Fort Lyon, Colorado on the Arkansas River
Fort Lyon, Colorado, a site steeped in history and situated strategically along the banks of the Arkansas River, stands as a silent witness to the evolving narrative of the American West. From its initial purpose as a military outpost protecting the Santa Fe Trail to its later incarnations as a naval hospital, a veterans’ administration facility, and a transitional housing community, Fort Lyon, Colorado has continually adapted to the needs of the nation and its people. Its story is intertwined with the conflicts, expansions, and humanitarian efforts that have shaped the landscape of Colorado and the broader Southwest.
The story begins with Fort Wise, established in 1860. Its location was carefully chosen just west of Bent’s New Fort, a significant trading post operated by William Bent. Bent’s New Fort itself, a structure consisting of twelve rooms arranged around a central courtyard, played a crucial role in the early days of Fort Wise. The U.S. Army leased the Bent’s New Fort facility from William Bent, utilizing its buildings as a commissary for the fort and as housing for the Upper Arkansas Indian Agency. This arrangement underscored the importance of Fort Lyon, Colorado as a nexus point for military, commercial, and governmental activities in the region. Fort Wise was named after Henry Wise, the Governor of Virginia at the time.
The fort’s strategic importance stemmed from its position along the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail, a vital artery of commerce and communication connecting Fort Leavenworth in Kansas with Fort Union in New Mexico. The Santa Fe Trail served as a conduit for goods, settlers, and military personnel, and Fort Wise was instrumental in ensuring the safe passage of travelers and supplies. It provided a crucial link in the chain of military outposts that stretched across the vast expanse of the American Southwest.
The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 brought about a significant change for Fort Wise. With the nation divided and tensions running high, the U.S. government deemed it inappropriate to maintain a fort named after a Confederate leader. Consequently, the post was renamed Fort Lyon in honor of General Nathaniel Lyon, a Union officer who had been killed in action at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in Missouri on August 10, 1861. This renaming reflected the Union’s determination to assert its authority in the West and to distance itself from any association with the Confederacy.
During the Civil War, Fort Lyon played a pivotal role in securing the Southwest for the Union. In 1862, the fort’s garrison was dispatched to New Mexico to reinforce Union forces engaged in the Battle of Glorieta Pass, a decisive engagement that thwarted a Confederate attempt to seize control of the territory. The victory at Glorieta Pass ensured that New Mexico remained within the Union fold, and Fort Lyon’s contribution to this outcome was significant. For the remainder of the war, Fort Lyon served as the principal guardian of the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail, working in concert with detachments from Fort Larned in Kansas and Fort Union in New Mexico to escort traffic along the upper reaches of the Arkansas River to Raton Pass.
However, the history of Fort Lyon, Colorado is not without its dark chapters. The fort became entangled in the escalating conflict between settlers and Native American tribes, particularly the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho. While some chiefs had signed the Treaty of Fort Wise in 1861, ceding much of their ancestral lands and promising to settle on reservations, many others refused to abide by the treaty’s terms. As miners and settlers continued to pour into Colorado, tensions inevitably boiled over.
In the spring of 1864, a series of raids and attacks by Native American warriors disrupted traffic on the Santa Fe Trail and heightened anxieties among the white population. This unrest culminated in the infamous Sand Creek Massacre, which took place approximately 40 miles downriver from Fort Lyon. On November 29, 1864, a regiment of Colorado volunteers, led by Colonel John Chivington, attacked a peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho encampment at Sand Creek, slaughtering hundreds of unarmed men, women, and children.
The Sand Creek Massacre remains a stain on the history of Fort Lyon, Colorado and the American West. The brutality of the attack, and the fact that the Cheyenne and Arapaho believed they were under the protection of the fort, sparked widespread outrage and led to a congressional investigation. The massacre also ignited a full-scale war with the Plains Indians, further escalating the conflict and prolonging the violence.
The original location of Fort Lyon proved to be problematic due to frequent flooding of the Arkansas River, unsanitary conditions, and a diminishing supply of timber. In 1867, the U.S. Army decided to relocate the fort to a more suitable site approximately 20 miles upstream. The new post was designated Fort Lyon No. 2. The original Fort Lyon was briefly used as a stage station, but was later burned by Native Americans.
The new Fort Lyon was situated on a bluff overlooking the Arkansas River, near the confluence of the Purgatoire River, east of present-day Las Animas, Colorado. While the need to protect the Santa Fe Trail had diminished somewhat by this time, the fort still played a role in military operations in the region. Troops from Fort Lyon participated in General Philip Sheridan’s 1868-69 Indian campaign.
Fort Lyon holds a poignant place in the life of Kit Carson, the legendary frontiersman, scout, and Indian agent. Carson had resigned his commission in the army in 1867 and moved his family to Boggsville, Colorado, near Fort Lyon, where he served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Colorado Territory. Despite failing health, Carson undertook a journey to Washington, D.C., to represent a Ute delegation in early 1868. Shortly after his return, his wife, Josefa, died in childbirth. Carson’s health continued to decline, and he sought medical attention at Fort Lyon, where he died on May 23, 1868, at the age of 58, due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The "new" Fort Lyon was abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1897, marking the end of its era as a military installation. However, the site was soon repurposed. In 1906, the U.S. Navy took over the fort and established a tuberculosis hospital, which operated until 1922. This transition reflected a shift in the nation’s priorities, as the focus moved from military expansion to addressing public health concerns.
In 1930, the grounds were transferred to the Veterans Administration for use as a hospital. During this period, many of the original adobe and stone structures were remodeled, but they continued to serve a vital function as part of the veterans’ healthcare facility. The commissary building, officers’ quarters, storehouses, and the commanding officer’s residence were all adapted for use by the Veterans Administration.
The Veterans Administration hospital at Fort Lyon provided care and support to countless veterans over the years, solidifying the site’s legacy as a place of service and healing. However, in 2001, the hospital was closed, and the property was transferred to the State of Colorado. For a time, the site housed a minimum-security prison, but that too was eventually closed.
Today, the Fort Lyon site is home to the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community, a program that provides recovery-oriented transitional housing, counseling, education, and employment services to the homeless. This latest incarnation of Fort Lyon, Colorado reflects a commitment to addressing the complex challenges of homelessness and providing a pathway to self-sufficiency for individuals in need.
The Fort Lyon National Cemetery, established in 1907, continues to operate, serving as a final resting place for veterans and their families. A chapel built from stones salvaged from the building where Kit Carson died stands as a memorial to the legendary frontiersman.
The site of the first Fort Lyon, marked by a historical marker, is located on private property about 1.5 miles south of U.S. 50, approximately eight miles west of Lamar. The second Fort Lyon site is located on County Road 183, about five miles northeast of Las Animas. Together, these sites represent a tangible link to the past, preserving the memory of the many individuals who lived, worked, and died at Fort Lyon. From its origins as a military outpost to its current role as a supportive residential community, Fort Lyon remains a significant landmark in the history of Colorado and the American West.