Fort Klamath was a military outpost near the western end of the Oregon Trail, between Crater Lake National Park and Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The Fort Klamath Site, about a mile southeast of the present community of Fort Klamath, Oregon, is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Fort Klamath | |
---|---|
Klamath County, Oregon | |
Type | Military base |
Site information | |
Controlled by | United States Army |
Site history | |
Built | 1863 |
In use | 1863–1890 |
Materials | wood |
Battles/wars | Modoc Wars |
Garrison information | |
Past commanders | Edward Canby |
Garrison | 14th Infantry Regiment |
Fort Klamath Site | |
Nearest city | Fort Klamath, Oregon |
Coordinates | 42°41′31″N 121°58′20″W / 42.69194°N 121.97222°W |
Built | 1863 |
NRHP reference No. | 71000680[1] |
Added to NRHP | October 07, 1971 |
History
editFort Klamath was established in 1863, and was an important Army post during conflicts with the Klamath, Modoc, and Northern Paiute tribes.[2] The fort consisted of more than 50 buildings, including a sawmill. Four Modoc men, led by Kintpuash, were executed there in 1873 for the killing of General Edward Canby. Their graves remain at the fort.
A post office was opened in 1879. By the mid-1880s, the settlers in the area no longer needed protection, and in 1889 the decision was made to close the fort. After a harsh final winter with more than 20 feet (6 m) of snow, the troops of Company I of the 14th Infantry Regiment left the fort on June 23, 1890, and moved to Vancouver Barracks.
Fort Klamath Museum
editAn 8-acre (32,000 m2) parcel within the fort area is maintained as a park and museum by Klamath County, Oregon. The Fort Klamath Museum is housed in a modern structure designed after the fort's guardhouse and standing in the original guardhouse location.
The Fort Klamath site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Walton, Elisabeth (August 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Fort Klamath Site" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
- ^ History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington. North Pacific History Company. 1889. p. 649. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
fort klamath history 1863.
External links
edit- Klamath County Museums Archived 2006-10-06 at the Wayback Machine