June is a busy month at Fort Phil Kearny

June is just one but a busy month this summer season at the Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site. 

According to the state historic site and WyoHistory, Fort Phil Kearny was the largest of the three forts built along the Bozeman Trail leading to the gold fields in Montana. The fort was established by the U.S. Army on July 15, 1866 near present-day Story, Wyo. along with Fort Reno northeast of present Kaycee, Wyo. and Fort C.F. Smith, Mo.

Fort Phil Kearny’s original purpose was to protect wagon freighters, gold prospectors, pioneers and other travelers along the Bozeman Trail also known as the “Bloody Bozeman” from attack by Plains Native Americans wary of further encroachment by pioneers and the military onto already contested lands.

The wooden 8-foot-high stockade fortified Fort Phil Kearny’s 17 acres, making it one of the largest forts on the frontier of the American West. Although the fort only stood for two years, it played a large part in establishing the American West. Two major battles, the Fetterman fight and the Wagon Box fight, occurred near the fort along with many other skirmishes. 

The Fetterman fight in December of 1866 resulted when U.S. Army Captain William Fetterman was lured out of the fort by the legendary Crazy Horse. Capt. Fetterman  allowed himself and his troops to be lured over a hill north of the fort by the Lakota war leader. This action placed Fetterman outside of a timely supportive distance from Fort Phil Kearny. He, along with all 80 troops in his command were killed by Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux warriors.

While appearing on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program, Site Superintendent Sharie Shada gave listeners a list of events that will take place this month at the fort, including a tour of the Fetterman Battlefield guided by former Site Superintendent Bob Wilson.

For more information and a full schedule of events at the fort, click here. ​