Officers Quarters-House Tour
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All of the officer's quarters at Fort Scott were built as duplexes. They were two stories in height and had a basement above ground. Each side had two large rooms on a floor, with a wide hall and stairs connecting the floors. The wide hallways were often used for dances. The kitchen was housed in the basement. Commodious fireplaces heated the rooms; and wood was available in the immediate neighborhood to use as fuel. Wide galleries or porches across the front and rear of the quarters undoubtedly were enjoyed by the occupants on warm summer evenings. Compared to some officers' quarters, the buildings at Fort Scott were comfortable and even luxurious. On the basement level were two large rooms and a hall. The room at the front of the building toward the parade ground was used as the morning or family room, while the room at the rear was used as the kitchen.
The main living area was on the 1st floor. Rooms here included the dining room and the parlor. The parlor was used for formal entertainment, while the dining room was used on a daily basis. It was the central hub of family activity. Mrs. Swords, in a letter, refers to the family sitting down to dinner with the children fussing and yelling and all being confusion.
The second floor was occupied by two bedrooms. One was the bedroom for the officer and his wife and the other would serve as a room for children, if any, or as a guest room.
Officers Quarters Main Page
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Did You Know?
The fort was named for General Winfield Scott, who was the commander of all American armies in the 1840s. General Scott was none too happy about it and said that it was done without his knowledge and against his wishes.