Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site facts for kids

Bent's Old Fort
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. National Historic Site
Bent's Old Fort
Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Otero County, Colorado, United States
Nearest city	La Junta, Colorado
Area	799 acres (3.23 km2)
Built	1833
Architect	William Bent; Charles Bent
Visitation	28,131 (2009)
Website	Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
NRHP reference No.	66000254
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	June 3, 1960
Designated NHS	December 19, 1960

Bent's Old Fort is a historic trading post located in Otero County in southeastern Colorado. It was built in 1833 by brothers Charles Bent and William Bent, along with their business partner Ceran St. Vrain. Their company built the fort to trade with the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Plains Indians. They mainly traded for buffalo robes.

For about 16 years, Bent's Old Fort was very important. It was the only major American settlement on the famous Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican towns. The fort was destroyed in 1849. Today, the fort has been rebuilt and is open for visitors. It became a National Historic Site in 1960. Later that same year, it was also named a National Historic Landmark.

What Was Bent's Old Fort?

Approach to Bent's Old Fort, Colorado. Wetlands protected the north trail.

Bent's Old Fort was a large structure made of adobe bricks. Adobe is a building material made from earth and organic materials. The fort was about 180 feet long and 135 feet wide. Its walls were 15 feet high and four feet thick. This made it a very strong trading post for its time.

The fort had strong wooden gates for its entrance. Inside, all the rooms faced a central courtyard. There were also special towers called bastions at two corners. These towers held cannons for defense.

A Center for Trade

The fort quickly became the main hub for the Bent, St. Vrain Company's trading business. They also had other trading posts. These included Fort Saint Vrain to the north and Fort Adobe to the south. They even had stores in New Mexico at Taos and Santa Fe. The most important trade item was buffalo robes. These were traded with the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho people.

A Stop on the Santa Fe Trail

From 1833 to 1849, Bent's Old Fort was a key stopping point on the Santa Fe Trail. This trail was a busy route for trade and travel. The fort was special because it was the only permanent settlement not controlled by Native Americans or Mexicans.

Many different people stopped at the fort. The U.S. Army, explorers, and other travelers used it. They would get fresh supplies like water and food. They also fixed their wagons here. Famous American frontiersman Kit Carson worked as a hunter for the Bent brothers. He visited the fort often. The explorer John C. Frémont also used the fort. It was a place to prepare for his trips and get more supplies.

During the Mexican–American War in 1846, the fort played another role. It became a gathering place for Colonel Stephen Watts Kearny's "Army of the West."

Why Was the Fort Destroyed?

Bent's Old Fort, Lower Level Plan. This shows how the fort was laid out.

In 1849, a terrible sickness called cholera spread. It affected many Cheyenne and other Plains Indians. Because of this, William Bent decided to leave Bent's Old Fort. He moved his trading business north to Fort Saint Vrain.

Later, in 1852, William Bent returned south. He set up a new trading post at Big Timbers. This area is now near Lamar, Colorado. In 1853, Bent started building a new stone fort. This was called Bent's New Fort. He continued his trading business there until 1860.

Rebuilding the Fort

The original Bent's Old Fort was destroyed. However, it was rebuilt in 1976. To make sure the new fort looked just like the old one, builders used many clues. They studied old paintings and sketches. They also looked at diaries and other historical records. They even used archaeological digs to find out more about the original structure.

Bent's Old Fort in Pop Culture

Bent's Old Fort has appeared in many movies, TV shows, and books:

• The fort was used as "Fort Laramie" in the 1979 CBS mini-series The Chisholms.
• In George MacDonald Fraser's 1982 novel, Flashman and the Redskins, the fort's destruction is part of the story.
• It is briefly shown in Larry McMurty's 1985 novel Lonesome Dove. It also appears in the 1989 TV mini-series based on the book.
• Bent's Fort in the spring of 1834 is a main setting for Terry Johnston's 1988 novel One-Eyed Dream.
• It was featured briefly in episode 3 of James Michener's Centennial mini-series in 1978.
• The video game company Rockstar Games was inspired by Bent's Fort. They created a similar place called "Fort Mercer" in their 2010 game Red Dead Redemption.
• A restaurant in Morrison, Colorado, called "The Fort," has architecture and food inspired by Bent's Old Fort from the 1830s.

Gallery

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  Bent's Old Fort entrance sign in Otero County, Colorado

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  Bent's Old Fort outside view

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  "Gentlemen" who stopped by the fort while traveling the Santa Fe Trail stayed in the upstairs quarters.

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  Row of rooms on the right side of the fort

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  The billiards room was located on the second floor of the fort.

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  Clothes washing area at Bent's Old Fort

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  View of the entrance from inside Bent's Old Fort