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Was there ever a wall or a stockade around the Fort? No, there never was. Most of the western military forts in the Great Plains region did not have stockades around them. Mainly because there wasn't enough timber to provide suitable lumber for building stockades or walls. In the case of Fort Larned, it was probably felt that the river protected them from the north and west sides. On the east side was the dry oxbow, and on the south side, the land was open to the prairie and one could see for quite a distance in any direction.
Is the tunnel still here? “When I was a kid we used to come out here and go through the escape tunnel.”No, that tunnel is no longer here. Because it was not an original tunnel, it has been refilled. That tunnel was dug by the Fort Larned Historical Society and the Boy Scouts. They knew there was a tunnel somewhere in that vicinity, so they went to work and constructed that particular one in the 1950’s. There is no historical evidence that shows that an escape tunnel was ever out here. however, there is a tunnel under the Blockhouse, located by an archeological crew in the summer of 1973. This tunnel is not an escape route, but is about a 20 foot tunnel that leads to a water well.
Was the Fort ever attacked by Indians?
No, it never was. The Plains Indians’ style of warfare was one of guerilla type activities. They would ambush and attack small parties rather than attack an established settlement. Very rarely did Plains Indians attack a military post.
Was the Fort ever under siege? No. There were times, however, when there were enough Indians present to make travel beyond the quadrangle impossible without a military escort.
What Indian tribes lived in the area?
This area was the hunting grounds for the Comanche, Kiowa, Arapahos, and Southern Cheyenne. Some Pawnee, Sioux, and Plains Apache were also seen in this area.
How many stars are on the flag? There are 37 stars on the flag. We are interpreting the Fort as if it were the year 1868, and there were 37 states at that time.
How high is the flagpole? The flagpole is 100 feet high.
Why does the flagpole look like a ship's mast? Is it a ship's mast? No, it is not a ship’s mast. In fact, the poles are utility poles made of wood. Yes, it does resemble a ship’s mast. As a ship’s mast, it is made to withstand high winds.
Is that the original flagpole? No, it is not. The original flagpole was struck by lightning and burned.
How big is the flag? The flag we normally fly is the large garrison flag that measures 20’ x 36’. The other flag we fly is 10’ x 20’.
How long do the flags last out here in the Kansas wind? Sometimes only about three months. We do repair them quite often.
Was Fort Larned a significant military post? Yes, it certainly was. For many years this was the only post between Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and Fort Lyon, Colorado, on the Santa Fe Trail. This post was instrumental in keeping the Trail open and in curbing Indian activities in this region.
How many men were stationed here? The average number of men stationed here was between 200-250. This number varied quite a bit. There were four companies here, and each company could have had a total of 100 men each.
Do you have a list of men who served here? No, we do not. Information on the men who served in the individual companies can be obtained from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. However, we do have several references to men who were assigned to special duty, hospital records, guard house and prison records. We also have the records listing all the companies that were stationed here.
How many men were in a company? A company varied in size, containing from 64 to 100 men. However, many times when men were discharged, it was quite awhile before their position was filled. Desertion and disease reduced the number of men also. Sometimes a company numbered from 35 to 60.
How many officers were there to a company? There were three commissioned officers per company. One was the captain and the other two were 1st and 2nd Lieutenant. There were also non-commissioned officers such as sergeants and corporals.
Were there any women out here at the Fort? There were a few. A few of the officers brought their wives and families with them. A few of the soldiers might have brought their families with them. There were army laundresses that were part of the army.
Where did the families live? Officers’ wives and children stayed in the officers’ quarters. Enlisted men’s families stayed in adobe/sod houses behind the barracks. During the farming period, the rancher and his family stayed in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters. His ranch hands and their families stayed in the other officer’s quarters.
Where did the wagon trains stay? Wagon trains usually camped near the creek, but off the military reservation, which would be approximately two miles away.
Where was the Santa Fe Trail in relation to the Fort? The Trail came to this post from two different directions. There was a crossing a few miles east of here, where travelers crossed the Pawnee River. Some crossed there and came along the south side of the fort. Those who didn’t cross east of here followed the north bank of the Pawnee River and forded the creek just west of the fort.
How far was it to Fort Riley and Fort Union from Fort Larned? Fort Riley, Kansas, is approximately 153 miles from here and Fort Union, New Mexico, was approximately 389 miles using the Cimarron Cutoff.
When did Larned become a town? Larned became a town in the 1870’s.
