Independence, MO, Midwest Genealogy Center
The remnants of Fort Union, once the largest military post in the SouthWest, as seen from the road to the Visitor Center.
Even with the completion of the Santa Fe Railroad in 1879, there were a few such as my great-grandfather, George Thomas Lemmon, who still made the trip because they owned a wagon and stock.
Several other locations of note according to this plaque are 1)the Samuel Watrous Store, 2)Las Vegas, NM, where Gen Kearny claimed the NM Territory for the U.S. in 1846, 3)Kearnys Gap, where, in 1821, after Mexico's independence from Spain, trading was opened up in the area, 4)Bernal (aka Starvation) Peak, 5)San Miguel del Vado, first Hispanic Church, and 6)Kozlowski's Stage Station.
A view of what's left of Fort Union from just behind the Visitor Center. [Photos Taken: early June 2014]
Zooming in....
"Six wards, 36 beds with a maximum capacity of 60 or more, a surgeon and assistant surgeon with a staff of 8, made this one of the best hospitals in the West." [Supposedly the best hospital in 500 miles.]
Another view of the remainder of the post from behind the Visitor Center.
It's unclear when this photo was taken. Was it by balloon sometime after the Civil War? As stated, some of the ruts you see are still visible today.
Indeed -- some of those ruts are visible just over the top of the plaque.
Don't know where the loudspeaker was (on the flagpole?), but it was sufficiently loud to raise the dead. [What? Union soldier vampires?!?!]
The Stockade -- from which many miscreants were unlikely to escape once the missing iron doors were locked.
Ah Ha! There's that aggravating speaker.
An 1866 photo of Post HQ.
"Who gathers the wood for all these fireplaces, Captain?
Now that you asked...."
A plaque explaining the third and final Fort Union, which was built in 1863 and abandoned in 1891, 12 years after the railroad to Santa Fe was completed.
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Links:
- National Park Services web pages on Fort Union Natl Monument
- Wikipedia article on Fort Union National Monument
Routes:
Sa 26 Jul Actual Route: St Joseph W/M - Rushville, MO - Atchinson, KS, Lib - Walmart
Su 27 Jul Actual Route: Atchinson, KS, W/M - Library - Leavenworth Lib - Leavenworth W/M
M 28 Jul Actual Route: Leavenworth W/M - Leavenworth Lib - Kansas City, KS - KC, MO - Independence W/M
T 29 Jul Actual Route: Independence W/M - Blue Sprs RV CG
W 30 Jul Actual Route: Blue Sprs RV CG - Independence Midwest Genealogy Ctr - Walmart
Th 31 Jul Actual Route: Walmart - Independence Midwest Genealogy Ctr - Walmart
F 1 Aug Actual Route: Walmart - Independence Midwest Genealogy Ctr - Walmart
Sa 2 Aug Actual Route: Walmart - Independence Mid-W Gen Ctr - Blue Sprs - Butler - Nevada W/M
Su 3 Aug Actual Route: Nevada W/M - Ft Scott, KS - Nevada McDs - Walmart
M 4 Aug Actual Route: Nevada W/M - El Dorado Sprs -Humansville - Bolivar Walmart
T 5 Aug Route: Bolivar Walmart - Buffalo - Two Lane - Lebanon Lib - Walmart
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
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