Fort Egbert facts for kids
Fort Egbert was a U.S. Army base located in Eagle, Alaska. It was active from 1899 to 1911.
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A Look Back at Fort Egbert
Fort Egbert was built in 1899 during the exciting time of the Klondike Gold Rush. It served as the main U.S. Army headquarters in the area known as the District of Alaska. The fort was named by U.S. President William McKinley to honor Colonel Harry C. Egbert, a brave soldier who died in battle in 1899.
The base was constructed right next to Eagle Bluff, a rocky hill that overlooked the town of Eagle. Eagle was a busy mining community located along the Yukon River, close to the border with Canada. For a short time, the town of Eagle was even managed by the military base until a local government could be set up. This military rule ended in July 1900.
Connecting Alaska: The Telegraph System
Fort Egbert became a very important spot for the Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System, often called WAMCATS. This was a huge network of telegraph lines designed to connect Alaska with the rest of the United States. The first part of this system was finished in October 1900, linking Fort Egbert to Dawson City in Canada. Later, in 1902, another line connected Fort Egbert to Fort Liscum in Valdez.
In 1905, a famous Norwegian explorer named Roald Amundsen used Fort Egbert's telegraph station. He sent a message to the world announcing his amazing success in traveling through the Northwest Passage for the first time!
The Fort Closes Down
Most of Fort Egbert was closed in 1911. However, a small group from the Army Signal Corps stayed behind. They continued to operate a communication station until 1925. That year, the wireless station, which had replaced the old telegraph lines, unfortunately burned down.
Today, five of the original buildings from Fort Egbert are still standing. They are protected and managed by the Bureau of Land Management, allowing visitors to see a piece of history.
People at Fort Egbert
In 1910, the U.S. Census counted 198 people living at Fort Egbert. Since the fort was closed shortly after, it was not counted in future censuses.
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