Fort Logan was a military installation located eight miles southwest of
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. It was established in October 1887, when the first soldiers camped on the land, and lasted until 1946, when it was closed following the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. After the fort closed the site was used as a mental health center and part of the land was set aside for the
Fort Logan National Cemetery
Fort Logan National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. Fort Logan, a former U.S. Army installation, was named after Union General John A. Logan, commander of US Volunteer forces during the American Civil War. It co ...
.
History
![Fort Logan, Colorado, in 1917 or 1918](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Fort_Logan%2C_Colorado%2C_in_1917_or_1918.png)
Toward the end of the 19th century, conflicts between Native Americans and expanding American interests were becoming less common. The
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
began looking to cut costs by closing isolated
frontier forts and start using the railroads to transport troops and supplies. In 1886, prominent Denver citizens, looking to boost the local economy, raised money and donated land to bring an Army fort to the area. In October 1887 the first soldiers arrived from posts in
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
and camped in 26 tents on the site that was at the time simply called the "Camp Near the City of Denver."
[
The camp was a treeless plateau located about eight miles southwest of the city. Unofficially the local citizens began to refer to it as "Fort Sheridan" after General ]Philip Sheridan
General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close as ...
who had selected the site. Sheridan preferred having his name associated with a fort north of Chicago and on 5 April 1889, had the camp designated "Fort Logan" after John Alexander Logan
John Alexander Logan (February 9, 1826 – December 26, 1886) was an American soldier and politician. He served in the Mexican–American War and was a general in the Union Army in the American Civil War. He served the state of Illinois as a ...
.[
This new "urban-type" fort began construction quickly, though the final buildings were not completed until 1897. The fort had a parade ground and quarters, including the 1888 building for Field Officer's Quarters by Frank J. Godavent which still stands today and was restored in 2009. As infantry barracks were completed, the 7th Infantry left ]Fort Laramie, Wyoming
Fort Laramie is a town in Goshen County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 230 at the 2010 census. The town is named after historic Fort Laramie, an important stop on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails, as well as a staging point ...
, and made Fort Logan their permanent home.[ In 1894, the first cavalry units were posted to Fort Logan and remained until 1904.]
Troops from Fort Logan participated in military actions right from the start. In December 1890, troops were deployed to South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...
to intercept Sioux
The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...
tribal bands. In 1894 troops were called in to quell civil strife resulting from Governor Davis Hanson Waite
Davis Hanson Waite (April 9, 1825 – November 27, 1901) was an American politician. He was a member of the Populist Party, and he served as the eighth Governor of Colorado from 1893 to 1895.
Biography
Early years
Davis Hanson Waite was bor ...
's siege of city hall. Later in the year they were deployed south during the Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike was two interrelated strikes in 1894 that shaped national labor policy in the United States during a period of deep economic depression. First came a strike by the American Railway Union (ARU) against the Pullman factory in Ch ...
. Units from Fort Logan also participated in the 1898 Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
.[
In 1908 the site added 340 acres, bringing their total to 940 acres. In 1909 the fort was made a recruit depot and continued in that role until 1922. In 1927 an Engineering unit occupied Fort Logan and made major updates to the site during the ]Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
.[
On 1 March 1941, the ]Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps:
* Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army
* Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941)
* United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
moved an Army Air Forces Clerical School to Fort Logan from Lowry Army Airfield Lowry may refer to:
People
* Calvin Lowry (born 1983), American football player
* Dave Lowry (born 1965), Canadian ice hockey player
* Desiree Lowry (born 1972), Puerto Rican beauty pageant titleholder
* Hiram Harrison Lowry (1843–1924), Ameri ...
. Thus the installation came under the control of Western Technical Training Command
Western Technical Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to the Army Air Forces Training Command, and stationed at Denver, Colorado throughout its existence. It was inactivated on 15 October 1945.
...
. In 1942 the Administrative Inspector School was opened which trained air inspectors. In April 1944, Fort Logan was transferred from the Western Technical Training Command
Western Technical Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to the Army Air Forces Training Command, and stationed at Denver, Colorado throughout its existence. It was inactivated on 15 October 1945.
...
to the AAF Air Service Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
for training injured soldiers in civilian trades. In addition the fort was briefly used as a prisoner of war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. ...
in 1943 and 1944. After the war the fort was declared surplus and negotiating over what to do with the land commenced.[
Some land was sold, 75 acres (including the burial ground) were set aside for the ]Fort Logan National Cemetery
Fort Logan National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. Fort Logan, a former U.S. Army installation, was named after Union General John A. Logan, commander of US Volunteer forces during the American Civil War. It co ...
, and the rest was donated to the state of Colorado. The state used the site as a mental health center and the first patients were admitted in 1961. In 1991 the center was renamed to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan.
People
*From 1889 to 1897, Medal of Honor recipient and Civil War veteran, Major General Henry C. Merriam
Henry Clay Merriam (November 13, 1837 – November 18, 1912) was a United States Army general. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions as a Union officer in command of African American troo ...
, then Colonel, was commander of the 7th Infantry Regiment assigned to the fort.
*From 1901 to 1902, Medal of Honor recipient and Civil War veteran, Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
Arthur MacArthur Jr. (June 2, 1845 – September 5, 1912) was a lieutenant general of the United States Army. He became the military Governor-General of the American-occupied Philippines in 1900; his term ended a year later due to clashes w ...
, father of General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
, was commandant of the fort.[IDA.net – Historic Forts of The Old West]
*From 1924 to 1925, US President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
, then Major, was a recruiting officer at the fort. [
]
See also
* Colorado World War II Army Airfields
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
* Western Technical Training Command
Western Technical Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to the Army Air Forces Training Command, and stationed at Denver, Colorado throughout its existence. It was inactivated on 15 October 1945.
...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Logan, Fort
Military installations closed in 1946
Military installations in Colorado
Morgan