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Fort Garland Museum

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1858. 1948, reconstruction. West side of Colorado 159, 1 mile south of U.S. 160 (NR)
  • Fort Garland Museum (Colorado Historical Society)

Fort Garland's low-slung, one-story adobe structures are wrapped around a courtyard shaded by towering cottonwood trees. The original fort, whose parade grounds have been invaded by Colorado 159, was named for Brigadier General John Garland, military commander of the Department of the Army of New Mexico. The original buildings had adobe walls, sod roofs, and (only in the officers' quarters) board floors. The Colorado Historical Society acquired the site in 1945 and has converted five of the original structures, including the officers' quarters and a barracks, to a regional museum. Exhibits and rooms reflect San Luis Valley history. The commandant's quarters have been restored to reflect the 1866–1867 period, when Colonel Kit Carson commanded the garrison.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Thomas J. Noel
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Data

What's Nearby

Blanca School

Citation

Thomas J. Noel, "Fort Garland Museum", [Blanca, Colorado], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/CO-01-CT14.

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