Fort Halleck (Wyoming) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Halleck
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Elk Mountain, Wyoming |
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| Area | 14.7 acres (5.9 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000668 |
| Added to NRHP | April 28, 1970 |
Fort Halleck was a military base from the 1860s. It was located along the Overland Trail and a stagecoach route. This area is now the state of Wyoming.
The fort was built in 1862. Its main job was to protect people traveling west. It also guarded stagecoaches that carried mail. These coaches traveled between Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah. The fort was named after Major General Henry Halleck. He was a very important leader in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Fort Halleck was built on the northeast side of Elk Mountain. It was about 7,800 feet high. The area around the fort had plenty of water. It also had many wild animals for hunting. The fort was quite large. It had stables for 200 horses. There were also living quarters for soldiers and offices. A hospital with doctors was also on site.
Why Was Fort Halleck Built?
The Overland Trail was an important route. It was first used in 1860. It followed a path similar to the Cherokee Trail. Miners had used the Cherokee Trail in the late 1840s to go to California.
In 1861, the government changed the official mail route. It moved from the Oregon Trail to the Overland Trail. This was because of threats from Native American tribes. A man named Ben Holladay got the mail contract. He set up a stagecoach line. He also built stations along the Overland Trail.
Native American tribes were moving to the Laramie Plains. This was due to more white settlers and changes in buffalo herds. This led to conflicts with travelers on the Overland Trail. Soldiers from the Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry were sent to help. They were based at Camp Collins in Colorado. Their mission was to build Fort Halleck. The fort would protect the trail from Camp Collins to the Green River stage station.
Life and Challenges at the Fort
The Overland Trail was busiest in 1864 and 1865. During this time, soldiers often rode as escorts. They also sometimes drove the stagecoaches. This was to keep the mail and travelers safe.
Sometimes, attacks made it hard to move the mail. Mail would pile up at stations in Colorado. It also gathered at Fort Halleck. Government wagons then had to carry it to Green River.
The End of Fort Halleck
Fort Halleck was no longer needed by 1866. This was because Fort Sanders was built. Fort Sanders was closer to the city of Laramie.
Three years later, the Transcontinental railroad was finished. This railroad followed much of the same route as the Overland Trail. It went from Laramie to Salt Lake City. After the railroad was built, very few people used the old trail.
Today, the site of Fort Halleck is on private land. Only one building is still standing. People think it was the blacksmith shop. There is also a marker at the fort's cemetery.
