Fort Union Trading Post Historic Structures Report (Part II) Historical Data Section

At first the soldiers (1864) lived in "two fine rows of tents. . . in the Center of the Fort." But, as winter approached, they began building winter quarters. Construction began on Sept. 26 and, by Oct. 1, Larpenteur was able to record, "Soldiers finished their houses except making the bunks."

At first, the Army commandeered the bourgeois' house. Whether or not the officers lived in it is not clear. But on Oct. 3, 1864, Larpenteur wrote that the troops had gone out to get house logs for officers quarters. Construction began on Oct. 13, and was finished except for the flooring by Oct. 18. They laid the floors on October 26.

Again, the diary of Larpenteur records the soldiers "making" their own blacksmith shop in the fall of 1864.

By Oct. 20, 1864, the Army had finished building its own ice house.