Cultural Landscape Report: Fort Larned

Quinn Evans / Architects; Land and Community Associates

Between 1822 and 1880, the Santa Fe Trail provided one of the most important overland transportation routes in America. The great influx of people along the Santa Fe Trail disrupted the Native Americans' way of life and prompted them to retaliate. Fort Larned was established as a temporary fort in 1860 to protect travelers, trail commerce, and the mail because of the rising tensions between American Indians and those using the trail. Fort Larned National Historic Site preserves the buildings, stories, and historical themes associated with Fort Larned. This CLR has been prepared to provide background information and site documentation that can serve as the basis for informed decision-making affecting the cultural landscape of the Fort Larned National Historic Site. The CLR describes the physical history of the landscape, analyzes character-defining features and qualities which contribute to the historic significance, condition, and planned use. Phase I of work included development of a narrative history and historical base maps of the physical development of the landscape from the pre-military period through the era of NPS ownership. The research methodology was designed to emphasize investigations of land use practices and subsistence activities at the fort during the 1860s and 1870s. Plant species present at the fort during the period of significance (1868-1878) were identified where possible. The site history also addressed how human occupancy affected the site. This methodology was influenced by the need to support the prior NPS decision to interpret and represent physically this historical period. A major management objective has been to recreate as closely as possible “an atmosphere of 1860s-1870s” in accordance with the site’s Statement for Management. As a result, subsequent periods were given secondary emphasis. Both the Fort Larned General Management Plan and the Fort Larned Statement for Management have identified the 1868-1878 period as the time period most appropriate for interpretation and architectural restoration. Phase I also included documentation of existing conditions, including a site map and brief descriptions of existing resources, their condition, and use; as well as an evaluation of the fort’s significance and landscape integrity and determination of a historic period for the cultural landscape. During Phase II, the consultant team developed a narrative and graphic cultural landscape treatment plan based on the information developed for documentation and analysis in Phase I. The plan addresses the following issues: specific cultural landscape subunits for treatment and maintenance; screening to protect viewsheds; universal accessibility and fire access; suggestions for interpretation of non-extant associated resources; recommendations for treatment of the riparian area; identification of major site drainage issues; vegetation/groundcover issues both inside and outside the historic core, including the reconstructed prairie and the trail ruts unit; and preliminary plans addressing vegetation, circulation, and other features of the core quadrangle area.

Cultural Landscape Report: Fort Larned

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