HISTORY COLORADO – On February 26th, 1970 Fort Garland was placed on the National Register for Historic Places. The fort opened in 1858 and operated for 25 years.
Fort Garland famously housed the African American ‘G Company of the 9th Cavalry Regiment’; known as Buffalo Soldiers by Southern Plains Indians.
In 1876, the Buffalo Soldiers marched to the La Plata region to prevent conflict between Ute Indians and local settlers. Other famous soldiers, including Kit Carson, also lived at the fort for a short time.
By 1883, the U.S. Military closed and decommissioned Fort Garland. The Colorado Historical Society re-opened the fort as a museum in the 1950s and it still operates today under History Colorado.
Note: This content was provided by our partners over at History Colorado. To learn more about the museum, visit its website by clicking here.