What is the nearest fort to Fort Larned? The nearest fort to Fort Larned was Fort Zarah and Fort Hays. Fort Zarah was near present Great Bend and was not preserved. Fort Hays is near Hays and open to the public through the Kansas State Historical Society.
Are these the orginial buildings? Yes, the nine buildings around the Parade Grounds are the original buildings. We have, however, restored them. The blockhouse in the corner is the only building that is not original, it is a reconstruction.
When were these buildings built? They were started in 1866 and finished in 1868.
Where was Camp Alert? Camp on Pawnee Fork was the official name of the camp located approximately 2 ½ miles east of this site along the Pawnee Creek. When the post was located at this site, it was first known as Camp Alert, and then later, the name was changed to Fort Larned.
Why was this site selected for the fort? This site was selected for the fort because of the easy access to water. Perhaps some thought that the creek gave a natural protection on three sides of the Fort, leaving only the south side open, and this side was flat for miles, giving a good view of any Indians approaching.
Was there a cemetary here? Yes, in fact, there were two cemeteries here. One was on the island of the oxbow, and the other was north of the Pawnee Creek, in the large field to your right as you drove into the Fort. The island cemetery was used until the 1860’s. The cemetery was then moved ¼ mile northwest of the flagpole. In the 1880’s, all identifiable remains were exhumed and reburied at Fort Leavenworth.
What kind of cannon is that? Is that the same one that used to be out here? The cannon that used to be on the parade ground was placed there by the Frizell family. That style of cannon was not historically used at Fort Larned. What is now on the parade grounds is a 12-pound Mountain Howitzer, which is historically accurate.
Where any famous people ever here? Yes, there were a number of famous people here, on and off, during the Fort’s history. Some of these people include Custer, Hancock, H.M. Stanley, Buffalo Bill, Kit Carson, and General Sheridan.
Questions about the buildings
What is a commissary? A storehouse used for perishable food items. We have two buildings referred to as the Old Commissary and the New Commissary.
What is the quartermaster storehouse? The Quartermaster Storehouse held all the supplies that were needed at the fort that were not perishable. It stored such goods as wagon parts, uniforms, flags, shoes, boots, leather accoutrements, horse equipment, stoves, furniture, wagons, etc.
Where did they get the stone to build the Fort? Most of the stone was quarried about 3 miles east of here, near what is called Lookout or Jenkins Hill, in quarries now on private land.
Why is there an empty space between the shops building and the new commissary? That vacant space was to be used for a new guardhouse. The foundation was laid, but the building was never completed. The blockhouse was used as a guardhouse.
Why are there gun slits only on one side of the two buildings on the south side of the parade ground? The gun slits, which are called rifle loopholes, were only on the south side for the reason that this side was the only side open to the prairie. Supposedly, it was thought that if the fort were attacked, the Indians would not be able to make it within the parade ground.
What was the purpose of the blockhouse? The Blockhouse was built for defense purposes. However, it was never used for defense purposes, so it was used to keep post prisoners and store clothing as a temporary quartermaster building. We are not sure what happened to the original Blockhouse. The one you see today is a reconstruction built according Army records.
Where were the stables located? Records indicate that the stables were south of the Old Commissary Building.
Why aren't all the officers' quarters open? Those buildings have not been restored and are not ready for visitation. Restoration depends on the availability of funds. Also, many of these projects take historical research to insure accuracy, all of which takes time and money.
How thick are the walls? The thickness of the walls vary from 2 to 2 ½ feet.
What happened to the "big barn" that used to be out here? The big barn that you remember was actually these two barracks buildings that had been joined together. We have restored the barracks back to what they were originally.
How many years was the Fort used as a ranch? The fort was used as a ranch for over 80 years, from 1885 – 1966.
What family owned this fort? The Frizell family owned the fort for 64 years, 1902 – 1966.
When this was a ranch, where did the ranch owner and the hired hands live? The Frizells lived in the Commanding Officer’s House and the farm hands and families lived in the Company Officer’s Quarters.
Travel Information
How do you get to Dodge City? When you leave the Fort, turn left on to State Highway 156. Take it 5 miles west until the US Highway 183 junction. Take US 183 South until it hits US 56. Turn West (Right). This highway will take to into Dodge City (about 45 miles).
How do you get to Garden City from here? When you leave the fort, turn left on to State Highway 156. State Highway 156 will take you all the way to Garden City. It’s about 2 hours.
What is the distance from one end of the Santa Fe Trail to the other? The distance, following the approximate same course, using the Cimarron Cutoff is about 753 miles from Kansas City to Santa Fe.
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