet thick and 14-feet high. Also known as Fort Lookout and Fort George. It was abandoned after rival fur companies gave up their operations in the area. A settlement occupied the site in 1859 - 1860. A granite monument was erected in 1911.


Fort Vásquez (2)
(1835 - 1842), Platteville
A 1936 reconstruction of an adobe trading post of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. It is 100 by 125 feet with 12-foot high walls. The fort was sold in 1840 and abandoned in 1842. Possibly used by Federal troops in the 1860's. Replaced Vasquez's Post at Denver. The South Platte River now flows five miles further west than it once did here. Museum operated by the Colorado Historical Society. Admisson fee.


Fort Jackson
(1833 - 1838), Ione
A Pratte and Chouteau Co. trading post that was bought out by St. Vrain in 1838 and closed after only another season. Originally called Henry Fraeb's Post.


Fort Lupton
(1836 - 1845, 1864), Fort Lupton
An independent trading post built by Lancaster Lupton, originally called Fort Lancaster. This was the first permanent settlement of northern Colorado. Abandoned between 1845 and 1859, then it had various uses including an Overland stage station and a temporary Army post in 1864. The adobe ruins of this fort still exist on private property.


Fort Junction
(1864), near Longmont
A CO Militia 100-by-130-foot sod fort with two watch towers located at the junction of Boulder Creek and St. Vrain Creek. Built for local settler protection. Served as a way station for several years afterwards.


Fort Chambers
(1864), near Boulder
A settlers' sod and timber fort with four bastions or blockhouses, located on Boulder Creek about four miles east of the city.






¤ DENVER AREA POSTS


¤ Louis Vásquez's Post
(1832 - 1835), Denver
A stockaded trading post also known as Vasquez Fort (1) and Fort Convenience. Located on Clear Creek. Replaced by Fort Vasquez (2) at Platteville.


¤ Camp Curtis
(1860, 1863), Denver ?
Used for 10 days in 1860, and another 10 days in 1863. Actual site is unknown, but some evidence points to Denver.


¤ Camp Weld
(1861 - 1865), Denver
A militia training area on the South Platte River. The site is marked by a monument at West 8th Avenue and Vallejo Street. Originally called Camp Elbert.


¤ Camp Evans
(1864), Denver
A temporary militia camp located two and one-half miles northeast of the city.


¤ Camp Wheeler
(Lincoln Park)
(1864), Denver
A temporary militia encampment while Camp Weld was being rebuilt after a devastating fire. The site is located at Lincoln Park at Osage Street and 13th Avenue.


¤ Denver Depot
(1859 - 1865), Denver
Located at Larimer and 11th Streets, now the site of a university.


¤ Fort Logan
(1887 - 1946), Sheridan
Originally Camp near the City of Denver or Post at Denver (1887 - 1889) until the permanent fort was built. Also called Fort Sheridan until the War Department switched names in 1889 with the fort in Chicago, Illinois. It was established to consolidate all other Federal posts in the state. Became a subpost of Lowry Army Air Base in 1939. Most of the 136 buildings still exist on the 1000-acre post which became a state mental hospital in 1961.


¤ Camp Alva Adams
(1898), Denver
A CO Volunteer tent city that lasted less than a month before shipping out to the Philippines. Located near City Park, east of Colorado Boulevard between 25th and 27th Avenues.


Camp Gilpin (a)
(1861), Central City
A temporary CO Militia encampment.


Camp Gilpin (b)
(1861), Golden
A temporary CO Militia encampment.


Buffalo Springs Post
(1865), Buffalo Creek ?
A temporary Army post.


Parker Stockade
(1864), Parker
A civilian defense against Indians.


Franktown Stockade
(1864), Franktown
A civilian defense against Indians.


Fort Lincoln
(1864), Huntsville
A civilian 100-by-100-foot log defense against Indians, located 19 miles south of Castle Rock.


Fort Cedar Point
(1867 - 1868), Cedar Point
A Federal post located near the intersection of I-70 and CO 86 south of Agate. Soldiers occupied the grounds surrounding the train station.


Reed's Springs Post
(1867), Ramah
A Federal post located northwest of town.


Frémont's Fort
(1843), near Peyton
A butte located northeast of town that served as a defense during John Frémont's expedition.


Quick Ranch Fort
(1868), Palmer Lake
Ben Quick's stockaded fort. Also known as Fort Washington.


David McShane's Fort
(1868), Palmer Lake
A settler's small circular stone fortification. Ruins remain next to a 1870 stone house.


Camp Monument Dell
(1869), Monument
A temporary Federal encampment. The town was originally called Henry Station.


Colorado City Fort
(1864 - 1868), Colorado Springs
A settlers' log fort. A stone marker is on Pikes Peak Avenue.


Pike's Peak Station
(1873 ?), near Cripple Creek
A small Army detachment was posted on Pike's Peak for a time.


