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Fort Washita

USA / Oklahoma / Silo /
 fort, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, 1840s construction, U.S. National Historic Landmark
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The post was established in April 1842 by Captain George A.H. Blake, 2nd U.S. Dragoons in Bryan County, Oklahoma. Initial construction was crude and permanent construction began when two additional companies arrived but was not completed until 1849.
When completed, the post was an open plan western fort with a central parade surrounded by post buildings. Large two story barracks lined the south and west sides of the parade with a single story stone bachelor officer's quarters (BOQ) on the east side The Adjutant's office and a school were placed at the north end. Officers row was built along a cobbled road to the north that ended with the new hospital (1857). The commissary and other support buildings were located behind the south side barracks.
The post was abandoned by U.S. troops on 16 Apr 1861 at the beginning of the U.S. Civil War. Fort Washita was occupied by Confederate troops the day after Union troops left and they remained there throughout the war, finally abandoned it in 1865. Most of the fort was destroyed by a fire of unknown orign on 1 Aug 1865 and was never re-occupied by U.S. Troops.
The post property passed from the Indian Agent, General Douglas Cooper, to the Colbert family the early 1880s. In 1962 the Oklahoma Historical Society purchased the 117 acre site with a gift provided by the Merrick Foundation and began a restoration process. The south barracks restoration was completed in 1972 but it was destroyed by an arson fire in 2011.
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Coordinates:   34°6'8"N   96°32'48"W
This article was last modified 3 years ago