Fort Wingate, New Mexico – Reining in the Navajo
Nestled amidst the rugged, red-rock landscape of McKinley County, New Mexico, alongside the bustling Interstate 40, lies the historical site of Fort Wingate. This location marks the second iteration of the fort, a strategic installation that played a significant role in the complex history of the American Southwest, particularly in the interactions between the United States government and the Navajo Nation. The story of Fort Wingate, New Mexico, is one of military campaigns, forced relocation, cultural clashes, and ultimately, a landscape steeped in historical and archaeological significance.
The original Fort Wingate was established between 1862 and 1868. It was strategically placed at El Gallo, approximately 65 miles southeast of the current location. This initial establishment was largely driven by the military strategies of Colonel Kit Carson. He established Fort Wingate, New Mexico, along with Fort Canby in Arizona (established between 1863 and 1864), as part of his campaign against the Navajo people during 1863 and 1864.
The broader context of this military action was shaped by the policies of General James Carleton, the commander of the Department of New Mexico. This regional designation predated New Mexico’s statehood. Carleton firmly believed that confining Native American tribes to reservations was the most effective way to resolve the escalating conflict between the ever-increasing influx of white settlers and the indigenous populations.
Carleton, bolstered by alliances with Ute warriors, launched a campaign against the Navajo, systematically destroying their homes and livestock. This brutal campaign culminated in the forced removal of thousands of Navajo people, who were compelled to embark on a harrowing 400-mile journey known as the Long Walk to the Bosque Redondo Reservation. The name Fort Wingate, New Mexico, is intrinsically linked to this tragic chapter of American history.
Following the Navajo’s confinement at the Bosque Redondo Reservation, troops stationed at Fort Wingate, New Mexico, assumed the responsibility of patrolling the surrounding areas, searching for any Navajo stragglers or raiding parties. Furthermore, the fort’s strategic location along the Albuquerque-Fort Defiance Road allowed it to provide protection to miners traveling to the goldfields of Arizona. In 1864, the fort’s forces also participated in campaigns against the Apache tribes.
The Bosque Redondo Reservation, situated near Fort Sumner, New Mexico, proved to be a deeply flawed and ultimately unsustainable experiment. For four years, the Navajo endured harsh conditions marked by poor soil quality, inadequate water supplies, widespread malnutrition, and rampant disease. The devastating conditions led the U.S. government to reconsider its policies.
In 1868, representatives of the Navajo Nation and the U.S. government negotiated and signed a treaty. This landmark agreement allowed the Navajo to return to their ancestral lands. As part of the treaty, the government committed to providing replacement livestock to the Navajo, while the Navajo pledged to confine themselves to a defined territory and cease all raiding activities. This treaty marked a turning point in the relationship between the Navajo and the United States, and the role of Fort Wingate, New Mexico, shifted accordingly.
With the Navajo people returning to their homeland, the U.S. Army made the decision to relocate Fort Wingate to its second and current site. This new location was situated closer to the newly established Navajo Reservation. It was administered by the Fort Defiance Indian Agency. Interestingly, the site had previously been occupied by Fort Fauntleroy, later renamed Fort Lyon. This earlier fort, which operated from 1860 to 1861, had also been tasked with Navajo control. However, it was evacuated prior to the Confederate invasion of New Mexico from Texas during the Civil War.
The relocated Fort Wingate, New Mexico, assumed a multifaceted role in the region. Beyond its primary function of policing the Navajo Reservation, the garrison participated in campaigns against the Apache tribes to the south. It also served as a detention facility for captured Apache warriors. Another crucial responsibility of the fort was to safeguard the construction activities of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. This railroad played a pivotal role in facilitating westward expansion and settlement.
Despite its strategic importance, life at Fort Wingate was often harsh and challenging for the soldiers stationed there. Lieutenant John Pershing, who would later become a renowned general, captured the grim reality of the fort in a letter to a correspondent:
"This post is a… and no question – tumbled down, old quarters, though Stots is repairing it as fast as he can. The winters are severe… it is always bleak, and the surrounding country is barren absolutely."
Adding to the fort’s challenges, a devastating fire in 1896 destroyed many of its original buildings. The military responded by rebuilding the fort shortly after 1900, utilizing locally sourced red sandstone in the construction. This gave the fort a distinctive appearance that reflected the surrounding landscape.
In 1910, the Army withdrew its troops from Fort Wingate. The fort was officially decommissioned in 1912. However, its service was not entirely over. During 1914 and 1915, the fort was briefly reactivated as an internment camp. It housed refugees fleeing the turmoil of the Mexican Revolution in a fenced enclosure located just north of the post.
In 1918, the United States Ordnance Department reactivated Fort Wingate as the Wingate Ordnance Depot, recognizing its strategic value for military logistics. In 1925, the depot was relocated closer to the railroad. A Navajo school then took over the original fort buildings, repurposing them for educational purposes.
The advent of Route 66 transformed the landscape of the American Southwest. It became a vital artery for military logistics during World War II, significantly boosting activity at military sites. It spurred economic growth in the communities along its path. The heightened demand for munitions storage facilities during the war led to Fort Wingate’s resurgence as a major storage center. Its distinctive earthen, igloo-like storage buildings became a prominent feature of the landscape, visible from Route 66.
However, the most significant contribution of Fort Wingate, New Mexico, to World War II lies in its role as a training ground for the Navajo Code Talkers. These remarkable individuals, using a complex code based on the Navajo language, confounded Japanese forces in the Pacific theater. Their unbreakable code played a crucial role in numerous Allied victories.
Until the late 1950s, Fort Wingate remained one of the best-preserved frontier military posts in the Southwest. However, from 1958 to 1960, the Bureau of Indian Affairs demolished the officers’ quarters along the south side of the parade grounds and one of the barracks to make way for the construction of more modern school facilities. In January 1976, the kitchen-dining hall was also razed.
From 1918 until its final closure in 1993, the 22,000-acre installation served as a site for storing and demolishing ammunition. As part of negotiations with local tribes, the Army Base Realignment and Closure Program transferred half of the 22,000 acres to be used jointly by the tribes, while retaining the other half for missile testing and launching.
Today, several historic features of Fort Wingate remain. The fort retains its original parade grounds from its military period, as well as an 1883 adobe clubhouse, one barracks building, and a row of officers’ quarters dating back to 1900. The cemetery also remains, although most of the military burials were relocated to the Santa Fe National Cemetery in 1915.
The grounds of Fort Wingate are rich in cultural heritage and historical significance. Archaeological surveys have uncovered over 200 Navajo ruins on the property, as well as several modern earth-covered dwellings known as "hogans." For centuries, the area served as a hunting and gathering ground for the Zuni people. Surveyors have recorded over 600 archaeological sites, including an additional 200 ruins that can be traced back to the Anasazi, the ancestors of the Zuni.
Recognizing the environmental concerns associated with its past use as an ordnance depot, extensive efforts have been undertaken to clean up the property. The primary focus of these efforts has been the removal of exploded and unexploded ordnance. Given the significant cultural and historical value of Fort Wingate, the initial step in the restoration process involved identifying the numerous cultural and historic resources that could be affected by the cleanup and disposal of the property. Environmental cleanup and land transfer to the surrounding community are ongoing today. The remaining fort buildings stand behind posted wire fencing, a reminder of the site’s complex past.
In recognition of its historical significance, the National Park Service listed the Fort Wingate Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Fort Wingate is located approximately 12 miles southeast of Gallup, New Mexico, a location that continues to connect it to the surrounding communities and the broader historical narrative of the American Southwest.