The Fort Omaha Guardhouse was built in 1883 to handle
Native American, civilian and military prisoners of the
Department of the Platte
The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Oma ...
housed at
Fort Omaha. Located at 5700 North 30th Street in
north Omaha, Nebraska, the Guardhouse was named an
Omaha Landmark by the
City of Omaha Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission in 1982.
It is also a contributing property to the Fort Omaha Historic District, which is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
About
Placed by the front gates, the Fort Omaha Guardhouse was built as part of a design typical of
western United States military forts in the 19th century. Originally constructed as a large L-shaped building, the rear or east wing of the building, closest to North 30th Street, was dissected from the building around 1914. It was used as a storage facility for many years, and the main section of the guardhouse was converted to offices.
Big Spotted Horse
Big Spotted Horse was a Pawnee warrior and raider who lived during the 19th century. He belonged to the Pitahawirata band or division of the Pawnee tribe.Blaine, Martha R. (1990): ''Pawnee Passage, 1870-1875''. Norman and London.
The killing of A ...
was captive there in the 1880s. The most famous prisoner of the guardhouse was
Ponca Chief Standing Bear during the trial of ''
Standing Bear v. Crook''. When General Crook visited him at the Guardhouse he was appalled by the terrible conditions Standing Bear and his tribal members were staying in.
Several other prisoners, including Army
deserters, were housed there over the next forty years. There were also several prisoners who were land jumpers that
claimed stakes in the
Black Hills before 1875.
[Mills, A. and Claudy, C.H. (1918) ]
My Story
'. p. 157.
See also
*
History of Omaha
References
External links
Historic postcard
{{NRHP Omaha
Guardhouses
Landmarks in North Omaha, Nebraska
National Register of Historic Places in Omaha, Nebraska
Buildings and structures in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha Guardhouse
Defunct prisons in Nebraska
Military facilities on the National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska
Jails on the National Register of Historic Places
Jails on the National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska
1883 establishments in Nebraska