1st fort and Arsenal tours july 14 2012

Date: July 2, 2012
Contact: Greg Baker, 505-425-8025

First Fort Tours: 150th Civil War Anniversary 2012

Watrous, NM:  Fort Union National Monument announces the annual First Fort Tours on July 14, 2012. The public may visit the site of the original fort and see the ruins of the third fort arsenal. Tours from 9am-3pm focus on the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, the changes it brought about as portions of the First Fort were relocated to a more defensible location and the arsenal expansion, all in order to meet a Confederate threat from Texas.

The Ranger led tours are scheduled as follows: 1^st Tour 9:00am, 2^nd Tour 11:00am, 3^rd Tour 1:00pm, Final Tour 3:00pm. Visitors and park staff will meet at the Visitor Center in order to caravan out to the First Fort site. It is recommended that visitors wear sturdy walking shoes, bring a hat, sun block, snacks and water.

Fort Union (1851-1891) was the largest frontier military post and supply center of the southwest. The National Park Service preserves and protects the historic Fort Union and ruts of the Santa Fe Trail. To visit the monument, take Exit 366 off I-25 at Watrous, NM, onto State Hwy. 161, 8 miles. Park hours are 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. after Memorial Day. For more information and a complete schedule of events, contact Fort Union National Monument at [phone].