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Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings
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FORT D. A. RUSSELL
Wyoming
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Location: Laramie County, at the end of Randall
Avenue, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne. The main gate of the
Air Force base is about 1 mile northwest of the State Capitol.
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A prominent Army installation from the time of the
Indian wars through World War II, this post is today the jet-age Francis
E. Warren Air Force Base. Its history has always been closely related to
that of Cheyenne, the State capital. The base and an associated
quartermaster depot known as Camp Carlin (1867-88) were founded in 1867
to protect crews constructing the Union Pacific Railroad, railroad
property, and lines of travel to Denver and Laramie. Cheyenne soon grew
up as a railroad division point a short distance to the southeast.
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With the passage of time,
frontier troops enjoyed more of the amenities. Squadroom at Fort D. A.
Russell in the 1880's. (National Archives) |
The strategically situated fort and camp provided
extensive logistical support to the major Indian campaigns on the
northern Plains in the late 1860's and 1870's; and operated mule and
pack trains as far west as Fort Douglas, Utah, and Fort Hall, Idaho.
Renamed Fort Francis E. Warren in 1929, the fort remained an important
training center through World War II and since 1948 has been an Air
Force base.
Visitors may obtain passes to visit the historic
area. A large number of brick buildings, which in the 1880's replaced
the frame and adobe structures, are extant among modern structures and
most of them are still in use. They include the hospital, administration
building, commanding officer's house, and several officers' quarters.
One of the latter was the residence of Brig. Gen. John J. Pershing when
he served at the fort in 1912. A plaque on a boulder marks the old main
gate, at the end of Randall Avenue near the unusual diamond-shaped
parade ground. The site of Camp Carlin, of which no remains are extant
but which is marked by a granite monument, is located on First Street
near the railroad crossing.
NHL Designation: 05/15/75
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/soldier-brave/siteb36.htm
Last Updated: 19-Aug-2005
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