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"The most beautiful frontier post in the nation"
        -- General Irvin McDowell, August 1880

In 1863, with the country embroiled in a bloody war in the East, the regular army had been called back to the scene of the conflict, leaving the West exposed to uprisings and internal strife.  The Oregon State Legislature asked the U.S. Congress for additional military posts, including one at the Klamath Lakes, to protect settlers and to quell any uprisings from the divided loyalties of the citizens.  There were many Confederate sympathizers living in the Pacific Northwest at that time.  There was also an attempt to create a Pacific Republic, loyal to neither side.  They were organized into what was called The Knights of the Golden Circle.  For these reasons, Fort Klamath was established in 1863. The first troop to arrive at the fort was Troop C of the 1st Oregon Cavalry.  They constructed the garrison post, patrolled the area and served as scouts and escorts.  They built roads and protected the settlers, and were ready to oppose any attempt to dissolve the Union out West.  Company I of the 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry, among other duties, built the road from Union Creek to Annie Creek.  They were the first to go down to Crater Lake. Life on the post was difficult, but not monotonous.  Soldiers had the usual drills and target practices.  They built target ranges and had competitions between troops.  After the chores and drills were done, the men played games outdoors, and indoors if the weather was bad.  They hunted the plentiful wild game and the waterfowl that came by the thousands to nest.  Trout filled the streams, and the soldiers learned to spear them through the ice that formed during the winter.  For heating and cooking they had to cut 1000 cords of wood.  When trouble sprang up, they were sent out in all kinds of weather to restore order. Occasionally, some of the men would feel the isolation and desert, heading over to Jacksonville for the gold fields or to socialize.  Most of them would come back and turn themselves in, but there were times when a patrol had to be sent out to bring them back.  Once caught, they were assigned to the guardhouse to await court martial.  If found guilty, they were branded. For their own enjoyment, the men started a newspaper, THE GROWLER, which consisted of 12 or more handwritten pages filled with prose, poetry and real or imagined news.  Always a welcome sight was the post rider who brought the mail twice weekly.  As time went on, the area became more settled and interaction between soldiers and civilians grew more common.  Band performances and dances were held.  One of the civilians who worked at the fort was George Nurse, the founder of Linkville (now Klamath Falls), who opened a sutlery and sold supplies to the men. In July of 1867, Troop A 1st U.S. Cavalry rode into Fort Klamath to relieve the 1st Oregon Volunteers.  Company K 23rd U.S. Infantry joined them later.  They built onto the fort, adding many new buildings, including a theater.  Fort Klamath remained an active post until June 23, 1890.  On that day, Company I, 14th U.S. Infantry marched out of the compound for the last time, and the "most beautiful frontier post in the nation" was abandoned to time and the elements. Modern Day Fort Klamath: The Cascade Civil War Society has been holding events at the old fort grounds since its formation in 1998.  To enhance the site, the CCWS embarked on a fence-building project in 2001.  A timber pole-cutting permit was applied for and granted by the U. S. TIMBER LANDS, and several members of the club spent an entire day cutting, limbing and loading 100 lodge pole pines.  Over the next few days, the trees were cut into 8-foot lengths and peeled.  Finally, they were taken up to Fort Klamath and assembled into several sections of rail fence.  There were even enough poles left over for a couple of hitching posts! On October 16th, 2001, the log museum building burned to the ground.  An electrical fire was determined to be the cause.  Tragically, many artifacts that had not yet been removed for winter storage were lost.  CCWS members, along with volunteers from the Klamath County Museum and the town of Fort Klamath, cleaned out the debris, recovering some items from the ashes.  Insurance and private donations of money, labor and materials enabled the museum to be rebuilt and once again, CCWS members were on hand to volunteer as needed. In 2002, the Klamath County Museum hired CCWS member Kevin Fields as the museum aide at Fort Klamath.  Fields brought his own wall tent and other personal possessions used for reenacting to the fort, creating an encampment that served as a temporary museum while the rebuild was ongoing.  Dressed in period cavalry uniform, he has educated and entertained hundreds of visitors from across the United States and around the world, giving tours and telling the history of Fort Klamath and the surrounding area from 1863 to 1890 and beyond. In the summer of 2003, construction was completed and CCWS members were there for the re-dedication of the new museum building and the ceremonial flag raising.  When in our area, make it a point to visit historic Fort Klamath Frontier Military Post, open mid-May through September!

Click on image to go to Ft. Klamath Photo Gallery