Fort Mary B facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Mary B
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Stockade
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| Nickname(s):
Fort Independence, Fort Independent, Fort Breckenridge, Fort Meribeh
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 Fort Mary B
Location in Colorado
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| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Summit |
| Nearest town | Breckenridge |
Fort Mary B was an important early structure in the Breckenridge, Colorado area. It was a wooden fort, also known as a stockade, built in 1859. This fort was created to help protect the first settlers in the region.
The fort was later renamed Fort Mary B. It was named after the first woman known to live in the area, though her exact identity is not clear today.
What Was Fort Mary B?
Fort Mary B was a strong wooden fence, or stockade, that covered about two acres of land. It was built to protect the people living there. At each corner of the stockade, there was a log cabin. The very first log cabin was built by a man named Ruben Spalding.
The site of Fort Mary B is located very close to where the Wells Fargo Bank is in Breckenridge today. The town of Breckenridge itself was started about one mile south of where the fort stood.
Other Names for the Fort
When it was first built, Fort Mary B was known by a few different names. It was often called Fort Independent or Fort Independence. People also sometimes referred to it as Fort Breckenridge.
Another name used for the fort was Fort Meribeh. In fact, the official town charter for the Breckenridge area only lists two names for this early settlement: Fort Meribeh and Fort Mary B. This shows how important these names were to the history of the area.
