Fort Lyon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Lyon
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One of the Fort's main buildings in 2013.
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bent County, Colorado |
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| Nearest city | Las Animas |
| Built | The second Fort Lyon was built in 1867 |
| Architect | U.S. Army; et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000388 |
| Added to NRHP | 5 May 2004 |
Fort Lyon is a historic place in southeastern Colorado. It was once a military fort. There were actually two forts called Fort Lyon. The first one operated from 1860 to 1867. After a big flood in 1866, a new fort was built. This second fort was used until 1897.
Over the years, Fort Lyon has had many different uses. It was a U.S. Army fort for soldiers. Later, it became a special hospital called a sanatorium (a place for long-term illness). It also served as a facility for mental health care. For a time, it was even a prison.
The prison closed in 2011. In 2013, the site became a place to help people who are homeless. It offers housing and support. This program is run by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
Fort Lyon is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site. Part of the area is still open as the Fort Lyon National Cemetery. Burials started there in 1907.
Contents
History of Fort Lyon
The First Fort Lyon (1860–1867)
In July 1860, the U.S. Army rented a place called Bent's New Fort. They used it to store goods for the Cheyenne and Arapaho people. These goods were called "annuity goods." They were given as part of treaties. In exchange, the Native American tribes gave up some of their land.
Soldiers built barracks (places for them to live) around the fort. They also added defenses. These included special gun positions made of earth.
The fort was first named Fort Flaunteroy. Soon after, it was named Fort Wise. This was for Henry A. Wise, who was the governor of Virginia. When the American Civil War started, Virginia left the Union. So, in 1862, the fort was renamed Fort Lyon. This new name honored Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, a soldier who had died in battle.
In 1861, the Treaty of Fort Wise was signed at the fort. This treaty tried to bring peace between settlers and the Cheyenne and Arapaho people. However, this peace did not last long.
Old Fort Lyon was also a starting point for Colonel John Chivington in 1864. He led an attack on friendly Cheyenne and Arapaho camps. This event became known as the Sand Creek massacre. To keep the attack a secret, Chivington had guards stop people and mail from reaching Sand Creek.
In 1866, the Arkansas River flooded. The U.S. Army then decided to build a new fort. This new fort was built near the town of Las Animas. The first Fort Lyon was left empty after the Army moved.
The Second Fort Lyon (1867–1897)
In 1867, a new fort was finished. It was also called Fort Lyon. This fort was near the town of Las Animas, Colorado. The U.S. Army used this Fort Lyon for many years. They left it in 1897. This was after the end of the American Indian Wars.
Fort Lyon's Other Uses
In 1906, the U.S. Navy opened a sanatorium at Fort Lyon. This was a special hospital. It treated sailors and marines who had tuberculosis. People at the time thought that the dry climate and quiet isolation of the fort would help them get better.
In 1922, the Veteran's Bureau took over the hospital. Then, in 1930, the Veterans Administration started running it. Within three years, the VA changed Fort Lyon into a facility for neuropsychiatry (mental health care).
In 2001, the hospital closed. The state of Colorado then took over the facility. They turned it into a prison. This prison was for people who were not considered a high risk. The prison closed in 2011.
In September 2013, Governor John Hickenlooper announced that Fort Lyon had reopened. It became a place for homeless people to live and get help. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless runs this program. By November 2018, over 200 people were living there.
