Fort Steilacoom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Steilacoom
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Silas Casey's Officer's Quarters
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| Location | Lakewood, Washington, USA |
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| Architect | A.V. Kautz |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001350 |
| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1977 |
For the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom Park
Fort Steilacoom was an important military base built by the U.S. Army in 1849. It was located near Lake Steilacoom in what is now Washington State. This fort was one of the first U.S. military posts built north of the Columbia River. It was created because people were worried after a conflict happened at the Whitman mission in 1847.
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Fort Steilacoom: A Look Back
Early Days and Purpose
Fort Steilacoom was set up to help keep peace and protect settlers in the area. It became a key spot for the U.S. Army in the Pacific Northwest. Soldiers lived and trained there, and it served as a center for military operations.
The Puget Sound War and Chief Leschi
In 1855, some Native American groups, including the Nisqually tribe, were very unhappy. They felt a treaty, called the Treaty of Medicine Creek, had taken away their land and important fishing areas. Because of this, a conflict known as the "Indian War" began.
Fort Steilacoom became the main headquarters for the U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment during this war, which lasted from 1855 to 1856. During one fight, a U.S. Army Colonel named Abram Benton Moses was killed.
Chief Leschi's Trial and Legacy
After the war, the Governor of the territory, Isaac Stevens, decided to put Chief Leschi of the Nisqually tribe on trial. This was because of the death of Colonel Moses during a skirmish. The U.S. Army believed Chief Leschi was a prisoner of war and refused to carry out any punishment at the fort.
However, the local government passed a law to allow civilian leaders to handle the situation. On February 19, 1858, Leschi was executed in what is now Lakewood. Many people believed he was innocent. In 2004, Chief Leschi was officially cleared of the charges, meaning he was found not guilty. This was a very important moment for his legacy and for the Nisqually people.
From Fort to Hospital
Fort Steilacoom stopped being a military base in 1868. A few years later, in 1871, the Washington Territory decided to use the fort for a different purpose. They turned it into a hospital for people needing mental health care. The old barracks, where soldiers used to live, became housing for patients and staff. Today, this site is known as Western State Hospital.
Visiting Fort Steilacoom Today
Even though the fort is now a hospital, four of the original cottages from the fort still stand. These buildings are now part of a living history museum. Visitors can explore them and learn what life was like at the fort long ago. The old post cemetery is also still there, where some civilians from the fort era are buried. Any military burials were moved to the San Francisco National Cemetery in the 1890s.
