Forts of the Northern Plains

[gwb123]

If you have spent time visiting historic places, you can appreciate the opening of Jeff Barnes' Forts of the Northern Plains:

 

"It was my second trip to Fort Sidney (located in the far northwest corner of Nebraska) - and the second time I found the museum there closed - that I wished for a guide that told me when theese palaces were open.

 

I started thinking how handiy it would be if such a guide also told me how to get there, what I'd find, whether the fort was worht a long dirve, or if it was even open to the public. I started looking for such a book, and when I couldn't find it, I decided to do im myself".

 

Thus the author began a journey of 13,000 miles across 7 Midwestern and Western states to find the forts and posts that played a role in settling the American frontier. These forts ranged from basically clusters of buildings forming and open post or way station, all the way up to a fortified stockade.

 

As far as what remains, some have been carefully restored while others are only marked by a state historical marker. Some have been obliterated so completely that no one is exactly sure where they stood, while others remain in service as major air bases, Guard and Reserve centers, and at least one national cemetary.

 

Mr. Barnes follows a basic formula of writing a page or two about the fort's role in the past, what remains of the fort today, details about planning a visit, related reading, and historic sites that are nearby. He often includes some colorful stories, such as the post where some of the troopers settled a dispute with a local saloon by destroying its outhouse by cannon fire!

 

Given that these historic sites are quite popular with tourists, its surprising this book was not published long ago. It is easy to follow and whether you read it in depth or just have it handy for the next time you drive through the area, it is worth the investment.

 

The only thing that might vex those of us with an interest in history is the organization of the book. Typical of a travel guide, the sites are organized by state, and then by alphabetical order. While that makes it easy to locate things while you are on the road, it does put things out of order as far as a historical time line. Thus you find yourself reading about a fort from the 1820's, then about one from the 1870's and next about one from 1840.

 

But that is a minor shortcoming. There is a wealth of concise information here, even for the most experienced hand. I found mention of the Omaha Quartermaster Depot that I never knew of, let alone the fact that it still operates as a Guard and Reserve center.

 

If you have an interest in this period, or just the history of the US Army in general, this book is worth your time. If you are travelling this way, it is especially worth having. After all, you don't want to drive all the way out to Ft. Sidney only to find it was closed!

[gwb123]

A map of the forts covered in the book... some of these places were pretty obscure and only in operation for a matter of months. Some of them continue to this day, such as Ft. Crook, which still exists as Offutt AFB, Omaha, NE.

 

It is available at Amazon.com or Stackpole books:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Forts-Northern-Plain...3521&sr=8-1

[gwb123]

I should have mentioned that the author also offers tours and autographed copies of his book if purchased direct.

 

http://www.fortsofthenorthernplains.com/

[m1ashooter]

If in Wyoming a vist to Ft Larimie is a must and then a trip to Frankies Rocket Range aka FE Warren AFB the former Ft D.A. Russell is a must see.