Fort Date Creek, also known as Camp McPherson or Camp Date Creek, was a United States Army post established in 1867 sixty miles south of Prescott, Arizona. It was built to safeguard American settlers in Yavapai County.

History

Fort Date Creek is located along Date Creek near the

OX Ranch An ox (plural, : oxen, ), also known as a bullock (in BrE, AusE, and IndE), is a male bovine trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castration, castrated adult male cattle; castration inhibits testosterone and aggression, w ...

and was originally named Camp McPherson for General

James B. McPherson James Birdseye McPherson (November 14, 1828 – July 22, 1864) was a career United States Army officer who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. McPherson was on the General's staff of Henry Halleck and late ...

at its founding on January 23, 1867. The fort was initially a temporary base protecting the road from

La Paz La Paz (), officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish pronunciation: ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities ...

to Prescott during the Hualapai War. Just after being founded, it was abandoned for a new post named Camp Skull Valley, twenty-five miles to the north in March 1867. On May 11, 1867, the fort was reopened and renamed Camp Date Creek and later Fort Date Creek. The fort itself was moved a short distance twice, but always remained along the creek. In 1868 the

garrison A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...

included two infantry companies from the 14th Regiment and beginning in 1869, the area became an important center for fighting hostile native Americans. A temporary

reservation __NOTOC__ Reservation may refer to: Places Types of places: * Indian reservation, in the United States * Military base, often called reservations * Nature reserve Government and law * Reservation (law), a caveat to a treaty * Reservation in India, ...

was established at the fort in 1869 for the Hualapai people but by 1874 the United States Secretary of War declared that it was no longer needed for military purposes. Fort Date Creek then became a settlement for American pioneers for several years. As of today a few adobe buildings and a cemetery mark its location.

References

{{Authority control Date Creek Buildings and structures in Yavapai County, Arizona Arizona Territory History of Yavapai County, Arizona 1867 establishments in Arizona Territory National Register of Historic Places in Yavapai County, Arizona Date Creek