Historic Structures Report, Part I: Bent's Old Fort, La Junta, Colorado
Stinson DE, Moore JW, Pope CS. 1964. Historic Structures Report, Part I: Bent's Old Fort, La Junta, Colorado. Historic Structure Report. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site was established because of the Fort's nationally significant role in the history of the westward expansion of the continental United States into the southwestern quarter. Reconstruction of the fort was considered necessary to present this significance to visitors. Bent's Old Fort was constructed of adobe or sun-dried brick in 1832-33 on the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail. From 1833-1849, it was the main trading establishment of Bent, St. Vrain, and Co. Although no structural changes are believed to have taken place during this time, Bent set fire to materials in several of the rooms when he abandoned the post in 1849. The fort was used by the Barlow-Sanderson Overland Stage Mail Company in 1859-60, then as a cattle corral. By 1900, little was left except the ruins of the wall, and a 1921 flood completed the destruction. Part I concerns the Historic Reconstruction of the structure. It includes an overview of administrative, historical, architectural, archeological, landscape, and furnishing/exhibition data. The document also includes the Furnishings Data Section of the Part II Historic Structures Report. This presents the architectural and archeological data that provide evidence of historic furnishings. Documentary references to historic furnishings are also included.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Stinson, Dwight; Moore, Jackson; Pope, Charles
- Date of Issue
- 1964
- Publisher
- U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
- Units
- BEOL , IMR
- Keywords
- adobe, archeology, buffalo, cattle corral, Charles Bent, Fort Vasquez, fur, gambling, HABS, historic furnishings, Overland Stage Mail Company, Reconstruction, ruins, Santa Fe Trail, trading post, watchtower, William Bent
- Subjects
- CRIS-HS: 230437: Bent's Old Fort