Fort Date Creek, also known as Camp McPherson or Camp Date Creek, was a United States

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

post established in 1867 sixty miles south of Prescott,

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. It was built to safeguard American

settler A settler is a person who has human migration, migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a ...

s in

Yavapai County Yavapai County is near the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 236,209, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Prescott. Yavapai County comprises the Prescott, AZ M ...

History

Fort Date Creek is located along Date Creek near the OX Ranch and was originally named Camp McPherson for

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

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 Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

companies from the 14th Regiment and beginning in 1869, the area became an important center for fighting hostile native Americans. A temporary reservation was established at the fort in 1869 for the

Hualapai people The Hualapai (, , yuf-x-wal, Hwalbáy) is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Arizona with about 2300 enrolled members. Approximately 1353 enrolled members reside on the Hualapai Reservation, which spans over three counties in Nort ...

but by 1874 the

United States Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the President of the United States, U.S. president's United States Cabinet, Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's Presidency of George Washington, administration. A similar position, called either "Se ...

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