Fort Sumner facts for kids
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Fort Sumner Ruins
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Fort Sumner
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| Nearest city | Fort Sumner, New Mexico |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| Architect | Alexander LaRue |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001194 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 13, 1974 |
Fort Sumner was a military fort in New Mexico Territory. From 1863 to 1868, it was used to hold Navajo and Mescalero Apache people. They were kept at a nearby place called Bosque Redondo.
Contents
Fort Sumner's Early Days
Why Fort Sumner Was Built
In 1862, the United States Congress decided to build Fort Sumner. General James Henry Carleton said the fort would protect settlers. These settlers lived in the Pecos River valley. They needed protection from the Mescalero Apache, Kiowa, and Comanche tribes.
The Bosque Redondo Reservation
General Carleton also created the Bosque Redondo reservation. This was a large area, about 1,600 square miles (4,100 km2). Over 9,000 Navajo and Mescalero Apache people were forced to live there. The government believed these groups were raiding white settlements. The fort was named after General Edwin Vose Sumner.
Life on the Reservation
The idea was for the reservation to be self-sufficient. This meant the Navajo and Mescalero Apache would grow their own food. They would also learn how to be modern farmers. Some leaders in Washington, D.C. thought the Navajo should stay on their own land. They wanted a reservation built there instead.
The corn crops were good in 1865 and 1866. But in 1867, the crop completely failed. Army officers and Indian agents soon realized Bosque Redondo was not working. The land had bad water and not enough firewood for so many people.
General Carleton ordered Colonel Kit Carson to bring the Mescalero and Navajo to Bosque Redondo. By the end of 1862, all Mescalero Apache had been moved. Most Navajo arrived in early 1864. The Navajo call this difficult journey the Long Walk.
More than 300 Navajo people died during this journey. It became a very sad memory for them. One person described the confusion of soldiers who could be kind one day and harsh the next.
Hardships at Bosque Redondo
By April 1865, about 8,500 Navajo and 500 Mescalero Apache were at Bosque Redondo. The Army had only planned for 5,000 people. This meant there was not enough food from the start. The Navajo and Mescalero Apache had been enemies for a long time. Being forced to live so close together often led to fighting.
The environment made things worse. The people did not have clean water; it was full of alkali. There was also no firewood for cooking. The water from the nearby Pecos River caused serious stomach problems. Diseases quickly spread through the camp. Food was scarce because crops failed and there were problems with how the Army and agents managed things.
The End of the Reservation
In 1865, the Mescalero Apache who were strong enough managed to escape. The Navajo stayed longer. Finally, in May 1868, the US Army agreed that Fort Sumner and the Bosque Redondo reservation had failed.
The 1868 Treaty of Bosque Redondo was signed with the Navajo. This allowed them to return to their homeland. They went to a "new reservation." Thousands of Navajo who had been hiding in Arizona Territory joined them. This difficult experience made the Navajo stronger. They learned to be more prepared against future threats. Over the years, they expanded their "new reservation" to more than 16 million acres (65,000 km2).
Fort Sumner After the War
Fort Sumner was closed in 1869. A rich rancher named Lucien Maxwell bought it. Maxwell turned one of the officers' buildings into a large 20-room house. Maxwell's daughter, Paulita, was a friend of a famous outlaw named Billy the Kid. On July 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid in this house. Today, this house is known as the Maxwell House.
Fort Sumner Historic Site Today
A Place to Remember
One hundred years after the Navajo signed the treaty, Fort Sumner became a New Mexico State Monument in 1968. This was a way to remember the important history of the site.
Today, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs manages the property. On June 4, 2005, a new museum opened there. It was designed by Navajo architect David N. Sloan. This museum is called the Bosque Redondo Memorial. The US Congress had approved the memorial in 2000, providing money for its construction.
Visiting the Site
The Bosque Redondo Memorial and Fort Sumner Historic Site are located southeast of Fort Sumner, New Mexico. To get there, you travel about 6.5 miles (10.5 km). First, go 3 miles (4.8 km) east on US Route 60/US Route 84. Then, turn south on Billy the Kid Road for 3.5 miles (5.6 km).
See also