Pike's Blockhouse
(1806), Cañon City
Built the winter before Pike's Stockade was built. Two men were left here with supplies until the Spanish captured them and the others at Pike's Stockade (see also).


Fort Maurice (Le Duc)
(1830 - 1846), near Florence
A trading post on Adobe (?) Creek seven miles south of town. American settlers arrived in 1840.


Fort (Maurice) Le Duc
(1830's), Wetmore
A short-lived trading post.


Dora Fort
(1848 - 1849), Dora
A small supply fort built by American traders. Site now underwater at DeWeese Resevoir near Westcliffe.




¤¤ PUEBLO AREA FORTS


¤¤ Fort Nepesta
(1840's - 1854), Pueblo
A trading post and adobe fort built by former American Fur Company employees. Destroyed by Indians. Site located on Union Avenue near the railroad depot.


¤¤ Fort Pueblo
(1842 - 1854), Pueblo
A trading post established by "free" trappers. Utes attacked and killed everyone in 1854. A reconstruction is located at El Pueblo Museum on South Prairie Avenue and a commemorative marker is located near City Hall.


¤¤ Fort Independence
(1846 - 1847), Pueblo
A Mormon Battalion log fort that served as a winter camp for the sick and infirmed and family dependents. Also provided refuge for the first group of Mormons that travelled west in advance of the "Pioneer Band", known as the Mormon Colony Winter Camp.
(additional info courtesy of George Hill)


¤¤ Fort William
(1824 - 1828), Pueblo
The Bent and St. Vrain Fur Co. built their original stockade in this vicinity, and abandoned it when they built their new fort near La Junta. (see Bent's Old Fort below)


¤¤ John Gantt's Fort
(1832 - 1841), near Pueblo
A fur trade post located about five miles east of the mouth of Fountain Creek on the Arkansas River. It was also called Gantt's Post. It was renamed Fort Cass before it was abandoned.


¤¤ Post of Pueblo
(1867), Pueblo
A Federal garrison post. Evacuated when Fort Reynolds was built.


Fort Huerfano
(1845 - 1847 ?), near Avondale
A Mexican adobe fort with two circular towers was located about six miles east of town at the mouth of the Huerfano River.


Fort Reynolds
(1867 - 1872), Avondale
A Federal fort located on the Arkansas River about three miles above the mouth of the Huerfano River. First called Col. Marcy's Camp while the fort was being built. Replaced Post of Pueblo. A marker is on US 50 one mile east of town.


Camp Fillmore
(1864 - 1867), Boone
A CO Militia encampment two miles west of town.


Bent's Old Fort (National Historic Park)
(1828/33 - 1849), near La Junta
This was an adobe-walled trading post built by the Bent and St. Vrain Fur Co. Originally called (William) Bent's Fort or Fort Bent. This fort replaced Fort William in Pueblo. The U.S. Army used the fort as a supply base during the Mexican War. It was abandoned by Bent after a failed attempt to sell it to the U.S. Army and a cholera epidemic that nearly wiped out the Indians. It was reconstructed in the 1930's, and again in 1975. This was the first settlement in the state.
Another website from RutNut.com | Another website from GhostTowns.com


Fort El Puebla
(1839 ?), Bent County
Also called Milk Fort. A short-lived settlement of American trappers, Mexicans, and Indians originally called Pueblo de Leche (Milk Town). Exact location undetermined.


Buzzard's Roost
(1842 - 1843), near Las Animas
A fur trade post on the Arkansas River at Adobe Creek.


Fort Flagler
(1879), Las Animas
A civilian stockade, also used by the Army.


Fort Lyon
(1852 - 1889), Fort Lyon
This was originally the trading post known as Bent's New Fort, at a site on the north bank of the Arkansas River eight miles west of Lamar, near Wiley. It was leased to the Federal government in 1859. The Army named it Fort Fauntleroy, but changed it to Fort Wise in 1860. It was renamed again in 1862. The Sand Creek Massacre occurred near here in Chivington in 1864. The post moved west to its present site in 1867 because of flooding. Became the U.S. Naval Hospital, Fort Lyon from 1906 to 1922. Became a VA Hospital in 1934, which still uses most of the original post buildings.


Fort Talpa
(1820), Farisita
A short-lived adobe Spanish outpost. It is unclear if this is the same as Sangre de Cristo Fort listed below.


Sangre de Cristo Fort
(1819 - 1821), near Farisita
A Spanish military post on Oak Creek built to defend the Sangre de Cristo (La Veta) Pass against possible American invasion of New Mexico. The official name is unknown. Americans knew this fort simply as Spanish Fort.


Fort Francisco
(1862 - unknown), La Veta
A settler's fort, also known as Francisco Plaza. It became the railroad terminal after the railroad was built.


Fort Stevens
(1866), Aguilar
A Federal post that lasted only a month. It was never completed.


Gray's Ranch Station Post
(1864), near Trinidad
A fortified stage station.


Post at Trinidad
(1868), Trinidad
A Federal garrison post.

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