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Fort Cosmos (1885-1886) - A US Navy wintering station established in 1885 by U.S. Navy Lieutenant George M. Stoney, near present day Kobuk, Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska. Named Fort Cosmos by Lt. Stoney after the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC. Abandoned in 1886.
History of Fort Cosmos
In 1885, on orders from the US Navy, Navy Lieutenant George M. Stoney, with 5 officers and 12 men in the 390-ton schooner Viking, a stern-wheel steamboat, the Explorer, and a steam cutter, the Helena, was detailed to explore the region.
Lt. Stoney established the fort on the right bank of Kobuck River at the mouth of Cosmos Creek. He erected buildings and brought in supplies to prepare for the winter and for a comprehensive exploration of the area. Seven exploration parties were sent out:
Exploration Trips
| Out
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Return
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Leader
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Area
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| 1 Dec 1885 |
18 Dec 1885 |
Lt. George M. Stoney |
Noatak
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| 6 Dec 1885 |
12 Dec 1885 |
F.S. Nash, Surgeon |
Yukon
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| 26 Dec 1885 |
25 Feb 1886 |
A.V. Zane, Asst. Engineer |
St. Michael
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| 29 Dec 1885 |
7 Jan 1886 |
Lt. George M. Stoney |
Selawik basin
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| 28 Feb 1886 |
6 Apr 1886 |
Lt. George M. Stoney |
Colville
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| 10 Mar 1886 |
2 Apr 1886 |
Ensign M.L. Reed |
Hot Springs on Reed River
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| 12 Apr 1886 |
Returned to States |
Ensign W.L. Howard |
Colville to Point Barrow
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Fort abandoned in 1886.
Current Status
No remains.
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Location: Kobuk, Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska.
Maps & Images
Lat: 66.86667 Long: -157.3
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GPS Locations:
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See Also:
Sources:
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 21.
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1894398
Links:
- North American Forts - Fort Cosmos
- Smith, Philip S., The Noatak-Kobuk Region, Alaska, Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Bulletin 536, Washington, 1918, Google Books, page 13-14.
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