Fort Bayard Historic District facts for kids
|
Fort Bayard Historic District
|
|
Fort Bayard Post Hospital, circa 1890
|
|
 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | Santa Clara, New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Area | 704 acres (285 ha) |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, et al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000726 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 2002 |
| Designated NHLD | March 19, 2004 |
The Fort Bayard Historic District is where Fort Bayard used to be. This was a United States Army base in New Mexico, near Santa Clara. It was built in 1866.
The fort first kept settlers safe from Native American attacks. Many of the soldiers were African-American "Buffalo Soldiers." Later, it became the army's first hospital for people with tuberculosis. After that, it was a hospital for veterans. Today, it is the Fort Bayard Medical Center. This is a nursing home run by the state of New Mexico.
Only some old parts of the fort remain. These include some of its original gardens and the Fort Bayard National Cemetery. The site became a National Historic Landmark District in 2004.
Contents
History of Fort Bayard
Fort Bayard was built by the United States Army in 1866. Its main job was to protect miners and settlers. These people were moving into the area along the Apache Trail. The fort was named after Brigadier General George Dashiell Bayard. He was a brave soldier who died in 1862 during the Battle of Fredericksburg.
In 1869, a large area of land was set aside for the fort. This was ordered by the president. In 1886, a young officer named John Pershing came to Fort Bayard. He helped set up a heliograph system. This system used mirrors to send messages with sunlight. It connected the fort to other army bases from Arizona to Texas.
Buffalo Soldiers at the Fort
Fort Bayard was one of many army posts in the Southwest where Buffalo Soldiers served. Company B of the 25th United States Colored Infantry Regiment first set up the fort. Other black units, like the 9th Cavalry Regiment, also served there.
A soldier named Corporal Clinton Greaves was stationed at Fort Bayard. He was part of C Company, 9th Cavalry Regiment. He received the Medal of Honor for his brave actions. This happened during a fight against Apache raiders on January 24, 1877. In 1992, a monument was built at Fort Bayard. It honors the Buffalo Soldiers who served there.
From Fort to Hospital
After Geronimo was captured in 1886, the Apache were no longer a big threat. People wondered if Fort Bayard was still needed. Because it was far from the Mexico border, the army planned to close it.
However, the U.S. Army Surgeon General, George Miller Sternberg, noticed something important. The soldiers at Fort Bayard were very healthy. So, he decided to turn the fort into an army hospital. It would be a special center for treating and researching tuberculosis. The fort was given to the Surgeon General's department in 1900.
In 1919, the army gave the fort to the U.S. Public Health Service. They ran it as Hospital No. 55, a tuberculosis hospital for veterans. In 1922, the hospital became part of the Veterans Bureau.
Fort Bayard Today
Fort Bayard was used again by the military during World War II. From 1943 to 1945, German prisoners of war were held there. Today, the New Mexico Department of Health runs the fort. It is now the Fort Bayard Medical Center, a nursing home for long-term care.
Fort Bayard is located about 0.5 miles (800 m) north of where United States Route 180 and New Mexico State Road 152 meet. This is near Bayard, New Mexico.
Notable People at Fort Bayard
Many important people served or visited Fort Bayard.
- General George Crook was there around 1885.
- Colonel Walter Loving also served at the fort.
- Then-Colonel Clarence Ransom Edwards was there in 1906.
- Then-Second Lt. John J. Pershing was at the fort around 1886.
- Sergeant James C. Cooney is remembered at Cooney's Tomb.
- Clinton Greaves, a Corporal, received the Medal of Honor in 1877.
See also
- Fort Bayard National Cemetery
- Buffalo Soldier
Images for kids
-
The fort around 1909
