Fort Lewis (4)

Fort Lewis (4) (1880-1891) - A U.S. Army post established in 1880 by Lieutenant Colonel Robert E.A. Crofton, 13th U.S. Infantry in La Plata County, Colorado. Named for Lieutenant Colonel William H. Lewis (Cullum 1821), 19th U.S. Infantry, who was killed fighting hostile Cheyenne Indians at Punished Woman's Fork, Kansas, 28 Sep 1878. Abandoned in 1891. History A U.S. Army post established in July 1880 by Lieutenant Colonel Robert E.A. Crofton, 13th U.S. Infantry in La Plata County, Colorado. Moved from the initial location, Fort Lewis (3), on the recommendation of Lieutenant General Philip H. Sheridan. This post provided protection for the nearby Ute Indian reservation and the adjacent settlers. Abandoned in September 1891 and transferred to the Department of Interior for use as an Indian school 12 Nov 1891. Current Status Operated since 1956 as San Juan Basin Research Center, Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station (part of Colorado State University), La Plata County, Colorado Location: La Plata County, Colorado. Maps & Images Lat: 37.2316354 Long: -108.0508053 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 7628' 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 108 Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 43 Links: North American Forts - Fort Lewis (4) Visited: No